STMicroelectronics STM32WB microcontroller ecosystem

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STMicroelectronics is easing the design of power-efficient wireless equipment for applications like smart buildings, smart industry and smart infrastructure by introducing more development tools and software for its STM32WB wireless microcontrollers (MCUs).

Strengthening support for wireless design, the STM32WB ecosystem provides all the necessary embedded software bricks and tools to get users started easily with their applications. The STM32CubeWB MCU package is loaded with many examples and brings a full set of peripheral drivers (HAL and LL), all the necessary radio stacks including Bluetooth 5.2, Zigbee 3.0, OpenThread v1.1 and 802.15.4 MAC for proprietary protocols, as well as example implementations of several concurrency models (static and/or dynamic) for these stacks. Software tools like STM32CubeMX and STM32CubeIDE offer direct support of the radio stacks in their GUI for easy access and configuration. Users can easily select and configure profiles and clusters for popular standards and benefit from ready-to-use examples.

Extra controls for the power estimation tool contained in the STM32CubeMX configurator help calculate the RF subsystem contribution to overall power consumption budget. Users can set up various scenarios for an assessment of battery runtime. Other features include enhancement of the STM32Cube programmer for optimised programming of the STM32WB’s dual-core architecture, which enables real-time application performance by utilising a Cortex-M0+ processor to control the radio alongside the main Cortex-M4 core.

With the STM32CubeMonitor-RF evaluation tool, the ecosystem supports the development process through to setting up the radio efficiently in the customer’s environment and testing its performance. Supporting Bluetooth LE and generic 802.15.4 radio technologies, STM32CubeMonitor-RF performs transmission/reception tests and RF measurements and assists writing test scripts and testing protocol and command sequences. The latest version introduces a sniffer capability for 802.15.4 protocols to ease development of products for mesh networks.

All tools and radio protocol stacks within the STM32CubeWB wireless ecosystem are appropriately certified and provided free of charge, along with documentation detailing the accompanying Bluetooth 5.2 and 802.15.4 certification items, enabling users to secure applicable radio-product approvals quickly. The STM32WB ecosystem also contains a set of evaluation boards for STM32WB wireless microcontrollers to help jump-start wireless product development.

For more information: www.st.com/stm32wb.