Multiprotocol Modules and SoCs
| Frequency Bands | Bluetooth | Zigbee | Thread | Proprietary | Flash | RAM | Output Power Range (dBm) | RX Sensitivity (dBm) | TX Current (0 dBm) | RX Current (mA) | Security | GPIO | MCU Core | |
| EFR32MG21 Series 2 SoCsFEATURED | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 1024 | 96 | -20 to 20 | -104.5 | 9.3 mA | 9. | Enhanced Crypto, Debug Access Control, Secure Enclave | 20 | Arm Cortex-M33 |
| EFR32MG21 Series 2 Modules | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 1024 | 96 | Up to 20 | Arm Cortex-M33 | ||||||
| EFR32MG12 Series 1 SoCs | 2.4 GHz Sub-GHz Dual Band |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 1024 | 128 | -30 to 19 | -120.6 | 10.8 | AES-128 AES-256 ECC SHA-1 SHA-2 | 65 | Arm Cortex-M4 | |
| EFR32MG12 Series 1 Modules | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 1024 | 256 | -30 to 10 | -102.7 | 9.5 mA | 12.5 | AES 128/256, SHA and ECC, TRNG | ARM-Cortex-M4 | ||
| EFR32MG13 Series 1 SoCs | 2.4 GHz Sub-GHz Dual Band |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 512 | 64 | -30 to 19 | 31 | Arm Cortex-M4 | ||||
| EFR32MG13 Series 1 Modules | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 512 | 64 | Up to 18 | -102.7 | 9.5 mA | 11.9 | AES 128/256, SHA and ECC, TRNG | Arm Cortex-M4 | ||
| EFR32BG21 Series 2 SoCs | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | 1024 | 96 | -20 to +20 | Arm Cortex-M33 | |||||||
| EFR32BG21 Series 2 Modules | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | 1 | Up to 20 | -105 | Arm Cortex-M33 | ||||||||
| EFR32BG13 Series 1 SoCs | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | 512 | 64 | -30 to +19 | ARM Cortex-M4 | |||||||
| EFR32BG12 Series 1 SoCs | 2.4 GHz | ✔ | ✔ | 024 | 256 | -30 to +19 | ARM Cortex-M4 |
EFR32xG21 Bluetooth Starter Kit
EFR32xG21 Bluetooth Starter Kit
Here's a brief look at the different types of multiprotocol connectivity and their benefits.
Programmable Multiprotocol
Programmable multiprotocol support entails having a chipset that, when programmed with the right software stack, can run any number of wireless protocols. Being able to program a chip in production to support BLE, Zigbee, Thread or a proprietary protocol means you can streamline your hardware design and quickly address different markets. A chip platform that supports multiple protocols via different software images is a fundamental prerequisite for all other multiprotocol use cases.
Switched Multiprotocol
Switched multiprotocol enables your connected device to change which wireless protocol is being used by bootloading a new firmware image when the device is already deployed in the field. Consumer experience of settting up or commissioning your product can be greatly improved by making use of smartphone connectivity to swtich between BLE securely onto Zigbee, Thread and other wireless networks. With the addition of over-the-air (OTA) updates, devices can also be updated in the field to evolve to changing market needs.
Dynamic Multiprotocol
Ultimately, any multiprotocol solution must address the possibility of simultaneously running multiple wireless protocols together on one chip, using a time-slicing mechanism to share the radio. This approach opens up even more use cases, especially when combining BLE with other wireless protocols. The simplest of these use cases involves the periodic use of Bluetooth beacons in retail environments from a device that normally operates on Zigbee, Thread or a sub-GHz wireless protocol.
Multiradio Multiprotocol
Dedicated operation of multiple protocols without any trade-offs, especially where different radio frequencies are used by different protocols, requires two radios. There is a lot of value in an application and networking stack that can operate across two radios that perhaps even utilize two completely different frequency ranges. One example is smart metering in Great Britain, where the government will deploy dual PHY Zigbee communications hubs in 30 million households and businesses by 2020. This effort is to enable a Home Area Network that contains both 2.4 GHz Zigbee devices and sub-GHz Zigbee devices (operating in the 868 MHz band), maintained on the same logical PAN with the communications hub routing traffic between devices on different radio frequencies.
| Single Radio | Multiradio | |
|---|---|---|
| # Antennas | 1 | 2 |
| Operation | Time-sliced | Dedicated |
| Performance | Bandwidth shared across multiple protocols; potential increased latency and missed packets | No compromises |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Size | Smaller | Larger |