Dialog Semiconductor plc announced their partnership with Carnival Corporation to integrate Dialog's Wireless Ranging (WiRa(TM)) technology into Carnival's OceanMedallion(TM) wearable devices for proximity-based locationing to help ensure passenger safety and offer enhanced cruise services. Originally unveiled in 2017, the Medallion(TM) device connects passengers on Princess MedallionClass cruise ships into its Experience Internet of Things (xIoT(TM)) intelligent, shipboard ecosystem to enhance crew-passenger interactions with unprecedented levels of passenger services. The wearable elevates the guest experience by enabling touchless embarkation and disembarkation, frictionless commerce, and keyless stateroom entry, as well as service on demand; dynamic way-finding; family and friends locator; first-run movies on the go; an interactive events and activities planner; and interactive fun.

Given new requirements and regulations involving COVID-19, Princess is utilizing Dialog's WiRa technology to enable higher accuracy ranging between Medallions when compared with RSSI (Receive Signal Strength Indication) based technology, thereby improving the company's ability to protect passengers from exposure to infection. Dialog's WiRa technology offers fine-grain, phase-based ranging performance approaching UWB (ultra-wideband) accuracy, while using significantly lower power, extending battery life, and lowering solution cost, including advanced and proprietary algorithms to deliver enhanced performance. This is especially important on ships built from steel, where wireless signals are easily reflected, which can cause errors in distance estimation and require advanced, multipath cancellation techniques.

To implement WiRa and advanced multipath cancellation, Carnival turned to Dialog's well acclaimed DA14697 Bluetooth LE SoC. The DA1469x family is the market leader for wearables, offering the integration while also providing the optimum processing performance. In addition to Dialog's DA1469x Bluetooth LE SoC, Carnival also selected Dialog's AT25FF series SPI NOR Flash and SLG46108V GreenPAK technology.

The AT25FF offers an ultra-deep hibernation mode, consuming less than 7nA for extended Medallion battery life. Dialog's SLG46108V, GreenPAK technology maximizes the Bluetooth LE SoC's sleep time, further increasing battery life, while also reducing the PCB area needed.