As a cost-effective cable replacement, the new ST60A3H0 and ST60A3H1 transceivers from STMicroelectronics let designers create products with slim, aperture-free cases that can be stylish, water-resistant, and allow convenient wireless docking. Self-discovery with instant mating saves pairing, while low power consumption preserves battery runtime. They operate in the 60GHz V-band and provide eUSB2, I2C, SPI, UART, and GPIO tunneling.
Consuming 130mW in eUSB rx/tx mode and just 90mW for UART, GPIO, and I2C modes, and with a 23µW shutdown mode, energy demand is minimal. As the devices can handle exchanges at up to 480Mbit/s, consistent with the USB 2.0 High Speed specification, wireless connections can deliver cable-like speed and low latency.
The ST60A3H1 has an integrated antenna that eases final system design. It comes in a compact 3mm x 4mm VFBGA package. The ST60A3H0 is designed for connecting an external antenna, giving flexibility to address diverse applications. It has a smaller, 2.2mm x 2.6mm footprint.
In wireless connections, these transceivers deliver benefits including safe galvanic isolation and immunity to environmental hazards such as dust and humidity. The devices are also ideal for rotating and robotic designs since movements are not constrained in any way. Being free from mechanical wear, their lifetime is not limited by the number of rotations. This ensures greater reliability than slip rings, particularly for high data rate signals, at a lower cost than fiber-optic rotating joints (FORJ).
The transceivers are easy to use without installing software drivers or protocol stack. In addition to enhancing end-user experiences, they enable fast, efficient contactless product testing and debugging, including loading firmware over the air (FOTA), during manufacture and after sales.
The ST60A3H0 and ST60A3H1 are in full production and are covered by ST ‘s10-year product-longevity program that ensures long-term support and availability. Samples are available now priced at $5.00. Detailed technical data, evaluation kits, and production pricing are subject to a non-disclosure agreement.
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