Broadcom's WICED Smart Ready SoC Doubles Data Rates for IoT Devices

IRVINE, Calif., May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

News Highlights:

• Integrates Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart and power amplifier (PA) for extended range onto a single chip
• Expands use cases for home automation, audio, industrial and wearables
• Simplifies development of dual-mode Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart applications

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today introduced a new Bluetooth^® Smart system-on-a-chip (SoC) into its Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED™) family. Broadcom's WICED Smart Ready SoC enables twice the data rates over a Bluetooth Smart link, significantly improving performance and extending battery life for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. For more news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom.

The BCM20706 integrates Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart onto a single chip with a built-in microcontroller (MCU), reducing cost, footprint and time-to-market for companies developing home automation, audio, industrial, wearables and other applications. Broadcom's WICED Smart Ready SoC also offers dual-mode Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart applications so OEMs can select either technology based on their end product needs. Additionally, by enabling twice the data rate over a Bluetooth Smart link, Broadcom is future-proofing the WICED platform with high data rate and power-efficient 2 Mbps mode, anticipated to be standardized in Bluetooth 5.0.

"Broadcom continues its IoT leadership by taking performance to the next level with our new WICED Smart Ready chip," said Brian Bedrosian, Broadcom Senior Director, Product Marketing, Wireless Connectivity. "In addition to doubling data rates for devices, we have eliminated the need for an external MCU, saving costs and reducing time-to-market for OEMs and developers creating next-generation applications."

Key Features of the WICED Smart Ready SoC:

• Integrated Bluetooth Basic Rate (BR), Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) and Bluetooth Smart
• Integrated standard Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart profiles such as A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, SPP and GATT for simplified development of dual mode BT/BLE applications
• Integrated iPA with Max 10 dBm for Bluetooth Smart to maximize range
• Integrated ARM Cortex CM3 MCU with clock speed up to up to 96 MHz
• Over 100 KB applications RAM for consumer applications
• High speed peripheral data carried between two devices for better on-air efficiency and reduced power consumption
• Compliant with Bluetooth 4.2 specification
• Integrated peripheral support

Availability
Broadcom's WICED Smart Ready SoCs and evaluation boards are now sampling.

For ongoing news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom, read the B-Connected Blog, or visit Facebook or Twitter. And to stay connected, subscribe to Broadcom's RSS Feed.

About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments. With one of the industry's broadest portfolios of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by Connecting everything®. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

Broadcom^®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, the Connecting everything logo and WICED™ are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.  Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Wireless and Connectivity

Related Links

http://www.broadcom.com