EDN Asia articles from May 2007

EDN Asia archives from May 2007

Business model still eludes IPs.(ednasiacomment)
May 1, 2007... Using IPs has been one of the great ideas in design growing for the last decade. The number of IP blocks in each design will rise further as logic gate count increases and time-to-market shrinks. Inadequate EDA tools are also said to help IP...

Development tool adds high speed ADC and precision filter boards.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Giving designers of portable, battery-powered applications added flexibility and functionality in a low cost, full-featured development environment, Texas Instruments Incorporated has launched two target boards for the eZ430 development tool:...

Design suite improves system performance and compile time.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Xilinx, Inc. has announced the availability of the Integrated Software Environment (ISE)WebPACK 9.1i release--the latest version of the company's free downloadable programmable logic design suite. This version includes all the features of the...

Altera offers advanced signal integrity technology through EDA partners.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Altera Corporation is making its Pre-emphasis and Equalization Link Estimator (PELE) technology available through its EDA partners to designers who need to estimate signal integrity settings in the company's Stratix II GX FPGAs. Mentor...

First 8-port switch development board with IEEE 1588 timing control.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Designers of next-generation industrial control and automation systems challenged by requirements of the IEEE 1588 standard for precision clock synchronization can now accelerate their connectivity designs with the first 8-port switch...

Class G piezoelectric speaker drivers reduce design time.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... The MAX9788 is the industry's first mono, Class G amplifier specifically designed to drive the high capacitive load of piezoelectric loudspeakers. It integrates an inverting charge-pump power supply, which provides up to 16Vp-p voltage drive...

Ultra-compact LED with big functions.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... ROHM Co., Ltd recently developed an ultra-compact LED that features what's said to be the smallest volume and area in the world. The SML-P12 series (PicoLED) is suited for devices requiring thin, compact components, such as mobile phone...

Freescale reduces EDGE RF subsystem size by 50%.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Expanding its RF offerings for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) handset design, Freescale Semiconductor recently unveiled its first RF CMOS 90 nanometer transceiver. The RFX275-30 is a transceiver subsystem that offers very low...

Defect-prevention software provides real-time production monitoring.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... The Agilent Process Control Software is a defect-prevention software package that offers manufacturers statistical process control and charting package capabilities designed for operators, technicians and engineers. With real-time...

Epson and Fujitsu develop next-gen FRAM technology.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Seiko Epson Corporation and Fujitsu Limited have successfully developed next-generation Ferrorelectric Random Access Memory (FRAM) technology. Through this project, the companies developed technology for forming, processing and evaluating...

Clear Shape partners with STARC to develop comprehensive DFM flow.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Clear Shape Technologies has partnered with Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center (STARC), Japan's leading semiconductor technology research organization, to jointly develop, validate, and deploy a variability-aware Design for...

Complete ZigBee protocol platform with 2.4GHz IEEE 802.15.4 transceiver and network analyzer.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... Microchip Technology has launched three offerings for IEEE 802.15.4 wireless networking. The company's first RF transceiver, the MRF24J40, is a 2.4GHz IEEE 802.15.4 transceiver targeted for the ZigBee protocol--and proprietary wireless...

STMicro intros 1Mbit serial EEPROM in S08 narrow package.(INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS)
May 1, 2007... STMicroelectronics' 1Mbit serial EEPROM is available in the tiny SO8N package with 150mil (3.8mm) body width. The M24M01 is said to be the only device in the market to squeeze this high memory density into such a small package. Also offered in...

Microcontroller cores focus on video decoding.(GLOBAL DESIGNER)
May 1, 2007... Tensilica's Xtensa and LX2 architectures let you invoke a range of options for processor-core functions and peripherals and create custom instructions. The company's design-tool package automatically generates a custom compiler that matches...

Handset availability may slow interest in converged VOWLAN/cellular services.(GLOBAL DESIGNER)
May 1, 2007... Consumers are enthusiastic about the billing and service plans that converged VOWLAN (voice-over-wireless-local-area-network)/cellular services could provide, but the availability of suitable handsets could cause the market to develop slowly,...

Lab-on-chip for molecular diagnostics.(GLOBAL DESIGNER)
May 1, 2007... The In-Check platform by STMicroelectronics is based on a silicon chip that combines the capabilities of different common laboratory instruments onto a single self-contained unit. It provides integrated genetic analysis at a fraction of the...

See inside a cereal surprise.(prying eyes)
May 1, 2007... Microsoft continues to deny rumors of a handheld Xbox game console, but the company did recently promote its Xbox brand by including a series of Mini Games in boxes of Kellogg'-s cereals. How did the designers deliver a compelling user...

Putting the squeeze on 16-bit processors: flanked on either side of the performance, price, and power curve by 8- and 32-bit processors, can 16-bit processors survive?(Cover story)
May 1, 2007... The start of the much-anticipated death of 16-bit processors is upon us. Because of insufficient forecasted demand, March 30, 2007, was the final date that Intel would accept orders for its MCS51, MCS251, MCS96, 80X18X, 80X38X, 80X486DXX, and...

Taking control of machine vision: improvements in processing power, software, and digital cameras are making the use of machine-vision systems for industrial control an increasingly attractive approach. But getting the system to function as intended still requires careful attention to details.
May 1, 2007... In humans, sight is one of the most important senses. Vision allows us to identify objects, examine them without touching them, determine spatial dimensions and relationships, and navigate safely through our world. The same benefits accrue to...

Maximizing EOS and ESD immunity in high-performance serial buses: protecting products from electrostatic hazards may seem to involve black magic, but it doesn't. A layered strategy of defending against the hazards maximizes products' immunity and minimizes the impact on part costs and project schedules.
May 1, 2007... EOS (electrical overstress) and ESD (electrostatic discharge) are the main causes of failures in semiconductors. Although EOS often takes the blame, ESD may sometimes accompany EOS. Did the assembly machinery zap the part? Did the handling...

"We will continue to provide innovative solutions to our customers".(Interview)
May 1, 2007... Gregg Lowe, Senior Vice President, Analog Business Unit, Texas Instruments, spoke to EDN Asia about the developing trends in analog technology. Excerpts: According to some market research companies, TI has always been among the top analog...

Using an FPGA-powered reference design in automotive entertainment electronics.(special report)
May 1, 2007... Automotive entertainment electronics are driving a rapid evolution of features and capabilities that challenge designers with performance, cost, and flexibility tradeoffs. Unlike any other area of automotive electronics, multimedia graphics...

Add simple disable function to a panoramic-potentiometer circuit.(design ideas)
May 1, 2007... In audio-mixing applications, one frequently required function involves mixing a monaural or single-channel source into a stereo-sound field. Audio engineers refer to a panoramic-potentiometer circuit as a circuit that generates left and right...

Simple single-cell white-LED driver uses improvised transformer.(design ideas)
May 1, 2007... A white LED delivers a wide color spectrum and better visibility than do monochromatic LEDs. However, a white LED presents a higher forward-voltage drop than do its colorful counterparts and thus poses problems for operation from a single...

Implement a stepper-motor driver in a CPLD.(design ideas)
May 1, 2007... Based on the Motorola (now Freescale) heavily used but obsolete SAA1042 stepper-motor-driver IC, this Design Idea describes a CPLD (complex-programmable-logic-device)-based implementation of a stepper-motor driver that can also replace the...

DSP supplies 2X more memory and I/0 bandwidth at lower price.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... Targeted for a myriad of infrastructure equipment including high-end telecom, wireless infrastructure, and video and imaging applications, the 1GHz C6454 DSP is based on the improved TMS320C64x+ DSP core. The C6454 DSP provides developers with...

Micro power monitor simplifies bi-directional current measurement.(SEMICONDUCTORS)(Zetex Inc.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... This bidirectional high-side current monitor draws a typical quiescent current less than a half that of alternative devices, and simplifies two-way current measurement in battery and power supply management, as well as motor control...

Smaller IPM interface optocouplers.(SEMICONDUCTORS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Half the size of standard dual-inline packages, the ACPL P456, -W456 and -P480 are ideal for designing energy efficient washing machines and air conditioners, as well as industrial-grade equipment, switching power supplies and inverters. These...

Bi-directional translator with independent controls.(SEMICONDUCTORS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The FXL2TD245 is said to be the first dual-supply bi-directional translator on the market that's configurable for both uni-directional and independent bi-directional voltage translation between two logic levels. This MicroPak-packaged...

LED ballaster provides 3000:1 dimming capability for 24 LEDs.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... The LT3003 is a LED ballaster that drives three separate strings of LEDs with 3% accurate current matching, delivering uniform LED brightness. It is capable of driving up to 24 LEDs at 350mA each, three strings of 8 LEDs each, making it ideal...

Programmable, multichannel ADCs accept [+ or -] 12V analog inputs with single +5V supply.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... The MAX1300-MAX1303 and MAX1032-MAX1035 family of 16-/14-bit ADCs are the first to have the [+ or -] 12V input range. Integrated software lets the user remotely configure each input of equipment to a unique voltage range. Each input channel can...

14- and 12-bit, 210-MSPS ADCS.(SEMICONDUCTORS)(analog to digital converters)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Two 14- and 12-bit, 210-MSPS (mega samples per second) ADCs have been added to the pin-compatible, high-speed ADS5546 family. The ADS5547 and ADS5527 provide high performance at 210MSPS with up to 73.3dBFS signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and 85dBc...

Low voltage single supply LDO regulator.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... The MIC69502 is a 5A low voltage single supply LDO regulator. Ideal for supporting voltage supply requirements of current and future FPGAs, microcontrollers and other logic ICs in applications such as optical networks, communication switches,...

Converter enables small solution size for portable apps.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... Developed with space-constrained portable applications in mind, the AAT1149 high performance, fast transient, 400mA step-down converter enables the use of the industry's latest 0603 footprint, 1mm high inductors for the smallest total solution...

600V single-channel ICs simplify circuit design.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... The IRS211(7,8) family of 600V high-side single-channel driver ICs provide lower input current of 40[micro]A, and an output signal of 0 to 15V to reduce part count and simplify circuit design. The devices' lower quiescent current of 340[micro]A...

STMicro, Open Interface collaborate on next-gen wireless audio solutions.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... STMicroelectronics, and Open Interface North America will be collaborating on next-generation Bluetooth audio solutions. Specifically, STMicroelectronics will embed Open Interface's SOUNDabout and BLUEmagic technologies in Bluetooth-based...

60V synchronous step-down controller.(SEMICONDUCTORS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The LTC3543 is a high efficiency, 2.25MHz, synchronous buck regulator that delivers up to 600mA of continuous output current from a 2x3mm DFN package. It runs in either a constant 2.25MHz frequency, spread spectrum or synchronized phase lock...

Emulator extends previous generation's voltage range.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
May 1, 2007... Replacing the E8 model, the E8a emulator provides C-source-level debugging at full speed with microcontrollers in the M16C, H8/Tiny, or H8/Super-low-profile series. The support tool extends the operating voltage range to 1.8 to 5V, and adds a...

Board with plug-in architecture for unified design platform.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)
May 1, 2007... Nano-Board-NB2 (NB2) provides a configurable and extendable hardware platform on which to implement and interactively debug designs targeted to a wide range of processor and FPGA architectures. Its architecture allows engineers to fully use the...

ETX replacement module.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)(Ampro Computers Inc.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Here's a cost-optimized product for commercial-grade embedded systems that were affected by the non-RoHS ETX modules that have reached end-of-life (EOL) status. Using the RoHS-compliant AMD Geode LX 8800 single-chip integrated processor and...

VIA Mark subcompact board.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)
May 1, 2007... This GENE-6315 adopts onboard a VIA Mark 533/800MHZ processors, and has a system memory of 144-pin SDRAM SODIMM, which supports PC-133 module up to 1GB. In addition, the board implements Type II CompactFlash for storage, and PCI-104 socket for...

FPGA based RS-422/RS-485 I/0 card.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)
May 1, 2007... The MESA 5121 is a programmable serial interface card for the PCI bus. It is designed for applications using RS-422 and RS-485 interfaces, and can support up to 12 full duplex RS-422 or half duplex RS-485 serial links with baud rates up to 10M...

Motherboard with HDTV for computing applications.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)
May 1, 2007... The ITX-9452 motherboard is suitable for factory automation processes, medical devices and instrumentation applications. It is specifically designed for industrial computing applications, and its small form factor is suited for a variety of...

ZPA modules for high torque brushless rollerdrives.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)
May 1, 2007... This high torque brushless ZPA (zero pressure accumulation) DriveControl module provides enhanced control for consecutive single-zone accumulation applications. Designated the DriveControl EC100 ZPA, the module manages the functionality of the...

XMC digital receiver supports multi-board coherency for beamforming applications.(BOARDS, CARDS, AND MODULES)
May 1, 2007... The Echotek Series ECV4-2 family of mixed signal PMC and XMC (the next-generation PMC) modules extract clear signals from electronic clutter, forming a bridge between the realms of analog signals and digital processing. Processing power is...

Power supply with wide input range.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... The PC/104 power supply, Model 209, has a wide input voltage range of 8 to 30V DC. Its outputs of 5V DC at 5A and [+ o r-] 12V DC at [+ or -] 0.5A supply power to the PC/104 and PC/104+ buses. Power output connectors are available for external...

Powershelf simplifies design and shortens time-to-market.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... This powershelf is designed to accommodate up to three of tile company's DIU ac-dc front-end power supplies in parallel. The S1U 3X alleviates the need for designers to develop a custom chassis to accommodate multiple power supply modules. Two...

Power supply for low-profile apps offers 4 flexible outputs.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... The AAD160 Series of triple and quad output switching power supplies offer 160W of tightly regulated power in a compact package that measures only 5.00"x3.14"x1.25" making it suitable for low profile/1U high apps. Each output offers a range of...

Modular power supply runs cool in hot environments.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... The Xhite series of modular power supplies offers full load operation up to 70[degrees]C making it suitable for use in harsh environment applications with high ambient temperatures and wide temperature fluctuations. The series consists of 2...

60W Class II external ac-dc power for medical apps.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... The PDM60 is a compact desktop ac-dc power supply that provides Class II system protection. Safety approvals include UL609501 and EN609501 for industrial and IT applications, and UL60601-1 and EN60601-1 for medical systems. With 4000V AC...

250W power supply achieves 10.4W/[in.sup.3].(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... This family of 250W switching power supplies achieves a power density of 10.4W/[in.sup.3]. The units are designed for a range of information technology, datacom, wireless, and industrial applications. The VF-S250 series measure 3.2x5x1.5 inches...

600W power supply for low-profile/1U high apps.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
May 1, 2007... The AAD600 series of single output switching power supplies offer 600W of tightly regulated power in a compact package that measures 9.00"x4.00"x1.59", making it suitable for low profile/1U high applications. The power supplies offer single...

NI USB-847x CAN interfaces.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 1, 2007... USB-847x modules provide hi-speed USB interfaces for connecting PCs to CAN networks and devices. With the optional hardware synchronization versions that feature a 3-pin COMBICON synchronization connector, users can synchronize the internal...

Phase noise/spectral jitter analysis for digital communications analyzer.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 1, 2007... The phase noise application software for the digital communications analyzer (DCA-J) allows phase noise/ spectral jitter analysis of clock and data signals over a wide dynamic range of 50Mb/s to 13.5Gb/s. A optical/electrical module provides...

Advanced blocking test capabilities.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 1, 2007... Additional blocking and intermodulation test capabilities have been added to the 6413A UMTS base station test system to optimize receiver performance of both newly commissioned and in-service base stations. These additions compliment the...

EMC simulation reduces testing costs.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 1, 2007... THALES Technical Unit Control and Display Systems (CDS) uses electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) simulation to reduce testing costs on each new, cockpit instrument. EMC is a major design challenge in cockpit instruments because they have a...

Tektronix instruments for HDMI CTS Version 1.3a.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 1, 2007... Several Tektronix instruments have been selected by HDMI Licensing, LLC for inclusion as recommended test components in the HDMI Compliance Test Specification (CTS) version 1.3a for use by adopters to certify standard compliance. HDMI 1.3 is...

Fully integrated A-GPS-enabled mobile handset test platform.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
May 1, 2007... This fully integrated solution for testing A-GPS (Assisted-Global Positioning System) enabled mobile handsets is based on the Aeroflex 6103 AIME and 6103 AIME/CT mobile handset test systems. It has been designed to address the rapidly emerging...

Single-chip bq2403x charger and power-path manager charges battery while powering system.
May 1, 2007... The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is widely adopted in portable devices because of its high energy density on both a gravimetric and volumetric basis. Users of applications such as smartphones, PDAs, and MP3 players want to be able to operate...