Sagitrón, AXEM's distributor for Spain and Portugal, presents the new AX-Sigfox SoC, which enables the implementation of Sigfox connectivity without development or certification effort. The AX-Sigfox SoC contains an 868 MHz radio and a very low-power microcontroller encapsulated in a single pre-programmed device, functioning as a certified Sigfox modem for wireless uplink and downlink data communications within the Sigfox network infrastructure.
Axsem provides a free reference design that includes the electrical schematic, a detailed list of all passive components, and Gerber files for copying and pasting the printed circuit board footprints for the AX-Sigfox SoC modem implementation, which occupies only 20 x 13 mm on the final application board.
This Axsem reference design is Sigfox Ready certified, allowing it to be copied to the final application board while maintaining its certification when integrated without changes to the final product.
When this Axsem reference design is integrated onto the final application board, its pre-certification, obtained by Axsem, can be used.
The AX-Sigfox modem is controlled by AT commands from the application's MCU, requiring only the power pins and the TX and RX pins of the UART to be connected.
The few peripheral components needed to implement the reference design are:
• 3 SMD resistors
• 7 SMD inductors
• 15 SMD ceramic capacitors
• 1 x 48MHz TCXO oscillator
The AX-Sigfox modem has AT commands to control all the main functionalities of Sigfox communication.
It also has AT commands to control low-power modes and arbitrary functionalities added by Axsem.
The AX-Sigfox identification includes a pre-programmed PAC and ID on each device, but these can be changed via AT commands.
The main physical specifications of the AX-Sigfox are:
• Power supply: 1.8 to 3.6 VDC
• Operating temperature: -40°C to +85°C
• Current consumption: 50 nA (sleep, waking via external POR)
• Current consumption: 950 nA (sleep, waking autonomously)
• Current consumption: 1.6 µA (sleep, waking via 32kHz oscillator)
• Current consumption: 10 mA during active reception
• Current consumption: 45 mA during transmission at +14 dBm (adjustable output power)
• Current consumption: 10 mA during transmission at 0 dBm (adjustable output power)
• Adjustable output power up to +16 dBm
• Receiver sensitivity: -129 dBm @ 600 bps (PER 10⁻²)
• Range budget: 156 dB up to Sigfox cells
AX-Sigfox is also available with an unprogrammed microcontroller, for when you need to control both Sigfox communications and the end application with a single MCU.
This variant is the AX-Sigfox-API, which allows you to compile the Sigfox protocol code along with the end application's control firmware, all running in a single process.
The Sigfox protocol implementation source code can be purchased from the AX-Sigfox-Library, and can be used within the application code while maintaining Sigfox Ready pre-certification.
We offer an AX-Sigfox DVK development kit, which includes:
• AX-Sigfox module with a pre-installed 1-year Sigfox subscription, with a daily throughput of up to 140 messages
• Debugging and programming board accessible via USB from a PC
• Connection cables
• Antenna
