There are many wearable devices and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that must support low power consumption and long-distance interconnection. Therefore, it is desired to select low power wide area network (LPWAN) technology for connection. The mainstream technologies include LTE-M and NB-IoT, of which LTE-M has a higher data rate and supports mobility and Voice on the Net (VON). This article will show you the development of LTE-M, NB-IoT and the Type 1SC module introduced by Murata to understand its technological development and product characteristics.
Direct connection to 4G networks for fast and convenient deployment
LPWAN technology has been developed for many years. LoRa and Sigfox were the mainstream technologies of LPWAN in the early days. However, with the Release 13 IoT standards, i.e. LTE-M and NB-IoT, formulated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in 2016 and the active layout of global telecom operators, LPWAN has been upgraded to NB-IoT and LTE-M networks based on the existing LTE base stations by in-band, thus seizing the mainstream technology status of LPWAN.
The LTE-M mentioned above is an abbreviation of LTE Cat-M1 or Long Term Evolution (4G) Category M1. The technology is mainly used for IoT devices and can be directly connected to 4G networks without gateways, and in general only batteries are needed for operation. LTE-M can be used to support a variety of cellular devices and services (especially machine-to-machine) and IoT applications. Currently, more than 100 operators worldwide have deployed/started an NB-IoT or LTE-M network. Among them, LTE-M has a higher data rate and supports mobility, roaming, and VON services. However, compared with NB-IoT, LTE-M requires more bandwidth and cannot be put into protection bands such as NB-IoT.
LTE-M has low device complexity and extended coverage, while allowing reuse of existing LTE base stations. This technology can make the battery life of the connected device at least 10 years under various usage conditions, and reduce the cost of modems by to 20-25% compared to that of current EGPRS modems.
With the support of all major mobile devices, chipsets, and module manufacturers, LTE-M networks will coexist with 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile networks, and benefit from all security and privacy functions of mobile networks, such as support for user identity confidentiality, entity authentication, data integrity, and mobile device identification. Commercial deployment of LTE-M networks is rapidly underway. LTE-M technology can be used in wearable devices to monitor personal location and vital signs, as well as in smart shelving, asset management, logistics, fleet management, and other application cases requiring low-cost mobile connections.
Highly integrated modem with ultra-small size and long service life
Seeing the urgent demand for LTE-M and NB-IoT technology and applications in the market, Murata has introduced its Type 1SC module, which is a new, compact, and low-cost LTE-M module with ultra-small size, long service life, integrated with a cellular modem and supporting the LTE-M and NB-IoT network protocol. The size of the new stand-alone module is only 11.1 x 11.4 x 1.5 mm. It is built in a silver resin shielded package and includes a Sony ALT1250 transceiver with an FEM module and external 16 MB flash. The integrated TCXO characterized by robust low drift thermal can provide an accurate clock source for RF transceivers.
The Type 1SC module that supports LTE-M and NB-IoT technology supports GPS-free, low power periodic tracking applications. The small size can be applied to wearable devices that are unable to connect in a cellular manner in the past. It supports global standards, and passes PTCRB/GCF certification, with improved global interoperability with global wireless network operators in IoT applications. It also supports eDRX and PSM protocols specially designed for low current consumption, with the sleep current of only 1.5µA, and prolonged battery life of more than 10 years. It is low in cost and convenient for universal connection and deployment. It supports HTTPS and MQTTS security protocols, and adopts cellular networks to operate smoothly at cell edges and handover scenarios, very suitable for small battery-powered IoT devices and applications.
The Type 1SC module covers most parts of the world, supports GPS/GNSS for precise positioning, integrated SIM (optional), and VoLTE direct voice call via LTE-M. It adopts LGA packages with external antenna configurations, supporting UART host interfaces, OTA firmware upgrades, TX power ups to +23dBm, input voltages of 2.2-4.35 V, operating temperatures of -40℃-85℃, multi-band (low-band and medium-band), including B5, B8, B12, B13, B14, B17, B18, B19, B20, B26, B28 low-band, and B1, B2, B3, B4, B25, and B66 medium-band, and passes JATE/TELEC, FCC/IC, CE, and GCF/PTCRB certification. The Type 1SC module is also qualified on AWS IoT Core to easily access 175+ services in AWS cloud.
Evaluation board speeds up product development
In order to speed up the manufacturer development of products, Murata has also offered the LBAD0XX1SC-EVK-TEMP evaluation board, available for evaluation and application development kits of the Type1SC module. Equipped with an Arduino shield interface, it is available on various Arduino-based MCU development platforms (such as the STM32 Nucleo-64 board), includes 2 mini-USB ports, NB-IoT plate antenna, 1 micro SIM slot, 1 reset button, and 1 SMA connector for RF testing, as well as pads for accessing Type1SC IO pins. With a built-in Arduino headers connector, UART modem control interface supporting 3.3 V/5V IO, and expansion headers, it is available for accessing module pins and CN11 jumpers for current measurement.
Conclusion
Murata's Type 1SC module is a small highly integrated LTE Cat M1 and NB-IoT modem. About 21% smaller than the closest competitors, it can support multi-band (low-band and medium-band) covering most parts of the world. With options in a single modem, it is especially convenient for operators who plan to support two modes, enabling end customers to flexibly switch modes around the world. The Type 1SC module is highly competitive in the market and is the best choice for implementing IoT applications supporting LTE-M and NB-IoT technology.