The new integrated circuit (IC) is the latest addition to Toshiba's App Lite™ TZ1000 family of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The TZ1041MBG addresses the growing market demand for IoT devices capable of supporting multiple external sensors. The new processor is compliant with the Bluetooth Core Specification v4.1 and provides IoT and wearable devices with a highly versatile communication environment that fully utilizes the expanded features of the Bluetooth hub. The high-performance ARM Cortex-M4F, with its integrated DSP and floating-point processing unit, can collect and process data from multiple external sensors. The integration of an intelligent Bluetooth controller and processor allows data captured by external sensors to be connected via various I/O points, such as I2C, UART, SPI, and ADC. The processor incorporates 256KB of SRAM and 8Mbit NOR flash memory to store sensor data. The TZ1041MBG can function as a Bluetooth hub for collecting, processing, and storing data from multiple sources, as well as transferring processed data to external devices such as smartphones and tablets. The TZ1041MBG's automatic reconnection function improves operational efficiency and ease of use by utilizing Low Duty Cycle Directed Advertising [1]. Like other devices in the TZ1000 series, the TZ1041MBG incorporates a low-power design that allows it to adjust its supply voltage in response to the processor frequency. This makes it suitable for wearable products that require extended operating times between battery charges. The TZ1041MBG integrates a high-resolution 24-bit ΔΣADC with high-speed switches connecting to the three input channels. This enables devices equipped with the TZ1041MBG to meet the challenge of accurately measuring biomedical signals, such as pulse and the heart's electrical signal. To assist designers, Toshiba has developed several software algorithms for the TZ1000 series, including activity monitoring, PPG (photoplethysmography) monitoring, and ECG (electrocardiogram) monitoring, providing a complete system solution for wearable products. The TZ1041MBG measures only 6.70 mm x 8.00 mm x 1.59 mm and is scheduled to enter mass production in early 2016; engineering samples will be available in October 2015.
Note: [1] Low Duty Cycle Directed Advertising: A new feature of Bluetooth ver.4.1. When a known device is within the communication area covered by a hub, reconnection is automatic.
