Murata intros Wi-Fi network controller module to M2M market

PLANO, USA: Murata Wireless Solutions (MWS) announced the introduction of its SN8200 Wi-Fi Network Controller Module. The SN8200 is a small, low power, self-contained, certified Wi-Fi network controller module that provides simple serial-to-Wi-Fi connectivity to the internet. It is an ideal solution for manufacturers who are looking to add wireless connectivity to home appliances or other devices for the healthcare equipment, industrial control and monitoring markets.

The SN8200 is enabled with Broadcom Corporation’s Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) architecture and SDK. It hosts 11n Wi-Fi, TCP/IP network stack, security supplicant and other network application features, such as web server, all integrated within the module. It provides Murata’s Simple Network Interface Card (SNIC) serial-to-Wi-Fi interface protocol that treats the Wi-Fi module as a simple serial port. This significantly reduces the development and integration effort for design engineers and shortens time-to-market.

Additionally, the SN8200 module is FCC and IC Certified. It is also compliant with ETSI standards EN 300 328 and EN 301 489. The module is capable of extended operating temperature and life-time expectancy that helps to support a variety of applications and environments.

The SN8200 includes the latest and most advanced IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi system-on-chip (SOC) from Broadcom and an STM32 32-bit ARM Cortex M3 microcontroller from STMicroelectronics that hosts the networking application and provides the network stack and Wi-Fi API. The module also combines a diversity enabled RF front end, PMU and on-board antenna.

The SN8200 is the first module from MWS’s Network Controller Module product line. The family is comprised of footprint compatible modules with flexible software personalities and hardware configurations to match customer needs. Variants include antenna diversity, microcontroller speed, flash memory size, peripheral interfaces and advanced software feature options like access point mode, Wi-Fi Direct, Smart Energy Profile 2.0, and IPv6.

“The SN8200 is a game-changer in design. It provides a rich feature set and easy-to-use, turnkey solution for any application. This will definitely shorten the customer design cycle and greatly enable rapid development of next generation wireless products,” said Mehul Udani, GM of Murata Wireless Solutions.

“Wi-Fi has become ubiquitous, with 1.1 billion enabled devices shipped in 2011. An easy-to-integrate, low power Wi-Fi module that leverages features such as advanced security and network stacks can help manufacturers connect smart devices and sensors in the home, office or industrial environments. The SN8200 product from Murata addresses this market,” said Alex West, Research Director of IMS Research.

The SN8200 Serial-to-Wi-Fi Network Controller development kits are available now from Avnet for $199. The SN8200 module is priced in the mid to high teens.