The new ICs support all data rates required for the high-speed features, 2M PHY and Coded PHY (500kbps and 125kbps) added to the Bluetooth low energy Ver.5.0 standard. Receiver sensitivity at 125kbps is -105dBm, an industry-leading level, and a built-in high efficiency power amplifier in the transmission block realizes up to +8 dBm transmission power. All these features contribute to long-range communication with low current consumption.

Based on an Arm Cortex-M0 processor, the new ICs incorporate a 256KB Mask ROM that supports Bluetooth baseband process, and 144KB of RAM for processing Bluetooth application programs and data.

Additionally, 18-port GPIOs, which can be set to 2 channels each for SPIs, I2C, and UART are also included as interfaces, allowing structuring of systems that connect to various peripheral devices. These GPIOs can be set for a wakeup function, 4-channel PWM, 5-channel AD converter interfaces, a control interface of an external amplifier (option) for long-range communication, and others.

"TC35680FSG" has 128KB of Flash ROM to use for storing user programs and various data in stand-alone operations, suiting it for diverse applications and removing the need for an external non-volatile memory in stand-alone operations. This also reduces the parts count, winning reductions in cost and mounting area.

"TC35681FSG" has no built-in Flash ROM and operates in combination with an external non-volatile memory or host processor. A wide operating range of -40° to +125°C makes it suitable for applications exposed to high temperatures.

The addition of the new products to its line-up ensures Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation’s support for the integration of Bluetooth low energy products into IoT devices, where recent years have seen growing demand for high-throughput and long-range communication. Delivering a line-up with a wide operating temperature range also allows application in industrial applications, and improves product value for users in many areas. The company plans to add a product line-up for automotive applications in the near future.