RF transceiver eyes 2.4GHz unlicensed ISM band

Texas Instruments Inc. has launched its second-generation Zigbee/IEEE 802.15.4 RF transceiver designed for the 2.4GHz unlicensed ISM frequency band.

The CC2520 features selectivity/co-existence link budget and targets a wide variety of Zigbee/IEEE 802.15.4 and proprietary wireless systems used in industrial monitoring and control, home and building automation, STBs, remote controls and wireless sensor networks.

In a typical system, the CC2520 will be used together with a MCU, such as TI's MSP430 ultra-low power MCUs, and a few additional passive components. The RF transceiver reduces the load on the host controller by providing extensive hardware support for packet handling, data buffering, burst transmissions, data encryption, data authentication, clear channel assessment, link quality indication and packet timing information. The MSP430 MCU series is designed for Zigbee-based applications due to its highly integrated peripherals like DMA and DAC and ADC that provide high performance yet consume very little power.

Key CC2520 specifications include 1.8V to 3.8V supply range, -40°C to 125°C temperature range, 103dB link budget (400m line-of-sight range with the development kit) and 50dB adjacent channel rejection. The device also provides an easy upgrade path for the CC2420 RF transceiver.

The CC2520 is available in 5mm x 5mm QFN-28 package for $3.10 each in 100-unit quantities. A comprehensive development kit (CC2520DK) includes both hardware and software for advanced prototyping.