STMicroelectronics launches ultra-low-power Sigfox Monarch-ready solution

　　STMicroelectronics says it is the first chip maker to develop and market a certified solution for seamless global, ultra-low-power, and long-range wireless IoT connectivity enabling the Monarch worldwide tracking and positioning service from Sigfox, a lead IoT service provider.

　　ST’s solution lets users create region-independent smart objects that connect automatically to the local Sigfox network anywhere in the world, empowering inter-regional mobility, geolocation, and asset tracking without relying on more expensive GPS or GNSS positioning devices. These could include smart-baggage products that aid tracking in airports or transport hubs, or innovations for supply-chain management and air or rail transportation in the industrial asset-management market, such as smart pallets. Regional independence also allows makers of connected smart objects such as consumer or commercial IoT devices to standardise products for multiple export markets, simplifying manufacturing and logistics.

　　ST is providing a complete Software Development Kit (SDK) that runs on STM32, for Sigfox Monarch networking, supported by development kits, reference designs, and tools that accelerate project completion.

　　The fully certified Sigfox Monarch solution is based on ST’s S2-LP ultra-low-power, long-range, sub-1GHz radio, which is automatically tuned on the local regional Sigfox frequency band, across all relevant worldwide zones (RC1 to RC6), enabling seamless connectivity to the Global Sigfox network and geolocation services.

　　For processing demanding applications, the ARM Cortex-M4 based devices are said to enable efficient data pre-processing and localised AI, reducing network traffic requirements.

　　To jump-start new product development, ST’s S2-LP radio is also available for the STM32 Open Development Environment (ODE) with X-NUCLEO-S2868A1/-S2915A1 (upcoming in late Q4’18) expansion boards and X-CUBE-SFXS2LP1 Sigfox Ready software expansion pack.

　　The SDK also supports a dual-radio reference solution powered by the S2-LP and BlueNRG-2 Bluetooth low energy SoC, design to offer easy in-field provisioning, maintenance and configuration of the device through a convenient smartphone app.

　　The design can be enhanced with the STSAFE secure element for robust cyber-protection and with ST’s comprehensive industrial portfolio of motion and environmental MEMS sensors.