Asset tag based on Bluetooth 5 radio SoC extends battery life

 For tracking goods and assets, a tag based on the RSL10 Bluetooth 5 SoC can extend battery life to a period of five years, says onsemi. The tag is based on Quuppa's real time location services (RTLS) technology and is claimed to offer an unprecedented five years' battery life, compared to the conventional 12 months of less, says the company.

In addition to the low power consumption of the RSL10 Bluetooth 5 radio SoC to extend the battery life, onsemi has also enhanced firmware. The tag includes a three-axis accelerometer and environmental sensor, for motion, pressure and temperature, which provides data and insights into an asset’s environment, condition and orientation.

Each sensor is powered through a dedicated MOSFET load switch, controlled by the RSL10 SoC. According to the company, the design enables the overall system power consumption to be controlled on a per-sensor basis, which decreases the total power used.

The RSL10 Asset Tag is available with a suite of development tools that include multi-protocol wireless support for Bluetooth LE connectivity and the Quuppa Intelligent Locating System RTLS. Within the common microcontroller software interface standard (CMSIS) -Pack, included with the evaluation board, onsemi has developed a custom application that demonstrates the low power features and capabilities of RSL10 Bluetooth 5 SoC in an asset tracking use-case.

The tag also includes an inexpensive antenna, matching circuit optimised for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) transmissions, a multi-purpose dome switch and a 10-pin debugger that can be removed as the application dictates. 

The RSL10 has been selected for an indoor localisation beacon designed to track and monitor hospital equipment. The design was developed by IoT specialist, Blyott and Tatwah, which manufacturers Bluetooth LE tags and beacons. Blyott selected Tatwah’s RSL10-based beacons because of the small form factor, low power capabilities and the ability of the IP67 tags to meet the stringent sterilisation requirements, reported onsemi. 

“The RSL10 allowed us to meet the challenging needs of the healthcare industry," said Gery Pollett, CEO and co-founder of Blyott, adding that the company was particularly impressed by the energy efficiency of the RSL10 radio. 

The next generation of RSL10-powered Bluetooth LE tags will allow Quuppa partners to leverage highly accurate, sensor-enriched positioning data with unprecedented battery lifetime, said . This enables use-cases that haven’t been possible before due to the high cost of ownership,” said Santtu Pulli, senior customer manager at Quuppa. “Real-time asset visibility and related productivity optimisation will become a key competitive advantage for companies in manufacturing, warehousing and logistics domains," he predicted.

The RSL10 asset tag is available now.