The Only Bluetooth® Solution
Optimized for Computing Applications
AR3012
Atheros AR3000 - ROCm® Solutions
for Bluetooth
Radio-On-Chip for Mobile (ROCm) Products
The AR3000 family consists of Bluetooth solutions
based on the Atheros ROCm platform for high-
performance mobile and embedded wireless products.
The Atheros ROCm platform gives customers
unsurpassed ability to:
• Build the most advanced power-efficient devices
• Design for the smallest form factor applications
• Achieve the most cost-effective designs
- Greater integration of functionality
- Low-cost chip solution
• Deliver Atheros-class performance in a wide array of mobile devices
• Advanced LE application support
AR3012 Technology Overview
The Atheros AR3012 is a highly integrated, all-CMOS, single-chip
solution specifically designed for PC applications. The Atheros AR3012
supports both the Bluetooth 4.0 + HS specification versions. It includes
a Bluetooth EDR radio, a 32-bit Tensilica CPU, USB 2.0 interface, two
1.2v voltage regulators for analog and digital circuit, auxiliary serial
Flash interface, on board PLL, and on board RAM/ROM. AR3012 also
utilizes Atheros Universal Wireless Cooperation™ support for maximum
performance with Atheros WLAN combo design.
The Atheros AR3012 supports the standard HCI USB interface,
which makes it compatible with any upper layer Bluetooth® stack.
Microsoft software is available for Win7, Vista, and XP. Linux BlueZ
is also well supported.
AR3012 utilizes a small, cost-effective 5 mm x 5 mm Quad Flatpack
No lead (QFN) package. A Bluetooth Qualification Body (BQB)
certified reference design is available to customers for quick
turn system integration. Atheros provides a complete Bluetooth
software solution.
AR3012 Solution Highlights
• Single chip Bluetooth 4.0 + HS solution
• Atheros Universal Wireless Cooperation™ support for maximum
performance with Atheros WLAN combo design
• BQB certified
• Bluetooth Class 1 Radio
• USB 2.0 device interface supports standard HCI USB
• GPIOs to drive LEDs and control peripherals.
• Auxiliary serial Flash interface allowing for flexibility and customization
• Two 1.2v integrated voltage regulators
• On board PLL
• Internal or external low power clock
• 65nm CMOS technology
AR3012 Architecture
WLAN
Coexistence
32-bit
CPU
Memory
Controller
RF Switch
Code ROM
1.2V LDO
LPO
OSC
LC OT P
External
Interface
Modem
Data/Patch
RAM
LNA
PA
USB Standard
HCI-USB
GPIOs/LEDs
PCM Interface
Crystal
WLAN Coexistence
Interfaces
DMAs
*Requirement for external memory depends on the application. Please consult with Atheros
to see if your application can benefit from the unique architecture of AR3012 by eliminating
the external memory.
AR3012 Additional Information
•
Integrated Radio and Baseband on a single chip
•
Bluetooth Class 1 Radio
•
Supports both EDR of 2 Mbps (π/4-DQPSK) and 3 Mbps (8-DPSK)
•
-91 dBm radio sensitivity
•
+10 dBm maximum output power
•
Eliminates the need for Balun and matching network
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR enhancements
•
Secure Simple Pairing
- Improves ease of pairing of Bluetooth devices while
implementing strong security
•
Encryption Pause and Resume
- Increases security in the link by ensuring that no user data
is transmitted without encryption and enables periodic
update of the keys
•
Extended Inquiry Response
- Provides better filtering of devices before connection
•
Sniff Subrating
- Reduces power consumption when devices are in the sniff,
low-power mode, increasing battery-life
Bluetooth 3.0 + HS enhancements
•
Alternate MAC/PHY (AMP)
-
Improvements to the host side that allow the use of
higher speed radios on the system such as WLAN chips
•
802.11 PAL
- Enables the use of the 802.11 MAC/PHY as a high speed
radio alternative
•
SDIO Host Interface
-
Added the SDIO bus to the list of standard HCI bus technologies
•
Enhanced Power Control
-
Enables the radios to react more quickly and with greater
resolution to radio output power requests resulting in a
more power efficient design
•
Unicast Connectionless Data
- Enables much shorter latency for applications requiring
only occasional and small data packet bursts.
Bluetooth 4.0 + HS Enhancements
• Adds
Bluetooth Low Energy Dual-Mode operation
•
Enables Bluetooth Low Energy applications such as:
home automation, medical/health, HID devices, and security
•
Adds the Bluetooth standard AES Encryption
AR3012 Specifications
Frequency Band
Bluetooth Standard
Modulation technology
Communication Interface
Peripheral Interface
Auxiliary Memory Interface
Physical Specifications
Package Dimensions
Power Supply
2.4000 - 2.4835 GHz
Bluetooth 4.0 + HS
G-FSK,
π
/4-DQPSK, 8-DPSK
USB 2.0
GPIOs
Serial Flash or EEPROM
5 mm x 5 mm QFN
Two integrated 1.2v regulators
For more information on the AR3012 or other solutions from Atheros
contact your local representative:
Atheros Communications, Inc.
t +1 408.773.5200
f +1 408.773.9940
Atheros Communications KK-Japan
t +81 3.5501.4100
f +81 3.5501.4129
Atheros Communications Intl, LLC-Taiwan
t +886 2.8751.6385
f +886 2.8751.6397
Atheros Hong Kong Limited
t +852 8206.1131
f +852 8206.1301
Atheros (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
t +86 21.5108.3626
f +86 21.5027.0100
Atheros Korea
t +82 31.786.0428
For more information on Atheros and Atheros wireless technology please visit www.atheros.com
Specification subject to change © 2010 Atheros Communications, all rights reserved
Atheros, the Atheros logo, ROCm and the ROCm logo are registered trademarks of Atheros
Communications, Inc. There is Here is a trademark of Atheros Communications, Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
AR3012-12-7-10
The Only Bluetooth Solution
Optimized for Computing Applications
AR3012
