Summary of NRF9160 – LOW POWER SIP WITH INTEGRATED LTE-M/NB-IOT MODEM AND GPS
The nRF9160 is a compact System-in-Package (SiP) designed for low-power cellular IoT applications. It integrates an Arm Cortex-M33 processor, LTE modem (supporting LTE-M and NB-IoT), RF Front End, power management, and GPS. The chip features 1 MB flash and 256 KB RAM, supports global operation with IPv4/IPv6, and includes advanced security via Arm TrustZone and CryptoCell. It offers various peripherals like ADC, SPI, I²C, and PWM, along with secure FOTA updates.
Parts used in the nRF9160 SiP:
- Arm Cortex-M33 application processor
- LTE modem supporting LTE-M and NB-IoT
- RF Front End (RFFE)
- Power management system
- GPS receiver
- 1 MB of flash memory
- 256 KB RAM
- 12-bit ADC
- RTC
- SPI interface
- I²C interface
- I²S interface
- UARTE interface
- PDM interface
- PWM interface
- Arm TrustZone technology
- Arm CryptoCell
The nRF9160 is a compact, highly-integrated System-in-Package (SiP) that makes the latest low power LTE technology and advanced processing and security accessible, and easy to use, for a wide range of single device low power cellular IoT (cIoT) designs.
Incorporating an Arm Cortex-M33 application processor solely for applications, a full LTE modem, RF Front End (RFFE) and power management system. The nRF9160 is the most compact, complete and energy-efficient cellular IoT solution on the market.
The integrated modem supports both LTE-M and NB-IoT and can operate globally removing any need for regional variants. All power saving features including eDRX and PSM are supported as is with IPv4/IPv6 support up to transport and security (TCP/TLS) level. The modem firmware is upgradable via secure, encrypted Firmware Over The Air (FOTA) updates.
The Arm Cortex-M33 application processor is supported by 1 MB of flash and 256 KB RAM making advanced application development possible in a single device solution.
A GPS receiver is integrated into the radio offering various modes of operation to suit a wide selection of applications that employ location-tracking functionality
A broad selection of general interfaces and peripherals and are included on nRF9160 including 12-bit ADC, RTC, SPI, I²C, I²S, UARTE, PDM and PWM.
Security is best-in-class with Arm TrustZone technology for isolation and protection of normal and secure zones for firmware and elements of hardware including memory and peripherals. Arm TrustZone helps build solid and secure ioT applications that feature secure boot, trusted firmware updates and root of trust implementations without performance compromise.
Arm CryptoCell enhances security still further by offering cryptographic and security resources to help to protect your IoT applications from various attack threats. CryptoCell is designed for high performance cryptography solutions optimized for energy-constrained devices.
Read more: NRF9160 – LOW POWER SIP WITH INTEGRATED LTE-M/NB-IOT MODEM AND GPS
- What technology does the nRF9160 support?
The integrated modem supports both LTE-M and NB-IoT. - Can the nRF9160 operate globally?
Yes, it can operate globally removing any need for regional variants. - How much flash and RAM does the processor have?
The Arm Cortex-M33 application processor is supported by 1 MB of flash and 256 KB RAM. - Does the nRF9160 include a GPS receiver?
A GPS receiver is integrated into the radio offering various modes of operation. - Is firmware upgradable on this device?
The modem firmware is upgradable via secure, encrypted Firmware Over The Air updates. - What security technologies are included?
It uses Arm TrustZone technology and Arm CryptoCell for isolation and cryptographic protection. - Does the device support IPv4 and IPv6?
Yes, it supports IPv4/IPv6 up to transport and security levels including TCP/TLS. - What general interfaces are available on the nRF9160?
Interfaces include 12-bit ADC, RTC, SPI, I²C, I²S, UARTE, PDM, and PWM. - Why is the nRF9160 considered energy-efficient?
It incorporates power saving features including eDRX and PSM alongside an efficient power management system. - Can the nRF9160 be used for location-tracking applications?
Yes, the integrated GPS offers various modes of operation suitable for location-tracking functionality.
