The PAN1761 series enables robust BLE central and peripheral nodes to be built with very low total BOM costs. The unique configuration of the device allows NFC to wake-up BLE from standby using a NFC field and automatically initiate a Bluetooth connection. Highly secure Bluetooth connections are created using NFC to exchange link keys (Out-of-Band pairing). BLE applications with extended battery life are possible as a result of zero power consumption in standby mode. An NFC enabled remote device may independently create a wake-up signal with neither host control nor local battery consumption.
The device comes in a 15.6×8.7×1.8mm surface mount package (same form factor as PAN1026 and PAN1760 Bluetooth modules) and benefits from an excellent RF transceiver, programmable BLE EEPROM memory with 32kB on-chip RAM for host-less operation of application software and driver. Furthermore standard SIG Bluetooth low energy and “SPP over Bluetooth low energy” profiles, low-power sleep modes, short transition times between operating modes and an operating temperature range from -40 to +85°C are included.
Low power consumption makes the module suitable for many applications like healthcare and medical diagnostic systems without any human control interface, BLE sensor applications with a need to send data on request, diagnostic and maintenance systems with a requirement for zero standby power consumption, embedded wireless, wearable devices and mobile phone accessories, as well as industrial sensors and measurement devices.
Simone Saile, Product Manager, Panasonic, commented: “In adding NFC technology to Bluetooth applications our customer can benefit of various security and power related features in their application. Security features are enabled through the so-called man-in-the-middle scenario by NFC technology. A NFC enabled remote control device, e.g. smartphone/tablet, must be physically close to the other device which shall be connected to. On the other hand NFC as enabler for Bluetooth connection set-up leads to ease-of-use in applications. This enables new areas of application in the diagnostic and maintenance systems.”
An evaluation kit (PAN1761-EMK starter kit with NFC antenna) is available upon request.