Cypress and Semtech Collaborate on Integrated LoRaWAN™ Solution for Smart City Applications

Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: CY), a leader in embedded solutions and a LoRa Alliance™ member, today announced it has collaborated with Semtech Corporation (Nasdaq: SMTC) on a compact, two-chip LoRaWAN™-based module deployed by Onethinx. The highly-integrated Onethinx module is ideal for smart city applications that integrate multiple sensors and are in harsh radio environments. Using Cypress’ PSoC^® 6 microcontroller’s (MCU) hardware-based Secure Element functionality and Semtech’s LoRa^® devices and wireless radio frequency technology (LoRa Technology), the solution enables a multi-layer security architecture that isolates trust anchors for highly protected device-to-cloud connectivity. In addition, the PSoC 6 MCU’s integrated Bluetooth^® Low Energy (BLE) connectivity provides a simple, low-power, out-of-band control channel. The PSoC 6 device is the industry’s lowest power, most flexible Arm^® Cortex^®-M dual-core MCU with a power slope as low as 22-μA/MHz active power for the Cortex-M4 core. The device is a natural fit with Semtech’s latest LoRa radio chip family, which offers 50% power savings in receive mode and 20% longer range over previous-generation devices.

Security is a primary concern for many smart city applications. The Onethinx module utilizes the integrated Secure Element functionality in the PSoC 6 MCU to give each LoRaWAN-based device a secret identity to securely boot, on-board, and deliver data to the cloud application. Using its mutual authentication capabilities, the PSoC 6 MCU-based, LoRa-equipped device can also receive authenticated over-the-air firmware updates. Key provisioning and management services are provided by IoT security provider and member of the Bosch group, ESCRYPT, for a complete end-to-end, secure LoRaWAN solution. The module, offered by Cypress partner Onethinx, connects to Bosch Sensortec’s Cross Domain Development Kit (XDK) for Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors and to the provisioning system from ESCRYPT to securely connect.

“With its long range and low power capabilities in a compact footprint, Semtech’s LoRa Technology is ideal for vertical applications,” said Vivek Mohan, Director of IoT in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “Combining LoRa Technology with Cypress’ PSoC 6 MCU in a purpose-built IoT module will accelerate the delivery of leading-edge IoT solutions for smarter cities and a smarter planet.”

“Devices for LoRaWAN networks need to be secure to protect the data they generate and process,” said Jack Ogawa, senior director of marketing for the MCU business unit at Cypress. “We’re excited to work with LoRaWAN ecosystem members to offer developers the unique combination of secure PSoC 6 MCUs and Semtech’s new lower power, longer range LoRa Technology to address smart city applications.”

The new solution will be showcased at the LoRa Alliance 10^th Annual All Members Meeting from June 6-7 in Vancouver, Canada.