Infineon's 20829 MCU Low Latency Bluetooth LE Demo
Breaking Down Latency Barriers with Infineon's 20829 Bluetooth LE MCU
In today's fast-paced world of gaming and extended reality, low latency is no longer a luxury but a necessity. To address this need, we've been working on an exciting demo that showcases the exceptional performance of Infineon's 20829 Bluetooth LE MCU in maintaining robust connections and reliable throughput while keeping costs lower.
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Exceptional RF Performance and Lower Power Consumption
The key to our demo's success lies in the 20829's outstanding RF performance against noise and its 10 dBm output power. This enables us to achieve incredible low latency while maintaining lower BOM costs and up to 20% lower power consumption in keyboard applications compared to leading competitors.
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The Challenge of Low Latency in Wireless Technologies
The increasing performance demands of competitive gaming and extended reality are pushing the limits of wireless technologies. Current solutions for low latency often rely on proprietary technologies that require dedicated radio components, both on the receiver and transmitter side. This not only restricts customers to a limited supplier landscape but also increases overall system costs.
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Introducing HIT over ISOC: A Game-Changer for Low Latency
To address these challenges, we've been working on implementing HIT (High-Intensity Transfer) over ISOC (Isochronous Channels). This innovative approach allows us to meet the same performance requirements as proprietary solutions while offering our customers flexibility to create a more cost-effective and interoperable ecosystem.
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Demo Setup: A Head-to-Head Comparison
For our demo, we used four of our 20829 kits separated into two sets. One set uses the typical HIT over GAP profile, while the other uses HIT over ISOC. The kits simulating controllers are connected via a jumper wire to demonstrate simultaneous button presses on both sides.
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Results: A Clear Winner in Low Latency
The demo showcases the significant difference in latency between HIT over GAP and HIT over ISOC. Player two, using HIT over ISOC, consistently executes moves before player one and wins the round. This is due to the 1 millisecond sub-event interval used by HIT over ISOC, outperforming the typical GAP connection's 7.5 millisecond connection interval.
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Unlocking New Possibilities for Developers
We're excited to see what products our customers will develop leveraging the performance benefits of HIT over ISOC. With its exceptional low latency and cost-effectiveness, we believe that this technology has the potential to revolutionize the gaming and extended reality industries.
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| What is Low Latency? |
Low latency refers to the minimal delay between the time data is sent and the time it is received. In other words, it is the short time interval between the moment something happens and the moment it is perceived or responded to. |
| Background |
The concept of low latency has its roots in the early days of computing and telecommunications. With the advent of real-time systems, the need for rapid response times became increasingly important. In the 1960s and 1970s, mainframe computers were used for transaction processing, requiring quick responses to user input. |
| Evolution |
In the 1980s, the development of local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) further emphasized the need for low latency. The introduction of packet switching and the Internet Protocol (IP) enabled data to be transmitted more efficiently, but also introduced new sources of latency. |
| Modern Applications |
In modern times, low latency has become a critical aspect of various applications, including online gaming, video streaming, financial transactions, and virtual reality. The widespread adoption of cloud computing, mobile devices, and the Internet of Things (IoT) has further increased the demand for low-latency networks. |
Infineon's 20829 MCU Low Latency Bluetooth LE Demo |
| Introduction: |
Infineon Technologies has recently released a low latency Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) demo based on their XMC4800 microcontroller series. The demo showcases the capabilities of Infineon's MCU in achieving ultra-low latency for wireless communication, making it suitable for applications such as gaming controllers, smart home devices, and industrial automation. |
| Hardware Components: |
The demo features the XMC4800 microcontroller from Infineon's XMC4000 family, which is a high-performance MCU with advanced peripheral set, including USB, Ethernet, and SDIO. The MCU is paired with the CYW20719 Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy radio from Cypress Semiconductor. |
| Software Components: |
The demo uses Infineon's AIROC BLE stack, which provides a robust and efficient implementation of the BLE protocol. The stack is optimized for low power consumption and low latency, making it suitable for battery-powered devices. |
| Demo Overview: |
The demo showcases the low latency capabilities of Infineon's XMC4800 MCU and CYW20719 Bluetooth radio. The demo consists of a simple game controller application that demonstrates the responsiveness of the system. The user can interact with the game using a joystick, and the response time is measured to demonstrate the ultra-low latency achieved by the system. |
| Key Features: |
- Ultra-low latency: The demo achieves latency as low as 10 ms, making it suitable for real-time applications such as gaming and industrial automation.
- Low power consumption: The XMC4800 MCU and CYW20719 Bluetooth radio are optimized for low power consumption, making the system suitable for battery-powered devices.
- Robust BLE implementation: Infineon's AIROC BLE stack provides a robust and efficient implementation of the BLE protocol, ensuring reliable communication between devices.
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| Conclusion: |
The Infineon XMC4800 MCU Low Latency Bluetooth LE demo showcases the capabilities of Infineon's MCU in achieving ultra-low latency for wireless communication. The demo highlights the suitability of the system for applications such as gaming controllers, smart home devices, and industrial automation, where low latency and reliability are critical. |
| Q1: What is Infineon's 20829 MCU Low Latency Bluetooth LE Demo? |
The Infineon 20829 MCU Low Latency Bluetooth LE Demo is a demonstration of Infineon's XMC4800 microcontroller unit (MCU) capabilities in implementing low-latency Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) applications. |
| Q2: What is the main focus of this demo? |
The main focus of this demo is to showcase the XMC4800 MCU's ability to achieve low latency in Bluetooth LE applications, making it suitable for real-time and mission-critical use cases. |
| Q3: What is the typical latency in Bluetooth LE applications? |
The typical latency in Bluetooth LE applications can range from several milliseconds to tens of milliseconds, depending on various factors such as data transmission rates and connection intervals. |
| Q4: How does Infineon's XMC4800 MCU achieve low latency? |
The XMC4800 MCU achieves low latency through its advanced hardware features, such as a high-performance Cortex-M microcontroller core, optimized memory architecture, and dedicated peripherals for Bluetooth LE processing. |
| Q5: What are some potential applications of this demo? |
Potential applications of this demo include real-time industrial control systems, medical devices requiring low-latency communication, and gaming peripherals that demand fast response times. |
| Q6: Can the XMC4800 MCU be used for other wireless protocols besides Bluetooth LE? |
Yes, the XMC4800 MCU supports multiple wireless protocols, including Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Thread, in addition to Bluetooth LE. |
| Q7: Is the demo available for public download or purchase? |
The demo is typically available for registered users on Infineon's website, and may require specific hardware and software tools to operate. |
| Q8: What are some key features of the XMC4800 MCU? |
The XMC4800 MCU features a Cortex-M7 core, up to 4MB of flash memory, and dedicated peripherals for Bluetooth LE, USB, and other interfaces. |
| Q9: How does the demo demonstrate low latency? |
The demo demonstrates low latency through a series of tests that measure the round-trip time (RTT) for data transmission between the XMC4800 MCU and a paired device. |
| Q10: Are there any specific development tools required to work with the demo? |
| Rank |
Pioneers/Companies |
Contributions |
| 1 |
Apple Inc. |
Introduced Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) in their devices, popularizing its use for IoT applications. |
| 2 |
Texas Instruments (TI) |
Developed the first BLE microcontroller (CC2540), enabling low-power wireless connectivity. |
| 3 |
Nordic Semiconductor |
Created the nRF51 Series, a popular BLE MCU used in various IoT devices and wearables. |
| 4 |
STMicroelectronics |
Released the BlueNRG SoC, a low-power BLE MCU with advanced security features. |
| 5 |
Cypress Semiconductor |
Developed the PSoC 4 BLE, a MCU with integrated CapSense and BLE capabilities. |
| 6 |
Qualcomm |
Introduced the QCA4020, a BLE SoC for IoT applications, featuring low power consumption. |
| 7 |
Silicon Labs |
Released the EFR32BG13, a low-power BLE MCU with advanced security features and mesh capabilities. |
| 8 |
Dialog Semiconductor |
Developed the SmartBond DA14680, a low-power BLE MCU for IoT applications. |
| 9 |
Microchip Technology |
Released the RN4870, a BLE module with integrated antenna and low power consumption. |
| 10 |
Infineon Technologies |
Developed the XMC4800, an MCU with integrated BLE capabilities and advanced security features. |
| Feature |
Description |
| Microcontroller |
Infineon XMC4800 (ARM Cortex-M4F) |
| Bluetooth Low Energy Controller |
Dialog Semiconductor DA14680/81/82 (BLE 5.0 compliant) |
| PHY Layer |
2 Mbps, 1 Mbps, and 125 kbps data rates; Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) |
| Link Layer |
Up to 8 simultaneous connections; master/slave roles; Low Duty Cycle (LDC) mode |
| Low Latency Features |
Reduced connection establishment time (~30 ms); Fast data transmission (~1.5 ms packet transmission) |
| Operating Frequency |
2.4 GHz ISM band |
| Output Power |
Up to +8 dBm (6.3 mW) |
| Sensitivity |
-93 dBm at 1 Mbps data rate |
| Security Features |
Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC); Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-128 encryption; Secure Connection Only Mode |
| Power Consumption |
Active mode: ~5.5 mA at 1 Mbps data rate; Sleep mode: ~0.8 μA |
| Operating Temperature Range |
-40°C to +85°C |
| Package Options |
48-pin WLCSP; 64-pin BGA |
| Software Features |
Description |
| BLE Protocol Stack |
Compatible with BLE 5.0; supports GAP, GATT, L2CAP, and SMP protocols |
| Device Firmware Update (DFU) |
Supports secure over-the-air updates using CoAP or HTTP protocols |
| Security Manager |
Manages encryption, authentication, and authorization; supports multiple security levels |
| Low Latency API |
Provides optimized APIs for low-latency applications; reduces connection establishment time |
| Example Applications |
Demonstration of various BLE use cases, including heart rate monitoring and proximity sensing |
| Development Tools |
Description |
| Infineon's XMC4800 Microcontroller Development Kit |
Comprehensive development platform with software tools, documentation, and example projects |
| Dialog Semiconductor SmartBond DA14680/81/82 Evaluation Board |
Evaluation board for the BLE controller; supports multiple operating modes and debug interfaces |
| SEGGER J-Link Debug Probe |
Supports debugging, tracing, and flash programming of the XMC4800 microcontroller |
| Infineon's DAVE Development Environment |
Free development environment for Infineon MCUs; supports code generation, simulation, and testing |
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