Bluetooth Smart SoC targets growing PC peripherals market

28th May 2014

Staff Reporter

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Targeting the growing market for PC peripherals in the office and home, Dialog Semiconductor's SmartBond DA14580 SoC is now being used in wireless keyboards. The SoC maximises battery lifetime with less than 5mA peak current consumption in active mode, and less than 600nA in sleep mode. The wireless keyboard reference design boasts low BoM cost, state-of-the-art SW flexibility and 2 LEDs for connection status and low battery indication.

The PC peripherals sector, which includes keyboards and mice, is an important new market for Dialog’s Bluetooth Smart applications because it builds on the established large-volume market for PCs and tablets, where the majority of products have already adopted the Bluetooth Smart standard. Consequently, the widespread adoption of Bluetooth Smart in keyboards is expected to follow.

According to IHS, 623 million PCs, laptops and tablets will ship in 2014 with the majority supporting Bluetooth Smart. The PC peripherals market is a similar size, with 614M units forecast to ship this year. In addition, it is predicted that Bluetooth Smart will be the fastest growing segment of the HID market for the coming five years. These trends are being driven by the widespread adoption of Bluetooth Smart, and the convenience and cost savings that come from eliminating the need for a dongle.

Rapid adoption of Bluetooth Smart in PC peripherals is also driven by factors such as improved pairing mechanisms, declining wireless prices and increasing consumer demand for wireless products. The increasing adoption of Windows 8 - which natively supports Bluetooth Smart as well as offering an improved user experience - is also expected to boost the popularity of wireless PC peripherals.

“The DA14580 is the lowest-power Bluetooth SOC available today, providing more than three times the battery life of the most popular wireless keyboard brands currently on the market,” said Sean McGrath, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Connectivity, Automobile & Industrial Business Group for Dialog Semiconductor. “Backed by the lowest system cost available – matching the pricing of proprietary wireless connectivity solutions – and a sophisticated reference design that covers all features of a state-of-the-art keyboard, we are able to provide manufacturers with a highly efficient and environmentally-friendly solution while offering maximum convenience to end users.”

“It is Dialog’s intention to deliver complete solutions that help customers minimize development cost and workload while ensuring quick time-to-market,” McGrath added. “This wireless keyboard reference design is Dialog’s flagship entry in the growing HID market space. Our reference designs enable customers to achieve fast time to market with cutting-edge designs.”

Previously, PCs and tablets relied on either Classic Bluetooth or proprietary RF solutions. Today, Bluetooth Smart is preferred to the Classic version as it offers lower power consumption and provides a faster connection. Likewise, Bluetooth Smart is expected to replace proprietary RF solutions as it offers a seamless way to connect keyboards to PCs and tablets without the need for a cumbersome USB dongle.