ECN-Electronic Component News articles from February 2008

ECN-Electronic Component News archives from February 2008

People are talking.(Editor's View)
February 1, 2008... If you're like most people living in the "digital home," you have a plethora of those bulky, brick-like power adapters--wall warts as they're commonly known--connected to a wall and one of perhaps a dozen or more electronic devices, each with...

Clamp filters for electromagnetic noise countermeasures in automotive applications.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2008... TDK Corporation announced the development and mass production of its ZCAT08V-BK and ZCAT12V-BK automotive clamp filters for use as a countermeasure against the effects of electromagnetic noise on the cables that link the various onboard...

12.5 Gbps, 1:8 demultiplexer with latched comparator input and auto-synchronizing demultiplexer.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2008... Inphi Corporation announced the 1385DX demultiplexer with latched comparator input operating at bit rates from DC to 12.5 Gbps. Part of the High Speed Logic family of devices, the 1385DX, with its high sensitivity latched comparator input and...

Non contact thermometer sensor offers narrow field of view.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2008... Melexis' MLX90614xAC with narrow 35[degrees] field of view (FOV) allows design engineers to measure smaller objects or increase the sensor-object distance with this thermometer. The 35[degrees] FOV is obtained by adding a viewing angle limiting...

CMOS and adjustable resistor-based application-specific analog signal conditioning chip.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2008... Microbridge Technologies introduced the MBSTC-02 CMOS device active analog circuit which incorporates the company's passive, Rejustor polysilicon adjustable resistor technology. The signal conditioning chip allows sensor calibration and...

Analog transducer/sensor meters feature small size, integrated diagnostics for input and output.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2008... Transducers Direct created a small, programmable meter for analog sensors/transducers with integrated diagnostics for both input and output. The TDRO-10 meter features two-button English programming and a 67 msec. update rate. It measures 3.78"...

Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers show live RF.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2008... Tektronix, Inc. added DPX waveform image processor technology to its RSA3000B Series Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers. This provides a live RF view of the spectrum using the RSA3300B and RSA3408B family models, enabling desirable RF signal...

Oscillators.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
February 1, 2008... The C6300 Disciplined Oscillator (DO) module from Vectron International is capable of being disciplined to 1 pulse per second (PPS). It is designed to provide accuracy, holdover and stability required to maintain system timing in wireless base...

Sensor interfacing: silicon temp sensors measure by degrees.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2008... People measure temperature more than any other physical characteristic. As a result, semiconductor vendors offer a large variety of silicon-based temperature sensors that usually operate in a range from -40[degrees]C to 125[degrees]C, although...

DSPs: networked digital video surveillance--what's the impact?(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
February 1, 2008... The field of video surveillance has seen explosive growth in the last three years. The convergence of heightened security demands and innovative technology in the acquisition, transport, analysis and storage of quality video has resulted in a...

Automotive electronics: building automotive GUIs "in a Flash".(INDUSTRY FOCUS)
February 1, 2008... According to Adobe Systems, more than 300 million mobile devices have graphical user interfaces (GUIs) based on Adobe Flash technology--a number that may exceed a billion by 2010. Developers of in-car navigation and infotainment systems are...

Batteries: charger-circuit designs fulfill consumer needs.
February 1, 2008... Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have taken the portable-electronics world by storm. Tony Armstrong, the power-products marketing manager at Linear Technology Corp. recently told me that he bought his son a radio-controlled all-terrain vehicle....

Considering miniaturization and device packaging.(DESIGN TALK)
February 1, 2008... It is all too easy to confuse packaging and integration though the two are often related. When starting a new design, project packaging is a key consideration. Packaging involves creating the best enclosure for your device or choosing...

Board-space compression via battery miniaturization.(DESIGN TALK)
February 1, 2008... As devices become more complex and densely packed into ever-shrinking package sizes, corresponding improvements to the volumetric energy density of battery chemistries are not keeping pace. One factor that limits battery size is the packaging...

Interface module connects up to 15 SEI devices.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2008... The SEI-USB from US Digital is an interface module that connects proprietary SEI compatible devices to a standard USB 1.1/2.0 port. It connects up to 15 addressable SEI devices, using a single six-wire telephone-type cable up to 1,000 feet...

Mezzanine card features eight channelized E1/T1 spans.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2008... Emerson Network Power introduced its KSI8560 advanced mezzanine card for telecommunications applications. It combines a PowerQUICC III MPC8560 controller with up to eight channelized E1/T1 spans in order to process protocols, packets, signaling...

General purpose I/O card for motion control.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2008... Mesa Electronics introduced its 7I43A general purpose, programmable I/O card that connects to host computers via USB or PC parallel ports. It can be a basis for applications such as simple GPIO, smart motion control (SoftDMC), host motion...

Solid state drive boasts low power consumption.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2008... SMART Modular Technologies announced its XceedLite parallel ATA (PATA) solid state drive that operates from +3.3V DC to +5V DC. The drive typically draws 80 mA current in read, 70 mA in write and 9 mA in passive mode. It is suited for use...

TFT LCD interface controller supports all modes.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2008... The DVS-1600 high integration OEM interface controller from Digital View provides a range of inputs and LCD panel support. Inputs include DVI, VGA, S-Video, composite video and numerous modes. The board is pre-programmed for many panel models,...

Dual multiband transceiver with FPGA offers improved signal-to-noise, SFDR.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2008... Pentek released its Model 7141 dual multiband transceiver with FPGA that is a complete software radio system for connection to HF or IF ports of a communications system. It accepts two full scale analog HF or IF inputs on front-panel MMCX...

Maintenance-free short stoke pneumatic cylinders.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2008... Parker Hannifin Corp. introduced its C05 and C05S compact short stroke pneumatic cylinder series in single- and double-acting versions that are suitable for clamping and locking operations in a variety of industrial markets. Stainless steel...

Rail Systems feature custom adjustments and carriages.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2008... Haydon Switch & Instrument Inc. announced its Linear Rail Systems product line that uses a precision lead-screw assembly to provide controlled positioning along the axis of a linear slide. The system consists of a stationary base with a...

Gigabit Ethernet VME switches contain 24 ports.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2008... Interface Concept announced its ComEth4070a family of 6U VME L3 Gigabit Ethernet switches for embedded applications. These switches combine a layer 2+ switch and layer 3 router in a single board, supporting full wire speed L2 bridging and IP...

Quad-core VME DSP engine offers 64 GFLOPS performance.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2008... Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing announced its CHAMP-AV5 P.A. Semi-1682 power architecture-based DSP VME compute engine. The 6U board combines dual low-power 2 GHz dual-core 1682 processors with a reconfigurable Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA...

Transceivers for high temperature applications.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
February 1, 2008... Linear Technology expanded its RS-422/RS-485 transceiver product family with an "H-grade" option for high temperature applications. LTC285xH versions feature an extended operating temperature of -40[degrees]C to 125[degrees]C, as well as the...

Synchronous buck power block reduces input current ripple.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
February 1, 2008... International Rectifier introduced its model iP1206 fully optimized synchronous buck power block for telecom and networking equipment. It is the latest addition to the iPOWIR integrated power conversion stage product line for two-phase single...

Single-conversion silicon tuner meets ATSC requirement.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
February 1, 2008... Maxim Integrated Products announced its MAX3540 integrated, single-conversion television tuner for ATSC and NTSC applications. It meets the sensitivity and adjacent-channel guidelines specified by ATSC Recommended Practice A/74, while consuming...

Chipset enables simultaneous audio connections of consumer electronics.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
February 1, 2008... STS Inc. announced its DARR81 chipset for digital wireless audio platforms in the connected home or office. The chip enables simultaneous audio connections of consumer electronics devices such as headphones, speakers, home theater systems, flat...

Laser diodes offer typical lasing wavelength of 830 nm.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2008... Photonic Products announced its HL8337MG and HL8338MG high-power, infrared wavelength GaAlaS laser diodes that are useful as light sources for industrial and medical sensor applications and for optical devices such as distance meters, barcode...

OEM interface controller for TFT LCD monitor applications.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2008... Digital View, Inc. introduced its DVS-1600 high-integration OEM interface that addresses a range of TFT LCD monitor applications. The board's flexible port architecture provides physical inputs for DVI, VGA, S-Video and composite video, along...

Three watt LED MR16 bulbs replace 20W to 30W incandescents.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2008... LEDtronics announced that its drop-in replacement MR16 3W LED bulbs can handle voltage variations of noisy AC/DC power supplies, eliminating the need to stock bulbs of different voltages. The bulbs have bi-pin bases identical to MR16 bulbs,...

Emitters offer heat dissipation and low thermal resistance.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2008... Everlight Electronics Co. Ltd. announced its 5W EHP-B03 Series emitters which are designed, binned and tested for standard operation at 700 mA. They also have the capability of being driven at 1,000 mA. The series comes with a Star design...

Inlet filter features an earth line choke.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2008... Schaffner EMC extended its FN9222 inlet filter series to include the FN9222E which has an earth line choke for designs needing greater attenuation performance. The FN9222E outperforms the company's existing IEC inlet filters, and it is...

Initiator chip resistor offers Joule effect ignition.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2008... Vishay's electro-pyrotechnic initiator chip resistor (EPIC) offers Joule effect ignition for fast firing times and a no fire/all fire ratio up to 70 percent. The resistor is optimized for squib header applications in automotive safety systems...

RF power terminator and attenuator for high-frequency applications.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2008... TT Electronics IRC released its PAT3060P high-power attenuator and RFTF surface-mount transmission line terminator, both featuring low VSWRs at high frequencies. Applications are in RF power meters, RF and microwave power amplifiers, radar,...

Low capacitance ESD protection chips for USB ports.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2008... OnChip Devices introduced its ESD2100-02 and ESD210004 (two and four channels, respectively) low capacitance ESD protection devices for single and dual USB ports that protect the two data lines and the power rail of the USB 2.0 high speed...

Jitter Attenuator for synchronous Ethernet applications.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2008... Valpey Fisher introduced the VFJA905 Jitter Attenuator, an integrated clock/PLL timmer for 1G and 10G synchronous Ethernet applications. It features two LVCMOS outputs with a frequency of 25 MHz that can be locked to an input reference...

All-quartz SMD crystal series provides clean signal for high-end network communications.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2008... Fox Electronics expanded its FQ Series of all-quartz crystal packaging technology to include a 3.2 mm X 2.5 mm package size. The series features a low profile of 1.0 mm, is suitable for a wide range of portable and battery-powered applications...

Adhesive-free permanent self-clinching cable ties and hooks.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... PEM self-clinching cable tie mounts and hooks provide secure attachment points for mounting wires and cables to electronic chassis or enclosures. Model TD cable tie mounts and model TDO hooks can be installed permanently without screws or...

Drop-in replacement ball bearings in metric sizes.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... Danaher Motion announced that Thomson super ball bearings are available in metric sizes of 16 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm and 50 mm. These bearings have a coefficient of friction as low as 0.001 so that designers can specify smaller, less...

Large enclosures enhance visual impact.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... OKW introduced its XL Soft Case enclosure series for larger mobile electronics. Applications include hand-held instrumentation, medical devices, mobile data logging and data capture equipment. The 3.62" X 5.90" X 1.10" enclosures can be used...

Micro USB connectors in B and AB types.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... Kycon offers its micro-USB connectors in the KMMX size that are available with the Micro-B receptacle for standard devices and the Micro-AB receptacle for the USB Implementers Forum Specification's USB-On-the-Go devices. Both are surface-mount...

Segment protectors prevent over-termination.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... Pepperl+Fuchs introduced its R2 FieldConnex segment protector family that allows the segment protector to be disconnected while leaving trunk communications uninterrupted, preventing over-termination that can cause start-up and commission...

Connectors feature controlled impedance and reduced crosstalk.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... Molex introduced its 170-circuit AdvancedMC connector system for 12.5 Gbps NRZ signal transmission. The connectors support PIGMG AdvancedTCA industry specifications for mezzanine cards, and they are suitable for a range of applications in the...

AdvancedTCA handle does not require assembly.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... Elma Electronic, Inc. announced a second generation AdvancedTCA (ATCA) handle that does not require assembly. The one-piece handle has two screws to attach it to the panel/PCB, and its alignment pin is part of the handle mold, making it...

Battery contacts eliminate the need for plastic housings.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2008... Components Corp. announced its freestanding BC-501 battery contact series with low profile, small footprint contacts that can be placed anywhere on a circuit board, eliminating the need for a plastic housing. They have a wire-form design that...

DC/DC converter for railways generates 2 kW output.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Absopulse introduced its HVI 2K-750/24 high input voltage DC/DC converter that generates 2kW output power. It accepts a 750V DC input voltage (525V to 975V DC range) which is the traction voltage typically required for mass transit vehicles...

Power supplies provide constant voltage or constant current.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Acopian announced its 720W power supplies that can be used to provide either a constant voltage or a constant current. Models with wide output voltage ranges can be adjusted down to 0V, and both voltage and current can be programmed with 0V to...

Limiting post amplifiers offer high signal gain.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Micrel announced its SY88343HL and SY88289HL high-sensitivity, low-power CML limiting post amplifiers with high signal gain. The amplifiers are targeted at applications using low-cost trans-impedance amplifiers (TIAs) and/or low gain PIN diodes...

AC/DC power adapters feature universal inputs.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Emerson Network Power debuted two high-efficiency external AC/DC power adapters, models Astec AD50 and AD100. Features include universal 90V AC to 264V AC inputs so that they can be used anywhere up to a continuous 4.16A at 50W, and continuous...

Hot-swap inverter modules provide up to 1,500VA/1,200W.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Unipower Telecom announced its INV1000 Series of hot-swap, high power density telecom inverters that are 1,000VA/800W and 1,500VA/1,200W sine wave inverter modules that operate from a 48V DC input. They provide either a 115V AC or 230V AC...

DC/DC converter platform provides on-the-fly voltage changes.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Semtech announced its models SC198 and SC198A dual-output synchronous DC/DC buck converters. Each one has eight VID programmable output voltage settings that allow portable systems manufacturers to lower processor voltages and extend the...

PWM digital power amplifier with 100W per channel.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... STMicroelectronics introduced its Model STA510F digital power amplifier that can drive up to 100W per channel of audio into stereo 8[ohm] loads. It will also drive 4 X 50W into 4[ohm], or up to 200W in a mono configuration, using a proprietary...

Desktop switchers do not require internal cooling fans.(POWER SOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Kuantech (shenzhen) Co., Ltd. announced its KSCFH55 series of ITE safety approved desktop and wall-mount AC/DC power supplies which provide 55W of power in a 4.27" X 2.07" X 1.44" package. The series is suitable for battery charging, it...

Energy harvesting wireless strain sensing modules.(SENSORS)
February 1, 2008... MicroStrain announced that its energy harvesting wireless strain sensing modules have been released for sale. The company asserts its sensing systems will operate indefinitely--without the need for batteries--by converting the component's...

Hall-effect sensor offers 2.1 kVrms isolation.(SENSORS)
February 1, 2008... Allegro MicroSystems introduced its ACS714 and ACS715 current sensors for AC and DC currents in automotive applications. The devices consist of low-offset, linear Hall sensor circuits with copper conduction paths located near the surfaces of...

Glass encapsulated thermistor features a hermetic seal.(SENSORS)
February 1, 2008... Measurement Specialties announced its model MEAS 55000 glass encapsulated thermistor. Features include a .012[degrees]C shift at 100[degrees]C after 10 months, or [+ or -]0.10[degrees]C over-temperature range from 0[degrees]C to +70[degrees]C,...

Photoelectric sensors with error-free alignment.(SENSORS)
February 1, 2008... Pepperl+Fuchs introduced its RAL Series of photoelectric sensors that feature a multiple-beam light grid and one-piece metal slot housing in widths from 50 mm to 150 mm, 5 kHz switching frequency, a one-shot timer, beam suppression and...

Ultrasonic sensors calculate flow rates and volume.(SENSORS)
February 1, 2008... Automation Products Group, Inc. introduced its LPU-2428 loop powered ultrasonic level sensors with microprocessor control to internally perform volume, flow and totalization calculations. These IP65 rated sensors provide a 1' to 25' detection...

Thermometers for inspection applications.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
February 1, 2008... Fluke Corp. announced its models 566 and 568 thermometers that feature broad infrared (IR) temperature measurement functionality, an on-screen menu system and a dot-matrix display. Both thermometers combine contact and non-contact temperature...

Evaluation kit validates connector compatibility.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
February 1, 2008... ERNI Electronics' development kit for analyzing the signal integrity of the MicroSpeed connector family features a contact density of 1 mm pitch, enabling board-to-board performance that is suited for the bandwidth requirements of modern...

Measurement Suite enables repeatability in optical signal measurement.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
February 1, 2008... Anritsu Co. introduced its Stressed Eye Measurement Suite for the MP1800A series of signal quality analyzers that offers desirable repeatability for measuring the average output power level difference (OMA), extinction ratio and the vertical...

Military/aerospace electronics.(Brainstorm)
February 1, 2008... Q: What key technologies will enhance thermal management in military/aerospace equipment in the next three years? Doug Patterson, Aitech Defense Systems Not every embedded computing problem needs multicore processors, terabytes of...

Kit demonstrates wireless link.(Books & Kits)
February 1, 2008... eZ430-RF2500 Development Tool, Texas Instruments. $49. www.ti.com/ez430-rf. This kit shows developers how a low-power TI MSP430F2274 micro-controller paired with the company's CC2500 transceiver chip can communicate in a simple network in...

FPGA module and labs jump starts designs.(Books & Kits)
February 1, 2008... DLP-FPGA Prototyping and Training Module, DLP Design. $189.95. www.dlpdesign.com. If you have not used a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) in a circuit, but want to learn more about this type of device, you can't beat the DLP FPGA...