STMicroelectronics STM32WB09 Bluetooth 5.3 wireless microcontroller

STMicroelectronics’ STM32WB09 wireless microcontroller puts all the required processing power and Bluetooth radio-frequency technology in one chip that designers can put directly on their board ready to connect any other components.

It comes with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 software and lets designers take advantage of the vast development ecosystem ST has built to support its STM32 microcontroller family. This includes PC-based design tools, essential software and sample code to accelerate application development. The STM32WB09 IC, suitable for skilled designers, offers the advantage of a tiny chip-scale package option that is understood to be one of the smallest on the market today.

The microcontroller’s memory and peripherals have been tailored for applications like wireless sensing, connected wearables and remote control. The product is built around an easy-to-use Arm Cortex-M0+ single-core architecture; this core hosts the application while ST’s state-of-the-art radio manages the Bluetooth wireless connection.

The product supports advanced Bluetooth 5.3 capabilities including direction and distance finding for position detection, thereby enabling applications such as real-time locating, indoor positioning, item finding and asset tracking. The SoC is designed to enhance the performance of warehouse inventory management systems, smart meters, medical devices including disposable sensors, and access controls.

While providing generous on-chip memory, ST has prioritised features that make the biggest difference in the targeted applications. These include support for power-control options in the Bluetooth radio and the ability for users to fine-tune the RF output power in 1 dBm steps. This tuning optimises battery life and enables coexistence with other nearby wireless devices.