U-blox Corporation has announced the launch of NINA-W15 multi-NIC/gateway module

     U-blox Corporation, a leading provider of global positioning and wireless communications technologies, announced the launch of the NINA-W15 family of multi-NIC/gateway modules that support both Wi-Fi 802.11b /g/n connectivity and dual-mode Bluetooth connectivity. This includes support for Bluetooth Low power and Bluetooth BR/EDR. Thanks to the concurrent support of wireless interface, this series has many design commonalities. These modules will be useful for products such as gateways and hubs that need to connect local Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi peripherals to a wider regional network.

     "The NINA-W15 module provides the perfect combination of wireless communication interfaces, security features and proven connectivity software, and is compact enough to ensure cost effectiveness for industrial and medical applications." Stefan Berggren, Senior Product Marketing Manager, u‑blox Short Range Wireless Communications Product Center. "Many industries are very focused on digitization, connecting a large number of sensors and actuators to back-end systems or cloud services for analysis and visualization, or for controlling applications." "He added.

     Thanks to u-blox's expertise in product quality, qualification and certification, as well as its extensive marketing experience in the industrial and medical markets, it can help designers reduce time to market. Key applications for these modules include industrial automation such as machine control, industrial terminals and remote control, building automation and smart building/home equipment such as HVAC and lighting control. Other potential use cases include retail terminals, telematics control units, and medical devices such as defibrillators and urinary monitors.

     The NINA-W15 module will help IoT device developers deliver secure designs by supporting features such as secure boot, Wi-Fi enterprise security, end-to-end security, Bluetooth secure connectivity, and secure simple pairing. These modules will be equipped with pre-flash u-blox connectivity software. The module has been market proven for 15 years and supports multiple connectivity use cases, such as multiple individual control connections, synchronization of GATT protocol and serial port services, and synchronization of peripheral and central devices. With a simple AT command, the host microcontroller activates these functions to configure and control modules and control communication with external Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices.

     The module has a compact design with either a built-in antenna (NINA-W152, 10 x 14 x 3.8 mm) or pins for driving the external antenna (NINA-W151, 10 x 10.6 x 2.2 mm). They all belong to the NINA family of pin-compatible, short-range wireless communication standalone modules, enabling existing products that use a single wireless communication NINA module to support multiple wireless communication interfaces, or to design new product lines that offer a variety of wireless communication interface options.