Electronic Design articles from April 2007

Electronic Design archives from April 2007

Everything that's dis-integrated gets put back together again.(Semico Summit)(Editorial)
April 12, 2007... As electronic design becomes more complex and divides into increasingly esoteric sub-specialties, new opportunities arise for "re-integration" to bring all the outsourcing back together into a logical and efficient development flow. In fact,...

Bob's mailbox.(PeasePorridge)(Letter to the editor)
April 12, 2007... Hi Bob: Your tip on how to phase a generator into the electric grid would work ("What's All This 'Others Stay Lighted' Stuff, Anyhow?" March 1, p. 20). Phasing sets of the not too distant past used a couple of incandescent bulbs and a guy...

Even busy engineers can take advantage of lifelong learning.(PointOfView)
April 12, 2007... Globalization has put engineers on the front line of an unrelenting drive by companies to shorten development cycles and cut production costs. This means engineers must seek new tools and methods to improve their efficiency and speed in...

Students and robots rumble in Atlanta.(TechVIEW)(FIRST Robotics Competion supported by Motorola Inc.)
April 12, 2007... Elementary and high school students get regular exposure to math and science, but they rarely get to experience engineering. Fortunately, that's starting to change. More and more students--some as young as six years old--now build their own...

Full-featured battery-charger ICs and fuel-gauge IC take charge.(TechView: Analog & Power)(Dallas Semiconductor DS2792, Maxim Integrated Products MAX8662 and MAX8663)
April 12, 2007... It's all about power nowadays as consumers snap up portable devices that require more and more juice. Designers are hard pressed to keep users' tanks topped up and to give those users an idea of how far they can go on what's left in those...

High-density SoC makes GPON and FTTH triple play Practical and affordable.(TechView: Communications)(system on chip, gigabit passive optical network, fiber to the home)(Freescale Semiconductor MSC7120 chip set)(RapidIO Technology)
April 12, 2007... With speeds of up to several hundred megabits/s, fiber to the home (FTTH) would be the best broadband service available--if it weren't so expensive. Freescale Semiconductor takes a shot at reducing some of those costs with its MSC7120 chip set....

PCB design/simulation suite furthers instrument integration.(TechView: EDA)(Multisim 10.0, Ultiboard 10.0 from National Instruments Corp.)(electronic design software, printed circuit board)
April 12, 2007... Since its acquisition of Electronics Workbench and its printed-circuit board (PCB) design and analysis tools, National Instruments has sought to meld those tools with the stuff of its core competency--namely, virtual instrumentation and...

Can RF MEMS master the mass-market challenge? Reliable, high-quality RF devices can be produced at reasonable prices. But questions linger on when costs will drop enough for them to launch into the consumer world.(TechnologyReport)(radio frequency microelectromechanical systems)(Editorial)
April 12, 2007... After many fits and starts, RF MEMS technology may finally create some waves within the electronics market this year, thanks to recent advances in manufacturing and improved device reliability. Whether or not this year's new RF MEMS products...

Demystifying RF MEMS.(TechnoloqvReport)(radio frequency microelectromechanical systems)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... RF MEMS, which covers a very wide range of applications, can be confusing as far as performance and cost requirements are concerned. But all RF MEMS devices try to reach one common goal--integrated high-quality factor (Q) properties with good...

Cutting-edge breakthroughs expand ADC boundaries: from the frigid wastes of 4.2 Kelvin to torrid conversion rates in the gigasample/s range, the analog-to-digital converters revealed at this year's ISSCC and elsewhere can adapt to new challenges.(EngineeringESSENTIALS)(International Solid State Circuits Conference)(analog to digital converters)(Editorial)
April 12, 2007... Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs)--the workhorses of the industry--have plowed their way through applications like industrial process control, medical instrumentation, communication systems, and radar for decades. Continual increases in...

Rugged ATR-Short chassis handles eight 6U modules.(ComponentView)
April 12, 2007... The E120 can withstand extreme altitude, temperature, moisture, shock, vibration, EMI/RFI, and chemical exposure. This rugged, eight-slot, 3/4 ATR-Short chassis accommodates up to eight standard conduction-cooled 6U by 160-mm ANSI/IEEE...

A liquid-cooled 1-ATR chassis that targets applications using.(Enclosures)
April 12, 2007... A liquid-cooled 1-ATR chassis that targets applications using high-power conduction-cooled boards can handle 100 W per slot. The top-load 1-ATR short from Hybricon Corp. comes standard with a nine-slot VITA 41 VXS or VME64x backplane and one...

The Senso-Case is designed for one-handed measuring, controlling.(Enclosures)
April 12, 2007... The Senso-Case is designed for one-handed measuring, controlling or signaling operations in a wide variety of applications. Users can grip the handle in their palm while operating pushbuttons with their thumb. The recessed control panel can...

The ElBox from Eldon Group features several improvements.(Enclosures)
April 12, 2007... The ElBox from Eldon Group features several improvements over the TEN and TED series that it replaces. The 400- and 500-mm deep versions will ship as unassembled flat-packs, which will be easier to transport and store until needed. The 600-mm...

Focus on materials.(for electronic components)(Buyers guide)(Table)
April 12, 2007... Focus on Materials Company Model/Type Description CPS Corp. Aluminum-silicon- Provides reliable, cost- www.alsic.com carbide/metal matrix effective housing, ...

Use Ethernet over PDH in Sonet/SDH networks.(DesignView)(plesiochronous digital hierarchy)(Sonet/synchronous digital hierarchy)
April 12, 2007... Carrier Ethernet unlocks many potential revenue-generating services that telecom providers, known as carriers, must deploy to maintain their competitive position. Yet most carriers aren't ready to convert to a pure Ethernet network due to...

Pay attention to switch arrangement to improve PGA performance.(IdeasForDesign)(programmable-gain amplifiers)
April 12, 2007... Programmable-gain amplifiers (PGAs) are often used in communication systems, such as basestations. Designers can select fully integrated, single-IC PGAs, which are now available with bandwidths over 500 MHz. But obtaining the low second- and...

Anti-theft alarm lookalike protects parked motorcycles.(IdeasForDesign)(Brief article)
April 12, 2007... Sometimes, a simulated anti-theft device can deter a would-be thief just as well as an actual alarm system. To that end, the circuit in the figure automatically flashes two super-bright LEDs, mounted in the rear-light cluster of a motorcycle,...

Keithley measurement solutions with PXI for hybrid test systems.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 12, 2007... Keithley Instruments, Inc. has introduced a new line of PXI products for high speed automated production testing as part of a hybrid test system using precision instruments. Test engineers and designers can combine the high-speed data...

ISI Lead Free Interposers for DDR2 BGAs.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 12, 2007... ISI Lead Free Interposers allow OEMs to use standard eutectic (leaded) SMT assembly processes, even when BGAs are only available in lead-free packaging. DDR2 memory chips are one common application, although ISI supplies interposers for a...

Spray down protection for less than the cost of drip.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 12, 2007... Bud Industries announced its SN Series NEMA-rated sheet-metal boxes--the newest addition to Bud's complete line of environmentally sealed enclosures. Because of economies in manufacturing, now engineers can get an SN Series steel box rated for...

M2M revolution continues at ESC 2007.(machine-to-machine)(Embedded Systems Conference)(Editorial)
April 27, 2007... The buzz surrounding current Internet growth is all about Web 2.0 and user-generated content--YouTube videos, MySpace profiles, the blogosphere. It's a fun, consumer-centric party. But the next wave, machine-to-machine (M2M) communications,...

What's all this cold toes stuff, anyhow?(using sensors)(Column)
April 27, 2007... I sure walked into it. I've always known that I can stuff my warm feet (with warm socks) into frozen boots and just start walking, and they would warm up nicely. These are Vasque trekking boots, weighing about 2.1 lb each, well insulated down...

When it comes to backplanes, give RapidIO a try.
April 27, 2007... Engineers developing backplanes must cost-effectively achieve the appropriate level of performance for their application. When selecting a backplane technology, they must consider the performance options available, the realistic cost economies...

Your thought is its command.(TechVIEW)(Rajesh Rao designed a robot)
April 27, 2007... What good is a robot if you can't order it around with your thoughts? Rajesh Rao, a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle, has answered this question with an input system that can be used to...

A/V processor provides high performance at an affordable price.(TechView: Digital)(Vivace Semiconductor VSP100)(Brief article)
April 27, 2007... Imagine a low-cost video processor for small screens that requires little energy and still packs a punch. Vivace Semiconductor's VSP100 offers all of these qualities, providing QVGA (240 by 320 pixels) playback in real time at 30 frames per...

Sneak preview: IEEE 802.3at power over Ethernet plus implementation details.(TechView: Analog & Power)(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)(Editorial)
April 27, 2007... The IEEE 802.3at Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE-Plus) task force anticipates the release of a "usable" draft standard in August, with a firm specification to follow a year later. PoE Plus will boost the maximum power delivered to applications to...

Mixed-signal verification suite leverages fast-Spice technology.(TechView: EDA)(Discovery AMS 2007 from Synopsys Inc.)(electronic design automation)(Editorial)
April 27, 2007... Consumers nowadays want handheld and portable systems that can do it all--wireless operation, eye-candy video playback, you name it. But many of these crowd-pleasing features involve a great deal of mixed-signal verification. At 65 nm, the...

Eye Doctor treats fast serial I/O analysis and design.(TechView: Test)(from LeCroy Corp.)(Brief article)
April 27, 2007... Most new serial I/O methods use equalization techniques at the receiver to help boost speed and extend the range of the technology. Now there's a T & M system you can use to design, build, and test such serial I/O methods. LeCroy's Eye Doctor...

Judicious clocking subdues power-architecture cooling needs: this 2-GHz, dual-core processor uses thousands of gated clocks to cut power requirements by more than a factor of three.(PA Semi PA6T-1682M)(Product/service evaluation)
April 27, 2007... Keeping it cool is imperative in all kinds of applications. That's why designers are increasingly turning to the 64-bit Power architecture, which always sits at the top of the list in power/performance ratios. Following that trend, PA Semi uses...

The unblinking eye: smile for the camera. Intelligent video analysis can locate potential terrorists, detect suspicious objects, and even spot card cheats--all without a human operator.(EngineeringFeature)(Editorial)
April 27, 2007... San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a hub for business travelers, vacationers, immigrants, stopover passengers, on-site workers--and a whole lot of suspicious-looking people. That's why it's not surprising to discover that the airport...

Intelligent video surveillance goes trainspotting.(EngineeringFeature)(mass transit systems safety)(Brief article)
April 27, 2007... Like airports, municipal mass transit systems are on constant lookout for suspicious individuals. After the London tube and bus bombings in July 2005, recorded surveillance video allowed authorities to identify the perpetrators behind the...

Has anyone seen my data? With so many ways to share data today, it's time to lock it up and throw away the key.(TechnologyReport)
April 27, 2007... Most people may strive for moral and ethical righteousness. But it's still a scary world, especially when it comes to technology. Laptops and hard-disk drives with valuable and confidential commercial information seem to be stolen every day....

High-speed serial technology drives board interconnects: high-performance and low-overhead serial interconnects are changing the way systems are built.(EngineeringESSENTIALS)(Editorial)
April 27, 2007... Board and system interconnects have migrated from parallel buses to high-speed serial technologies. Mainstays like Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Integrated Device Electronics (IDE), and Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI) remain....

Virtually developed, debugged, and deployed.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)(virtual machines)
April 27, 2007... Virtualization isn't something new. It's been around almost since computers moved into the mainstream. IBM's VM (virtual machine) architecture has been the mainstay on mainframes, and new support for VM hypervisor hosts has been the rage on...

PCI Express board provides flexible Xilinx SERDES development platform.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
April 27, 2007... Avnet's Xilinx Virtex-4 FX PCIe Development Kit includes a PCI Express board that exposes the Virtex-4's high-speed RocketIO serial interfaces. The FPGA can drive an eight-lane PCI Express interface, two SFP module connectors, a Serial ATA host...

DSP decodes digital discs.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
April 27, 2007... The next-generation HD DVD and Blu-ray high-definition DVD formats will tax systems that need to decode streams with high data rates. Cirrus Logic's single-chip CS49700 audio processor can support the six surroundsound audio algorithms...

I/O, I/O, it's off to virtual work we go.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
April 27, 2007... Virtualization in microcontrollers has progressed from memory management units (MMU) toward virtualizing the entire environment. There have been a number of attempts at getting this right in an x86 environment, starting with the 16-bit virtual...

Move to 90 nm cuts DSP cost and power requirements.(Embedded News)
April 27, 2007... Analog Devices' Blackfin line has been extremely popular in portable and multimedia environments. Analog's move to 90 nm for its ADSP-BF52x line raises the performance bar to 600 MHz while cutting power requirements. Running at 250 MHz, the...

Whole program C compiler optimizes across modules.(Embedded News)
April 27, 2007... Splitting applications into small modules is critical to building a manageable application, but most development systems only optimize code within a module. Hi-Tech Software's new crop of PICC-18 PRO C compilers and linkers cross this boundary...

For better analog video, try differential signaling.(DesignView)(Brief article)
April 27, 2007... Compared to single-ended signaling, differential signaling offers many benefits: less EMI, less distortion, lower supply voltage, and lower cost. These advantages have prompted the adoption of differential signaling in many applications,...

Water-, dustproof fans come in three AC ratings.(ComponentView)
April 27, 2007... The latest addition to the Aquas line of water-protected fans is an ac-powered unit that meets the IP 55 waterproofing and dustproofing standards. Designers also can order the AA1282HB-AWQ-LF in versions that meet a variety of water-protection...

The San Ace 36 dc cooling fan features the highest static.(Fans)
April 27, 2007... The San Ace 36 dc cooling fan features the highest static pressure and largest airflow in the industry for a 36- by 36- by 28-mm unit, according to Sanyo Denki Co. Ltd. The fan suits 1U power supplies. It's rated at 12 V dc, but has an...

The Mighty Mini fans and blowers from Sunon are well-suited.(Fans)
April 27, 2007... The Mighty Mini fans and blowers from Sunon are well-suited to meet the cooling needs of next-generation PDAs, smart phones, GPS devices, and palm-size computers. Currently sampling are the 8- by 8- by 5-mm UF385-10, the 9- by 9- by 3-mm...

Designed to be an alternative when standard 38-mm fans are.(Fans)
April 27, 2007... Designed to be an alternative when standard 38-mm fans are too thick and 25-mm fans lack the needed cooling power, the 158 series from Etri delivers 100 CFM with only 43 dBA of rated noise in a package that's 32 mm thick and 120 mm square. The...

Focus on heatsinks.(ComponentView)(Buyers guide)(Table)(Brief article)
April 27, 2007... Company Model/Type Description Pricing Melcor Corp. High- For dissipating Contact company www.melcor.com performance heat from for pricing ...

Innovative designs from readers: add position detection capability to light-curtain circuitry.(IdeasForDesign)
April 27, 2007... Light curtains use a linear array of LEDs and optical detectors to sense when an object breaks a light beam. Then they trigger an alarm output. However, light curtains typically don't provide spatial data to indicate where along the light...

Caplugs introduces new line of fiber-optic connector protection.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 27, 2007... (Buffalo, N.Y.)--Caplugs now offers a new family of fiber-optic caps to protect your ST, FC, SC and SMA style connectors. Understanding that damage to fiber optic connectors can be costly, Caplugs has designed an inexpensive solution to...

New series of low-cost PC/104 digital boards provides 48 isolated digital inputs.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 27, 2007... ACCES I/O Products Inc., is pleased to release its newest series of PC/104 isolated digital I/O boards, the 104-IDI-48 Series. These 48-channel PC/104 utility boards feature 48 individually optically isolated digital inputs. The boards are...

IR's fully-integrated, protected high-voltage IC with PFC simplifies multi-lamp circuits for advanced fluorescent linear ballasts.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 27, 2007... The new IRS2168D fully-integrated and protected high-voltage integrated circuit (HVIC) for advanced electronic linear fluorescent lamp ballasts which incorporate active power factor correction (PFC). The IRS2168D IC integrates PFC, ballast...

B3 series Hi-Brite block solid state lighting.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 27, 2007... Bivar's innovative new lighting solutions are meeting requirements in applications across a broad spectrum of industrial markets. The B3 Series Hi-Brite Block design features optional configurations for power, light, and mounting styles in a...

Precision high voltage DC/DC.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 27, 2007... The "A" Family of DC/DC converters are enclosed in 1"x2"x0.4" metal cases. They are capable of producing up to 200Vdc with voltage accuracy greater than 1%, load regulation greater than 0.2%, and are available in 5, 10, and 15 Watt models, with...

GHZ socket--0.4mm pitch Micrel QFN.(PRODUCT ALERT)
April 27, 2007... Ironwood Electronics offers the high performance socket for Micrel 0.4mm pitch QFN. SG-MLF-7021 socket is for 2.5X2.5mm package, at bandwidths to 10 GHz and handles several watts. Contact resistance of 23 milliohms. The temperature range is -35...