Particle Announces M-Series – Multi-Radio Connectivity Solutions with BLE, Wi-Fi, LoRa, and Satellite Support

4 March, 2024

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Particle recently launched their new M-Series devices, including M-SoM modules and their development boards. These modules are designed to cater to different needs, offering a variety of features to support quick prototyping.

At the time of writing this series is built with three distinct modules and their dev boars: M-SoM LTE-M/2G + Wi-Fi (M404) for North America, M-SoM LTE CAT1/2G/3G + Wi-Fi (M524) for Europe, and M-SoM LTE-M/2G/Satellite + Wi-Fi (M635) for global use.

The series also introduces development boards tailored for different regions, including the Muon LTE-M/2G + Wi-Fi + LoRaWAN Dev Board (MUON404) for North America, the Muon LTE CAT1/3G/2G + Wi-Fi + LoRaWAN Dev Board (MUON524) for Europe, and the Muon LTE-M/2G/Satellite + Wi-Fi + LoRaWAN Dev Board (MUON635) for global applications.

All three M-SoM modules feature a Realtek RTL8722DM MCU that includes BLE and Wi-Fi. Powered by a 200MHz Arm Cortex-M33 CPU, with dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi on 2.4GHz and 5GHz. They offer 2MB for user applications memory and 3MB of RAM.

The M404 model, for North America, features a Quectel BG95-M5 LTE Cat M1 modem with 2G fallback and integrated GNSS. The European-targeted M524 has a Quectel EG91-EX LTE Cat 1 modem with 2G/3G fallback and GNSS. The global M635 model includes LTE Cat 1 with satellite fallback and GNSS, designed for worldwide use.

The Muon carrier board works with all M-series modules, featuring a LoRa radio, QWIIC connector, and expansion card interface. It has an onboard temperature sensor, EEPROM, a real-time clock, and a watchdog chip. Power options include USB-C, VIN (6-12 VDC), and LiPo battery, plus it has an RGB status LED and Mode & Reset buttons.

Particle M-Series devices Specification:

M-Series SoM Options:
- M404 (North America): LTE Cat M1 with 2G fallback
- M524 and M635 (EMEAA): LTE Cat 1 with 2G/3G fallback, M635 includes Satellite fallback
- Global: LTE Cat 1 with Satellite fallback option
MCU and CPU:
- Realtek RTL8722DM MCU for BLE and Wi-Fi
- Arm Cortex-M33 CPU at 200MHz
Form Factor:
- M.2 SoM, similar to B-SoM
Connectivity:
- Built-in GNSS for location services
- Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
- BLE 5 with shared antenna for Wi-Fi/BLE
- Cellular connectivity with variants for specific regions
Antennas:
- PARANTGN1EA/GN1: GNSS antenna
- PARANTCW1: Certified wide band cellular antenna
- PARANTWM1: Certified Wi-Fi/BLE antenna
- LoRaWAN antenna for Muon Carrier Board
Memory:
- 2048KB (2MB) maximum user application size
- 3072KB (3MB) RAM available to user applications
Muon Carrier Board Features:
- LoRa radio
- QWIIC connector for easy peripheral addition
- Expansion card interface
- Onboard temperature sensor
- Configuration EEPROM
- Real-time clock and watchdog chip
- RGB status LED
- Multiple power input options: USB-C, VIN (6-12 VDC), and LiPo battery with a temperature sensor (3-pin JST-PH)
- Mode & Reset buttons for easy operation

Particle’s new devices are now up for pre-order, set to ship in April, and can be purchased individually or as part of a bundle with the carrier board. For a deeper dive into these products, check Particle’s official website.

The pre-order pricing for each model is as follows: