Bluetooth module suits medical and IoT applications

The compact and fully customisable module enables full control of all system resources in one solution. Since the OBP421 is Bluetooth Smart Ready, it will become possible to create, compile and link real C code embedded applications with the ability to access any connected Bluetooth Smart sensor using the Generic Attribute Profile (GATT). Examples of customer specific embedded application software written in C include protocol conversion, data logging, scaling and filtering of digital & analog I/O signals, HMI functionality, CAN-bus connectivity, and intelligent (I2C / SPI) sensor connectivity.

The OBP421 is based on the standard Bluetooth Serial Port Module OBS421 which has already been proven in use in demanding applications. Recently, the OBS421 was equipped with an even more powerful MCU which laid the foundation for the OBP421 launch. This ARM Cortex-M3 32-bit RISC core operates at a 72MHz frequency with high-speed embedded memories consisting of Flash memory up to 384kB and SRAM up to 64kB. The microcontroller offers an extensive range of enhanced I/Os, peripherals, 12-bit ADCs, general-purpose 16-bit timers, PWM timers, as well as standard and advanced communication interfaces like I2C, SPI, USART, and CAN.

Customers that have already purchased the Bluetooth Serial Port Module OBS421 can get the Bluetooth System-on-module OBP421 functionality by purchasing a Starter Kit for the application software implementation and sign a royalty-free software licensing agreement.

The OBP421 is a Bluetooth v4.0 module with 300m wireless range, GATT support for Bluetooth Smart, Android support and iOS support (Bluetooth low energy only). Each module is individually tested during production and the OBP421 is radio type approved for USA (FCC Part 15), Europe (ETSI R&TTE), Japan (MIC - formerly TELEC) and Canada (IC RSS). The OBP421 is also compliant with EMC, Safety and Medical standards, and Bluetooth qualified. Further, the module has an embedded Bluetooth dual-mode stack (SPP, DUN profiles and connectBlue Low Energy Serial Port Service) and operates over a temperature range from -30 to +85°C.

Rolf Nilsson, CEO, connectBlue, said: “Thanks to the powerful microcontroller, the OBP421 module can even be used as a complete host CPU replacement. The customer can thus use our OBP421 for the entire system needs benefitting from the design, testing and type approvals already implemented in the OBP421. Thereby, the customer gets a compact system design on a proven hardware with full application flexibility gaining greatly on time-to-market and cost efficiency.”