Murata LPWAN technology - CMWX1ZZABZ-078 Module

Mature technologies like Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth and Cellular have a role to play in making the Internet of Things work for many companies and applications.  However there are also some limitations in the deployment for some applications, such as the lack of range or short battery life.  Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are well established in SmartPhones and Tablets and are widely used in consumer products but they do not support long range use. While a Cellular Modem used in a M2M application will support high data rates, this is at the expense of the power consumption, as well as needing the suitable coverage from the Network Operator. The desire for some applications in the IoT world to have long range and low power consumption has been a key driver in the emergence of the LPWAN technologies now available. Nonetheless, it is very unlikely that any one technology is able to provide a single solution for all circumstances.

LPWAN technology is being used and developed in a number of different standards.  For any of these standards, the benefits that are available for users are:

• Low Power Consumption - allowing battery operated sensor nodes to have long field life
• Long Range - with range being in the order of kilometres
• Lower Cost - in terms of potential end node and infrastructure requirements

For these LPWAN technologies, the balance against these benefits is that the various standards are supporting lower data rates than Wi-Fi or conventional Cellular, with Kbps (kilobits per second) data rates rather than Mbps (megabits per second) being handled.

To offer product solutions for the emerging LPWAN market, Murata partnered with Semtech and STMicroelectronics, to develop a Module solution which leverages the strengths of all three partners for this technology. Semtech’s LoRa technology is providing the core RF capability to meet many of the requirements for applications in IoT; STMicroelectronics’ Microcontroller is supporting the Application needed by users as an industry standard approach; and Murata’s strengths in the development and manufacturing of small sized RF Modules - combine to offer users a highly integrated, small size Module which can support both the Stack and Application in the Module as the major part of a stand-alone Sensor End Node.

Diagram 1: Block Diagram of Murata CMWX1ZZABZ-078 Module

The Module, part number CMWX1ZZABZ-078, has been designed to support operation in the sub-GHz ISM bands with support for operation in 868MHz (EU), 915MHz (USA) and 920 / 925MHz (APAC).  The output power of the Module will support up to +14dBm in normal operation and includes a PA boost function for higher output power, up to +18.5dBm, in regions where this is allowed and this is provided at an 50W antenna output pin on the Module. STMicroelectronics has developed a dedicated Discovery Board based on the Murata Module and the I-CUBE-LRWAN software expansion tool is available for various solutions, including the Murata Module.  The device is in a shielded package 12.5mm x 11.6mm x 1.7max mm and only a minimum number of external components are required as part of the reference design.  Radio Certification was done by Murata for FCC/IC as Limited Modular Certification, is compliant with EN 300 220 for Europe and has LoRa Alliance^TM Certification.

While the main focus for Murata’s development of this Module solution was to support the LoRaWAN market, the hardware will also support other protocols based on FSK technology and to switch between the two if required.  The Open MCU Module will also support use with Sigfox and the development of a dedicated Firmware release for the Murata Module, which is in the final stages of development and will be released some time in mid Q1, 2018.  This can allow users the flexibility to develop a generic Application for use with either LoRaWAN or Sigfox networks using a common hardware solution.

Murata's LPWA solution that unleash your IoT business.