Murata Develops Smallest LPWA Modules

Murata Manufacturing has developed two new products, the Type 1WG and Type 1SS, which according to Murata are the world’s smallest class  LPWA (Low-Power Wide Area) modules

As IoT accelerates along with the spread of network infrastructures, diverse things are being connected with each other. Equipment miniaturization has been the growing demand in fields such as maintaining and managing aging infrastructure including bridges, overpasses, and tunnels, as well as rolling out smart meters (for remote monitoring of electricity, gas, and water supplies) and for long-term stable remote monitoring.

Murata Type 1WG and Type 1SS are small, power-saving LPWA modules that leverage the company’s proprietary microfabrication know-how such as the board design and mounting technology that it has developed in the course of manufacturing small components.

The Key features of the products include:

Smallest Class Module Size
The Type 1WG and Type 1SS are packaged in 12.2mm×12.0mm×1.6mm (length×width×height) and 10.6mm×13.2mm×1.8mm form factor, respectively, resulting in a 50% smaller footprint compared to conventional compact modules. By making possible significant space saving in electronic circuits, they contribute to high-density circuit design.

Low Power Consumption
The products feature modem chips developed by Altair Semiconductor and Mediatek in order to achieve low power consumption. The eDRX (extended Discontinuous Reception)/PSM (Power Saving Mode) ensures low power consumption, allowing a device to receive data less frequently during standby, and for a limited time only during PSM operation. With a super-low current consumption of 3.5μA or less in the standby mode, the products offer a long operating life of 10 to 15 years with a single battery.

Reliability
The Type 1WG and Type 1SS feature high product quality based on Murata’s expertise at designing and manufacturing communication modules. The reliability of these devices is further supported by their incorporation of Murata’s own passive components.

Availability

Murata is working to receive certifications for the Type 1WG and Type 1SS from major carriers in Japan and other countries. Some carriers in Europe and Japan have already certified the products, and shipments of samples for mass production are scheduled to begin in the autumn of 2019.

Table: Specifications of Type 1WG and Type 1SS LPWA modules