Silicon Labs has introduced the BG22L and BG24L low-cost Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) SoCs, designed to support a wide range of wireless applications, from asset tracking to geofencing. Targeting the commercial and industrial markets, these new SoCs offer low power consumption, high integration, and AI/ML capabilities, enhancing the efficiency and intelligence of wireless communication systems.
BG22L: Cost-Optimized Low-Power SoC
The EFR32BG22L (BG22L) belongs to the Wireless Gecko SoC family and is specifically designed for high-volume, cost-sensitive applications. This single-die solution integrates a 38.4 MHz Cortex-M33 processor with a 2.4 GHz radio, offering up to 352 KB of Flash and 24 KB of RAM, all within a compact 4 mm × 4 mm QFN package.
To minimize overall energy consumption, the BG22L supports multiple power modes, each activating only the necessary components to optimize power efficiency. For instance, in EM0–Active mode, the Cortex-M33 processor remains fully operational, while in EM1–Sleep and EM2–Deep Sleep modes, only specific components, such as the Cortex-M0+ radio controller or I2C interface, remain active, while the main processor enters a low-power state.
Silicon Labs claims that these low-power optimizations allow the BG22L to achieve up to 10 years of battery life. Additionally, the integrated precision low-frequency RC oscillator (PLFRCO) eliminates the need for an external oscillator, further improving system integration and reducing cost.
BG24L: AI/ML and Precision Positioning
The EFR32BG24L (BG24L) builds upon the low-power capabilities of the BG22L while incorporating additional AI/ML acceleration and channel sounding technology, enabling advanced positioning and intelligent data analysis.
The BG24L supports multiple wireless protocols, including Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth Mesh, proprietary 2.4 GHz protocols, and channel sounding. Channel sounding technology enables precise distance estimation between Bluetooth devices using two key techniques:
● Round-trip time (RTT) ranging: Measures the total time a transmitted signal takes to travel to a reflector and return.
● Phase-based ranging (PBR): Calculates distance by analyzing phase shifts between transmitted and reflected signals.
Due to the complexity of phase-based data analysis, Silicon Labs asserts that PBR offers enhanced security compared to traditional ranging methods.
Advanced Tracking and Predictive Maintenance
According to Silicon Labs, the BG24L’s channel-sounding capabilities make it ideal for asset tracking and direction-finding applications, such as monitoring the real-time location of equipment and personnel in industrial and commercial environments. On a construction site, for example, Bluetooth-enabled devices equipped with channel-sounding technology can report their precise locations to a centralized management system, improving operational efficiency and safety.
Additionally, the BG24L’s AI/ML acceleration makes it well-suited for predictive maintenance applications, enabling intelligent diagnostics and early fault detection in industrial equipment.
While Silicon Labs is not the only company offering Bluetooth SoCs with channel-sounding technology—Nordic Semiconductor also provides similar solutions—the BG24L stands out with its combination of low-power architecture, AI/ML acceleration, and multi-protocol support, making it a highly competitive choice for IoT applications.
Conclusion
With the introduction of the BG22L and BG24L Bluetooth LE SoCs, Silicon Labs has expanded the potential of wireless communication in commercial and industrial applications. The BG22L is optimized for cost-sensitive, long-battery-life applications, while the BG24L integrates AI/ML acceleration and channel-sounding technology, making it an ideal solution for high-precision location tracking and intelligent analytics. As wireless technology continues to evolve, these SoCs are poised to drive further innovation in IoT device deployment across multiple industries.
