8 High-Power Bluetooth LE Modules and Their Applications

PublishTime： 2024-07-16 Article Source：RF-Star

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology is renowned for its low power consumption and ease of use in short-range wireless communication. With the advent of smart homes and Industry 4.0, there is a growing need for BLE devices with high transmit power to ensure long-range and stable connectivity.

What is the Maximum Transmit Power of BLE?

Regulatory agencies typically limit BLE transmit power to around 100mW (20dBm) for 2.4GHz band devices.

Applications of High-Power BLE modules

High-power BLE radios, with transmit power ranging from 0 dBm to 20 dBm, are particularly advantageous in the following areas:

● Smart Home: Seamless connectivity for devices across large homes.

● Industrial Automation: Stable wireless communication in vast factory settings.

● Medical Devices: Efficient long-range data transmission for remote monitoring.

● Logistics Tracking: Improved efficiency in tracking and managing goods.

● Smart Agriculture: Precision farming through environmental monitoring.

While these applications prioritize transmission power and range, higher transmit power also leads to increased power consumption. Therefore, when selecting Bluetooth Low Energy modules for different applications, it's essential to consider factors such as transmission power, communication range, antenna, and power consumption.

High-Power BLE Modules

Most BLE modules have a maximum transmit power of 4 dBm or 8 dBm, but some exceed this:

TI CC2652P-Based Modules: RF-BM-2652P2 and RF-BM-2652P2I can output +20dBm. Importantly, the modules support multiple protocols like Bluetooth 5.2 Low Energy, Thread, Zigbee^®, IEEE802.15.4g, 6LoWPAN, and TI 15.4-Stack (2.4GHz), running simultaneously through the dynamic multi-protocol manager (DMM). Thanks to these features, the wireless modules have been widely used in smart homes, gateways, and long-distance sensors.

Another good news is that RF-Star has released a Bluetooth UART transparent transmission version for the modules. Rich AT commands allow customers to quickly shorten the product development lifetime, like:

● 22 adjustment levels of transmission power: -20dBm ~ +20dBm

● Supporting one-master and multi-slave connections, up to 8 devices can be connected at the same time

● Customizing extended broadcast packets up to 251 bytes

● Supporting a maximum stable UART forwarding rate of 35KB/s

● Observer mode with filterable parameters

● Supporting Bluetooth pairing and bonding

● Automatic reconnection

TI CC2652P7-based BLE modules: RF-BM-2652P4 and RF-BM-2652P4I also offer +20dBm. Aside from supporting the above-mentioned ZigBee and other 2.4GHz wireless technology, they can run Matter protocol. More tellingly, the large memory of 152kB RAM and 704kB Flash of these CC2652P7 modules allows them to be embedded in more complex applications.

Silicon Labs EFR32BG24/MG24 Modules: This series of BLE modules are all designed as PCB onboard antennas with a maximum TX power of +19.5dBm. They are often used in smart home devices such as gateways/hubs, sensors, switches, door locks, smart plugs, LED lighting, lamps, and medical devices like blood glucose meters and pulse oximeters.

High-power BLE modules are essential for applications requiring extended range and robust connectivity. They integrate advanced wireless technologies and offer flexible output options, making them ideal for smart homes, industrial automation and more.

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