Maxim introduces an ultra-low power dual-core microcontroller with BLE 5.2

     Maxim Integrated announced the launch of the MAX32666 microcontroller (MCU) with wireless connectivity, helping designers reduce the cost of BOM for button battery-powered Internet of Things (IoT) products by one-third, and significantly save space and extend battery life. Featuring a floating-point computing unit (FPU) and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2 (BLE 5.2), this ultra-low-power dual-core Arm® Cortex-M4 MCU integrates the reliable memory, security, communications, power management and processing capabilities traditionally found in multi-chip MCUS into a single chip. Thus effectively extend the battery life of the device.

     As IoT applications move upmarket, more MCUS are typically integrated into the system. These systems typically include a dedicated processor that supports processing applications, a processor that acts as a sensor data concentrator, a BLE microcontroller for wireless connectivity, and in most cases a separate power management IC (PMIC) that provides efficient power to the MCU. Due to the increasing complexity of IoT applications, while requiring smaller product sizes and longer battery life, traditional multi-chip solutions are difficult to meet the subsequent design needs.

     The MAX32666 MCU is the latest addition to Maxim Integrated's feature-rich, intelligent DARWIN family of MCUS, offering a high-performance design. The form factor and footprint of the MCU are significantly reduced compared to traditional architectures, enabling IoT product designers to integrate three chips in the current device, significantly reducing BOM costs.

     The dual-core Cortex-M4F MCU supports efficient computation of complex functions, operating at up to 96MHz and processing up to 50 percent faster than the closest competing solutions. In place of a separate PMIC solution, the MAX32666 integrates a single inductance Multiple output (SIMO) regulator to effectively extend the operating time of small battery-powered products. The MCU comes with BLE 5.2, supports up to 2Mbps data throughput and long-distance transmission (125kbps and 500kbps), and the transmitter output power is up to +4.5dBm and programmable to a minimum of -95 DBM.

     The device also uses a trust protection unit (TPU) and a powerful math accelerator to support the elliptic curve Digital Signature algorithm (ECDSA) to protect end applications from cybersecurity threats. IC's hardware accelerators provide AES-128, 192, and 256 encryption, and TRNG seed generators and SHA-2 accelerators enhance system security. The device also protects IP firmware with a secure boot loader. The MAX32666's attractive on-board memory capabilities, including up to 1MB of flash memory and 560KB of SRAM, meet the requirements for optional error correction codes (ECC) in the vast majority of high-reliability applications, as well as a variety of high-speed peripherals. Devices operate efficiently to manage more data and support more powerful applications without running out of code space - all with the industry's best power management technology.