Electronic Design articles from March 2007

Electronic Design archives from March 2007

Focus on power-efficient design to help stop global warming.(Editorial)
March 1, 2007... This year's One Powerful Issue takes on special significance given the widespread worries about global warming. With last month's unsettling report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, energy efficiency is now sizzling on...

What's all this "others stay lighted" stuff, anyhow?(Pease Porridge)(Column)
March 1, 2007... The box of Christmas lights said "If one or more lights go out, others stay lighted." Yeah, sure. My wife bought several cheap boxes of 100-light strings, and they looked very nice. This year, she had great plans to drape them along a fence,...

High-voltage busing makes sense.(Viewpoint essay)
March 1, 2007... There are two conflicting ways to increase power-distribution efficiency in data centers as electricity flows between the front-end voltage converter and the ICs on blade servers. One is to lower the bus voltages around the circuit board. The...

Plug-in hydrogen hybrid hits the road in Washington, D.C.(Tech VIEW)
March 1, 2007... Based on the exhibits at this winter's auto shows, cars powered by next-generation technologies aren't too far away. At January's 2007 Auto Show in Washington, D.C., Ford rolled out a version of its Edge crossover vehicle that combines a...

Energy-harvest modules provide predictable runtimes.(Tech View: Analog & Power)
March 1, 2007... Suppose you're designing a really low-power telemetry application--so low-power that you want to run it off free energy that you "harvest" from the environment. Let's say it's intended to monitor the vibration signatures of the wheel trucks in...

High-power class D power stage.(amplifiers)
March 1, 2007... What is a Class D amplifier? A Class D amplifier converts an audio signal to pulse-width modulation (PWM). Its power stage efficiently amplifies the PWM signal and filters it to drive the speakers. The Class D designation means that the...

DSP equalization extends 10GE serial transceiver's optical fiber range.(digital signal processors)
March 1, 2007... For several years now, 10-Gbit Ethernet (10GE) local-area networks (LANs) have been available. But while the price has been high and adoption has been slow, 10GE finally may be on a roll(out). There's a greater demand for video on the Internet,...

Sonet/SDH transceivers add 8-bit interface and deliver best in class jitter performance.(Tech View: Communications)
March 1, 2007... Sonet/SDH systems continue to dominate long-haul and metro networks because of their high speed and flexibility. Chip companies are helping to keep it that way with a continuous stream of improved ICs to give Sonet/SDH a performance kick and a...

Does frequent leakage keep you awake at night?(Tech View: Digital)
March 1, 2007... When the days were old and the knights were bold and IP was invented, you'd wrap an insulator around your gate and leakage was prevented. As the insulator became thinner with process shrinkages, though, leakage became a problem. It's so bad,...

Macro models serve dynamic voltage-drop analysis for SoCs.(systems on chip)
March 1, 2007... Large macros and memories used in system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs can save time, but they can also be a bear when it comes to verifying them from a power-integrity standpoint. Their internal physical and logical complexity, along with their...

Thermal-monitoring tools become hot commodities in high-end CPUs: high-performance temperature sensors and fan controllers give designers a better handle on heat management.(Leap Frog)
March 1, 2007... With high-end CPU and graphics-processor feature sizes shrinking to 90 nm and less, pressure mounts to find ways to manage the heat. Recognizing this, Standard Microsystems Corp. (SMSC) has unveiled a suite of six temperature sensors and two...

Transistor recovers from midlife crisis with fundamental material changes: not since Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon has the transistor seen such a dramatic change, and that change holds some big promises.(Leap Frog)
March 1, 2007... The semiconductor industry is about to experience a tectonic shift. Wave goodbye to traditional transistors based on polysilicon-gate electrodes and silicon-dioxide (Si[O.sub.2]) dielectric insulators, which had been used to make the transistor...

We have seen the enemy, and the enemy is heat: today's complex SoCs are prone to thermal issues that can cause field failures. Here's how thermal analysis can help you ferret out those hotspots.(system on chip)
March 1, 2007... As the semiconductor industry traverses through the deep-submicron process nodes, each plateau along the way carries its own signature bugaboo arising from physical effects. At 180 nm, timing-closure issues got everyone's attention. At 130 nm,...

Power and thermal analysis are best done together.(Engineering Feature)
March 1, 2007... Advanced power-reduction techniques, such as multi-[V.sub.DD] architectures and power-aware clock tree synthesis (CTS), allow designers to implement large, complex SoCs that consume less power. Leakage power can be minimized by using...

A measure of opportunity awaits in electric meters: move over consumer and telecom worlds. Recent developments turn electric metering into an unexpectedly fertile field for engineers of all types.(Technology Report)
March 1, 2007... Besieged by conservation issues, utility metering is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance--particularly electricity metering. That's because electrical distribution systems everywhere are fragile. Metering used to be the nearly exclusive domain...

Applications dictate power-management subsystem design: control of dc power is more critical than ever in today's complex designs, and that requires a meticulously crafted power-management setup.(Engineering ESSENTIALS)
March 1, 2007... Designing power-management subsystems, which supply and control dc power in electronic systems, is much more complicated now than it was five years ago. These days, designers must cope with ICs that operate below 1 V, may consume over 100 A,...

Oracles and archeologists.(Embedded In Electronic Design)
March 1, 2007... What do you trust? These days, many people trust the Internet. When they have a question, they often "Google" the answer. Unfortunately, many Web surfers take the results they get as if they came from an infallible oracle. This wouldn't be too...

Visualization tools target multicore systems development.(Embedded News)
March 1, 2007... A range of enhancements to the QNX Momentics IDE 4 development tool makes multicore application debugging easier. The latest IDE also supports QNX Adaptive Partitioning, a secure compartmentalization feature of the QNX real-time operating...

60 Gbytes fits on single-platter 1.8-in. Hard Disk.(Embedded News)
March 1, 2007... Samsung's 1.8-in. N-series targets mobile applications. It features 20-, 30-, 40-, and 60-Gbyte per-disk capacities. Only 5 mm tall, drives are available with PATA and CEATA interfaces. At 1.8 Bel, their noise isn't detectable by the human ear....

Rigid core cage keeps cards cool.(Embedded In Electronic Design)
March 1, 2007... Previous core cages from Tracewell Systems have a relatively solid frame. But recently, the company took a knife to this design and replaced the frame with a rigid core that permits better airflow along its edges. Known as the S42, it...

Numerical analysis tool goes multicore.(Embedded In Electronic Design)
March 1, 2007... Matlab 7.4 targets large datasets and productivity improvements. Developed by the Mathworks, it also supports Windows Vista (see the figure). As one of the top applications for algorithm development, data analysis, and numerical computation,...

Real robots.(Embedded In Electronic Design)
March 1, 2007... Robots clean floors, search for injured people, and help remove bombs. They're also fun to play with. And now, improved platforms make robotic research and development easier. Designers can use the popular Roomba and Scooba robots as...

The right calculations add up to the ideal power current transformer: unlike the voltage transformer, a current transformer measures current from one circuit to another, which requires different calculations to create the optimal design.(Design Solution)
March 1, 2007... Current transformers measure current or transfer energy from one circuit to another, so their design requires calculations different from their voltage transformer cousins. The reason for the difference is that current transformer magnetizing...

Small switching supplies approved for medical apps.(Component View)
March 1, 2007... The ASM Global Performance series of ultra-miniature open-frame switching power supplies features 10 versions with single outputs of 3.3 to 24 V dc and a power range of 10 to 15 W. All of the models accept inputs of 90 to 264 V ac. The...

Featuring 60-W single outputs, the five models in MicroPower.(Power Supplies)
March 1, 2007... Featuring 60-W single outputs, the five models in MicroPower Direct's HF60W-SL family of compact ac-dc power supplies deliver 5, 12, 15, 24, and 48 V dc from a universal ac input of 85 to 264 V dc. EN60950-approved and CE-certified, they have a...

The PTH04T220/221W is a lower-input-voltage (2.2- to 5.5-V).(Power Supplies)
March 1, 2007... The PTH04T220/221W is a lower-input-voltage (2.2- to 5.5-V) version of the PTH08T220/221W (4.5- to 14-V) 16-A non-isolated power-supply module from Texas Instruments. The modules require just one resistor to set their output voltage to between...

Designed for ATCA systems, the Artesyn ATC210 integrated bus.(Power Supplies)
March 1, 2007... Designed for ATCA systems, the Artesyn ATC210 integrated bus converter module occupies 20% to 40% less space than competitive solutions, according to Emerson Network Power. It combines a high power-density isolated dc-dc converter with advanced...

Focus on Batteries.(Component View)(Table)
March 1, 2007... Focus on Batteries Company Model/Type Description Pricing Alpha Technologies Premium Gel 215 215/190-min runtimes Contact the Inc. GOLD-HP and 190 for outdoor company for...

Minimize input-supply ripple current in LED driver applications.(light emitting diodes)
March 1, 2007... Consumer-based LED applications have really taken off. You now find them in home lighting, airplane cabin lights, automobile lights, MP3 players, and elsewhere. In the past, most LED drivers were based on some sort of charge pump, where the...

L-C high-pass filter reduces power supply's hum and ripple.(Ideas For Design)
March 1, 2007... A previous Idea for Design described an R-C twin-tee circuit designed to reduce power-supply hum at 50 to 60 Hz ("R-C Twin-Tee Reduces Power-Supply Hum," ELECTRONIC DESIGN, May 11, 2006, p. 80; www.electronicdesign.com, ED Online 12422). This...

New +105 [degrees]C low impedance radial lead aluminum electrolytic capacitors has 5,000 hour life.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 1, 2007... New KXM radial-leaded +105[degrees]C low impedance radial-lead aluminum electrolytic capacitors are robust performers. Designed for switching regulators and extended life applications, they offer high ripple current specifications. Available in...

New Keithley data acquisition handbook.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 1, 2007... The first edition of Keithley Instruments' newest handbook, "Understanding New Developments in Data Acquisition, Measurement, and Control: A Practical Guide to High Performance Test and Measurement," is available free upon request. This...

International Rectifier introduces high-efficiency 150V DirectFET MOSFET for cooler, more compact dc-dc converter applications.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 1, 2007... IR's high-efficiency 150V DirectFET MOSFET operates from 36V to 75V universal telecommunications input and 48V fixed input systems. The device achieves superior thermal performance and higher efficiency with advanced DirectFET packaging and...

Users can connect to any pitch QFN pads.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 1, 2007... The Ironwood Electronics SF-QFNXX small footprint Surface Mount Package Emulator Foot line allows interface attachment to many different QFN SMT pads. These devices use patent pending technology to achieve a reliable and small SMT QFN/MLF...

Keyless access may be in your future with everyday biometrics.(Sequiam Biometrics BioLock)(Editorial)
March 15, 2007... For decades, biometric identification has been the province of high-security applications. Retinal reflection and hand geometry, for instance, are used to lock down top-secret government and financial facilities. Yet simple technologies like...

Bob's Mailbox.(PeasePorridge)(Letter to the editor)
March 15, 2007... Hi Bob: I have been following your silicon-dioxide (Si[O.sub.2]) articles and just saw Steve Krueger's response ("Bob's Mailbox," Jan. 18, p. 16) naming it under the trade name Cabosil. We use Cabosil at our company as a thickening agent for...

Consolidation strikes the ASIC market as revenues grow.(application specific integrated circuits)
March 15, 2007... Relatively fragmented in the 1990s, the ASIC market now comprises a handful of top-tier providers, a generally struggling middle tier, and smaller companies consisting of startups and established application specialists. This consolidation will...

Chip rebuilds neural pathways.(research by Jaideep Mavoori of University of Washington)
March 15, 2007... Jaideep Mavoori, a University of Washington researcher, spends a lot of time thinking about communications--not telephone or radio, but the sophisticated network that is the human body's nervous system. He's most interested in helping people,...

University research provides fuel-cell insights.(TechView: Analog & Power)(Memorial University of Newfoundland)(Editorial)
March 15, 2007... If you have direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) in mind for your projects, check out an article in the IEEE Power Electronic Society's latest newsletter. "Electrical Dynamic Behavior of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell" by M. Ordonez and others of...

Instrumentation amplifiers (in amps).(FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)(Editorial)
March 15, 2007... What does an instrumentation amplifier do? An instrumentation amplifier (also known as an in amp) measures small signals in the presence of a noisy environment. The noise generally is common-mode noise, so while the signal is differential,...

Equivalence checker for FPGAs unearths synthesis errors.(360 EC-FPGA from OneSpin Solutions )(field programmable gate arrays)
March 15, 2007... FPGAs, popular as they are these days for prototyping and/or production runs, come with their own little quirks. One of those is the nagging tendency for functional errors to appear in synthesis and subsequent optimizations. To address this...

Assess the risks before you go IP shopping.(TechView: Digital)(Hard IP Quality Risk Assessment Tool from Fabless Semiconductor Association)
March 15, 2007... Intellectual property (IP) was one of the hottest topics at last month's DesignCon--particularly IP quality and prices. Fortunately, the Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA) has created a tool that lets users shop comparatively for hard IP...

Better, faster, cheaper pick any two: that old mantra used to be a touchstone for development program managers. But does it still ring true?(EngineeringFeature)(Editorial)
March 15, 2007... It used to happen at the kickoff meeting for every new program. The engineer managing the development team would come in with an armload of overhead-projector transparencies for the business-unit managers and marketing people, who were there to...

FPGA design issues 201: you may be familiar with the basics. But to resolve the challenges that plague today's FPGAs, you need to sign up for the next-level course.(field programmable gate arrays)
March 15, 2007... It doesn't matter if you're the logic designer, hardware engineer, or systems engineer, or if you wear all of those hats. If you use an FPGA in any sort of complex system with high speeds and multiple protocols, you'll likely wrestle with...

Interconnecting mini MEMS spawns max challenges: several novel processes help ease the problem of getting these tiny devices hooked up to other ICs.(EngineeringESSENTIALS)(microelectromechanical-systems)
March 15, 2007... If you're looking for a challenge, try interconnecting microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) ICs with conventional ICs and other MEMS ICs. If you've mastered that skill, move to the front of the line, because MEMS technology involves a high...

What's in your network? Hardware acceleration that processes at higher layers solves network traffic problems.(DesignView)
March 15, 2007... Our business, campus, and home networks today are full of important traffic being moved from node to node as efficiently as possible. Unfortunately, a significant amount of traffic in our networks is not what we might consider important. Spam...

Innovative designs from readers: digital resistor sets operating power for laser driver.(IdeasForDesign)
March 15, 2007... Designers can use a photodiode in conjunction with a power-control feedback loop to compensate a laser driver circuit for temperature effects and the effects of the laser's aging. But a photodiode's response can vary by as much as 40%, so the...

Self-powered eight-channel tester checks battery discharge rates.(IdeasForDesign)
March 15, 2007... Nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries are made by many manufacturers and have different charge ratings. Also, with repeated use, the maximum charge that NiMH batteries will hold diminishes at different rates. Therefore, it's difficult to gauge...

ISI Lead Free Interposers for DDR2 BGAs.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 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...

Magnetics new Kool M[mu][R] segments.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... Extremely large ([less than or equal to] 4.00 inches or 101.6 mm) shapes are possible with Magnetics Kool M[mu] Segments. Available as either a complete geometry (toroids or racetracks) or as individual interlocking segments* (arcs and I...

Maxwell's Boostcap 350 ultracapacitor.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... Designed as a cylindrical package similar in size to a standard "D" cell battery, Maxwell's Boostcap 350 ultracapacitor is ideal for automotive subsystems, medical devices, UPS/backup power, renewable energy management systems, and many other...

Puzzled by resin choices???(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... Let Protomold help. Register online to receive your FREE Protomold Resin Puzzle, which illustrates the basic properties of the most common thermoplastics used in rapid injection molding. www.protomold.com/fwd/puzzle/ed/Protomold is the...

New 400W high performance switching power supply.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... Highly reliable and 1U compatible, the GNT400 is the newest single output power supply from SL Power Electronics. Marketed under the Condor brand name, the GNT400 is well suited for a range of communications, industrial and medical...

IR introduces robust 600V single-channel ICs to simplify circuit design.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... IR's IRS211(7,8) are for a wide range of applications including motor control, lighting and switch mode power supplies. The 600V high-side single-channel driver ICs provide lower input current of 40 micro amps and an output signal of 0 to15...

I-Trac[TM] Backplane Connector System for both standard and orthogonal architectures.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... Molex's I-Trac[TM] Backplane Connector System is a broadside-coupled, skew equalized design that handles speeds up to 12.5+ Gbps, providing superior impedance control and lower cross talk for traditional and orthogonal architectures. It's a...

2802 advanced two-channel power analyzer from XiTRON.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 15, 2007... Extended measurement range--from micro-amps to hundreds of amps, and millivolts to kilovolts--makes the XiTRON 2802 ideal for Energy Star and similar compliance testing worldwide, and for standby power analysis. These state-of-the-art...

Get kids involved in electronics before we become extinct.(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... I just finished reading through dozens of your responses to Communications/Test Editor Lou Frenzel's online commentary, "Whatever Happened To The Electronics Hobbyist?" (www.electronicdesign.com, ED Online 15076) Lou really struck a chord, as...

What's all this capacitor leakage stuff, anyhow?(Column)
March 29, 2007... We all know that capacitors have a shunt resistance (leakage) and that leakage resistance should be pretty easy to measure, right? Wrong! I've measured a lot of capacitors for short-term soakage (dielectric absorption) per...

Performance is a plus, but debugging dogs developers.
March 29, 2007... Developers are looking to new solutions and approaches to test and debug increasingly complex software without compromising quality or schedules. The old methodologies, based around debugging and testing the software on physical hardware, are...

Shift to digital improves aircraft early warning systems.(Georgia Institute of Technology. Georgia Tech Research Institute's innovations)(color printers using static electricity)
March 29, 2007... Military aircraft depend on analog technology to detect enemy ground radar. Analog circuits can hold a multitude of continuous values across any given range. But this continuous-scale analog implementation can be difficult to calibrate and...

Amp designers find novel ways to use charge pumps.(TechView: Analog & Power)(Maxim Integrated Products Inc.'s MAX9509, MAX9510 and MAX9788 video amplifiers)(Linear Technology Corp.'s LTM4601, LTM4602, and LTM4603 dc to dc converters)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... Internal charge pumps are fairly common in op amps, where they're used to achieve a "rail to rail" output swing. Now, they're being used in other amplifier applications to provide output swings well beyond the range of the supply voltage as...

Mobile A/V chip offers performance without requiring lots of power.(TechView: Digital)(flash memory devices from Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc.)(Scalable Video Engine from On Demand Microelectronics)(designing of video and image processing equipment)(audio video)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... When it comes to mobile audio/video chips, superior processing comes at the cost of higher power. Of course, lower power means less processing muscle. The SVENm (Scalable Video ENgine) from On Demand Microelectronics, though, may change that...

SystemVerilog verification reaches for higher productivity.(TechView: EDA)(PowerPro CG from Calypto Design Systems)(System Verilog Verification Methodology Manual from Synopsys Inc.)
March 29, 2007... In its continuing efforts to harness the considerable verification power of SystemVerilog, Synopsys has rolled out extensions to the verification methodology spelled out in its System Verilog Verification Methodology Manual (VMM). The three...

ICs keep AM/FM radio on top of Broadcast media.(TechView: Wireless)(Silicon Laboratories Inc.'s Si4730, Si4731, Si4720 and Si4721)(Linear Technology Corp.'s LT5557, LT5575, LT5571)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... Who would've thought that the oldest technology in electronics, analog radio, would still be a big success today? Yet AM and FM continue to thrive despite digital HD radio's availability throughout the U.S. Now, Silicon Labs' latest radio chips...

Streamlining heterogeneous system design: a graphical model-based approach hides underlying complexity.(basics of Design)
March 29, 2007... Complex homogeneous systems are common in server environments that use symmetrical multiprocessing (SMP) or clusters of similar platforms. Yet complex embedded systems frequently incorporate different and even unique platforms. When it...

Multimedia automotive networks.(FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... What network technologies are used in the automotive space? Automotive networks typically consist of a hierarchy of networks, starting with local interconnect network (LIN), controller-area network (CAN), and FlexRay for system control and...

Six-channel, low-power IC makes sense of sensing interfaces: designed for deeply embedded applications, this user-configurable chip accepts resistive, capacitive, inductive, piezoresistive, and pulse-count sensor signals.(Leapfrog: Industry First)(Sensor Platforms SSP1401)(integrated circuit)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... The cost-competitive climate of the consumer, medical, industrial, and automotive markets has perpetuated a marked rise in sensor applications, prompting greater use of "deeply embedded" functions. As a result, the user hardly ever or even...

Ferroelectric liquid-crystal tech delivers cost-effective holographic storage: spatial light modulators--now smaller, faster, and less expensive--look to light up holographic data storage.(LeapFrog)
March 29, 2007... Holographic storage isn't new. Already, it has found its way into specialized areas that require massive amounts of storage and aren't so strangled by cost restrictions. With dropping device costs and shrinking system size, it's set to take on...

Cautiously optimistic exhibitors revisit ESC in 2007: as the dust settles in the embedded sector, vendors return to the Embedded Systems Conference.(EngineeringFeature)
March 29, 2007... Don't expect the same old stuff at the 2007 Embedded Systems Conference, scheduled for April 1-5 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, Calif. This year's show will be virtually bursting at the seams, with many vendors setting up shop...

DSL dominates broadband worldwide: surprisingly, cable still edges out DSL in the U.S. But more carriers are turning to DSL as they move to IPTV and the triple play.(TechnologyReport)
March 29, 2007... We often take high-speed Internet service for granted. Today, it's easy to send e-mails with huge attachments, catch up on the latest music, or watch the hottest videos all instantly and online. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Yet these...

Communication and common sense rule in PCB design.(EngineeringESSENTIALS)(printed-circuit boards)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... Like many other commodity items that go into system hardware, printed-circuit boards (PCBs) have evolved significantly over the years. Since their invention circa 1936 by Paul Eisler, an Austrian engineer working in England on radio sets, PCBs...

Modules combine build and buy decision.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)(Editorial)
March 29, 2007... Complete custom designs are economical for large volumes or high-priced solutions, so the decision to build or buy usually isn't an either/or discussion. The plethora of different boards and module standards as well as the corresponding vendor...

Eclipse-based module kit for $99.(Embedded News)
March 29, 2007... Netburner's Eclipse Ethernet Development Kit is based on the Mod5270 Core Module, which features a 32-bit, 147-MHz Freescale ColdFire processor with 512 kbytes of flash and 2 Mbytes of external SDRAM. The module has 10/100 Ethernet, 47 digital...

Module builds on Lantronix XPort.(Embedded News)
March 29, 2007... Mosaic Industries' compact (2 by 2.5 in.) Ethersmart Wildcard module links a Lantronix 10/100-MHz Ethernet-based XPort (see "Ultra-Small Server Web-Enables Any System" at www.electronicdesign.com, ED Online 3022) with other Wildcard modules...

Off-the-shelf chips take the semi-custom route.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
March 29, 2007... Selecting support chips is a bit easier with QuickLogic's ArcticLink. The chip is based on QuickLogic's FGPA technology, but it employs a number of fixed logic blocks such as the USB 2.0 On-The-Go (OTG) and storage interface block (see the...

32-bit processors proliferate.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)(Freescale Semiconductor MPC8544E, Renesas Technology H8SX/1622)(Brief article)
March 29, 2007... The 32-bit microcontroller class spans an ever-widening performance envelope, as Freescale and Renesas have announced chips at opposite ends of the spectrum. Freescale's MPC8544E targets networking applications with its pair of 1-Gbit...

IDE gets snappy.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
March 29, 2007... Genuitec's latest incarnation of its MyEclipse Enterprise Workbench Java and J2EE integrated development environment (IDE) adds new simple non-integrated applications (SNAPs) based on the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) (see "Eclipse: An...

Drive controller can do CAN.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
March 29, 2007... Up to 127 Performance Motion Devices ION Drive systems can be connected using the systems' controller-area network (CAN) interface to create complex, multi-axis motor control systems. Each unit provides an output capability of up to 15 A peak...

Microkernel RTOS adds wear-level flash memory manager.(EmbeddedInElectronicDesign)
March 29, 2007... Green Hills Software's [mu]-velOSity 2.2 small-footprint real-time operating system (RTOS) uses as little as 1600 bytes of program memory and 1000 bytes of RAM. Also, it now includes a wear-leveling, fault-tolerant flash management system for...

Micro means modularity in telecom.(DesignView)(MicroTCA telecommunications architecture developed by PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group)
March 29, 2007... In the summer of 2006, the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) approved the MicroTCA telecommunications architecture, a small-form-factor platform addressing tight size and cost constraints. MicroTCA takes advantage of mezzanine...

Innovative designs from readers: LED battery charger becomes a subfunction in a microcontroller.(IdeasForDesign)(light emitting diodes)
March 29, 2007... This design implements a charger for a lead-acid battery as a subfunction in a microcontroller whose main function can be any more complex task. Furthermore, the MCU gets its power from the same battery. The charging process is so slow and uses...

Drive smart cards with a low-cost MCU's UART.(IdeasForDesign)(microcontroller unit)(universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter)
March 29, 2007... The growing need for security and enhanced functionality in the banking, identification, and telecom markets has increased the use of smart cards worldwide, to the detriment of the low-security magnetic-stripe cards. However, the...

New +105 [degrees]C low impedance radial lead aluminum electrolytic capacitors has 5,000 hour life.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 29, 2007... New KXM radial-leaded +105[degrees]C low impedance radial-lead aluminum electrolytic capacitors are robust performers. Designed for switching regulators and extended life applications, they offer high ripple current specifications. Available in...

Non-sloughing CAPS from Caplugs.(PRODUCT ALERT)
March 29, 2007... (Buffalo, N.Y.)--Caplugs' green Inherently Conductive Polymer compound parts are designed to meet the more stringent requirements of M5501/31 for a non-sloughing, conductive material. These parts have a volume resistance of 105 ohms, resist...