EDN articles from September 2004

EDN archives from September 2004

Go, Jets!(leading edge)
September 2, 2004... "You have to go through six electronic steps to change a radio station. I am not going to go through six electronic steps to get the Jets. Working a mouse and screen while speeding down the highway in a BMW isn't an activity encouraged by...

Mezzanine module boosts processing power.(leading edge)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... PENTEK RECENTLY RELEASED a high-performance, software-radio front end with two 105MHz, 14-bit A/D converters and two user-configurable Virtex-II Pro FPGAs. The model 6256 VIM (Velocity-interface-mezzanine) module targets computation-intensive...

Gate-drive optocoupler meets full military specs.(leading edge)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... OPTOCOUPLERS SOLVE many design problems in motor-control and power-supply designs, but finding them with full military specifications for defense and aerospace applications is a challenge. Agilent Technologies meets that need with the HCPL-5121...

Nanovoltmeter combats offsets, drift, and noise.(leading edge)
September 2, 2004... RELIABLY MEASURING billionths of a volt is essential to producing high-quality, state-of-the-art semiconductor devices. But getting repeatable, credible results has always presented great challenges. The quantities you want to measure are...

Book explores how wireless networks can peacefully coexist.(leading edge)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
September 2, 2004... So many wireless users and standards, so little spectrum, and, they're not making more of it, either. Wireless Network Coexistence by Robert Morrow, PhD, explains the various wireless standards of the crowded band, which includes Zigbee,...

Dilbert.(leading edge)
September 2, 2004... SO TED HAS BEEN TRAINING YOU FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BASED ON YOUR WORK, I'D SAY HE'S PLAYING THE WORLD'S LONGEST PRACTICAL JOKE ON YOU. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOMETIMES THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN...

Green chips control white light.(leading edge)
September 2, 2004... TWO NEW ICs from International Rectifier simplify lighting-control designs and increase lamp efficiency. The IR2520D forms the core of a robust, adaptive lighting-ballast design for CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps). The chip reduces a ballast's...

I/O tools simplify and speed test-application development.(leading edge)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... AGILENT HAS ANNOUNCED Version 2.0 of its T&M tool kit with test automation. The product provides what the company calls the industry's fastest method of sequencing measurements and analyzing results. A company spokesperson terms the product...

1U modular power-supply system adds capabilities.(leading edge)
September 2, 2004... AGILENT HAS ADDED new modules and paralleling capabilities to its MPS (modular power system), extending the system's output range to 100V or 80A. The low-profile, 1 U-high, multiple-output, programmable dc N6700 MPS gives test-system...

Tool provides chip-to-board approach to FPGA and pc-board design.(leading edge)(Field Programmable Gate Arrays)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... THE INCREASING CAPACITY of FPGA devices complicates the problem of integrating them on a pc board. In addition, many designs must operate at high frequency, further complicating integration. To address these problems, Mentor has introduced I/O...

USB drives test and measurement, sensor smarts get their role.(leading edge)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... THE USB INTERCONNECT, which was originally intended for simplifying keyboard, mouse, and printer connections to the PC, continues its expansion as the low-cost, easy-to-use interface. A new product in this market is National Instruments'...

Power supply lets you escape wimpy, single-digit outputs.(leading edge)(V Infinity)
September 2, 2004... IC SUPPLY-RAIL VOLTAGES may be dropping toward IV, but many designs need supplies in the hundreds or even thousands of volts due to the physics of the application To meet this need, four series of high-voltage dc/dc converters from V-Infinity...

Light-to-voltage converter offers design trade-offs.(leading edge)
September 2, 2004... A trio of integrated devices lets you select the sensitivity and rise time you need in light-to-voltage sensing and conversion. The TSL12, TSL15, and TSL14 from fexas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions each use a single die with photodiode,...

Multiplexing your micro with style.(baker's best)
September 2, 2004... CONNECTING EXTERNAL PERIPHERALS to your controller or processor is easy enough. You connect a processor-I/O pin to each external peripheral. You then have independent control of each peripheral Common peripherals include pushbutton switches and...

Moore no more?(edn.comment)(Gordon Moore)(Column)
September 2, 2004... SINCE SCIENTIST GORDON MOORE'S seminal and fairly accurate conjecture in 1965, our industry has lived and prospered by his eponymous "law" (Reference 1). From the earliest ICs to today's mega-ICs, it's been a long road of problems and advances...

Now boarding: a trip to China may just be the ticket to take your design to reality.(Offshore Outsourcing)(Column)
September 2, 2004... OUTSOURCING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. It involves substantial risk and effort. To get the best deals, you need to go directly to China. But getting the best competitive edge comes at a cost not everyone is willing to pay. In China, you...

Wireless sensors eye tire pressure: tire-pressure monitoring is one of the biggest safety improvements that electronics technology can give drivers. Direct-pressure-measurement systems have now set the stage to displace alternative approaches.(Safety Check)(Cover Story)
September 2, 2004... IN ANY CIVILIZED NATION TODAY, public safety is the highest profile activity on virtually every government's agenda. But away from the surveillance satellites, bugged phone lines, and intercepted e-mails, less shadowy government agencies...

Digital common-mode noise: coupling mechanisms and transfers in the z axis: digital noise can couple into sensitive circuit regions of an analog/digital board. The process of noise production from the common-mode point of view in the z axis merits careful analysis.(design feature)
September 2, 2004... THE DEVELOPMENT of digital common-mode noise starts with digital circuit devices. Peak overshoot and undershoot currents from the devices conduct into the power and return planes to result in this form of noise. Engineers attribute the peak...

Spectral content of NRZ test patterns: NRZ-test-pattern properties, such as data rate and pattern length, determine important time- and frequency-domain characteristics.(design feature)(non-return-to-zero )
September 2, 2004... MANY DIGITAL-COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS use non-return-to-zero (NRZ) signaling, and system designers have created many NRZ test patterns to test and verify their products. These patterns usually either simulate actual data or stress certain aspects...

Rework within your reach: a low-cost rework method safely and effectively removes and replaces modern "hidden-lead" surface-mount packages.(design features)
September 2, 2004... THE INTRODUCTION OF SMALL, chip-scale packaging has been a great benefit to the electronics industry. These small packages save precious pc-board space and have made possible modern devices, such as cell phones and PDAs. Engineers have designed...

Buffer adapts single-ended signals for differential inputs.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... DC COUPLING of single-ended signals into differential-input, single-supply ADCs can be challenging. The input signal requires level shifting from ground to [V.sub.S]/2 as well as single-ended-to-differential conversion. In addition, you must...

Triac lighting and heating controller uses few parts.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... THE TRIAC LIGHTING-control circuit in Figure 1 is small and inexpensive because load and housekeeping power come directly from the line voltage, thereby eliminating bulky, expensive supplies. The CLZD010 closed-loop controller maintains...

Constant-current, constant-voltage converter drives white LEDs.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... LEDs USUALLY take their drive from a constant dc-current source to maintain constant luminescence. Most dc/dc converters, however, deliver a constant voltage by comparing a feedback voltage to an internal reference via an internal error...

Sequential state machine aids in automatic control.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... CREATING A SEQUENTIAL state machine is a common approach for automatic-control design. The method finds wide use for controlling sequential processes in industry, robotics, and measuring. The concept of a state machine is simple: A number of...

Hysteretic regulators provide high performance at low cost.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... HYSTERETIC VOLTAGE regulators offer the potential advantages of simplicity, fast response, 100%-duty-cycle operation, high efficiency at light loading, and low cost. They need no loop-compensation components to add delays; thus, response time...

Power-supply IC drives multiple LEDs.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... BRIGHT LEDs are becoming prominent sources of light. They often have better efficiency and reliability than do conventional light sources. Although LEDs can operate from an energy source as simple as a battery and a resistor, driving a string...

Basic flashlamp illumination circuitry for cellular telephones/cameras--design note 345.(Design Notes)(Advertisement)
September 2, 2004... Introduction Next generation cellular telephones will include high quality photographic capability. Flashlamp-based lighting is crucial for good photographic performance. A previous full-length Linear Technology publication detailed flash...

Supercapacitor boosts current from small battery.(design ideas)
September 2, 2004... SOME BATTERY-POWERED devices require large amounts of current in a short period of time but spend most of the time in sleep (power-down) mode. The momentary large-load current demands large batteries to meet the time requirement, even though...

5.6-kW front-end supply.(powersources showcase)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Accepts common input voltages of 200 to 480V ac, while providing a 32V dc output at 175A * Provides a power density in excess of 10W/[in.sup.3] from a 5x8x16.1-in. package * FXP6000-32, $3181 Power-One Inc, 1-805-987-8741,...

High-voltage power supplies.(powersources showcase)(HiTek Power)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Offer two input-voltage variants for operation from any standard three-phase mains supply * Deliver maximum output of 20 and 30 kW at voltages to 200 kV * OL20K, OL30K, from $27,000 (OEM) HiTek Power, 1-619-258-7700,...

SIP dc/dc converters.(powersources showcase)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Nonisolated point-of-load converters are now available in single-in-line packages * Offer input voltage ranges of 2.4 to 5.5V dc and 8.4 to 14V dc with programmable output voltages * Austin SuperLynx II (16A), $11.60; Lynx II (10A),...

Nonisolated point-of-load converters.(powersources showcase)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * 5A model accepts 5V (NCA005) and 12V (NEA005) input; the 10A model accepts 12V (NEA010) input * Come in both single-in-line and surface-mount packages * Volant series NCA005, NEA005, and NEA010, $8.55 to $12.97 Celestica Inc,...

Power-conversion IC.(powersources showcase)(Intregrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Combines a 700V MOSFET, PWM controller, high-voltage startup, current limit, and thermal shutdown circuitry on one CMOS chip * Simplifies the design of offline switching power supplies for applications of less than 4W * LNK520, 35...

USB-based GPIB interface.(Test & Measurement)(Universal Serial Bus)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Converts any PC with a USB interface into a full-function IEEE 488.2 bus controller * Plug-and-play peripheral runs under Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, and XP * USB-GPIB controller module, $399 Measurement Computing Corp,...

Jitter/timing test tool.(Test & Measurement)(DFT Microsystems Inc)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Platform-independent 3.8x4.2x1.1-in. module plugs into standard connectors on any device interface board * Combines five timing-generation units, five timing-measurement units, and DSP hardware to ensure high accuracy and repeatability at...

3U PXI digitizers.(Test & Measurement)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Single-slot dual-channel boards deliver bandwidths of 1 GHz (DC140) and 500 MHz (DC135) * Provide channel multiplexing to effectively double sampling rates and acquisition memory * DC140, DC135, from $6990 Acqiris USA,...

Scope-powered current probe.(Test & Measurement)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Measures a maximum continuous current (ac or dc) of 30A rms or 50A peak for short periods of time * Provides a -3-dB bandwidth of 100 MHz * Model 701932, $2600 Yokogawa Corp of America, 1-770-254-0400, www.us. yokogawa.com

400-mV reference.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Draws 5.6-[micro]A quiescent current over a supply range of 1.4 to 18V * Comes in commercial, industrial, and automotive temperature grades with reference accuracies of [+ or -] 0.75%, [+ or -] 1%, and [+ or -] 1.5%, respectively *...

High-speed DACs.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * 10-, 12-, and 14-bit devices operate as fast as 260M samples/sec from a single 3.3V supply * Consume 103 mW with 20 mA out at 130M samples/sec * ISL5757, $5.72; ISL5857, $12.27; and ISL5957, $14 (100) Intersil Corp,...

LCD protection array.(Integrated Circuits)(Liquid Crystal Displays)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Provides 10 lines of EMI filtering with greater than 30-dB attenuation in the 800 to 1000-MHz range and 20 dB at 2.4 GHz and 5 to 6 GHz * Flip-chip measures 2.5 mm square and 0.65 mm high * LX7207, 68 cents (1000) Microsemi...

Dual current-limited switch.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Delivers as much as 1.2A of output current per channel with a switch resistance of 55 m[ohm] * Offers auto-reset, fault blanking, and reverse current blocking * MAX1558, from $1.10 (1000) Maxim Integrated Products,...

TFT LCD boost regulator.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Supplies as much as 600 mA of output current with selectable 600-kHz or 1.2-MHz switching frequency * Accommodates an input range of 2.5 to 5.5V * EL7516, 88 cents (10,000) Intersil Corp, 1-408-935-4300, www. intersil.com

PCI reference development kit.(Integrated Circuits)(Peripheral Component Interconnect)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Speeds IP development and verification of applications based on the QuickPCI family of devices * Comes with both IP and a preprogrammed QL5842 device demonstrating the embedded PCI core running together with a DDR SDRAM controller *...

Serial real-time clocks.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Maintain timekeeping at supply levels as low as 1.0V * Come in 16-pin QFN packages that measure just 3 mm square * M41T50, 40 cents; M41T60, 45 cents; and M41T62-65, 50 cents (midrange volume) STMicroelectronics Inc,...

Surround-sound codecs.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * DACs provide dynamic range of as much as 108 dB; ADCs provide dynamic range of as much as 105 dB * Incorporate six or eight 24-bit, 192-kHz DACs, plus six 24-bit, 192 kHz ADCs * CS42436, $4.80; CS42438, $5.04; and CS42448, $5.11...

576-Mbit stacked DRAM.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Leverages Toshiba's 16M x 36-bit Network FCRAM (Fast Cycle RAM) and Staktek's StakPak BGA stacking technology * StakPak provides controlled impedance interconnections and high-speed switching-noise decoupling internal to the stack *...

Audio/video decoder.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Automatically detects and configures both broadcast audio and video, accepting an array of inputs * Provides an [I.sup.2]S I/O port that accepts as many as 24 bits of audio resolution * CX25840, $11.75 (10,000) Conexant Systems Inc,...

LCD-TV chip set.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Timing controller (FPD80200) and column driver (FPD48084) support National Semiconductor's PPDS (point-to-point differential-signaling) digital-interface architecture * PPDS simplifies the display interconnect and enhances display...

Rad-tolerant reconfigurable FPGAs.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Offer maximum density of 6 million system gates, along with embedded block RAM, multipliers, digital clock manager, and integrated I/O termination * Come in a range of grades; space grades are guaranteed for a total ionizing dose of 200k...

PCI-X bus bridge.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Two-port PCI-X to PCI-X bridge chip supports 64-bit, 133-MHz operation, as well as 32-bit, 33-MHz operation * Offers dynamic prefetching control, configurable free space in the memory data FIFO, and 5V tolerance * PI7C21P100, from...

Three-port SRAM.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * 8k x 16-bit devices enable simultaneous access to the memory from all three device ports * Support 3.0 and 1.8V I/Os * 70V525M, 70P525M, 70P5258M, $4.55 (500,000) Integrated Device Technology Inc, 1-408-727-6116, www.idt.com

1.8V MCP memory device.(Integrated Circuits)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Combines 128 Mbits of burst NOR flash and 128 Mbits of burst PSRAM, plus 256 Mbits of NAND flash * Enables fast data transfer and low power consumption for 3G mobile deivces * 1.8V MCP, $35 (samples) Toshiba America Electronic...

Mobile multimedia processor core.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Implements the V4 architecture, which executes as many as 54 elemental RISC operations per clock cycle when performing motion estimation * Uses a six-stage pipeline that allows operation at as much as 450 MHz in worst-case 90-nm silicon...

Embedded processor.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Based on Intel XScale technology with integrated Wireless MMX and Quick Capture to enable as much as 4M pixels of image quality * Runs at clock speeds of 312, 416, and 520 MHz * PXA270, from $32 (10,000) Intel Corp,...

8-bit microcontroller.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Packs byte-erasable flash, a real-time clock, three 16-bit counters, [I.sup.2]C bus, enhanced UART, and SPI port * Employs two ADCs, converting signals in less than 4 [micro]sec * LPC935, $1.27 to $1.87 (10,000) Philips...

RTOS/EDE port.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Targets Renesas Technology's 16-bit H8S/2377 microcontroller * Embedded development environment includes a multitasking debugger * Nucleus RTOS, from $12,495; code|lab Embedded Developer Suite, from $3495 per seat Accelerated...

32-bit RISC processor.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Includes an on-chip IPSec accelerator and two Ethernet controllers * Encodes and decodes as many as four channels of voice, while operating at 200 MHz * SH7710, $20 (samples) Renesas Technology America Inc, 1-408-382-7500,...

8-bit flash microcontroller units.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Offer a migration path from Microchip's OTP devices with equivalent price and identical pinouts in eight-, 14-, 18-, 20-, and 28-pin packages * Provide a 4-MHz internal oscillator and wider operating voltage of 2 to 5.5V * PIC16F54,...

Digital signal controllers.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Flash-based (LF2401A) and ROM-based (LC2401A) controllers are now available at lower prices * Offer 8k words of memory and come in pin-compatible 7 x 7-mm packages * TMS320LF2401A, $2.95; TMS320LC2401A, $1.95 (OEM) Texas...

Licensable DSP subsystem.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Built around the Palm DSP core for use in system-on-chip designs for 3G phones, base stations, and home multimedia * Fully synthesizable, process independent platform incorporates a DMA controller, buffered TDM port, host port interface,...

M16C development tool set.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Increases execution speed by as much as 40% and decreases code size by 15% * Supports both the Renesas M16C and R8C/Tiny microcontrollers * TASKING M16C V3.0, $2790 Altium Inc, 1-800-458-8276, www.altium.com

8051 C compiler.(Microprocessors)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... * Includes the Hi-Tide IDE, a peripheral device wizard, and support for more than 800 chips * Delivers optimal code size and a variety of debug file formats * Hi-Tech C for 8051, Version 9.01, $950 Hi-Tech Software, 1-800-735-5715,...

The artist formerly known as Dalai.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... "The Dalai Lama has said, 'Share your knowledge, and you will achieve immortality.' This Buddhist and hacker spirit is the entire point of the show.... Open-source your brain and your life." --Franziska Nori, curator of an art exhibit...

Electronic circuit breaker offers flexibility that passive units can't.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... FORGET ABOUT those thermal-versus-magnetic breaker arguments, as even relatively staid devices, such as circuit breakers, succumb to the lure of internal processors and programmability--and with good reason. The ESS60-T from E-T-A Circuit...

Tool adds high-caliber resistance and capacitance engines.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... SHRINKING GEOMETRIES in ICs require greater predictability in device modeling. Nanometer effects can cause an entire chip to fail and can impact the yield unless you use postlayout and simulation technologies to isolate and identify the...

Capacitor adds lead, loses ESL.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... Murata's 0603-size capacitor uses a modified electrode structure and adds a third terminal to reduce ESL (equivalent series resistance) to one-fifth the value of comparable units. It improves high-frequency filtering and provides 50- to 70-dB...

Modules, software turn Palm PDAs into data-acquisition systems.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)
September 16, 2004... Datastick Systems' DAS-1254 and DAS-1294 data-acquisition systems include two new hardware modules that attach to Palm PDAs; three new members of the Datastick Connection suite of software applications that run on Palm handheld devices; and a...

1500W supply has industry's highest power density.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... Agilent 1U-high supplies in its programmable N5700 series provide the highest power density of any programmable supplies of their size, according to the company. The series comprises 24 single output models, several of which can deliver as much...

Dilbert.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)
September 16, 2004... DOGBERT THE HEADHUNTER WE'LL NEED TO REWORD THE CEO SECTION OF YOUR RESUME. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S NEVER A RIGHT TIME TO USE THE WORD "PLUNDERED." AND INSTEAD OF "SUCKERS IGNORED OUR P/E RATIO," SAY YOU "ENHANCED STOCKHOLDER VALUE."...

900-MHz modems feature 20-mile range.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... NOW AVAILABLE with 1W of output power, Aero-Comm's ConnexLink packaged transceivers can communicate line-of-sight over distances of 20 miles. You can set up units in minutes for cable-free communication between industrial RS232/ 422/485...

Content matters in smart-network gear.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... INCREASINGLY, network-equipment vendors are adding support for upper layer applications that previously lived in servers or workstations. For instance, the equipment can handle security and content processing that are mapped to layers 3 to 7 of...

System simulator promises fewer design headaches.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Virtutech Inc)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... Engineers know that simulation is usually a good thing, whether they perform it at the IC-design, system, or block-diagram level. Version 2.0 of Simics from Virtutech aims to make your system simulation more effective, more thorough, and...

Test for designers.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)
September 16, 2004... FOR YEARS, National Instruments has been hugely successful at applying its concept of virtual instrumentation, especially in automated testing and test-oriented laboratories. The LabView environment, however, hasn't been ideal for design...

Software-development tools adding more smarts.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(TEXAS INSTRUMENTS' Code Composer Studio Tuning Edition )
September 16, 2004... TEXAS INSTRUMENTS' Code Composer Studio Tuning Edition introduces an integrated collection of software-analysis and -optimization tools for developers using C6000 DSPs. A configurable display within the IDE comprises the advice window, the...

Graphical tools reconfigure embedded hardware.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)
September 16, 2004... NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS extends its popular virtual-instrumentation software to the embedded-system market with the introduction of a ruggedized, embedded control-and acquisition system. The new CompactRIO system allows developers to define custom...

Tool extends support for SystemVerilog.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... NOVAS SOFTWARE has introduced nLint, which supports SystemVerilog 3.0 and builds on support for the language across the company's debugging products. The tool now provides basic rule-checking capabilities for all SystemVerilog 3.0 design...

"Universal contact" not for alien life forms.(Leading edge: what's hot in the design community)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... TO EASE PC-BOARD connection of disparate devices, such as speakers, microphones, buzzers, and even antennas in cramped handheld devices, a universal contact from ITT Industries/Cannon helps maintain a robust electrical and mechanical connection...

Return current matters.(signal integrity)
September 16, 2004... DIFFERENTIAL ARCHITECTURES SOMETIMES tempt you to ignore return-current issues, assuming that the signal current returns on the other trace. Although in some cases this assumption may provide a useful mental image, it is not true. Even in a...

Reaching reliability relapse?(edn.comment)(Column)
September 16, 2004... NOT TOO LONG AGO, our industry suffered component-reliability problems, and large-volume users found that memory ICs from US companies had higher failure rates than comparable Japanese ICs. Now, as a result of intense efforts, ICs of all types...

EDA tools for FPGAs break down the complexity gridlock: FPGA devices offer execution speed and gate capacity that rivals many ASIC implementations and fosters the growth of EDA tools in that market.(design feature)(Electronic design automation)(Field Programmable Gate-Array)(Application Specific Integrated Circuit)
September 16, 2004... AT A GLANCE * FPGAs provide the capabilities that system on-chip designs require. * Most FPGA vendors provide their own development support software. * Engineers that require the flexibility to target devices from multiple vendors...

Seeking clarity: image sensors peer into a blurry future: are sensors' days of predictable resolution growth and size reductions nearing an end? If so, what other innovation opportunities exist, and which technology will win the CCD-versus-CMOS tug of war?(Cover Story)
September 16, 2004... AT A GLANCE * CCD-versus-CMOS-sensor market success increasingly has less to do with the technologies' respective technical characteristics. * Shrinking pixel dimensions result in sensors that are increasingly unusable in real-life...

Embedded Linux nears real time: with new kernel updates and multiple latency-reduction options, Linux has become a viable alternative for many real-time-embedded-system designs.(tech trends)(Real Time Application Interface)
September 16, 2004... AT A GLANCE * A newly released update to Linux delivers kernel pre-emption, improved scheduling, and a Posix (Portable Operating System Interface for Unix) for enhanced real-time performance. * Depending on the timing requirements,...

Optimize your protocol-stack design: getting the most out of one aspect of your design need not mean giving up another.(design feature)
September 16, 2004... MOST PROTOCOLS USE layered architectures to some degree, layers that you can manipulate to achieve your optimal design. Optimizing the placement of these layers, you can achieve efficient code execution (or speed), code size, and development...

Delta-sigma ADCs: high performance analog solutions from linear technology: automatic calibration of external components.(Advertisement)
September 16, 2004... The LTC[R]2449, an 8kHz, 16-channel delta-sigma ADC, provides high resolution systems designers with a dramatic improvement in accuracy, precision and drift. The device reduces the cost and increases the performance of precision designs by...