2 Hardware Overview

The ATA8510/ATA8515 product family addresses the requirements discussed in the Introduction. The focus remains on the transceiver (ATA8510/ATA8515) device, which covers both receiver and transmitter functionalities. Everything related to the receiver applies to the ATA8210/ATA8215 products, and everything related to the transmitter applies to the ATA8710 products.

The ATA8510 product family offers two receiver inputs, one for low-band applications and one for high-band applications. The architecture defines low band as frequencies below 500 MHz and high band as frequencies above that threshold. The transmitter side features a power amplifier output pin that covers the entire sub-GHz frequency range. Additionally, the built-in Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) provides switching capabilities. This hardware delivers maximum flexibility for multi-frequency applications.

The following figure shows the typical hardware configuration for a single-frequency application using the ATA8510/ATA8515 multi-band transceiver.
Figure 2-1. Block Diagram of ATA8510/ATA8515 Multi-Band Transceiver Hardware
Figure 2-2. SPDT Application Example
The following table lists the Radio Frequency (RF) signal path terminology used throughout this application note.
Table 2-1. RF Signal Path Terminology
RF TermDescription
Antenna (ANT)Physical antenna connection
RF Input High Band (RFIN_HB)Input for high-band RF signals
RF Input Low Band (RFIN_LB)Input for low-band RF signals
RF Out (RFOUT) Output for transmitting RF signals
Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT)Switch for routing signals between two paths
The following table details some characteristics of the IC.
Table 2-2. Frequency Ranges Supported by the ATA8510/ATA8515 IC
Input/Output PinFrequency Range(s)
RFIN_LB
  • 310–318 MHz
  • 418–477 MHz
RFIN_HB
  • 836–956 MHz
RFOUT
  • 310–318 MHz
  • 418–477 MHz
  • 836–956 MHz
Note: The same Crystal Oscillator (XTO) frequency (24.305 MHz) supports all frequencies. Under special conditions, changing the crystal frequency may become necessary, as indicated by the EEPROM configuration Graphical User Interface (GUI). For more details, refer to the AN4203-ATA8510 Configuration Tool Guide (DS00004203).