8051-based RF Transceiver with integrated USB Controller for Wireless Network Applications - TI CC1111

Texas Instruments introduced the new CC1111, a sub-1 GHz RF transceiver SoC with integrated USB controller. The CC1111 is the combination of CC1101 (TI's RF transceiver) with an enhanced 8051 microcontroller (MCU), 8/16/32 KByte flash memory and a full-speed USB controller. The CC1111 is designed for low-power wireless applications, especially wireless network with a host computer (PC) as a central controller. The combination of RF transceiver and USB controller enables a easy bridging between PCs and RF modules.

TI’s CC1111 in a Centralized Wireless Sensor Network

Key features of CC1111:

• Contains CC1101 RF transceiver frequency synthesizer that supports 1.2 Kbps – 500 Kbps data rate and multiple modulation formats
• Enhanced microcontroller, 8/16/32KB Flash and 1/2/4KB RAM
• Built-in full-speed USB 2.0-compliant interface
• Built-in AES-128 encryption and decryption co-processor
• Sleep current consumption of 0.3 µA
• The CC1111 is pin- and register-compatible with the CC1110 (sub-1 GHz SoC), CC2511 (2.4 GHz SoC with USB) and CC2510 (2.4 GHz SoC).

The CC1111 targets a wide variety of low-power wireless applications including:

• Industrial monitoring and control
• Automatic meter reading,
• Security and alarm systems
• Remote controls
• Low power telemetry
• Home and building automation

Combined with TI’s SimpliciTI network protocol, the CC1111 simplifies development and improves low-power design. It also comes in a 2.4 GHz version, the CC2511, completing TI’s SoC family for both sub-1 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequency ranges.

Art George, TI, said:

The breakthrough integration of the CC1111, combined with our SimpliciTI network protocol, allows customers to develop state-of-the-art wireless sensor networks with smaller PCB size, lower overall system cost and faster time-to-market… By delivering innovative low-power RF technology, support and software, TI gives customers complete RF solutions to achieve next-generation performance in both sub-1 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequency ranges…

About SimpliciTI

SimpliciTI network protocol is a proprietary low-power RF protocol targeting simple, small RF networks. This protocol requires minimal microcontroller resources and was designed for easy implementation on the CC1110/11 and CC2510/11 SoCs or MSP430 ultra-low-power microcontrollers combined with CC1100 and CC2500 transceivers. SimpliciTI network protocol is provided as source code under a free license, without royalties, and can be downloaded.

SimpliciTI is a simple low-power RF network protocol aimed at small (less than 256 nodes)) RF networks. Such networks typically contain battery operated devices which require long battery life, low data rate and low duty cycle and have a limited number of nodes talking directly to each other or through an access point or range extenders. Access point and range extenders are not required but provide extra functionality such as store and forward messages. With SimpliciTI the microcontroller resource requirements are minimal which results in the low system cost.

SimpliciTI was designed for easy implementation and deployment out-of-the-box on several TI RF platforms such as the MSP430 family of low-power microcontrollers and the CC1XXX/CC25XX transceivers and SoCs. The sample applications run out-of-the-box on the MSP430FG4618/F2013 Experimenter Board with CC1100EM, CC1101EM or CC2500EM mounted.

The CC1111 is available in QFN-36 package (6-mm x 6-mm). Resale price starts at $4.65 each in 1K unit qty.

TI also offers development kit for this chip: CC1110-CC1111DK.

More info: TI’s CC1111: 8051-based RF Transceiver with integrated USB Controller