PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
Nordic VLSI ASA - Vestre Rosten 81, N-7075 Tiller, Norway - Phone +4772898900 - Fax +4772898989
Revision: 1.5
Page 1 of 18
May 2000
433MHz Single Chip RF Transceiver
FEATURES
True single chip FSK transceiver
Few external components required
No set up or configuration
No coding of data required
20kbit/s data rate
2 channels
Wide supply range
Very low power consumption
Standby mode
APPLICATIONS
Alarm and Security Systems
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)
Home Automation
Remote Control
Surveillance
Automotive
Telemetry
Toys
Wireless Communication
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
nRF401 is a true single chip UHF transceiver designed to operate in the 433MHz ISM
(Industrial, Scientific and Medical) frequency band. It features Frequency Shift
Keying (FSK) modulation and demodulation capability. nRF401 operates at bit rates
up to 20kbit/s. Transmit power can be adjusted to a maximum of 10dBm. Antenna
interface is differential and suited for low cost PCB antennas. nRF401 features a
standby mode which makes power saving easy and efficient. nRF401 operates from a
single +3-5V DC supply.
As a primary application, nRF401 is intended for UHF radio equipment in compliance
with the European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI) specification
EN 300 220-1 V1.2.1.
QUICK REFERENCE DATA
Parameter
Value
Unit
Frequency, Channel#1/Channel#2
433.92 / 434.33
MHz
Modulation
FSK
Frequency deviation
15
kHz
Max. RF output power @ 400
, 3V
10
dBm
Sensitivity @ 400
, BR=20 kbit/s, BER<10
-3
-105
dBm
Maximum bit rate
20
kbit/s
Supply voltage
2.7 5.25
V
Receive supply current
250
*
A
Transmit supply current @ -10 dBm output power
8
mA
Standby supply current
8
A
Table 1. nRF401 quick reference data.
ORDERING INFORMATION
Type number
Description
Version
nRF401-IC
20 pin SSOIC
A
nRF401-EVKIT
Evaluation kit with nRF401 IC
1.0
Table 2. nRF401 ordering information.
*
The PWR_UP pin is used for power duty cycling. The duty-cycle is 2 % with a period of 200msec.
nRF401
PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
nRF401 Single Chip RF Transceiver
Nordic VLSI ASA - Vestre Rosten 81, N-7075 Tiller, Norway -
Phone +4772898900 - Fax +4772898989
Revision: 1.5
Page 2 of 18
May 2000
BLOCK DIAGRAM
Figure 1. nRF401 block diagram with external components.
PIN FUNCTIONS
Pin
Name
Pin function
Description
1
XC1
Input
Crystal oscillator input
2
VDD
Power
Power supply (+3-5V DC)
3
VSS
Ground
Ground (0V)
4
FILT1
Input
Loop filter
5
VCO1
Input
External inductor for VCO
6
VCO2
Input
External inductor for VCO
7
VSS
Ground
Ground (0V)
8
VDD
Power
Power supply (+3-5V DC)
9
DIN
Input
Data input
10
DOUT
Output
Data output
11
RF_PWR
Input
Transmit power setting
12
CS
Input
Channel selection
CS="0"
433.92MHz (Channel#1)
CS="1"
434.33MHz (Channel#2)
13
VDD
Power
Power supply (+3-5V DC)
14
VSS
Ground
Ground (0V)
15
ANT2
Input/Output
Antenna terminal
16
ANT1
Input/Output
Antenna terminal
17
VSS
Ground
Ground (0V)
18
PWR_UP
Input
Power on/off
PWR_UP = "1"
Power up (Operating mode)
PWR_UP = "0"
Power down (Standby mode)
19
TXEN
Input
Transmit enable
TXEN = "1"
Transmit mode
TXEN = "0"
Receive mode
20
XC2
Output
Crystal oscillator output
Table 3. nRF401 pin functions
.
PA
LNA
DEM
PLL
OSC
VCO
ANT1
ANT2
VCO
INDUCTOR
REFERENCE
5
6
11
4
1
20
10
19
9
15
16
RF_PWR
DOUT
TXEN
DIN
CS
12
PWR_UP
18
LOOP
FILTER
PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
nRF401 Single Chip RF Transceiver
Nordic VLSI ASA - Vestre Rosten 81, N-7075 Tiller, Norway -
Phone +4772898900 - Fax +4772898989
Revision: 1.5
Page 3 of 18
May 2000
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Conditions: VDD = +3V DC, VSS
= 0V, T
A
= -25
C to +85
C
Symbol
Parameter (condition)
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Units
VDD
Supply voltage
2.7
3
5.25
V
VSS
Ground
0
V
I
DD
Total current consumption
Receive mode
Transmit mode @ -10 dBm RF power
Stand by mode
11
8
8
mA
mA
A
P
RF
Max. RF output power @ 400
load
10
dBm
V
IH
Logic "1" input voltage
0.7
V
DD
V
DD
V
V
IL
Logic "0" input voltage
0
0.3
V
DD
V
V
OH
Logic "1" output voltage (I
OH
= - 1.0mA)
0.7
V
DD
V
DD
V
V
OL
Logic "0" output voltage (I
OL
= 1.0mA)
0
0.3
V
DD
V
I
H
Logic "1" input current (V
I
= VDD)
+20
A
I
L
Logic "0" input current (V
I
= VSS)
-20
A
f
1
Channel#1 frequency
433.92
MHz
f
2
Channel#2 frequency
434.33
MHz
Dynamic range
90
dB
Modulation type
FSK
f
Frequency deviation
15
kHz
f
IF
IF frequency
400
kHz
BW
IF
IF bandwidth
65
85
kHz
f
XTAL
Crystal frequency
4.0
MHz
Crystal frequency stability requirement
1)
45
ppm
Sensitivity @ 400
,BR=20 kbit/s, BER < 10
-3
-105
dBm
Bit rate
0
20
kbit/s
Z
I
Recommended antenna port differential impedance
400
Spurious emission
Compliant with EN 300-220-1 V1.2.1
2)
Table 4. nRF401 electrical specifications.
1)
Maximum 5dB sensitivity degradation at temperature extremes. See also page 11.
2)
With a PCB loop antenna or a differential to single ended matching network to a 50
antenna.
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
Supply voltages
VDD .............................. - 0.3V to +6V
VSS ................................................ 0V
Input voltage
V
I
...................... - 0.3V to VDD + 0.3V
Output voltage
V
O
..................... - 0.3V to VDD + 0.3V
Power dissipation
P
D
(T
A
=25
C)........................... 250mW
Temperatures
Operating Temperature.... -25
C to +85
C
Storage Temperature...... -40
C to +125
C
Note: Stress exceeding one or more of the limiting values may cause permanent
damage to the device.
ATTENTION!
Electrostatic Sensitive Device
Observe Precaution for handling
PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
nRF401 Single Chip RF Transceiver
Nordic VLSI ASA - Vestre Rosten 81, N-7075 Tiller, Norway -
Phone +4772898900 - Fax +4772898989
Revision: 1.5
Page 4 of 18
May 2000
PIN ASSIGNMENT
PWR_UP
VSS
XC1
ANT1
VDD
DIN
VSS
ANT2
VSS
VSS
FILT1
XC2
TXEN
RF_PWR
DOUT
VDD
14
20
19
17
16
15
18
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
VCO1
VCO2
CS
VDD
Figure 2. nRF401 pin assignment.
PACKAGE OUTLINE
nRF401, 20 pin SSOIC. (Dimensions in mm.)
Package Type
D
E
H
A
A
1
e
b
L
Copl.
20 pin SSOIC
(Wide)
Min
Max
6.90
7.50
5.00
5.60
7.40
8.20
2.00
0.05
0.65
0.22
0.38
0.55
0.95
0.10
0
8
Figure 3. SSOIC-20 Package outline.
nRF401
20 pin SSOIC
A
1
A
e b
L
E H
D
1 2 3
20 19 18
PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
nRF401 Single Chip RF Transceiver
Nordic VLSI ASA - Vestre Rosten 81, N-7075 Tiller, Norway -
Phone +4772898900 - Fax +4772898989
Revision: 1.5
Page 5 of 18
May 2000
IMPORTANT TIMING DATA
Timing information
The timing information for the different operations is summarised in Table 5.
(TX is transmit mode, RX is receive mode and Std.by is Standby mode.)
Change of Mode
Name
Max Delay
Condition
TX
RX
t
TR
3ms
RX
TX
t
RT
1ms
Std.by
TX
t
ST
2ms
Std.by
RX
t
SR
3ms
Operational
mode
V
DD
=0
TX
t
VT
4ms
V
DD
=0
RX
t
VR
5ms
Start-up
Table 5 Switching times for nRF401.
Switching TX
RX (operational mode).
When switching from RX-mode to TX-mode data (DIN) may not be sent before the
TXEN-input has been high for at least 1ms, see Figure 4(a).
When switching from TX-mode to RX-mode the receiver may not receive data
(DOUT) before the TXEN-input has been low for at least 3ms, see Figure 4(b).
PWR_UP
VDD
TXEN
DIN
0
2
4
ms
1ms
RX to TX
PWR_UP
VDD
TXEN
DOUT
0
2
4
ms
3ms
TX to RX
(a)
(b)
Figure 4. Timing diagram for nRF401for switching from RX to TX (a)
and TX to RX (b).
Switching between standby and RX-mode (operational mode).
The time from the PWR_UP input is set to "1", until the data (DOUT) is valid is t
SR,
,
see Table 5. Worst case t
SR
is 3ms for nRF401 as can be seen in Figure 5 (a).
Switching between standby and TX-mode (operational mode).
The time from the PWR_UP input is set to "1", until the synthesised frequency is
stable is t
ST
, see Table 5.
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