STM32WB55 series MCU integrate with Zigbee 3.0

The STM32WB wireless microcontroller is based on an ARM ® Cortex®‐M4 core (application processor) running at 64 MHz and an ARM ® Cortex®‐M0+ core (network processor) running at 32 MHz, Bluetooth™ 5.0 and IEEE 802.15.4 wireless standards (such as ZigBee 3.0 and OpenThread) are supported.

The STM32 Wireless MCU (STM32WB55) was launched last year (2019), and STMicro wants to extend the application of the STM32WB into areas such as home automation, as ZigBee networks are a key element in home automation, smart lighting, smart buildings, and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. So it is welcome news to designers of such systems that STMicroelectronics has added ZigBee 3.0 support to its STM32WB55 wireless microcontroller. ZigBee 3.0 unifies the functionality of the ZigBee specification for consumer and industrial applications, a move that has prompted major consumer and Internet brands to choose ZigBee connections for new smart home products.

The STM32WB55 microcontroller already provides support for Thread and Bluetooth 5.0, and the addition of ZigBee connectivity will take this to the next level. The STM32WB55 ZigBee 3.0 software includes support for the Exegin ZigBee Pro protocol stack, which is available free of charge. To simplify development and deployment, the STM32WB ZigBee solution supports 46 ZigBee 3.0 clusters and another 21 clusters support older versions of the product. With ZigBee 3.0 ZCL, developers can easily speed up their certification process, thereby reducing production and development costs.

The STM32WB55 microcontroller also supports Thread and Bluetooth 5.0 and has over-the-air update (OTA) functionality. There are currently 10 STM32WB55 sub-models, offering package styles from 256 KB to 1 MB and flash density options. Other sub-models scheduled for release in the next quarter will provide developers with additional flexibility to meet application performance and cost goals. These devices feature an ARM Cortex-M4 with floating point units, DSP instructions, and a Memory Protection Unit (MPU) to enhance application security. The ARM Cortex-M0 + coprocessor, dedicated to managing the integrated IEEE 805.15.4 radio and network protection features of the MCU, ensures that real-time low-level operations run smoothly without affecting application execution. The RF RF transceiver's link budget is 106dB to ensure the stable and reliable long-distance communication connection.

STM's patented ultra-low power microcontroller technology and on-chip integration of rich features including RF Barron circuits ensure that the STM32WB55 device can help designers meet the stringent power and size requirements of various IoT and wearable devices. The STM32WB55 has rich emulation and system peripherals, as well as network protection and ID cryptographic capabilities, including secure firmware installation (SFI), customer key store, hardware public key authorization (PKA), and encryption accelerator. Capacitive touch and LCD controllers also simplify user interface integration.

ST's ZigBee 3.0 software is now included in the STM32CubeWB MCU package, which provides embedded software including the STM32WB Microcontroller Underlayer (LL) API and Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) drivers. Bluetooth®5.0, Mesh V1.0, and Thread® libraries, the FreeRTOS™ kernel, the FATFS file system, and the STMTouch™ volute-sensing software library. The STM32CubeMonitor-RF testing tools and the STM32CubeMx microcontroller configuration and code generation tools make development easier.