EDN Asia articles from January 2009

EDN Asia archives from January 2009

Embedded enhanced.(ednasia comment)
January 1, 2009... There are two problems pertaining to shrinking in embedded designs grabbing designer attention. The first is shrinking embedded system design cycles, and the second is shrinking form factor. Designers are veering to the view that board vendors...

Automotive EEPROMs use two cells per bit for ruggedness, reliability.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
January 1, 2009... With the aim of ensuring reliable operation and long life in the demanding automotive environment, Rohm has introduced a series of EEPROMs that employ a double-cell structure. The BR25Hxx0 devices, which are SPI...

High speed 16-bit ADC at 200 MSPS.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
January 1, 2009... Texas Instruments introduced its first 16-bit, single-channel, 200 mega samples per second (MSPS) ADC to provide faster speeds previously only available with lower resolution ADCs. The new data converters enable new levels of performance in...

Single phase, PWM controller.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
January 1, 2009... Intersil Corporation's ISL8107, is a single phase, nonsynchronous buck controller that provides maximum efficiency and flexibility for telecommunications and industrial designs. It features a wide input voltage range of 9 to 75V, with an...

Online tool for developing sensor signal path solutions.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... National Semiconductor's WEBENCH Sensor Designer tool reduces design time and cost by configuring a complete sensor signal, path solution with just a few keystrokes. Prior to this design tool, an engineer would have to consume valuable...

Book helps resolve BGA-layout issues.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... As a circuit designer, I found the temptation to purchase Charles Pfeil's new book--BGA Breakouts & Routing: Effective Design Methods for Very Large BGAs--irresistible, and I wasn't disappointed. The approximately 160 pages and more than 100...

FPGAs simplify design of space systems.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Actel Corporation introduced what's said to be first radiation-tolerant, Flash-based FPGAs for space-flight applications. The reprogrammability of the low-power RT ProASIC3 devices simplifies prototyping and eases hardware timing validation...

Software gets infusion of 1.3 million IEEE documents.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Invention Machine has announced the addition of 1.3 million technical documents from the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, www.ieee.org) to its Goldfire Innovator software tool, which helps engineers and manufacturers...

White power SMD LEDs utilize InGaN/TAG.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Vishay Intertechnology released the first high-intensity white power SMD LEDs in the CLCC-6 and CLCC-6 flat ceramic packages to offer InGaN/TAG on sapphire technology for high optical power from 2240 to 5600mcd. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

CameraChip sensor with OmniBSI technology.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... OmniVision Technologies has introduced a 1/3-inch, 8 megapixel CMOS image sensor. The OV8810 is the company's first CameraChip product to use its recently launched 1.4 micron OmniBSI backside illumination technology. OmniBSI technology...

Lithium-polymer accumulator improves hybrid vehicles.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Now that hybrid passenger cars have scored an enormous marketing success in North America, the struggle has begun to make them competitive with comparable gasoline-powered and diesel vehicles in delivered fuel efficiency and environmental...

Self-assembling polymers may create tools for patterning storage media.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Researchers at the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin--Madison, working in collaboration with researchers at Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, have demonstrated the use of serf-assembling polymer...

Device optimizes processor-array chips for femtocells.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... PicoChip's second-generation PC3xx family devices integrate the company's modern architecture in a form that will increase performance and reduce the bill-of-materials cost for femtocell manufacturers. The first of the new family, the...

Obsolescence-proof GPU in PCI Express mezzanine card.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Quantum3D's Sentiris AV1 PCI Express Mezzanine Card (XMC) was conceived to address the ongoing needs of high safety- and security-critical applications such as primary flight instrumentation and multilevel security (MLS) systems. Certifiable to...

Video card captures 480 frames/sec.(pulse)
January 1, 2009... Extending its line of OEM video-capture cards, Sensoray recently announced the model 817 PCIe (peripheral-component-interconnect-express) frame-grabber card, which captures 16 channels of compressed JPEG or uncompressed bit maps at speeds as...

Artificial cochlea: an example of structural processing.(prying eyes)
January 1, 2009... The cochlea is the portion of the inner ear that senses sound vibrations and converts them into electrical signals that the auditory system can interpret. he cochlea is an example of active cellular mechanical forcing and structural processing...

Virtualization: silicon and software salvation or technological Tower of Babel? Stable, robust code speaks one language; new CPUs speak another. Is a software rewrite necessary to resolve the seeming contradiction, or can virtualization temporarily--or even permanently--ease the translation?(Cover story)
January 1, 2009... Imagine that you've amassed a large library of mature software for a CPU architecture or a system containing it but that the silicon manufacturer abruptly goes out of business, and no viable second source exists. Alternatively, imagine that you...

Power-over-Ethernet chips: to the spec and beyond: power over Ethernet allows a basic Category 5 or 6 cable to carry both data and power, enabling simple and inexpensive installations of equipment such as VoIP phones, cameras, and wireless-access points.(design feature)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The benefits to end users of the IEEE 802.3af/ t POE (power-over-Ethernet) standard are clear: Without relying on an electrician, anyone who can string a Category 5 or 6 cable can inexpensively install both power and...

On time, every time: embedding real-time performance: high-speed graphics, user interfaces, and networks represent the norm in embedded-system designs, and these performance issues dictate the use of multitasking firmware.(design feature)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As a new generation of computer-savvy users and gamers becomes your primary embedded-device customer, responsiveness and real-time performance become critical evaluation issues. Systems must manage priorities and...

Clocks: be skeptic.(special report)
January 1, 2009... Clocks do not require any introduction in the silicon world. In a synchronous digital system, the clock signal is used to define a time reference for the movement of data within that system. The clock distribution network distributes the...

A better approach to designing an RTD interface with a spreadsheet.(design ideas)
January 1, 2009... An earlier Design Idea described how to linearize the output of an RTD (resistance-temperature-detector) sensor and how to calculate the resistor values using a spreadsheet (Reference 1). That idea limited the use of Microsoft...

Power supply meets automotive-transient-voltage specs.(design ideas)
January 1, 2009... Figure 1 shows a power supply that delivers 5V from a 12V battery. With only a few components, the supply copes with all the automotive transients that ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 7637-1 lists without the need for a...

Locked-sync sine generator covers three decades with low distortion.(design ideas)
January 1, 2009... Analog applications, such as testing, calibration, and general system operation, often require a sine waveform of accurate amplitude and frequency, with low THD (total harmonic distortion). Some applications demand that the generator of such...

Tiny 500mA power converter solution.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... Texas Instruments has developed what's said to be industry's smallest and thinnest 500mA, step-down DC/ DC converter solution for space-constrained applications. The high-efficiency power management integrated circuit (IC) is a 6MHz, 500mA...

Overvoltage protectors with negative polarity protection.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The MAX4970/MAX4971/MAX4972 are a family of tiny 2 x 1.mm overvoltage protectors (OVPs) that protect low-voltage systems against faults up to 28V. To minimize voltage dropout, these OVPs integrate the very low, 40...

PMICs deliver low noise power at high efficiency.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The AAT2782 and AAT2783 are two power management ICs (PMICs) for portable applications. Combining two step-down converters with a low VIN LDO, these devices can be used to power both traditional power management...

Low Iq LDO family for automotive apps expanded.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... ON Semiconductor has expanded its portfolio of low dropout (LDO) linear voltage regulators for automotive electronics modules that require very low ignition-off currents. Qualified to AEC-Q100 and operating across a wide temperature range, the...

30V P-Channel Power-PAK SC-75 power MOSFETs.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... The Vishay Siliconix PowerPAK SC-75 power MOSFETs measure 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.75mm--the same area dimensions as the standard SC-75--but offer much lower on-resistance thanks to a construction that accommodates a larger die within the same footprint....

Optocouplers offer advanced fault protection.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... Avago's ACPL-333J and ACPL-330J series of high-speed IGBT optocouplers are easy-to-implement in industrial inverter and power management applications, such as isolated IGBT/power MOSFET gate drives, AC and brushless DC motor drives, industrial...

2.4GHz SoC with MCU, memory, transceiver and USB controller.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CC2511x, companion products to the CC2510x family, provides a full-speed USB controller. Available in three versions (8/16/32kB Flash and 1/2/4kB RAM) the CC2511x devices support five USB endpoints in addition to...

AVR MCUc for automotive LIN networking apps.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... Atmel has launched a family of AVR 8-bit microcontrollers for LIN automotive networking applications. The ATtiny167 is optimized to LIN slave applications. It will be qualified to AECQ-100 grade 0 and sustain ambient temperatures of up to...

Stream processor breaks 1-Tflop barrier.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... Occupying a single PCI slot, the FireStream 9250 Stream processor breaks the 1-Tflop barrier. The device has 150W power consumption, with as many as 8Gflops/W. A double-precision, floating-point hardware implementation delivers more than...

Single-output DC/DC converters feature many input, output voltages.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... Aiming at isolating and converting DC-power rails, the isolated, 2W NMG single-output DC/DC converter series has a pin-compatible power-upgrade path from the vendor's 1W NMR series. Galvanic isolation allows users to configure the devices to...

Switcher ICs allow for compact notebook-adapter designs.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... With an ultralow-profile package, the TOPSwitch-HX IC power-package family suits use in 65W adapters for notebook computers and 20 to 100W power supplies for LCD monitors and flat-panel TVs. The switcher ICs meet Energy Star 2.0 specifications...

SoC supports range of options for fax machines.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... Targeting use in fax machines with ink-jet-, laser-, or thermal-printing capabilities, the SX9543X SoC provides direct printer control and USB interfaces. Features include dual-voice ADCs and DACs; multiple voice inputs and outputs, including a...

150[degrees]C, 34V, 2A ([I.sub.OUT]), 2.8MHz step-down switching regulator with IQ<5OuA.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Linear Technology's H-Grade version of the LT3481 is a 34V (36V(max.)), BurstMode, step-down switching regulator that maintains quiescent current under 50uA. The "H" Grade version operates up to a junction...

672 channel T3 PMC for voice and data apps.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... One Stop Systems' T3 WAN (Wide Area Networking) PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card) adapter is capable of terminating 672 HDLC channels. The adapter enables advanced voice and data applications, such as VolP (Voice over Internet protocol),...

PMC card provides real-time compression/decompression.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... Available in the PMC form factor, the Orion CC dual-channel video-compression/decompression board suits use in VME and CompactPCI systems. The rugged, conduction-cooled board uses dual onboard JPEG 2000 engines, supporting full-frame encoding...

DAP board eliminates ground loops.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The MSXB 084 Data Acquisition Processor (DAP) board from Microstar Lab Inc. includes 16 differential analog inputs. Onboard 16-bit analog-to-digital conversion minimizes the exposure to noise from other circuits in...

Half-slot, multi-function, PCI card upgraded.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... North Atlantic Industries (NAI) has announced an upgrade to the functionality of its 3-module, multifunction, half-slot PCI card. This flexible card eliminates the complexity and size constraints of using multiple, independent, single-function...

Rugged 3U VPX single board computer.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... The VPX3-127 is a power architecture-based 3U VPX (VITA 46) single board computer (SBC). Its powerful, small form-factor brings the high-bandwidth, serial switched fabric support, and ESD protection benefits of the VPX board architecture to...

Phyworks' optical module reference design provides instant digital solution.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Phyworks has introduced a complete hardware and software reference design for 125Mbps--1.25Gbps SFP optical modules offering a fully digital configuration and monitoring capability. Aiming to help datacomm module...

VIA Nano-ITX board with VIA VX800.(BOARDS, CARDS & MODULES)
January 1, 2009... VIA Technologies has announced the VIA EPIA N700 Nano-ITX board, designed as a complete solution for compact industrial PC and embedded automation devices. Featuring a 1.5GHz VIA C7 or 500MHz VIA Eden processor, the VIA EPIA N700 is said to be...

ET connector for cable to printed circuit board apps.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... This 20 Amp ET connector, designed for low profile power distribution units requiring a small form-factor interface, is a low loss, reliable solution for cable to printed circuit board (PCB) applications. It comes with a feature of integrated...

Miniature slide switches feature right angle actuations for low board profiles.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... This family of miniature slide switches is designed specifically for applications where height or surface area is restricted. The sub-miniature JS Series slide switches feature a profile down to 0.7mm, positive detents, high contact...

High current, temperature ceramic capacitors.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... AVX Corporation has developed extreme high temperature stacked ceramic capacitors that save board space and can handle harsh and rugged operating environments. Designated the SMX and CHX Series, the stacked ceramic capacitors are specifically...

0.5mm pitch 2.00mm height FPC(ZIF) connectors.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... FCI has developed a 0.5mm pitch, 2mm height FPC ZIF connector for use in optical drives and automotive multimedia systems. Designated the VHC Series, the FPC ZIF connectors provide a robust design that can withstand high cable retention forces...

Next-generation KK terminal offering.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Designed to meet the demand for increased current-carrying capability, the MarKK terminal is the next-generation product in the KK terminal offering. With a technologically advanced design that serves a wide variety...

"Industry's first" solid tantalum chip capacitor.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... Vishay has extented its TANTAMOUNT Hi-Rel COTS T97 series to offer what's said to be the industry's first solid tantalum chip capacitor with a 63V rating to meet derating requirements in +28V power supply designs. Designers can now incorporate...

5-port Ethernet switch with conformal coating.(PASSIVES)
January 1, 2009... The Iguana series IUE-500EC is an industrial 5-port unmanaged Ethernet switch positioned as an enhanced entry-level switch. It supports IEEE 802.3/802.3u/802.3x with 10/100M, full/half duplex and MDI/MDI-X auto-sensing RJ45 ports. Designed...

External power adapter combines USB power with interchangeable AC plugs.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Phihong has expanded its adapter offering with an 8W version featuring interchangeable input plugs and a micro-USB output connector. Designated the PSM08R-050(M)-R, the 8W adapter is available with four...

AC-DC digital power supply.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... Lambda has introduced a range of digitally controlled modules to its NV-Power family of configurable AC-DC power supplies enabling increased power output of up to 1450W peak rating for 10 seconds. The NV-350 series provides up to 350W of output...

Safe medical, industrial AC/DC power supply.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... The ECM140 series of compact open frame single-output AC/DC power supplies measures 3x5 x 1.3 inches (76.2 x 127 x 33mm) and offers a high power density of 7.9W per cubic inch. The supply includes a 12V/0.5A fan output as standard, removing the...

Mini desktop supplies are EISA, CEC Level IV compliant.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... This series of 36~90W single output desktop switching power supplies feature ultra-miniature size with high efficiencies and low standby power consumption for compliance to the Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Energy Star and...

High efficiency 250W AC/DC power supplies.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... The LPS200-M series power supplies are compact open-frame designs measuring 7.6 x 12.7cm (3 x 5 inches), with a height of 3.9cm (1.5 inches). They have a typical full load efficiency of 88% and a power density in excess of 0.66W per cubic...

Thin surface mount flyback transformer for high-power.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... The Model 4260-2757 Series Hi-Voltage Flyback Transformer is designed for extreme acceleration and shock in high-power, high-voltage device applications that require extreme low profile component miniaturization and superior performance in high...

Convection cooled supply.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
January 1, 2009... DongAh Elecomm has launched its PSU-750 Series of 750W switching power supplies. Each features convection cooled operation and low radiated noise especially at lower frequencies with high peak loads up to 1500W for up to 5 minutes, making this...