EDN Asia articles from November 2004

EDN Asia archives from November 2004

Standards shrubbery makes Wi-Fi yet more confusing.(ednasia.comment)
November 1, 2004... Two things have happened on the wireless Internet front recently that promise to make wireless standards more confusing than they have been. Whether the industry revenue moves up or down, the number of standards has always moved up. For...

Wideband LAN switch IC has low on-resistance.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... When you need to physically switch and route LAN signals, such as for 10 Base-T/100 Base-T systems, the TS5L100 and TS3L100 from Texas Instruments can help. These quad-channel, single-pole, double-throw switches act as 4-bit, 1-of-2 mux/demux...

"Smallest" dual USB switches with 1.2A current per channel.(Maxim Integrated Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The MAX1558/MAX1558H dual current-limited switches feature autoreset, fault blanking, and reverse current blocking for USB applications in notebook and desktop computers, USB hubs, and PDAs. Delivering up to 1.2A output current per channel, the...

Total power solution for mobile phone panel.(RichTek Technology)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... RichTek has introduced two new products for the mobile phone market. The RT9360 is a high efficiency charge pump white LED driver that supports up to four white LEDs with regulated, constant current for uniform intensity. The IC maintains...

Compact 4-port analyzer for balanced measurements.(Rohde & Schwarz)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Vector Network Analyzer R&S ZVB from Rohde & Schwarz is designed for universal measurements on multiports and balanced DUTs. Said to be an ideal instrument for development and production, the highly compact instrument weighs less than 20kg...

Reference design lowers BOM of DVD recorders.(Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Royal Philips Electronics' Nexperia semi-conductor reference design, aimed at helping Asian consumer electronics manufacturers produce high-quality, low-cost DVD video recorders, is based on the Nexperia PNX725x MPEG-2 codec chipset. It...

New image processor brings HD resolution to camera market.(NuCORE Technology Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... NuCORE Technology is shipping volume production of its latest generation of CleanCapture image processors, the SIP-1280. Said to be most powerful image processor in its class, the highly integrated SiP-1280 "delivers the highest image quality...

Found in translation: Texas Instruments translation portfolio is the broadest in the land.(Safe bet series: a special series from TI standard linear and logic)(information technology)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... What do cell phones, PDAs and digital cameras have in common? Texas Instruments has a translation device to meet any of these devices' needs. Most electronic systems need voltage-level translation, since some devices are capable of running...

MRAM commercialization possibility.(leading edge)(Magnetic Random Access Memory)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Infineon Technologies and IBM's recently announced 16Mbit MRAM, is claimed to have the world's highest density. It utilizes a 1-Transistor 1-Magnetic Tunnel Junction (1T1MTJ) cell, and features an SRAM-like interface. Operating in access...

Flexible 400mV reference draws just 5.6[micro]A.(leading edge)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The LT6650 features a built-in rail-to-rail output buffer amplifier and [+ or -] 1% guaranteed accuracy from -40 to 85[degrees]C. Suited for portable industrial and medical equipment, plus low power instrumentation Linear Technology's flexible...

Multichannel gamma buffers simplify TFT-LCD drive.(leading edge)(thin-film-transistor liquid crystal display)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... A family of multichannel gamma buffers from Intersil, spanning four though 10 channels, eases your thin-film-transistor LCD drive circuitry design and reduces picture-degrading flicker. The four op amp devices, EL5524 through EL5824, include a...

Connectorless logic analyzer probe interface.(leading edge)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Agilent Technologies' Pro Series soft touch connectorless logic analyzer probe interface, said to have been adopted by logic analyzer vendors as the industry standard, is based on Agilent's soft touch connectorless probing technology, which is...

RF PAM provides "top performance" for WLAN.(leading edge)(power amplifier module)(wireless local area network )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Fairchild Semiconductor's RMPA2453 is an RF power amplifier module (PAM) for high-performance wireless local area network (WLAN) applications in the 2.4 and 2.5GHz frequency band. Optimized for 802.11 b/g applications, it features error vector...

Samsung's 8GB DDR DRAM modules.(leading edge)(Samsung Electronics Company Ltd)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Samsung Electronics has launched its 8GB DDR DRAM module. Claimed as having the industry's highest capacity DDR DRAM, it is designed for use in high-end servers, workstations, and specialized applications such as video conference systems,...

Hack this: building the secure embedded system: as backers move down the food chain from desktops to embedded systems, hardware-and software-security decisions dominate the design process.(Cover Story)
November 1, 2004... AT A GLANCE * Unlike the desktop-software-security policy of patch after failure, embedded products must continue operation in spite of security threats. * Embedded-device security threats force designers to include physical packaging...

Complex--in every sense: bandwidth is like land--there's only so much of it. That's why the analog modulation of yesteryear just can't do the job in the 21st century.(design feature)
November 1, 2004... AT A GLANCE Complex digital modulation on RF signals is not simple to understand, generate, or analyze. DSP-intensive OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) is part of several communication standards-most notably the IEEE...

And then there was one: one more time.(design feature; personal computers)
November 1, 2004... AT A GLANCE * A PCI add-in card significantly boosted Spirit's 3-D-graphics performance and quality. * An external analog- and digital-TV tuner made effective use of USB2's High Speed mode bandwidth and lightened the CPU load. *...

Platform FPGAs enable network processing platforms.(special report)
November 1, 2004... Revenue-generating routers require a technology platform that provides significant packet processing power (even under worst-case traffic conditions) while offering flexibility at lower cost. The rapid advancement of FPGA technology has made it...

Simple 25W-500W power supply with single switch synchronous forward controller.
November 1, 2004... An LT[R]1952-based forward converter can be used to replace power modules in telecom and industrial applications at less than half the cost, without the headaches of using a traditional forward converter. The LT1952-based forward converter is...

Simplify NiMH/NiCd battery charging: 2A standalone charger requires no firmware and no microcontroller.(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... The LTC4060 is an autonomous 1- to 4-cell, 0.4A to 2A linear NiMH and NiCd battery charger. The LTC4060 includes all the functions required for designing a battery charger circuit that operates without the aid of a microcontroller or firmware....

Basic flashlamp illumination circuitry for cellular telephones/cameras--design note 345.(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... Introduction Next generation cellular telephones will include high quality photographic capability. Flashlamp-based lighting is crucial for good photographic performance. A previous full-length Linear Technology publication detailed flash...

"MATLAB 7 expands the scope of technical computing".(EDN Asia interview)(Interview)
November 1, 2004... The MathWorks recently introduced MATLAB 7 and Simulink 6. EDN Asia met Stuart McGarrity, Stuart McGarrity MATLAB Product Manager, who talked about the two products and related issues. Excerpts: EDN Asia: What do you think are the next set...

High-side current monitor operates at high voltage.(design ideas)
November 1, 2004... The simplest technique for measuring current in an actuator or a motor is to monitor the ground current with a resistive element between the load and the ground. Because the device and its associated electronics share a ground potential, you...

High-current supply uses standard three-terminal regulator.(design ideas)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Voltage-regulator design for high output currents can be a critical and difficult task. Although voltage regulators with 1A maximum output current are simple to design, thanks to 78xx three-terminal voltage regulators, at output currents higher...

Synchronous flyback circuit provides high-efficiency conversion.(design ideas)
November 1, 2004... Buck regulators are usually the first choice when you design nonisolated step-down regulators unless the ratio of [V.sub.IN] to [V.sub.OUT] is greater than 10, the input voltage is high, or both. Low duty cycle can be problematic for FET...

Power ICs with DDR memory.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)
November 1, 2004... * Wide input voltage range: 3 to 28V * D-CAP mode with 100ns load step response * Accuracy [+ or -]20mV for Vtt & Vref * Sleep mode operation with selectable soft-off for output discharge * Requires 2x10[micro]F ceramic output...

32Mbit FPGA configuration ICs.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)(Field Programmable Gate-Array; Integerated Circuits )(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... * Provide single-chip configuration storage for FPGAs with as many as 8 million gates * Four times density of commercially available competing device * AT17F32 stores all 29Mbits of configuration data required for Virtex II XC2V6000,...

Chip card controllers for ID cards, passports.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)
November 1, 2004... * SLE66CLX640P security controller designed for card format electronic ID cards * SLE66CLX641P controller intended for integration into electronic passports * Memory management unit (MMU) contains hardware firewall * Security...

Synchronous-buck MOSFET driver IC.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)(Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor; Integrated Circuit )(www.intersil.com)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... * Avanced two-channel synchronous-buck MOSFET driver IC * Designed for high-current dc/dc converters used in range of datacom, telecom, point-of-load and computing applications * Sinks up to 3A of gate current for synchronous-buck...

Low power, high speed asynch SRAMs.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)(Static Random Access Memory )(www.issi.com)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... * Targeted at mobile and battery back-up applications * Combine fast access time of 20ns with typical standby current of 4uA and typical operating current of 15mA * Operate at 2.5 to 3.6V over -40 to +85 [degrees]C industrial...

RF active mixer simplifies basestation design.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)(Radio Frequency)(www.linear.com)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... * Wideband output frequency range to 3.7GHz * +24.2dBm IIP3 at 1.95GHz RF output * Low LO-RF leakage: -42dBm * Low LO drive level: -5dBm * Single-ended LO drive * Wide single supply range: 3.15 to 5.25V * Available in...

Cell phone LED driver.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)(Light Emitting Diode )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * Up to 92% efficiency without inductors * Step-up/step-down fractional charge pump for optimal efficiency * Independent current and dimming control for 1 to 6 main, 1 to 4 sub and RGB displays * LED currents programmed using...

dsPIC 16-bit digital signal controllers.(ICs, SoCs & IP Cores)(www.microchip.com)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... Six dsPIC 16-bit DSCs offer performance speeds of 20 and 30 MIPS. The dsPIC3OF2010 has 12K bytes of enhanced Flash memory in a 28-pin SOIC and SPDIP package. The dsPIC30F2010 and the dsPIC30F6010 have a motor-control PWM module and a 500 KSPS...

1,2MHz, 40V boost converter with 2A switch.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... * 2A, 40V internal switch * 1.2MHz switching frequency * High output voltage: Up to 38V * Wide input range: 2.3 to 16V * Low VCESAT switch: 180mV at 2A * Integrated soft-start * Uses small surface mount components ...

3.3V buck-boost regulator.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... * Provides stable 3.3V fixed output or 2.5 to 5.5V variable output voltage with 1.6 to 5.5V input voltage range * Offers 100mA guaranteed output current, 60[micro]A quiescent current and less than 1[micro]A current in shutdown mode *...

DC-AC inverter powers LCDs.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)
November 1, 2004... * Designed to power LCDs backlit by two CCFLs (cold cathode fluorescent lamps, or tubes) * Target applications are POS terminals, ATM machines, industrial and medical displays, and stand-alone kiosks * Ideal for LCDs designed to...

High density power converter family.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)
November 1, 2004... * Said to be first 600kHz of PowerBlox family * Has 6A step-down regulator capable of handling up to 28V input * Delivers output voltages as low as 0.8V * Integrates high efficiency switches with resistance of 15m [ohms] *...

Battery IC for Li-ion power apps.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)
November 1, 2004... * Integrated synchronous 1.1MHz fixed-frequency PWM controller * Integrated PowerFETs for up to 2A charge rate * High accuracy voltage and current regulation * Offered in stand-alone (built-in charge management and control and...

Low noise, step-up dc-dc converter.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)
November 1, 2004... * Incorporates high performance, current-mode, fixed-frequency, pulse-width-modulation circuitry * Built-in 0.125W channel MOSFET to provide highly efficient regulator with fast response * Supports supply requirements of most notebook...

100mA VLDO operates from 0.9v input voltage.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)
November 1, 2004... * [V.sub.IN] range: 0.90 to 10V * Dropout voltage: 150mV typical * Output current: 100mA * Stable with low ESR, ceramic output capacitors (2.2uF minimum) * Adjustable output ([V.sub.REF] =200mV) * 0.2% load regulation from...

Variable capacitance diodes for mobile products.(Power Components, Supplies & Devices)
November 1, 2004... The RKV5000DKK is designed for use in UHF tuners; the RKV5010DKK and RKV5020DKK are for use in VHF tuners. Ideal for mobile products, these varicap diodes employ SFP and measure 1.0x0.6mm (excluding pins). This reduces the actual mounting area...

Broadband connectors with RF interface.(Components)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * Designed to function at frequencies ranging from 750MHz to 1.5GHz * Ideal for high speed FTTU, hybrid fiber coax networks, cable access nodes and network interface units * Low return loss and VSWR of 1.2 at 1.5GHz * Available in...

Thin film single in-line resistors.(Components)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * Resistance tolerance of [+ or -] 0.01% over 50 k[ohms] to 10m[ohms] range * Intended for instrumentation amplifiers and precision voltage dividers in products such as medical and test equipment * Stability of 500ppm (2000 hours at...

Low-voltage dual analog switch.(Components)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * ISL84684 has two independent switches allowing it to replace two discrete SPDT devices where space is critical * Operates over 1.65 to 3.6V supply range * The R(ON) conduction resistance of each switch is 0.29[ohms] at 2.7V and...

OLED in three product sizes.(Components)(Organic Light-Emitting Diode)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * 80x48 pixel graphics display for flat-screen display applications, hand-held electronics and "wearable" miniaturized applications * Three product sizes: 128x64, 96x64 and 80x48 * Offered in one of three monochrome hues: elegance...

DSP-based fingerprint systems.(Components)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Texas Instruments announced the availability of three new, smaller sensors from Atmel, AuthenTec and Fingerprint Cards. The Atmel FingerChip sensor is said to be the industry's first thermal sensing fingerprint technology with active measuring...

Tool for software development kits.(Embedded Design Tools & Software)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * Generic integrated development environment (IDE) can be customized for embedded systems and semiconductor companies to create software development kits for ASSP, structured ASIC, platform or SoC products * Both UNIX/Linux and Windows...

Compilers and tools for 64-bit applications.(Embedded Design Tools & Software)
November 1, 2004... * Workstation suite includes PGF77, PGF90, PGCC, and PGC++ compilers for FORTRAN 77, Fortran 95, C, and C++ programming languages, respectively * Commercial 64-bit science and engineering applications either currently available or being...

Toolset for derivatives and E7 emulator.(Embedded Design Tools & Software)
November 1, 2004... * Supports entire range of R8C/ Tiny devices and interface to Renesas E7 emulator * Allows developers to target broad range of applications by offering small pin count and Flash memory at competitive price * Comprises Altium's...

Software debugger for ARM cores and JTAG emulators.(Embedded Design Tools & Software)(Galileosoft)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * Incorporates breakpointing feature for step-by-step debugging * Supports RTOS debugging * Enables Flash downloading * Trace-option enables SoC engineers to obtain tracing information without having to depend on other software ...

System modeling with custom scripting language.(Embedded Design Tools & Software)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... * Platform-independent, simulation software with combined graphical and textual modeling * Allows users to construct both abstract and detailed system models using application- and design-specific, parameterized building blocks *...

Complete toolchain for ARM7.(Embedded Design Tools & Software)
November 1, 2004... Hitex's integrated toolchain for ARM7 consists of an evaluation board with Atmel AT91, the TantinoARM JTAG-debugger with USB, the high performance HiTOP user interface (16k codesize-limited), an ARM simulator (16k codesize-limited) and the GNU...