Wireless connectivity solution improves IoT boards

The Cypress CYW43438 combo solution provides robust 802.11n Wi-Fi for developers to connect their applications to the Internet, along with advanced coexistence algorithms enabling simultaneous Bluetooth 4.1 operations such as audio streaming and low-power Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connections to smartphones, sensors and other low-power devices. Raspberry Pi’s original board with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the Raspberry Pi 3, also uses a Cypress wireless solution.

“With Cypress’ combo solution on board, Raspberry Pi Zero W allows designers to connect to the most pervasive Wi-Fi networks for infrastructure connections and offers Bluetooth to connect to smartphones and other low-power smart devices,” said Eben Upton, CEO of Raspberry Pi Trading.

“The highly integrated Cypress solution enabled us to offer our boards at the right price points for wide scale adoption by IoT developers, eliminating the need for them to purchase wireless dongles that can cost more than the boards themselves. The Zero W has earned positive reviews from developer engineers and makers alike.”

“Raspberry Pi has grown to become the industry’s leading developer and maker platform for IoT applications, and we are pleased to have Cypress’ wireless contribute to that success,” said Michael Hogan, Vice President of the IoT Business Unit at Cypress.

“The Raspberry Pi 3 has shipped more than four million units to date, and we expect the new Raspberry Pi Zero W and future boards will encourage users from their diverse customer base in education, industrial and mass-market IoT to look at other Cypress solutions as well.”

The Raspberry Pi Zero W features a 1GHz, single-core CPU, 512MB RAM, Mini-HDMI and Micro-USB ports, composite video and reset headers and a CSI camera connector, along with 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 4.1 wireless connectivity.

Cypress' CYW43438 combo solution integrates IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in a single-chip solution to enable small-form-factor IoT designs. The solution provides up to 150 Mbps PHY data rates and coexistence management for advanced Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming applications.

The combo solution is supported on Cypress' Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) Software Development Kit (SDK), which provides code examples, tools and development support.