Electronic Design articles from May 2009

Electronic Design archives from May 2009

Industry view.(On the Web @electronicdesign.com)(Cypress Semiconductor Corp.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2009... | ED Online 20978 Go Analog With Microcontrollers Erin Kettwig, Cypress Semiconductor Most microcontrollers are paired with discrete analog components to achieve filtering, signal conditioning, and signal conversion in systems...

Design solution.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)
May 21, 2009... ED Online 21132 TLM-2.0 APIs Open SystemC To Mainstream Virtual Platform Adoption At the 45th Design Automation Conference in June 2008, the Open SystemC Initiative announced the ratification of the TLM-2.0 standard, enabling...

Industry view.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)
May 21, 2009... ED Online 21145 Eclipse: The Subprime Of Open Source? In some sense, the Eclipse Public License (EPL) is a "mortgage-free" license in that one is allowed to add components and market them in an open-source or closed-source way. You...

Educast.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... ED Online 20977 Understanding Power-over-Ethernet The long-awaited version 4.0 of the IEEE 802.3at standard for PoE+ (Power-over-Ethernet Plus) should be approved in the second half of 2009. It will dramatically change the way products...

New products.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)(TDK-Lambda 25-W LS25 and 35-W LS35)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... ED Online 21146 25- And 35-W Power Supplies Provide Range Of Output Voltages Electronic Design News Staff The 25-W LS25 and 35-W LS35 ac-dc single-output power supplies from TDK-Lambda provide 3.3-, 5-, 12-, 15-, 24-, 36-, and 48-V...

Embedded Systems Conference.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)(Conference news)
May 21, 2009... Infinite Power Solutions Micro Power Modules Infinite Power Solutions demonstrated its Micro Power Modules--thin-film batteries for storing energy from solar or vibrational energy harvesters that can then be used to power wireless mesh...

New products showcase.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)(QuickLogic VX4 Silicon)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... QuickLogic VX4 Silicon Platform QuickLogic recently announced three key technologies--the second generation of its Visual Enhancement Engine, an MDDI proven system block for mobile devices, and its VX4 silicon platform. Joe Desposito...

Engineering TV.(On the Web@electronicdesign.com)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... Constellation Space Suit Paragon has received authorization to begin work on NASA's Constellation Space Suit System. The first suits will support the debut flight of the new Orion spaceship, currently planned to launch in 2015. With...

The E-mail "bag" offers some interesting components tidbits.(Editorial)
May 21, 2009... To commemorate our second annual Top 101 Components report, I read through some of the hundreds of e-mails I get on a daily basis for information related to the kinds of components we typically cover in the Electronic Design Products section,...

Embedded USB tower of babel.(lab bench)(universal serial bus)(Technical report)
May 21, 2009... Do you speak USB? If so, then you're using one or more of the USB classes shown in the table. The most popular classes tend to be the human interface device (HID) and the mass storage device, since these kinds of products are ubiquitous around...

Diamonds and other technologies put a sparkle in the European market.(Eye On Europe)
May 21, 2009... Despite the global economic slowdown, the electronics sector in Europe is staying quick on its feet. Developments in transistors, communications, and displays are particularly setting the pace. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TINY DIAMOND ...

Monolithic programmable constant current source is a new basic building.(Tech view)
May 21, 2009... Linear Technology's LT3092 is a 0.5- to 200-mA, two-terminal, low-temperature-coefficient, constant-current-source IC. Conceptually, it's simple, but there has never been an IC like it. You can build various circuits to provide the same...

10GE controller transforms data centers with virtualized I/O and unified networking.(Tech view)
May 21, 2009... The 82599 10-Gbit/s dual-port Ethernet controller from Intel is designed to address some of the trends driving data-center upgrades. For example, it includes hardware optimization for I/O virtualization and supports unified networking,...

Recipe for an RTOS.(Tech view)
May 21, 2009... BitBake from the OpenEmbedded project is central to Monta Vista's latest Linux real-time operating system (RTOS) and system tool release, Monta Vista Linux 6 (MVL 6). MVL 6 has the latest Linux and Eclipse development system enhancements and...

The TOP 101 components take center stage: industry innovation is on display as our editors and readers select the best products of the past year.(Table)
May 21, 2009... When designers create new devices, they need info about the latest electronic components to hit the market. One of the ways to gather this information is via Products of the Week. This e-newsletter is sent to more than 60,000 subscribers...

Thanks for the memory: storage options continue to multiply, which requires careful scrutiny to pinpoint the optimal solution.(Technical report)
May 21, 2009... Every processor needs storage. A few systems may get by with a single type, but more often a hierarchy of technologies is employed, such as a server with a redundant array of disks (RAID) storage system (Fig. 1). Each component brings something...

Bolster overcurrent protection with chip fuses: the accuracy, stability, and repeatability of the fusing characteristic are key to selecting the best fuse for the application.(engineering essentials)(Technical report)
May 21, 2009... Chip fuses assume two roles in electronics: protecting end users from injury, and preventing damage to circuitry. These functions benefit both the owner and the vendor of a given piece of equipment. Over the last 10 years, market demand for...

Apply virtualization to storage I/O: smart implementation of "back-end" PCI Express I/O virtualization enables vendors to efficiently work on multiple platforms and operating systems simultaneously, leading to significant increases in performance.(Design Solution)
May 21, 2009... Virtualization is receiving lots of attention these days. Behind the buzz are some simple, time-tested concepts. But the movement of this technology from the mainframe to the mainstream has brought it into the limelight. At its heart,...

Current-mode multiplier/divider design eschews passive components.(ideas for design)(Technical report)
May 21, 2009... This circuit design for a current-mode analog multiplier/ divider is based on current-controlled conveyors (CCCII) and a second-generation current conveyor (CCII). No passive components are used. Analog multipliers and dividers are...

Proton polymer: the key to double-layer supercaps for high-voltage applications.(Electronic Design Products)
May 21, 2009... The turn of the century saw the debut of a double-layer supercapacitor technology, the proton polymer. Since its introduction, there has been much success in pulse supercapacitor applications due to the intrinsically high conductivity...

High-current terminal blocks are lever-actuated.(interconnects)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... The 2716 series high-current, PCB-mount (printed-circuit board) terminal blocks feature a lever-actuated design that permits tool-free termination of conductors from 24AWG to 6AWG. The operator need only lift the lever, insert a stripped...

1-mm headers boost flexibility and efficiency.(interconnects)(Sullins SMH series)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... Promising to optimize design flexibility and manufacturing efficiency, the 1-mm contact centerline SMH series male header and SFM series female header mates enable EOEMs and assemblers to cut vendor count per bill of materials (BOM) as well as...

6-A pluggable relay measures 6.2 mm wide.(interconnects)(CWRE series)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... Available in four different models, the CWRE series 6.2 mm wide, pluggable 6-A relay mounts on a DIN rail and suits all types of inductive applications. The components carry voltage ratings of 24 V ac-dc, 120 V ac-dc, and 230 V ac. They feature...

Versatile proximity switches handle variety of applications.(SWITCHES & RELAYS)
May 21, 2009... A family of three series of magnetically actuated proximity switches handles a range of applications from the most basic to the most complex. The PRX-100 high-performance, moisture-resistant switches are designed for use as safety switches....

Pushbutton switch basks in harsh environments.(SWITCHES & RELAYS)
May 21, 2009... The 16-mm IR series sealed pushbutton switches are sealed to IP67 and available in a wide array of terminals, colors, and illumination options. Designed to endure harsh environments, the switches come with tactile and snap acting contact...

Terminal blocks enable safe CT shorting.(SWITCHES & RELAYS)
May 21, 2009... Providing safe disconnect capabilities between measuring transducers and safety equipment in current-transformer (CT) shorting applications, the ME test disconnect terminal blocks rely on a screw-free disconnect lever that provides visual...

Command consoles withstand rugged environments.(enclosures)(Optima Electronic Packaging Systems)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... Reliable for military/aerospace, mobile broadcast, law enforcement/HSS, emergency services, and other rugged applications, the command and communication consoles from Optima Electronic Packaging Systems are based on standard modules and can...

Enclosures enhance wide range of video displays.(ENCLOSURES)
May 21, 2009... Initially targeting the quick-serve restaurant industry, the QSR video-display enclosure easily adapts to any drive-through application such as banks and pharmacies. Its features ensure reliable performance while protecting its contents from...

Enclosure-mounting kits address smaller-diameter poles.(HGX-PMT16 and HGX-PMT13)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... For mounting L-Com Global Connectivity's line of NEMA-rated, weatherproof equipment enclosures, the HGX-PMT16 and HGX-PMT13 universal pole mounting kits enable secure enclosure mounting on smaller diameter poles. The HGX-PMT16 permits secure...

MEMS-based motion sensor thrives in portable products.(SENSORS)
May 21, 2009... Groomed for consumer and portable apps, the STMicroelectronics LIS352AX MEMS-based, tri-axis accelerometer with absolute analog output operates with a supply voltage range of 2.16 to 3.6 V. It boasts high stability over a wide temperature range...

Accelerometer and user interface fortify mobile products.(KXTF9)(Brief article)
May 21, 2009... The KXTF9 tri-axis accelerometer from Kionix integrates the company's directional Tap/Double-Tap interface, made possible by an algorithm embedded into the ASIC of the KXTF9 sensor. This feature creates up to 12 unique tap-enabled commands for...

Mailbox.(Letter to the editor)
May 21, 2009... HI BOB, Regarding quad op amps ("What's All This 'Free Amplifier' Stuff, Anyhow?" April 9, 2009; ED Online 20895), I thought I'd pass on this tidbit from my early days in the late 1970s. I was working at an industrial controls company on...