Core features of SoC in IoT
Highly integrated
Integrate CPU/GPU, communication modules (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, NB-IoT, etc.), sensor interfaces (such as accelerometer, gyroscope), power management unit (PMU), storage (Flash/RAM), etc. into a single chip.
Example: ESP32 series SoC integrates MCU, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and low power mode, and is widely used in smart home devices.
Low power design
In response to the long-term operation requirements of IoT devices, technologies such as dynamic voltage frequency scaling (DVFS), multi-power domain management, and sleep wake-up mechanism are adopted.
Example: SoCs with ARM Cortex-M series cores (such as M4, M7) are often used in low-power sensor nodes.
Miniaturization and low cost
Single-chip solutions reduce the number of peripheral components, reduce PCB area, reduce manufacturing costs, and are suitable for large-scale deployment.
Example: TI's CC2652R integrates Zigbee, BLE and Thread protocol stacks into SoC, which is suitable for smart home gateways.
Heterogeneous computing capabilities
Some IoT SoC integrate dedicated accelerators (such as NPU, DSP) to support complex tasks such as AI reasoning and signal processing.
Example: Google Coral Edge TPU SoC combines MCU and AI acceleration unit for machine learning reasoning on edge devices.
Key application scenarios of IoT SoC
Smart home
Control center (such as Amazon Echo's chip), sensor node (temperature and humidity monitoring), security equipment (camera + AI analysis).
Typical SoC: ESP32, STM32 series, Nordic nRF52840.
Wearable device
Low-power MCU + sensor fusion in smart watches/bracelets (heart rate, motion monitoring).
Typical SoC: Silicon Labs EFR32, Ambiq Apollo series.
Industrial Internet of Things (IoT)
Industrial sensors, edge gateways (supporting Modbus, OPC UA protocols), high reliability and anti-interference capabilities are required.
Typical SoC: Microchip SAM E70, Infineon XMC4800.
Smart city and agriculture
Environmental monitoring sensors (soil moisture, air quality), smart street light controllers.
Typical SoC: STMicroelectronics L662, TI CC1352R.
Future Trends
AIoT Convergence
SoC integrates AI accelerators (such as NPU) to support edge intelligence (such as real-time image recognition).
5G and LPWAN Combination
SoCs of 5G modules (such as Qualcomm MDM9206) promote high-speed connections in the Industrial Internet of Things.
Chiplet Technology
Reduce costs and improve flexibility through heterogeneous integration (such as CPU+communication chips).
SOC module recommendation
1. Espressif ESP32 series
Models: ESP32-C3, ESP32-S3
Core features:
Dual-core/quad-core Xtensa CPU (up to 240 MHz)
Integrated Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.2 + BLE
Support low power mode (Deep Sleep < 10 μA)
Hardware encryption engine (AES, SHA-256)
Applicable scenarios: smart home (such as Amazon Echo), wearable devices, industrial sensors.
Advantages: high cost performance, rich SDK (Arduino, ESP-IDF), active developer community.
2. Ebyte SOC (System on Chip) module recommendation, covering different communication protocols and application scenarios:
LoRa series (low power consumption and long distance)
E22-900M30S
Chip: Semtech SX1262
Frequency band: 868/915MHz
Features: 30dBm high power, transmission distance up to 8km (line of sight), support AT commands or transparent transmission.
Application: long-distance industrial monitoring, smart city.
Bluetooth/Wi-Fi series (short distance)
E104-BT5032A
Chip: Nordic nRF52832 (Bluetooth 5.0)
Features: Bluetooth low energy (BLE), support master-slave mode, built-in ARM Cortex-M4F core, programmable development.
Application: wearable devices, smart home.
Summary
In the Internet of Things, SoC is the core technology for achieving device miniaturization, low power consumption and functional integration. It solves the complexity of traditional discrete solutions through high integration and becomes the mainstream choice for scenarios such as smart homes, wearable devices, and industrial sensors. With the popularization of AI and 5G, IoT SoCs will further evolve towards intelligence and high energy efficiency.