Electronic Design articles from April 2003

Electronic Design archives from April 2003

A new beginning: it's my pleasure to meet you and be part of your industry. (Editorial).(Editorial)
April 14, 2003... Wearing my newly donned hat of Editor-in-Chief, my goal in this column is both to introduce myself and to set the stage for creating a relationship with you. I'm honored to be working with the team here at Electronic Design -- an incredible...

TiVo success story: not a hit with everyone. (Letters to the Editor).(Letter to the Editor)
April 14, 2003... Dear Editor: Thanks for the interesting article on TiVo ["The TiVo Box Redefines Television Viewing," Feb. 3, p. 41]. As you say, it is a consumer electronics success story, but let me tell you the two big reasons I won't ever have one of these...

Marconi did not invent radio. (Letters to the Editor).(Letter to the Editor)
April 14, 2003... Dear Editor: I just read your article on TiVo. I couldn't help but notice the line that reads, "Marconi, who invented radio." I am quite surprised that one of your Technology Editors would write this. Marconi is credited with the first...

Multiphase converters. (Letters to the Editor).
April 14, 2003... Dear Editor: I take exception to a statement in David Morrison's Industry First, "Power Solution Takes On Next-Generation CPUs" (Jan. 20, p. 37]. That statement is: "Existing solutions for implementing multiphase converters accommodate two to...

What's all this analog computing stuff, anyhow? (Part 3). (Pease Porridge).(Column)
April 14, 2003... In my last column, I showed you how to build an analog computer that simulates the motion of a car over its wheel when stimulated by a "bump" (ELECTRONIC DESIGN, March 31, p. 20). Could these systems be simulated with Spice? Sure, these days...

Solving the standby power challenge. (Pov: Point of View).
April 14, 2003... Many electronic devices operate in low-power, functional, and nonfunctional states, ready for an externally activated signal. This is called the standby mode. These devices are always on, dissipating power even when the output power or load is...

DC-DC chip set crafts compact bus converter: controller IC plus external MOSFETs create dc-dc converter optimized for intermediate voltage bus architectures. (Power).(International Rectifier's IR2085S)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Distributed power architectures that use an intermediate voltage bus look for streamlined approaches to implement the bus converter. An International Rectifier chip set offers such a tailored solution. Built around a new primary-side...

Hot product. (Electronic Design Automation).(HARDI Electronics HARDI ASIC prototyping system; HAPS 2.1)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... THE HARDI ASIC prototyping system (HAPS) promises real-time speed, real-time debugging, and full ASIC functionality for ASIC prototypers. Version 2.1 of HAPS offers higher capacity and 50% more user I/O than earlier versions. Up to 8 million...

PSMA redraws power technology roadmap: the power sources manufacturers association updates its forecast of power-supply requirements and technology advances. (Tech View: Analog & Power).(Power Sources Manufacturers Association )
April 14, 2003... The Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) is updating its five-year technology roadmap for the power electronics industry. In a day-long meeting held in Miami just before the start of February's Applied Power Electronics Conference,...

Astec power. (Breaking News).(LPS125 open-frame switcher )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The LPS125, a 3-by 5- by 1.29-in. open-frame switcher from Astec Power delivers 130 W with 30 CFM of airflow, it features active power-factor correction and a universal input. For more, visit www.astecpower.com.

Cherokee International. (Breaking News).(Apollo 4 quarter-brick dc-dc converter )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The Apollo 4 quarter-brick dc-dc converter from Cherokee international provides up to 50 A at 1.8 V. That current level is sustained without derating at ambients up to 50[degrees]C with 300 LFM of airflow. Efficiency is 89% at a 1.8-V output...

C&D Technologies. (Breaking News).(NDT series 3-W, dual-output isolated dc-dc converters )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The NDT series 3-W, dual-output isolated dc-dc converters from C&D Technologies stand just 0.28 in. (7 mm) off the board. Available with 24- or 48-V nominal inputs, the 1.27- by 0.58-in. DIL style converters generate 12- or 15-V output. For...

Magnetek. (Breaking News).(FE series of telecom power converters )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... A 1U high supply, the FE series of telecom power converters from Magnetek delivers 25 A of reguiated 48-V output from a 24-V input. The units, which are hot-pluggable, can perform current sharing. For more information on the converter, visit...

Tyco Electronics Power Systems. (Breaking News).(Onami series SIP-style dc-dc converters )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The SIP-style dc-dc converters In Tyco Electronics Power Systems' Onami series convert a 48-V nominal input to 5 or 12 V. Measuring 3.596 by 1.625 by 0.39 in., the converters deliver 25 A at 5 V with 88% efficiency, or 10 A at 12 V with 89%...

ICs to squeeze preamp and ADC into electret MICs. (Hot Product).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... BY COMBINING DIGITAL modulation and gain functions into a tiny low-cost IC, designers at National Semiconductor Corp. made it possible to deliver a digitized audio output from electret condenser microphones (ECMs). The new ICs will replace...

One-Chip NPU halves cost: this network processor unit isn't just one of the fastest NPUs, it also combines four chips into one. (Tech View: Communications).(Agere Systems' PayloadPlus APP540 network processing unit )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The PayloadPlus APP540 network processing unit (N PU) integrates four separate chips into one seriously powerful next-generation network processor. The integrated chip cuts product development costs by at least 50% compared with the nearest...

Board-Level shielding solution solves wireless EMI problems. (Product News).(W.L Gore and Associates snapSHOT)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Designing RF products is hard enough, but nothing is more difficult than ferreting out RF leakage and interference in a new design. Once you figure out the problem, you invariably need a custom metal shield between one or more parts of the...

2.5-GHz scope breaks performance ground: this four-channel full-bandwidth oscilloscope offers a 20-gsample/s sampling rate per channel. (TechView: Components & Test).(Aglient Technologies' 54853A 2.5-GHz Infiniium oscilloscope )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The 54853A 2.5-GHz Infiniium oscilloscope provides four full-bandwidth 2-Gsample/s channels. Developed and produced by Agilent Technologies, the oscilloscope can capture four full-bandwidth, real-time single-ended and differential signals off a...

Dual-sided fine-pitch packages blend performance, cost benefits. (Packaging News).(Advanced Interconnect Technologies' DEN and enhanced DFN+ packages)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... THE HIGH PERFORMANCE OF ARRAY PACKAGES combined with the low cost of lead frames can be found in the dual fine-pitch no-leads DEN and enhanced DFN+ packages. Advanced Interconnect Technologies' (AIT) DEN and DFN+ permit passive-component...

Faster servo-loop enclosures reset the accuracy bar. (Hot Product).(Danahar Controls Flex-Mount commutating-motor feedback encoders )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... BECAUSE MODELS IN THE new series of Flex-Mount commutating-motor feedback encoders use the same physical mounting as resolvers, they provide better accuracy of up to 2048 pulses/revolution and real-time feedback for faster servo loops. A user...

Correction.
April 14, 2003... According to Computer Access Technology's revised data, users of the company's FCTracer can independently trigger and record on eight 1 or 2-Gbit/s Fibre Channel ports (see "Analyzer Accelerates Multichannel Monitoring, ELECTRONIC DESIGN, March...

FPGAs go mobile: tackling the cost-sensitive automotive market, a family of antifuse FPGAs delivers a solution for telematics entertainment and passenger-cabin systems. (Tech View: Digital).(Actel's eX family; eX64A, 128A, and 256A)
April 14, 2003... By requalifying its antifuse FPGA technology to operate from -40[degrees]C 125[degrees]C, and up to 150[degrees]C junction temperatures, Actel's family of low-gate-count devices meets the low-cost and high-reliability requirements of many...

Breaking news.(9co's SCS3015 full-function timing signal generator )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The SCS3015 full-function timing signal generator helps simplify the internal timing design of Sonet/synchronous-digital-hierarchy network devices like routers and asynchronous-transfer-mode switches. Implemented within an Actel ProASIC FPGA by...

Hot product.(Transmeta's TM8000 processor )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... WITH A FULLY REVAMPED Internal architecture, the TM8000 processor from Transmeta can execute up to eight instructions per clock. This represents a significant performance improvement over Transmeta's previous Crusoe CPUs. The processor also...

Tool reveals SoC hot spots: a dynamic full-chip power integrity analyzer goes beyond static IR-drop tools. (TechView: EDA).(Apache's Tomahawk-SDL )
April 14, 2003... With system-on-a-chip (SoC) process geometries shrinking below 100 nm and supply voltages falling to 1 V and less, dynamic full-chip power integrity becomes harder to verify and achieve. Apache's Tomahawk-SDL takes on power-grid design and...

Virtual prototyping makes its way to FPGAs. (EDA Update).(Hier Design)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... TODAY'S FPGAs OFFER DENSITIES of 10 million gates and clock speeds of 400 MHz. Thus, ASIC design starts are trending down while FPGA design starts are on the rise. What's missing is an EDA tool flow for FPGAs that brings some of the advantages...

Transeda's VN-Property. (Breaking News: PSL Gains Support).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * TRANSEDA'S VN-PROPERTY property checker and analyzer now supports Accellera's property Specification Language (PSL, formerly known as IBM Sugar). For details, visit www.transeda.com.

On the heels of its acquisition of LISATek, CoWare has rolled out new versions. (Breaking News: PSL Gains Support).(LISATek EDGE Processor Designer, RIM Software Designer and HUB System Integrator tools)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * ON THE HEELS of its acquisition of LISATek, Co-Ware has rolled out new versions of its LISATek EDGE Processor Designer, RIM Software Designer, and HUB System Integrator tools. The tools, which automate creation and modeling of embedded...

Enhancements to Synplicity's Certify verification synthesis software bring more insight into the ASIC prototyping process. (Breaking News: PSL Gains Support).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * ENHANCEMENTS TO Synplicity's Certify verification synthesis software bring more insight into the ASIC prototyping process, including gated-clock reporting and source-code level partitioning. Also included are a new timing engine and timing...

What's hot at ESC: a plethora of technologies make this month's Embedded System Conference one of the most intriguing to date. (Conference Preview: ESC).(Embedded System Conference)(Industry Overview)
April 14, 2003... THE EMBEDDED SYSTEM CONFERENCE (ESC) in San Francisco will bring a few surprises. But the real news will be the number of real products based on emerging technology, such as switch-fabric backplanes, Serial ATA, refinements on technologies like...

Multi-threading hardware revs up internet: edge processor. (Leapfrog: Industry First).(Ubicom's IP3023)
April 14, 2003... Deterministic eight-way hardware multi-threading and a memory-to-memory instruction set make the 32-bit IP3023 a fast and efficient embedded network processor. Software I/O and a large on-chip RAM keep the die size small. * The approach is so...

Approving a standard is anything but standard: standards represent one of the most elusive issues in the industry, and the politics behind them often strangles their adoption. (Cover Story: Engineering Feature).
April 14, 2003... IT TOOK YEARS TO DEVELOP A SET OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS for digital cellular. Leading chip makers Nokia and Qualcomm are still banging heads over which third-generation (3G) digital format is the best. So it's not clear whose 3G wireless phones...

Silent Java. (Special Editorial Feature: Embedded in Electronic Design).(Editorial)
April 14, 2003... Java has gone the way of C and C++. It's mainstream, ubiquitous, and silent. Okay, it's not completely silent, but well below most people's radar. Java announcements and standards are being approved all the time. Yet for the most part,...

Will the Real-Time Java please stand up? (Special Editorial Feature: Embedded in Electronic Design).(TimeSys' Real-Time Specification for Java )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The first commercial implimentation of the Real-Time Specification for Java is now avaliabie from TimeSys. The standard's importance is indicated by its Java Specification Request, JSR-1, on the Java Community Process Web site,...

Serial ATA hard-disk drive targets embedded servers. (Special Editorial Feature: Embedded in Electronic Design).(Western Digital's Raptor)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Look for Serial ATA drives to go into servers and high-performance embedded applications. Desktop and typical embedded applications will follow suit, but only when Serial ATA motherboards become more common. The 36.7-Gbyte Western Digital (WD)...

MIDP 2.0: a matter of trust; the mobile information device profile adds needed security and much more. (Compiler Series: Embedded in Electronic Design).
April 14, 2003... Targeting MIDP mobile devices like cell phones and PDAs, the MIDP 1.0 specification provided a starting point for MIDlets (MIDP application packages). But basic security and user-interface support limited MIDlet use. MIDP 2.0 solves these...

Modeling tool links large teams. (News: Embedded in Electronic Design).(iLogix's Statemate 3.2 )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The new Statemate 3.2 modeling system developed by iLogix adds hyperlinked documents and Web publishing, along with a host of new improvements designed to enhance large project support. For example, the link to Telelogic's (www.telelogic.com)...

uClinux supports Intel IXP425. (News: Embedded in Electronic Design).(SnapGear)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... SnapGear released a version of the GPL, royalty-free uClinux and tool chain for the Intel Xscale-based IXP425. The operating system works with RTLinux (www.fmslabs.com) and RTAI (www.aero.polimi.it/~rtai/) if real-time support is required. A...

MCU simplifies motor control. (News: Embedded in Electronic Design).(Microchip's PIC18Fxx39 family of microcontrollers )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Developing electric motor-control applications tends to be difficult. Microchip's flash-based PIC18Fxx39 family of microcontrollers (MCUs) should change that tune, though. The family's Programmable Motor Processor Technology (ProMPT) motor...

Linux platform used for GNU tools. (News: Embedded in Electronic Design).(Green Hills Software's Multi Integrated Development Environment )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... More vendors are moving their development platforms onto Linux as the open-source operating system's popularity continues to rise. Green Hills Software announced that its Multi Integrated Development Environment is now available for...

Use 1TRAM blocks to embed more memory on logic chips. (Design View Digital).(1-Transistor Random Access Memory)
April 14, 2003... As the system-on-a-chip (SoC) era marches forward, there's a pressing need to embed large amounts of memory onto a logic chip and make the resulting technology as flexible and cost-effective as possible. SRAMs don't require the overhead of...

Design notes: 16-channel, 24-bit [DELTA][SIGMA] ADC provides small, flexible and accurate solutions for data acquisition--design note 297. (Advertisement).(using Linear Technology's LTC 2418 )
April 14, 2003... Introduction The LTC[R] 2418 is a new 16-channel No Latency [DELTA][SIGMA] ADC that addresses applications where a variety of sensors are monitored. The input can be configured as 16 single-ended, eight differential, or any combination of...

NAND gates enable trigger lockout for 555 timers. (Design Briefs Innovative Designs from Readers).
April 14, 2003... Rish_jain2002@hotmail.com vshreer@yahoo.co.uk Applications of commercially available integrated timers, including the NE/SE555, are fairly limited when used in their monostable mode. This is due to their inability to function with all...

QPSK demodulator is a good match for low-cost modulator. (Design Briefs Innovative Designs from Readers).
April 14, 2003... bertran@tsc.upc.es This demodulator is suitable for the quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) modulator previously published by the same author, "Novel Low-Cost QPSK Modulator Needs No Adjustments" (ELECTRONIC DESIGN, Sept. 16,2002, p. 92)....

Non-isolated dc-dc converters provide many POL power options: today's non-isolated POL converters come in a variety of compact SIP, DIP, and SMT styles. (Comparing and Contrasting Products).(point-of-load )(Buyers Guide)
April 14, 2003... Because they're smaller and less expensive, non-isolated point-of-load (POL) dc-dc converters are supplanting venerable brick-style isolated dc-dc converters for generating the array of voltages required by today's pc boards. And because their...

S007 converter. (Product Report: Power).(Celestica)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The S007 converter is a 5-or 12-V input, non-isolated dc-dc converter designed for use in server and enterprise communications equipment. Offered in an SIP-style package, this unit significantly improves system motherboard real estate over...

LSN D5 series. (Product Report: Power).(Datel's SIP dc-dc converters )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... With its 4.5-to 5.5-V input range, the LSN D5 series of SIP dc-dc converters accepts 5-V inputs and delivers 1.0-, 1.2-, 1.5-, 1.8-, 2.0-, 2.5-, and 3.3-V outputs fully rated at 10 A. The units require no external I/O filtering to achieve...

PMA family. (Product Report: Power).(Ericsson Power Modules' dc-dc regulators)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The PMA family of surface-mountable dc-dc regulators offers 1.2- and 5-V outputs. The 3.3-[V.sub.IN]/2.5-[V.sub.OUT] and 5-[V.sub.IN]/3.3-[V.sub.OUT] versions are rated for an output of 6 to 8 A. All other models can deliver up to 12 A. The...

SIS12V series. (Product Report: Power).(Power-One's dc-dc converters )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Power-One's SIS12V series dc-dc converters provide POL conversion of a single 5-V in put into a regulated low output voltage with up to 12 A of output current Output voltage ranges from 1.2 to 3.3 V, while efficiency is rated from 82% to 86%....

Austin SuperLynx. (Product Report: Power).(Tyco Electronics)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... With its single output of 16 A, the Austin SuperLynx offers designers a cost-efficient open-frame design. It delivers output voltages from 0.9 to 3.3 V dc, with a full-load efficiency of 94% at 3.3 V. Input voltages range from 3.0 to 5.5 V dc....

V7PC-10C series. (Product Report: Power).(Del Fuse V7PC-10C)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... A 3.3-V input non-isolated dc-dc converter from Bel Fuse is designed to provide up to 10 A of output current. The V7PC-10C series comprises devices with output voltages ranging from 2.5 down to 1.0 V, including a 2.5-V unit that features 92%...

50-A latching power relay handles 12,500 VA. (New Products: Components).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The AZ2500 50-A power relay and its 12,500-VA capacity suits applications ranging from HVAC and UPS systems to lighting controls, industrial heating, and spa controls. It features a dielectric strength of 4000 VRMS from contact to coil....

Surface-mount DIP switches cut size in half without sacrifice. (New Products: Components).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The DHS series of tiny surface-mount DIP switches targets applications in which a standard-size DIP switch won't fit, but equivalent performance is required. The DHS models are half the size of a standard DIP, with their terminal pitch...

Induction motor softstarters eschew high-inrush currents. (New Products: Components).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * A series of three-phase induction motor softstarters prevents motors from experiencing the stress of high inrush currents (typically six to nine times nominal values) that can cause electrical and mechanical damage. High inrush currents can...

Three- and five-slot chassis tout rack-mount flanges. (New Products: Components).(CyberResearch MicroBox)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The MicroBox three- and five-slot chassis now feature rack-mount flanges, allowing them to be conveniently placed in standard 19-in. racks. The short-length chassis can be mounted on any stable horizontal or vertical surface. Three-slot...

USB power manager quickens battery charging time. (New Products: Power).(Linear Technology LTC4410 )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The LTC4410 USB power manager IC enables simultaneous battery charging and system operation of a lithium-ion-powered USB peripheral from a USB host. Because the LTC441O powers the system load directly from the USB's 5-V supply rather than...

Supply outputs 50 A from voltages down to 1.5 V. (New Products: Power).(XPiQ DAT 240 power supply)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The DAT 240 series four-channel ac-dc power supply delivers two low-voltage, high-current outputs of 50 A each from voltages as low as 1.5 V. The 240-W converter's compact design suits 1U requirements, including datacom and telecom...

Test kit heightens accuracy of temperature measurements. (New Products: Test & Measurement).(Agilent Technologies E4991A RF impedance/material analyzer)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * A temperature characteristic test kit for the E4991A RF impedance/material analyzer can evaluate components over a broad temperature range with the highest possible accuracy. It should find its way into the hands of surface-mount-device,...

Versatile probes feature unique adjustable tip. (New Products: Test & Measurement).(LeCroy D300 WaveLink, D200, D600 )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The D600 (7.5.GHz bandwidth), 0300 (4-GHz bandwidth), and D200 (2.5-GHz bandwidth) WaveLink probes all incorporate a silicon-germanium (SiGe) front end. Their Adjustable TwinTip permits a maximum distance of 3 mm between the probe tips. At...

Differential probe pushes bandwidth beyond 3.5 GHz. (New Products: Test & Measurement).(Tektronix P7350)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * According to its maker, the 5-GHz P7350 is the only available differential probe with bandwidth reaching past the 3.5-GHz barrier. it meets stringent requirements for accurately measuring signals at data rates up to 2.5 Gbits/s, such as those...

DVI Analyzer tests signal quality from any video source or cable. (New Products: Test & Measurement).(Quantum Data 802B DVI-SASI Analyzer)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The 802B DVI-SASI Analyzer test generator for digital-video-interface (DVI) data determines if products meet DVI error specifications and if DVI products will interoperate reliably with others in the marketplace. it features two DVI...

Digital Test system gets speed bump from clocks. (New Products: Test & Measurement).(Interface Technology SR2500 Digital Test Subsystem )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * High-speed clocks added to the high-channel-density/low-cost SR2500 Digital Test Subsystem can be two to four times faster than the data rate of the instrument. The SR2500 supports both serial and parallel testing of standard...

0.01%-accurate digital manometer series covers 1- to 3000-kPa range. (New Products: Test & Measurement).(Yokogawa MT200 silicon resonant sensor)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Incorporating a silicon resonant sensor, the MT200 series digital manometers conduct precision pressure measurements with a basic accuracy of 0.01% of reading, The series includes 14 different models offering gauge, absolute, and differential...

CAD translation software expands file compatibility. (New Products: EDA).(TransMagic 3.1)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Revision R3.1 of the TransMagic standalone 3D CAD translation software package adds support for Pro/Engineer assembly files as well as binary and compressed files. The software can translate, view, and heal Pro/Engineer assembly files....

IDE enhances synthesis for next-generation FPGA designs. (New Products: EDA).(Actel's Libero 2.3 integrated development environment )
April 14, 2003... * Targeted for the design and development of Actel's FPGA families, the Libero 2.3 integrated development environment (IDE) upgrades the synthesis and place-and-route tools from Synplicity and Actel, respectively. The Libero environment...

Our competition gives you more.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2003... [ProASIC.sup.PLUS] is the only ASIC alternative that's reprogrammable and live at power-up. And that keeps your costs to a minimum. Reprogrammable, Flash-based FPGAs. Perfect for high-volume, low-cost applications, [ProASIG.sup.PLUS] is...

Power op amp--2.4 a out: industry's best swing-to-rail. (Amplifiers).(Texas Instruments)
April 28, 2003... 2.4 A Output Current: No external power transistors required Rail-to-Rail Output Swing: Offers high efficiency in low-voltage systems Output Current Monitor: No external shunt resistor required Parallel Operation: Add multiple...

Rapid chip: a ready-made revolution... no matter how you slice it.
April 28, 2003... Introducing 7 IP-Rick Foundation Slices The growing space between cell-based ASIC and FPGA implementation provides designers with clear reason to experience the hybrid advantages of RapidChip[TM]. This unique design platform now hosts...

Get 3 watts in 1/10 [Inch.sup.2] with national's high-frequency boost regulators!(National Semiconductor's LM2731/33)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2003... LM2731/33: SOT-23 Switchers Establish New Standards In Power Density, Efficiency, And Performance * 1.6 MHz-(X), 0.6 MHz-(Y) Switching Frequency Options * Up to 90% Conversion Efficiency * Low [r.sub.DS(ON)] DMOS Power Switch ...

LP385x family of high-performance CMOS LDOs: ULTRA-low dropout, superior ripple rejection.(National Semiconductor)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2003... LP3852/5 3.3 V [right arrow] 2.5 V @ 1.5 A LP3853/6 3.3 V [right arrow] 2.5 V @ 2.5 A * Ultra-low dropout voltage (280 mV@ 1.5 A and 450 mV @ 3A) * 70 db PSRR for enhanced ripple rejection with low input and output filter...

High-speed amp--1.4 GHz, 1,000 V/[micro]: maximize your application's performance. (Amplifiers).(Texas Instruments' THS4271)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2003... The new THS4271 from Texas Instruments is a high-speed, unity-gain stable, voltage-feedback op amp featuring low noise (3 nV/[square root of (Hz)]) and low distortion. With 1.4-GHz bandwidth at G = +1 and high slew rate, the THS4271 is suitable...

The war with Iraq affects each of US differently, depending on our job. (Editorial).(Editorial)
April 28, 2003... Whether you personally agree or disagree with the war in Iraq, certain fundamentals hold true. War is hell for our troops in the Middle East--and rather surreal for us here at home. On my last trip, as I waited on the Newark airport curb, I...

Bob's mailbox. (Pease Porridge).(Letter to the Editor)
April 28, 2003... Hi Bob: I enjoyed your columns on the K2-W amplifier (ELECTRONIC DESIGN, Jan. 6, p. 20 and Feb. 3, p. 22). I knew I had a couple of Philbrick items in my collection, so while in the crawl space this morning I dug them out--a K2-P and an SK2-B....

Is this the end of parallel interfacers? (POV: Point of View).
April 28, 2003... For those who deal with electronic interfaces today, the word is serial. Across the board, new interfaces are being created and new versions of existing interfaces are being defined in serial form. Parallel interfaces are limited to CPU...

Scale from Gbits To tbits with minimal logic: this shared-memory switch-fabric chip with 64 3.125-Gbit/s SERDES ports scales data throughput from 640 Gbits to 40 Tbits. (The Industry).(Dune Networks FE200 scalable architecture for networking devices chip set )
April 28, 2003... Scalability and longevity are two vital aspects of products that go into the network infrastructure. As network traffic increases, the data throughput of switch fabrics and line cards must be scalable to handle the increased amount of data. The...

Power-supply ICs reach for greater performance: higher switching frequencies reduce design size while sequencing functions ease power management. (Tech View: Analog & Power).
April 28, 2003... Recently introduced power-supply controllers and low-dropout (LDO) regulators have raised the performance bar for embedded dc-dc converters. Linear Technology's LTC3414 isa synchronous buck converter with both highand low-side MOSFETs...

34-by-34 switch-fabric chip deep-cuts cost and power: the 34-port CMOS chip handles 3.2 Gbits/s per port yet consumes just 4 W of power with all I/Os active. (Tech View: Communications).(Analog Devices' ADSX-34)
April 28, 2003... At the heart of most switch and router designs lies the switch fabric. It channels packed data to the destinations controlled by the line cards processing the packets. Switch fabrics performing above 2.5 Gbits/s are available, but the price is...

16-bit DAQ specifications without speculation.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
April 28, 2003... Resolution alone does not determine accuracy. Measure to within 0.01 27 percent of the actual signal with these measurement technologies for 16-bit PC data acquisition boards. NI's design includes unique, innovative components for...

Multi-axis servo amps revamp automation design: this all-digital motion-control architecture cuts costs up to 50% and makes designs easier with a library of software building blocks. (Tech View: Components & Test).(Copley Controls' Accelnet line )
April 28, 2003... Fundamentally changing the way engineers design automation systems, Copley Controls' family of network-compatible all-digital servo amplifiers suit multi-axis motion control, slash system cost, and minimize complexity. The company believes its...

Compute fabric reconfigures to meet DSP system needs: a software-configurable compute fabric aims to replace ASICs and FPGAs for basestation signal processing and other applications. (Tech View: Components & Test).
April 28, 2003... A reconfigurable compute fabric (RCF) based on an array of DSP cores promises flexible system solutions for wireless basestations and other communications applications. This architecture, developed by Morpho Technologies and enhanced by...

Delta sigma PLLs raise the standard for performance. (Advertisement).
April 28, 2003... Application Brief 125 Introduction The high performance, low power, and low cost requirements of today's mobile telephone handsets sometimes put designers between a rock and a hard place. System issues such as integration level, type...

Get your product to market in 90 days *.(RabbitCore)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2003... SEE WHY THE RABBIT(r) IS THE NEW FAVORITE OF DESIGN ENGINEERS Design Advantages * Migrate from core module to chip * Glueless memory interface * 1MB direct code/data space * 3.3 V and 5 V platforms * Well-integrated...

"Seamless" tool digs deeper: in version 5, a co-verification tool unlocks its performance analysis potential. (Tech Viewi: EDA).(Mentor Graphics )
April 28, 2003... Mentor Graphics is regarded as a market leader in at least two areas. One is in the deep back end of the IC production process, thanks to the company's Calibre suite of resolution-enhancement-technology (RET) tools. The other, paradoxically, is...

Modular plug-in architecture speeds app development. (Tech View: Embedded).(Virtio's SoftBoards )
April 28, 2003... Doing software development before hardware is available saves time and money. It also lets more developers work on an application when hardware is expensive or in limited supply. This is one reason developers have turned to Virtio's simulation...