Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has launched a highly integrated and compact Bluetooth controller LSI that delivers high-speed operation and ultra-low power consumption for the latest mobile, automotive and healthcare
system designs. The Bluetooth v4.0-compliant TC35661 will also address the performance, wireless connectivity and power requirements of a variety of new and emerging batterypowered mobile and sensor-based applications.

Supplied in a 64-ball TFBGA package, the TC35661 is an AECQ100-certified device that will significantly reduce external component count and power consumption in applications requiring Bluetooth v3.0 with EDR (enhanced data rate), and Bluetooth v4.0 functionality.

The latter, supports the new Bluetooth low energy (LE) mode. This provides the low-power and rapid connection and disconnection that will be needed by a wide range of applications and smaller form factor devices in industries ranging from healthcare and fitness to security and home entertainment.

The TC35661 has been developed using Toshiba’s 65nm RFCMOS process and integrates all of the necessary RF functionality including a balun, antenna switch and LNA. An ARM core with onboard ROM and SRAM handles all Bluetooth protocol and data processing tasks at various speeds. Interface options include UART, SPI, USB 2.0, I2C, I2S/PCM. Support for IEEE 802.15.2 2/3/4 wire coexistence is also provided.

Toshiba is offering the TC35661 for use with the standard Bluetooth HCI UART host controller interface. Alternatively the company can provide a fully integrated Bluetooth stack with a selection of application profiles, which enables a complete Bluetooth solution without support from an external host. Toshiba’s new Bluetooth IC can operate from a 1.8V or 3.0V power supply and features a sensitivity of -90dBm. The device can operate in various stand-by, sniff, hold and operational
modes to optimise power consumption depending on operational requirements. Toshiba is a founding member of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), has been heavily involved in Bluetooth standardisation for over ten years, and has an established track record in the development of Bluetooth solutions.