NXP Semiconductors RD3172MMA7456L

Overview

RD3172MMA7456L from Freescale Semiconductor is a ZSTAR3 wireless accelerometer development tool comprising one transmitter board with MMA7456L 3-axis analog/digital accelerometer and one USB receiver node operating at 2.4 GHz ZigBee RF, supporting up to 16 sensor nodes, 30/60/120 Hz configurable data rate, and CR2032 battery power.

For engineers reviewing the RD3172MMA7456L datasheet, RD3172MMA7456L pinout, RD3172MMA7456L application, or RD3172MMA7456L equivalent, this page provides verified hardware configuration, wireless topology constraints, sensor interface modes, power consumption profiles, and system-level integration guidance for multi-node motion sensing deployments.

Technical Context

The RD3172MMA7456L implements a complete wireless sensor node architecture: the transmitter board integrates the MMA7456L accelerometer (±2g/±4g/±8g selectable range, analog or I²C output), RF transceiver, microcontroller, and CR2032 power management; the USB receiver node acts as a ZigBee coordinator with virtual COM port and HID-class (mouse/keyboard) PC interface.

System-level operation supports motion-triggered smart power cycling-transmitting only every 10th packet when stationary-and auto-calibration of sensor offset and sensitivity, with typical 20 m wireless range through two walls or one floor under 2.4 GHz ISM band operation.

Key Specifications

Availability

RD3172MMA7456L is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial condition monitoring, wearable motion analysis, structural health assessment, and academic sensor network prototyping requiring stable component supply and documented reference design support.

Supply support for RD3172MMA7456L includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Freescale Semiconductor (now part of NXP Semiconductors) was a fabless semiconductor company specializing in embedded processing, sensors, and connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and consumer markets.

The RD3172MMA7456L belongs to Freescale's ZSTAR3 reference design platform family, engineered to accelerate development of scalable, battery-powered, multi-node wireless motion sensing systems using programmable accelerometers and ZigBee RF.

FAQ

What is the RD3172MMA7456L used for?

The RD3172MMA7456L is a complete ZSTAR3 wireless development system for rapid prototyping of multi-node motion sensing applications. It includes one MMA7456L-based transmitter board and one USB receiver node. The RD3172MMA7456L enables real-time 3-axis acceleration measurement, ZigBee 2.4 GHz wireless transmission, and plug-and-play PC interface via virtual COM port or HID device classes without custom drivers.

Does the RD3172MMA7456L include the MMA7456L accelerometer?

Yes, the RD3172MMA7456L transmitter board integrates the MMA7456L 3-axis accelerometer, which supports selectable full-scale ranges (±2g/±4g/±8g) and dual-mode output (analog or I²C digital). The RD3172MMA7456L leverages this sensor's auto-calibration and motion-triggered power cycling to optimize battery life and measurement accuracy in field-deployable configurations.

How many sensor nodes can the RD3172MMA7456L support?

The RD3172MMA7456L USB receiver node supports up to 16 concurrent accelerometer transmitter boards on a single 2.4 GHz ZigBee network. This scalability is built into the ZSTAR3 firmware and RF stack. Each RD3172MMA7456L system includes one transmitter and one receiver, but additional transmitters (e.g., RD3172MMA7455L) may be added to reach the 16-node limit.

What are the power requirements for the RD3172MMA7456L transmitter board?

The RD3172MMA7456L transmitter board operates from a single CR2032 3 V coin cell. Active current draw ranges from 1.8 mA to 3.9 mA depending on configured data rate (30/60/120 Hz), while sleep mode draws less than 900 nA. Smart power cycling reduces transmission frequency when motion is absent, extending battery life significantly in static monitoring scenarios.

Is the RD3172MMA7456L compatible with Windows and Linux operating systems?

Yes, the RD3172MMA7456L USB receiver node presents itself as both a virtual serial port (CDC ACM class) and an HID device (mouse and keyboard/game controller classes), ensuring native OS compatibility. No proprietary drivers are required: the RD3172MMA7456L works out-of-the-box on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems supporting standard CDC and HID class interfaces.