u-blox ANNA-B4 system-in-package

u-blox has announced the ANNA-B4 module — a feature-rich, ultra-compact Bluetooth 5.1 system-in-package (SiP). The product targets applications in harsh environments such as smart lighting networks and industrial circuit breakers, as well as indoor positioning use cases in manufacturing sites, warehouses, hospitals and smart cities.

Measuring 6.5 x 6.5 mm including its integrated antenna, the product combines the Nordic nRF52833 chipset’s feature set with u-blox’s expertise in chipset and module design into a compact and powerful component. The SiP supports Bluetooth mesh, long range and direction finding, Thread and Zigbee. Operation is up to 105°C and it is globally certified.

The ANNA-B412 variant is delivered with the easy-to-use u-connectXpress command API based on industry-standard AT commands for accelerated time to market. Security functionality including secure boot helps prevent malicious attacks by ensuring that only authenticated and authorised firmware and updates can run on the device.

The second variant is ANNA-B402, which features a powerful open CPU architecture for custom applications and adds support for the Zigbee and Thread wireless communication protocols. In addition to enabling concurrent communication over multiple wireless protocols, the module lets product developers build solutions using Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee or Thread using one single module.

The product is suitable for established use cases such as smart lighting networks that coordinate their light intensity in response to presence detection and ambient light sensors using mesh technology. Indoor asset tracking solutions meanwhile stand to benefit from the module’s small size, low power demand and support for Bluetooth direction finding, which lets users locate tagged mobile assets in indoor environments. Indoor asset tracking is gaining traction in a variety of settings including smart buildings, factories, hospitals and warehouses.