The AS3933 features lowest power and highest sensitivity for low cost portable applications

Unterpremstaetten, Austria (October 6, 2010) – austriamicrosystems (SIX: AMS), a leading global designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs introduces the AS3933, a 3-channel low-frequency wake-up receiver that enables battery powered systems to add remote wakeup capability. In addition, with best-in-class sensitivity of 80 μVrms, both range and BOM cost can be optimized while the lowest current consumption of 2.7 μA extends battery life.

Featuring a wide receive frequency range -- 15 to 150 kHz -- the AS3933 offers flexibility to designers for a wide range of applications, including active RFID, high-value asset tracking, real-time location systems, operator identification, wireless sensor networks and access control or remote keyless entry. The AS3933 provides a digital RSSI (received signal strength indicator) value for each active channel, and supports a programmable data rate and Manchester decoding with clock recovery. It also includes an internal clock generator which is derived from either a crystal oscillator or the internal RC oscillator, and is the first such device to provide a built-in automatic antenna tuner that tunes the antenna to the desired carrier frequency. All of these features are commonly requested by customers to lower their BOM, without compromising performance.

The programmable features of the AS3933 allow optimizing settings for longer operating distance while retaining reliable “wake-up” generation. The sensitivity level of the AS3933 can be adjusted in the presence of a strong RF field or in noisy environments. Antenna tuning is greatly simplified, as the automatic tuning feature ensures perfect matching to the desired carrier frequency.

Johnsy Varghese, Marketing Manager Wireless at austriamicrosystems, stated, “With increased sensitivity, wider input frequency range, double the number of correlation bits and automatic antenna tuning capability built in, the AS3933 allows austriamicrosystems to continue to lead the industry for low-frequency wake-up receivers. Despite these advances, the AS3933 still maintains its very low operating current of 2.7 uA and programming flexibility which make it suitable for a wide array of low-power systems.”

The AS3933 operates with a 3.0 V power supply and is specified over the -40 to +85ºC temperature range. The device is available in 16-pin TSSOP and 16-pin QFN (4 mm x 4 mm) packages.

Price & Availability

The AS3933 low-frequency wake-up receiver is available now at $2.60 in 1,000-piece quantities at austriamicrosystems’ ICdirect webshop.

Technical Support

A demonstration board for the AS3933 is available. Contact austriamicrosystems for price. For further information on the AS3933, please visit www.ams.com/Wake-up-receiver/AS3933

About austriamicrosystems

austriamicrosystems is a leading designer and manufacturer of standard and customized high-performance analog ICs in the areas of power management, sensors & sensor interfaces and mobile infotainment. Complemented by its full service foundry services, the company focuses on the communications, industrial & medical and automotive markets. austriamicrosystems leverages almost 30 years of expertise in low power and high accuracy to provide industry-leading products, operating worldwide with more than 1,000 employees with its own state-of-the-art manufacturing and test facilities. austriamicrosystems is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich (ticker symbol: AMS).