ECN-Electronic Component News articles from May 2009

ECN-Electronic Component News archives from May 2009

Making lemonade.(Editor's View)
May 15, 2009... There's an old saying, "you can even get used to hanging, if you hang long enough", but now is not the time for passivity. This industry has been on a rollercoaster for over a decade. Between the Dot-Bomb, the Telecom collapse, the Internet,...

LED drivers combine full function power supplies with controllers.(Leading Off)
May 15, 2009... Endicott Research Group (ERG) will make available a family of Smart Force LED drivers that combine full-function power supplies with energy-efficient controllers for commercial, industrial, architectural and other SSL applications. The SSL...

Self-powered 3G system provides WiFi hotspot in a box.(Leading Off)
May 15, 2009... Designed to provide minion-critical wireless communications, Proxicast's Cell-PAK 3G + Wi-Fi HotSpot in a box is a wireless "grab & go" solution that provides mobile wide-area cellular Internet connectivity (WWAN) and local 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi...

LED achieves over 100 Im/W performance.(Leading Off)
May 15, 2009... Based on thin-film flip-chip technology, the Luxeon Rebel ES high-output LED from Luraileds is presented as the first device of its type to achieve a minimum light output of 100 lumens per Watt. Creating energy-efficient SSL applications is...

MCUs boast 32-bit CLA for direct access to on-chip peripherals.(Leading Off)
May 15, 2009... Texas Instruments announced its TMS320F2803x Piccolo microcontrollers (MCUs) featuring the Control Law Accelerator (CLA). Unique to TVs F2803x Piccolo MCUs, the CLA is a 60 MHz, 32-bit floatingpoint math accelerator that operates independently...

SBCs.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
May 15, 2009... Companies mentioned in Product Technology Review: Adlink Technology www.adlinktech.com WinSystems www.winsystems.com Sealevel Systems www.sealevel.com BVM Limited www.bvmltd.co.uk Curtiss-Wright...

A visit to the 2009 Embedded Systems Conference--part II.(ESC Update Second in a two-part series)(Conference notes)
May 15, 2009... With over 8,000 attendees, this year's Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) was a pleasant surprise to an industry expecting a low turnout. Held in San lose from March 30 to April 2, the event had a nice assortment of new tech and devices. Here is...

Breaking the bandwidth bottleneck with 100G technology.(Communications)
May 15, 2009... Today's carriers support more than 400 million global broadband subscribers worldwide. This subscriber base and its bandwidth appetite have grown so quickly that industry observers expect bandwidth demand to outstrip availability within just a...

Virtual platforms for multicore systems development.(Multicore Programming Tools)
May 15, 2009... Virtualized systems development is a development methodology where the actual hardware of a system is augmented by a virtual platform, a simulation model of the hardware running on a workstation or PC. The virtual platform can run the same...

DSP suppliers focus on medical imaging.(Medical Electronics)
May 15, 2009... Just as they have played a key role in advancing industries such as PCs, cellular telecommunications and automotive, digital signal processors (DSPs) are playing an increasingly important role in advancing medical imaging to provide faster,...

Considering high bandwidth data interfaces.(DESIGN TALK)
May 15, 2009... With the growing demand for advanced multi-media capabilities, higher resolution displays, and camera modules, system characteristics of the cell phone application have evolved tremendously over the past few years. A consequence of this growth...

Designing a medical RFID asset tag: collaboration between OEM and battery manufacturer leads to product innovation.(Prototyping and Design)
May 15, 2009... A" technology-driven world presents a growing number of opportunities for wireless, battery powered radio frequency identification (RFID) real time location systems (RTLS) that support enhanced data capture and seamless information management....

Motherboard uses Intel Core 2 Duo processor.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEM)
May 15, 2009... Designed to comply with the 5.25" Miniboard mechanical standard, BVM Limited's LS-573 embedded motherboard is based on an Intel 45-nm Core 2 Duo Pentryn or Extreme processor conforming to the Socket P configuration and a FSB up to 1,066 MHz....

Small-form PCs target industrial applications.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEM)
May 15, 2009... Using Intel Core 2 Duo processors with 64-bit EMT64 technology, Stealth.com's LPC-650 Series LittlePC industrial PCs measure 6.5" x 6" x [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stealth.com, 905-264-9000, www.stealth.com

Evaluation board remotely controls laser diodes.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEM)
May 15, 2009... Equipped with a USB port, AMS Technologies offers Wavelength Electronics' FL593FL combination evaluation board and laser diode driver that remotely controls multiple laser diodes via computer. The module can control Setpoint, current limit, and...

COTS military computer uses MIL-STD-D38999 connectors.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEM)
May 15, 2009... Targeting military defense electronics, Adlink Technology's MilSystem 800 Extreme Rugged COTS military computer uses MIL-STD-D38999 connectors instead of PC-style connectors. The device consists of the Ampro by ADLINK Little Board 800 SBC in a...

Pushbutton protects itself from damage.(ELECTRO MECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
May 15, 2009... Featuring a snap-action switching system, the Series 56 pushbutton from EAO protects itself from damage. A stable force is always applied to the switch unit independent of the one exerted on the lens. The pushbutton includes a 34-mm-diameter...

Pushbutton switch has multiple LED color options.(ELECTRO MECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
May 15, 2009... The LP1 Series, an illuminated round pushbutton switch from E-Switch, features multiple LED color options of blue, green, red, white, and yellow. Features include: electrical life of 50,000 cycles; operating force of 250 [+ or -] 100 gf;...

Fan trays operate at high current.(ELECTRO MECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
May 15, 2009... A variety of standard and custom fan trays from Orion Fans operate from 12 VDC to 48 VDC and 115 VAC to 230 VAC. The trays are available in three-, six-, and nine-fan trays as well as custom configurations. Each fan may be equipped to adjust...

Brushless motor includes integral controller.(ELECTRO MECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
May 15, 2009... Designed with an integral controller, the Motomate brushless motor from Crouzet is intended for applications where programmable movement of simple mechanisms is required. The brushless motor features efficiency of 90 percent, and motor range of...

Relays rated to 20 A.(ELECTRO MECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
May 15, 2009... Receiving UL/cUL recognition, CIT Relay & Switch's J151 Series relays exhibit ratings of up to 20 A at 277 VAC and 28 VDC, and 1/2 hp at 125 VAC. The RoHS-compliant devices offer coil voltages ranging from 6 VDC to 220 VDC and 6 VAC to 240 VAC,...

Amplifiers integrate directional coupler.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
May 15, 2009... Integrating the directional coupler, a family of single and dual-band WCDMA power amplifiers (PA) from Skyworks Solutions is purported to reduce the phone board footprint and BOM costs. The amplifiers are offered in 10 bands, and range from 824...

Load regulator supports appliances and handheld products.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
May 15, 2009... Delivering up to 1.5-A output current, the MIC23150 HyperLight Load Regulator from Micrel supports portable products and green home/office appliances. Features include: 23 [micro]A of quiescent current, 93 percent peak efficiency, 87 percent...

EEPROMs have lowest operating voltage.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
May 15, 2009... With a 1.5 V rating for both Read and Write operations, a series of [I.sup.2]C EEPROM devices from Microchip is purported to have the lowest operating voltage available on the market. Operating current is below 400 [micro]A. The devices feature...

Hot-swap managers support currents up to 5 A.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
May 15, 2009... Protecting against overcurrents for voltage rails between 3 V and 20 V, three hot-swap managers from TI support an operating current of up to 5 A. The TPS2420 comes in a 16-pin QFN package and the TPS2421-1 and TPS2421-2 come in eight-pin SOIC...

32-Bit microcontroller includes 1-MB Flash.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
May 15, 2009... Targeting high-end motor drives, AC servos, and industrial inverters, Renesas Technology's SH7286 32-bit SuperH microcontroller (MCU) contains up to 1-MB of MONOS (Metal Oxide Nitride Oxide Silicon) embedded Flash memory. The component...

Mini transistors drive portable applications.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
May 15, 2009... Suited for portable battery-powered applications, the CMLT3820G (NPN) and CMLT7820G (PNP) Low [V.sub.CE(SAT)] transistors from Central Semiconductor are provided in an SOT-563 SMT package with a maximum profile of 0.6 mm. The NPN CMLT3820G has...

"Green" LEDs produce white light.(ECN[R] Focus on Lighting)
May 15, 2009... By examining a few of the catalysts that will precipitate the escalation of demand for LED driver ICs from their current early growth stage and into an accelerated growth stage, it is clear that LEDs will quickly be a mainstream lighting...

RGB LED system chromaticity control.(ECN[R] Focus on Lighting)
May 15, 2009... There are two primary methods for producing white light with LEDs. The first is to coat blue (or ultraviolet) LEDs with phosphor that emits broadband light. A second method involves blending the light horn multiple monochromatic LEDs to form a...

Display and indicator lighting in mobile phones.(ECN[R] Focus on Lighting)
May 15, 2009... To support the larger display backlights required thanks to the popularity of phones with large touch screen displays, a high number of white LEDs are needed. In addition, illumination with color LEDs can increase the charm of a phone design....

LED driver offers full-range, flicker-free dimming.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
May 15, 2009... Translating the TRIAC-chopped waveform to a DIM signal and decoding it, National Semiconductor's LM3445 TRIAC dimmable LED driver (SSLD) enables a full 100:1 dimming range that is said to be uniform and flicker-free. The 10-pin mini...

UV LEDs come in T0-4G packaging.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
May 15, 2009... Operating in medical and industrial applications in the UV-A spectrum, Optck Technology's OUE8A Series UV LEDs function in hermetic TO-46 metal can packages. The RoHS-compliant devices offer peak wavelength ranges between 375 nm to 380 nm and...

Touchscreens rated for up to 35 million activations.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
May 15, 2009... Four-and five-Wire resistive touch screens from The Bergquist Company (available at Digi-Key) are rated for up to 35 million activations. The four-wire screens are rated for 10 million single point activations, while the five-wire is rated to...

HDR camera features two-CCD design.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
May 15, 2009... The AD-081CL high dynamic range (HDR) camera from JAI features a two-CCD design with two standard ICX204AL 1/3" monochrome progressive scan sensors. The prism-based design enables the camera to simultaneously capture two channels of 30 fps...

LED assemblies with custom brightness options.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
May 15, 2009... Offering blue, red, and green standard colors, Elma Electronic's new line of LED assemblies can be customized to include different levels of indicating brightness for each LED within the same unit to meet a specific indicating goal. Customized...

Bi-lobe connector exhibits contamination protection.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Offered with overmolded cables or incorporated into equipment housings, Omnetics Connector's 0.025" pitch-latching Bi-Lobe connector is protected against contamination in medical applications. The device passes the shock and vibration...

Connector seals to IP67.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Targeting rugged or waterproof high power, signal, and ground interconnect applications, the SPEC (Sealed Power For Environmental Connections) Pak from Anderson Power Products has an environmentally sealed IP67 shell to protect contacts and...

Interface converter handles high data rates.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Powering from the computer's serial (COM) port, Omega Engineering's OM-CONV-SER RS-485 half duplex to RS-232 converter presents data rate handling of up to 115,200 bps. The 2.4" x 1.3" x 0.6" unit offers transmission distances of 1,200 m on...

Enclosures enable access to aboveground terminations.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Designed to provide aboveground housing for sectionalizing, tapping, or terminating under-ground distribution systems, Hoffman's Utility Junction (UJ) sectionalizing enclosures have a self-engaging wind stop that holds the cover in the open...

Fittings and tubing perform in harsh environments.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Functioning in wet and dry applications, Heyco Products' Heyco-Flex III liquid-tight fittings and tubing resist corrosion, oil, weak acids, and salt water. The nylon products are flame retardant, non-toxic, UV resistant, and rated for Type 3R...

Adapters comply with Energy Star 2.0.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... The 9-V and 12-V models in the PSM11R Series 10-W adapters from Phihong meet the Energy Star EPS 2.0 requirement. The maximum no-load power consumption for EPS 2.0 is 0.5 W or less for adapters with an output power from 50 W to 250 W and 0.3 W,...

Subminiature connectors handle voltage from DC to 26.5 GHz.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Phoenix's SMPM Series subminiature connectors offer electrical performance from DC to 26.5 GHz. Billed as 30 percent smaller than SMP blindmate connectors, the subminiature connectors feature snap-in interconnects, allowing control while mating...

Enclosures address face-to-face applications.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Having 2 inclined operating panels at right angles to each other, OKW Enclosures' UNITEC front-sloping enclosures can be used for face-to-face applications requiring simultaneous input of data on one side and readout on the other. The 5.826" x...

Socket connector delivers over 7 Gbps backplane performance.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
May 15, 2009... Aiding engineers working with 2 mm hard-metric-based designs, such as VME or cPCI, 3M's Ultra Hard Metric (UHM) Socket Connector can achieve speeds greater than 7 Gbps. Using "virtual coaxial box" shielding, the connector can support...

Busbar-mount contactors weigh as little as 1.25 lbs.(POWER SOURCES)
May 15, 2009... Weighing between 1.25 lbs. and 2 lbs,. three Busbarmount contactor product lines from Leach International are intended for commercial and military aerospace applications. They meet Mil-PRF-6106 environmental requirements for mechanical shock,...

DC/DC converters exhibit high I/O isolation.(POWER SOURCES)
May 15, 2009... Meeting IEC 60950-1:2001 safety standard ITE (rated for 250-VAC working voltage), Aimtec's AM1DC-Z Series 1-W DC/DC converters demonstrate I/O isolation of 6,000 VDC with an isolation barrier of 2.50 mm. The 19.56-mm x 9.90-mm X 12.45-mm...

Power supply delivers 2,800 W.(POWER SOURCES)
May 15, 2009... Demonstrating a power density of 27.7 W/in. (3), Murata Power Solutions' D1U-H-2800-52-Hx power-factor-corrected AC/DC front-end power supply delivers 2,800 W (220 VAC). The 11.5" x 5.5" x 1.6" unit offers 91.6 percent efficiency at full load,...

Power supply exhibits second variable output.(POWER SOURCES)
May 15, 2009... Supplying a regulated output of 12 VDC at 2 A, GlobTek's GS-1549 50-W power supply delivers a regulated variable output from 10 VDC to 100 VDC at 26 W in medical and ITE applications. The 177.800-mm x 76.200-mm x 3.456-mm device accepts...

Switcher supports Energy Star EPS v2.0.(POWER SOURCES)
May 15, 2009... Suited for applications with up to 3.1 W of output that require Energy Star EPS v2.0 compliance, Power Integrations' LinkSwitch-II LNK632DG switcher IC enables the creation of power systems with a no-load power consumption of 30 mW or less. The...

Panel voltmeter shines in red, blue, or green light.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... Targeting applications such as battery chargers, power amplifiers, and other monitored electronic applications, the LED-driven three-and-a-half digit DMS-20PC digital panel voltmeter is available with characters in blue, green, or red. The...

Oscilloscopes said to have largest display in class.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... Equipped with a 12.1" display for close to a 40 percent increase in display area over other scopes in their class, according to the company, the InfiniiVision 7000 Series of mixed-signal and digital-storage oscilloscopes now offers bandwidths...

Modules automate key measurement and analysis tasks.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... The DPOxAUDIO and DPOxPWR triggering and analysis modules from Tektronix are designed to automate key measurement and analysis tasks on digital audio buses and switch--mode power supplies. Features include the Wave Inspector search/navigation...

Portable data loggers offer multiple inputs.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... Targeting industrial, scientific research, and quality assurance applications, Omega Engineering's OM-SQ2020 Series portable data loggers have 8 true differential or 16 single-ended universal analog inputs, plus 2 high voltage, 4 pulse, and 8...

Signal conditioner presents process application functionality.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... Performing in process applications, Weidmuller's Wave TTA universal signal conditioner functions as a signal isolator, transmitter, converter, linearizer, and trip amplifier. All common analog DC input types (including temperature, DC, and...

Software application adds decoding to test pods.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... Running on the complete line of USBee test pods, CWAV's USBee Suite logic analyzer and oscilloscope software application delivers serial bus decoding for [I.sup.2] C, SPI, Async, 1-Wire, CAN, and USB. The product includes in-line graphical bus...

Electronic loads perform timing measurement.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 15, 2009... Designed for testing UPS, battery, inverter, or other power systems, Chroma's 63800 Series of AC electronic loads allow users to measure critical timing parameters such as battery discharge time, the trip time for fuse and breaker testing, and...

Military electronics.(Brainstorm)
May 15, 2009... Q: What is the most pressing issue concerning the deployment of autonomous military robots? John Jovalusky Qspeed Semiconductor www.qspeed.com Apart from the ethical and legal issues-such as the Laws of War and the Rules of...

The future of wireless ICs in automotive security applications.(Automotive)
May 15, 2009... What is the difference between a TPMS system and PKE system? Nothing! A TPMS system is placed inside the wheel and composed of a sensing device that measures temperature and pressure. When appropriate, such as before starting the engine, the...

Efficiency Zone.
May 15, 2009... 100 MPG Electric Hummer a Reality Raser Technologies recently announced a 100 mpg version of the Hummer H3 at the 2009 SAE International World Congress. The idea of taking the most infamous gas guzzler and making it "greener than a Prius'...