EP&Dee no 6

EP&DeeDESIGN & MANUFACTURING JUNE, 2014 ISSUE NO. 6, VOL. 12

E L E C T R O N I C S P R O D U C T S & D E S I G N E A S T E R N E U R O P E

THE EAST EUROPEAN RESOURCEFOR EMBEDDED APPLICATIONS

EP&Dee | June, 2014 | www.epd-ee.eu2

Table of Contents

JUNE 2014

EUROSTANDARD PRESS 2000

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Group Publishing DirectorGabriel Neagu

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AdvertisementIrina Ganea

WEBEugen Vărzaru

Contributing editorsRadu Andrei Ross Bannatyne

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EP&Dee is giving you the chance to win a dsPICDEM™ SMPSBuck Board. This development board provides an easy andeconomical way to evaluate the dsPIC30F202x/1010 SMPS& Digital Power Conversion family of components and pro-vides an educational and prototyping platform to investi-gate digital power conversion and digital Switch ModePower Supply (SMPS) design. The board includes a socket-ed dsPIC30F2020 device connected to power devices andcircuitry for controlling dual independent low power DC toDC Synchronous Buck Converter circuits as well as support,debug, and communication circuitry.

Key features of the dsPICDEM™ SMPS Buck DevelopmentBoard include:• Socketed dsPIC30F2020 on board connected to powerdevices and circuitry for controlling dual independent lowpower DC to DC Synchronous Buck Converter circuits • Buck converters can operate in Synchronous orAsynchronous modes • Input voltage range 7V to 15V (nominal 9V) • User can enable a dynamic output load to investigatetransient response • User potentiometers to simulate application featuressuch as voltage trim, remote voltage sense, voltage track-ing, current sharing, etc. • MPLAB® ICD 2 or REAL ICE support ready • RS-232 serial channel • Example software.

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DESIGN FEATURES

10 Technical Introduction to the RZ/A familyThis article is a technical introduction to the RZ/A family, the new embedded processor from Renesas. The device is available in a number of options and a number of configurations designed to give designersa broad choice when designing their TFT drive or GUI application. The article will go into some detail on the features of the RZ/A family, including a technical overview of the memory architecture that includesthe world’s largest embedded RAM (up to 10MB) as well as a specially designed bus architecture to ensure fast bus throughput to the memory.

15 Digital power – a faster pick for mining crypto-currenciesTime-to-market has always been important in our industry. And for the mining of crypto-currencies, it is even more so the case.

16 RED Pitaya is available at Aurocon COMPECRed Pitaya is a innovative single-board, open instrumentation and control platform which replaces many expensive laboratory and field instruments at a much lower price.

18 Making the right connectionsWireless connectivity is rapidly becoming a ‘must-have’ feature across all sectors, providing everything fromcable replacement to internet connectivity; even turning everyday objects in to full-function web-servers.

20 Scan System Teaches Robots How to Take AimHigh-power welding with online seam tracking proves its mettle in the automotive industry.

22 Universally representing embedded systemsUntil now, Rutronik has only been seen as an embedded specialist distributor to a limited extent. Unjustly so, in fact, because the broadliner carries all the required components for complete, specific embedded systems in its portfolio.

26 Innovative Encoders Deliver Durability and Precision Without TradeoffsCapacitive-based encoders offer a combination of performance, reliability, and accuracy not available with traditional encoder technologies.

30 Light-band detects object presence

32 Extended mains choke SeriesOne of the most important environmental conditions for the smooth operation of electrical equipment is a reliable quality of supply networks.

PRODUCT NEWS

Embedded Systems(p 4 - 9)(p 14, 21, 25, 29, 35)

Sensors(p 30, 31, 33)

Lighting Solutions /Display(p 34)

Active Components(p 36 - 39)

3934

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Replace 20 Discrete Chipswith One Configurable

Data ConverterMaxim Integrated’s flexible data converter is ideal for base stations,industrial control and automation.Now engineers can mix and match 20 ADCs, 20DACs or 20 High voltage digital I/O pins in anyorder using the MAX11300, the new mixed-signal PIXI™ technology from Maxim IntegratedProducts, Inc.Designers often work with application-specificdevices that are neither flexible nor easy toprogram. The MAX11300 PIXI is the industry’sfirst configurable 20-channel, -10V to +10Vhigh-voltage mixed-signal data converter. It isideally suited for complex applications requir-ing multiple mixed-signal operations like base

stations and industrial control and automation.Graphical user interface software that comeswith the MAX11300 PIXI allows rapid drag anddrop configuration of the device. Any functioncan be assigned to any pin. Select an ADC andconnect it to any of 20 pins, select a DAC andconnect it to any pin or assign a digital I/O toany pin. Unlike traditional multichannel dataconverters, the MAX11300 data converter letsengineers configure the 20 mixed signalinput/outputs (I/Os) to optimize a design. Itgives engineers the flexibility to be creative. High integration provides a smaller size, lowercost, and simplified bill of materials (BOM).The flexibility of the MAX11300PIXI signifi-cantly shortens design time and time to market.The MAX11300 PIXI data converter integratesa 12-bit, multichannel, analog-to-digital con-verter (ADC); a 12-bit, multichannel, buffereddigital-to-analog converter (DAC); and high-voltage analog switches and digital I/Os. Withits wide -10V to +10V, high-voltage range, theMAX11300 PIXI enables high-voltage bipolarsignals. It provides more design flexibility thanany competing data converter. Each of the 20mixed-signal I/Os can be uniquely configuredfor the application, so designers can optimizePCB layout. Configuration software enablessimple “drag and drop” setup of the 20 ports.Files can be exported for coding and easilyreconfigured as requirements change. MAXIM INTEGRATED www.maximintegrated.com

Altera Corporation and Lime Microsystems,a leading provider of field programmableRF (radio frequency) transceivers head-quartered in the UK, have entered into aStrategic Cooperation Agreement focusedon jointly developing and promoting pro-

grammable solutions for a diverse range ofbroadband wireless markets. The agree-ment will result in the development of opti-mized field programmable radio frequency(FPRF) transceivers, digital RF and base-band solutions that will enable systemdesigners to reduce their overall costs,lower power, shorten time-to-market, andcustomize designs for key wireless infra-

structure, enterprise, military, industrial, testand medical applications. As part of theagreement, Altera has also made an equityinvestment in Lime Microsystems.As demand for mobile data traffic continuesto increase, small cell wireless backhaul sys-tems are projected to handle a quarter ofmobile traffic by 2016, according to analystfirm Infonetics. This trend is reshapingmobile networks and carriers are lookingfor ways to simplify complexity and costs ofsmall cell deployment.Altera’s high performance FPGAs, coupledwith single-chip RF transceiver technologyfrom Line Microsystems supporting allmainstream global wireless communicationstandards, will simplify small cell deploy-ment and enable the creation of low- costmobile networks.Additionally, Myriad-RF, which was found-ed by Lime Microsystems and is a family ofopen source hardware projects for the pro-totyping and creation of fully configurablewireless platforms, also will give developerseasy access to Altera-Lime optimized refer-ence designs, boards, and software stacksand drivers to quickly, easily and affordablybuild next-generation wireless systems.ALTERA www.altera.comLIME MICROSYSTEMS www.limemicro.com

INDUSTRY NEWS EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

Altera and Lime Microsystems Team Up to Accelerate andSimplify the Development of Wireless Networks

Altera Corporation announced that itsFPGAs are central to software defined datacenter (SSDC) development, and that Alterais working with Microsoft Research and Bingto accelerate portions of the web searchengine. Altera's field programmable gatearrays (FPGAs) can accelerate the processingof large amounts of data on servers, whichhelps address big data challenges and mas-sive distributed workloads. Microsoftshared key developments in a researchpaper titled, “A Reconfigurable Fabric forAccelerating Large-Scale Data CenterServices” that was presented at the 41st

International Symposium on ComputerArchitecture (ISCA) in Minneapolis. Thepaper details how Altera's technologies areused to increase performance. Distributed reconfigurable fabrics have thepotential to be a viable path forward asserver performance increases continue tolevel off and will be crucial at the end ofMoore's Law for continued cost and capa-bility improvements.Based on the results, Bing plans to roll outFPGA-accelerated servers to process cus-

tomer searches in one of its data centersstarting in early 2015.FPGAs Enable the Software Defined DataCenter Altera's view of the softwaredefined data center is that programmablelogic, and FPGAs, in particular, are helpingdrive the transformation of the moderndata center. Data centers are increasingly

addressing challenging big data analyticsand HPC requirements with tight couplingand sharing of computing, networking, andstorage resources. A data center's infra-structure can be virtualized and deliveredas a service over commodity servers. ALTERA www.altera.com

Altera Programmable Logic is Critical DNA in SoftwareDefined Data Centers

www.epd-ee.eu | June, 2014 | EP&Dee 5

Microchip Technology Inc., a lead-ing provider of microcontroller,mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IPsolutions, announced that DaimlerAG is the latest automotive com-pany to adopt the latest-genera-tion MOST150 standard, usingMicrochip’s Intelligent NetworkInterface Controllers (INICs), aspresented by Daimler’s Dr. Jan

Bauer at the recent MOST® Forumin Germany. Dr. Bauer explainedwhy Daimler chose MOST150 forits flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Classsedan’s next-generation infotain-ment system. He also providedinsights on how they easily movedfrom a legacy MOST25 system togain performance improvementsof 150 Mbit/s, while utilizingMOST150’s many new features,including isochronous videostreaming and the new MOSTEthernet Protocol (MEP), which is adedicated channel that was addedto the many transport mechanismsalready supported by MOSTtechnology.

Dr. Bauer explained how Daimlerwas able to take advantage of thehigh streaming-data transferspeeds to achieve the simultaneousplayback of four HD videos, due to

MOST150’s elimination of address-ing control or overhead. He alsocited the standard’s ability to effi-ciently route data to the appropri-ate interfaces, such as I2S for audioand I2C™ for control, which elimi-nates interrupts to the host proces-sor for streaming, freeing it to per-form other tasks or enabling theuse of a less-expensive MPU.

Regarding MOST150’s new MEP,Dr. Bauer said in his accompanyingpaper, “The MOST Ethernet chan-nel can transport unmodifiedEthernet frames, according to IEEE802.3. This permits software stacksand applications from the consumerand IT domain to be seamlesslymigrated into the car. TCP/IP stacks,or protocols utilizing TCP/IP, cancommunicate via the MOST buswithout any modification. Thus thenew generation of MOST technolo-gy provides the automotive-readyphysical layer for Ethernet in the car.”

Dan Termer, vice president ofMicrochip’s Automotive InformationSystems Division, commentedafter Dr. Bauer’s presentation,“MOST technology is the de-factoindustry standard that carmakersuse to create a high-speed network-ing backbone within their vehicles.”

Daimler Implements MOST150 in FlagshipMercedes-Benz S-Class;

Presents Insights on Next-Gen InfotainmentSystem at MOST® Forum

First integrated RF power development system reducescomplexity of RF application creation with portable,multi-functional instrumentation capabilities.Freescale Semiconductor, the leading provider of RF powertechnology, introduced the RF Power Tool system, which isdesigned tosimplify thedevelopmentof RF powerapplicationsand help cus-tomers createnew and dif-ferentiated RF power solutions. The only comprehensivelyintegrated RF power application development system onthe market, Freescale’s RF Power Tool system minimizes thesize, cost and complexity of RF lab equipment needed forapplication development by integrating multiple RF benchtool capabilities into a single box, reducing the need for afull bench of RF evaluation equipment. Including critical components needed to design innovative RFpower applications into a modular portable unit, and fullycompatible with a range of Freescale RF power evaluationboards and reference designs, the new Freescale RF PowerTool system simplifies the design process, reduces develop-ment costs and speeds time-to-market. The system runs direct-ly from a PC or front panel, and can be initiated in only minutesat a cost significantly lower than a traditional RF bench setup. The Freescale RF Power Tool system allows users to define RFconditions for their applications and provides easy system val-idation and real-time performance monitoring and data log-ging to allow customers to evaluate application tradeoffs. Thishelps developers reduce the time needed to design, develop,evaluate and update their RF power applications such as heat-ing, mobile radio, ISM and broadcast products. The tool offers temperature sensing, voltage sensing andpower detection. An integrated Kinetis microcontroller cap-italizes on Freescale’s leadership in control solutions, whilecompatibility with Freescale RF evaluation boards from 5Wto 1.25 kW and from 10 MHz to 2.5 GHz allows customers tobenefit from Freescale’s long history of RF power expertise.

FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR www.freescale.com

Freescale Simplifies RF PowerApplication Development


MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGYTo view Dr. Bauer’s MOST Forum presentation, visitwww.microchip.com/get/GQJ2For more information on Microchip’s MOST technology solutions,visit www.microchip.com/get/LWSU

Additional Features• RF generator

- 1 MHz to 2.5 GHz - 1 Hz steps - Level adjustable in 0.5 dB

steps - Pulse modulation - 0.1% to 99.9% duty cycle - 1 us resolution

• RF power measurement- 1 mW to 2 kW range

- Forward power- Reflected power

• Bias voltage supply - 4 channels - 0-5 V, 10 mV steps

• DC measurements- Voltage - Current

• All connected to a PC witha unified interface


Renesas Electronics ExpandsDevelopment Platform for

R-IN32M3 Series ofIndustrial Network SoCs

Renesas Electronics announced the expansionof its R-IN32M3 series platform solution forindustrial Ethernet protocols with an IARSystems® development kit and multipleIndustrial Ethernet protocol stacks support.IAR Systems eases device evaluation with therelease of its low-cost hardware starter kit, IARKickStart Kit™ for R-IN32M3 SoCs. The kitincludes an R-IN board, an I-jet Lite debugprobe and evaluation versions of IAREmbedded Workbench® for ARM, as well aslots of protocol stacks on Renesas’ website.The solution enables simplified developmentand contributes to reduced development timefor industrial networking applications.As industry moves towards the Smart Factory,communication networks have become a criticalcomponent in improving production efficiencyand real-time processing. Nowadays, the numberand complexity of industrial protocols like CC-Link IE®, EtherCAT®, PROFINET®, etc., as well as avariety of applications, has led to long and com-plex development cycles.Renesas’ R-IN32M3 series of devices significantlyimproves industrial Ethernet network perform-ance with optimized hardware accelerators,while reducing costs by supporting multiple pro-tocols such as EtherCAT®, CC-Link® IE,EtherNet/IP®, PROFINET®, CANopen® and oth-ers, from a single device. It can be used for real-time network communication in gateways, I/Ocontrollers, PLCs/PACs, embedded controllers,industrial drives and countless other networkedapplications. Its exceptional design flexibilityallows one system design to serve a diversity ofnetworks and applications. To further ease the development, a new plat-form for this R-IN32M3 is now available in collab-oration with IAR Systems, a leader in embeddedsoftware tools. This new platform consists of thenew IAR KickStart Kit for R-IN32M3, which con-tains the necessary hardware and tools to quick-ly evaluate the features of the R-IN32M3 andleverage the hardware RTOS feature, and thesupport of leading Industrial Ethernet protocolstacks. The platform solution is complementedby a broad set of industrial Ethernet protocolsamples available on the Renesas website. Thisallows customers to easily set up the environ-ment for protocols, such as EtherCAT®,EtherNet/IP® or PROFINET®, on the R-IN32M3.This combination delivers a complete and pow-erful, yet simple and cost effective platform forsetting up Ethernet-based industrial networks.Renesas’ R-IN32M3 platform solution serves as akey enabler to fulfill the Internet-of-Things (IoT)requirements in an industrial environment. RENESAS ELECTRONICS www.renesas.eu


NLT Technologies (NLT), together with itssales and marketing channels in theAmericas, Tianma NLT America, and inEurope, Renesas Electronics Europe GmbH,has announced the successful developmentof a new 19.0-inch color LCD module withfactory installed projected capacitive(PCAP) touch panel technology.

The newly developed 19.0-inch model is thecurrently largest size in NLT’s PCAP family,which adapts PCAP touch panel in LCDmodule, both developed and produced byNLT Technologies. It incorporates NLT’s pro-prietary Super Fine TFT technology (SFT)that achieves high luminance, wide colorgamut and ultra-wide viewing angles and is

ideal for use in professional display applica-tions such as medical equipment.

Total touch solutionNLT offers total PCAP solutions, that includethe LCD, touch panel and controller board,direct from NLT’s factory. This is importantfor customers since the PCAP displays arecovered by the same factory warranty NLToffers on all of their industrial LCD products.NLT also offers support for drivers and tun-ing software of touch panel, allowing cus-tomers to easily design NLT’s touch paneldisplays into their end products.

Long-term support same as Industrial LCDNLT’s PCAP products offer the same long-term support program, high quality andTotal Cost of Ownership (TCO) benefits asoffered for their industrial LCD products.

Various PCAP OptionsNLT’s PCAP touch panels offer valuablecomponent and structural options such asbonding, surface treatment, or cover glass.This allows end product designers greaterflexibility and more display options depend-ing on the end use of the display.

RENESAS ELECTRONICSwww.renesas.eu/display

NLT Technologies Enhances Lineup of Touch Technology Family

MSC Technologies has expanded its MSCC6B-8S COM Express™ Type 6 modulefamily based on fourth generation Intel®Core™ processors (code name Haswell)with two cost-efficient Celeron® variants.The powerful computer-on-modules aresuitable for sophisticated applications inimaging, medical, digital sig-nage and gaming systems.The new high-end modulesintegrate the 2000E (2.2GHz)or 2002E (1.5GHz) Intel®Celeron® processors with twoCPU cores and 2MB cache.The thermal dissipation power(TDP) is 437W (2000E) or25W. The Intel® HD graphics(GT1) implemented into theprocessor offers acceleratedvideo coding and decodingfunctions and supportsDirectX 11.1, OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL™ 1.2.The MSC C6B-8S module family has threecomprehensive Digital Display Interfaces(DDIs) for the connection of three inde-pendent displays. The DDIs can be used asDisplayPort 1.2 with multi-stream supportor HDMI with a resolution of up to 3800 x2400 pixels. Furthermore the modules havetwo embedded DisplayPort interfaces,

along with a dual-channel LVDS and CRTinterface.The COM Express™ modules are based onthe powerful Intel® 8-Series platformController Hubs (PCHs) QM87 (for i5 andi7 processors) or HM86 (i3 and Celeron).The rich set of I/O capabilities features four

fast USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, sevenPCI Express™ x1 channels, a PCI Express™graphics (PEG) x16 interface for powerfulexternal graphics cards and an LPC bus forlegacy I/O interfaces. In addition, GbitEthernet, HD audio and four SATA inter-faces at up to 6Gb/s are available. MSC TECHNOLOGIESwww.msc-technologies.eu

Cost-Efficient COM Express Modules with Celeron CPUs



Kontron announced the launch of the AM4024 AdvancedMCmodule featuring the 4th generation Intel Core i5 / i7 processorseries, ideal for high-performance computing and generalmulti-processor systems. Compliant to MicroTCA andAdvancedTCA commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardwaredesigns, the AM4024 perfectly serves the network require-ments for media server and gateway applications, as well as testand measurement solutions. In particular, the Kontron AM4024also offers a faster go-to-market strategy for the burgeoningmobile and broadband content delivery segment.

From a 1U MicroTCA platform with six AdvancedMC slots to a13U AdvancedTCA platform with up to 12 ATCA carrier cardslots, the Kontron AdvancedMC module AM4024 is an integralcomponent to support the various streaming, live and off-linevideo transcoding. The delivery of video requires significantcompute resources which, in the case of the Kontron AM4024,can be efficiently offloaded to the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200engine incorporated into the 4th generation Intel Core i7processor. Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) can takeadvantage of the Intel Media SDK 2014 to utilize the Intel IrisPro and Intel HD Graphics hardware acceleration capabilities.The design process is significantly shortened to easily developoptimized media applications - for Linux and Windows serveroperating systems - that encode, decode, and transcode forreal-time streaming, teleconferencing, and video analytics.Relying on the graphics engines for media optimization opensthe door for other high-perfomance computing applications torun on the general purpose quad-core Intel Core i7 processor,itself. The AM4024 supports multiple Intel Core processor SKUs,including the: quad-core Intel Core i7-4860EQ GT3 processor(1.8 GHz, 6 MB Cache), the quad-core Intel Core i7-4700EQ GT2processor (2.4 (1.7) GHz, 6 MB Cache), and the dual-core IntelCore i5-4402E GT2 processor (1.6GHz or GT2 3 MB Cache).KONTRON Kontron AdvancedMC module AM4024 page

Kontron designs versatileAdvancedMC module forcarrier grade COTS highperformance systems

Microchip announces, fromComputex Taipei, a new family ofUSB Power Delivery (UPD) con-trollers - the UPD100X with anindustry-standard power deliveryand battery charging protocol. Asingle USB cable can be used for

data and simultaneously deliverup to 100W of power from a sin-gle standard USB port which is 40times the power compared to USB2.0. With up to 100W of availablepower, designers can dynamicallyallocate this power to fast batterycharging and system power.The UPD1001 is the first of thefamily and is a highly flexible andconfigurable solution that supportsthe five USB-IF standard UPDpower profiles plus an additional25 UPD-compliant profiles for atotal of 30 profiles supported by asingle chip. This will allow designersto select the optimum power pro-files in order to meet their specificapplication requirements. Simpleconfiguration is achieved by strap-ping the two configuration select

pins on the UPD1001. A multitude of configurations areavailable to provide utmost flexibil-ity. Integrated quad-banks of one-time programmable memory allowfor further system customisationwithout the need for any external

memory components.The UPD100X family serves a widerange of applications such as con-sumer notebooks, printers andaccessories, docking stations,mobile devices and battery charg-ers; industrial computers and hand-held devices; and automotiveproducts including head units,break-out boxes and USB batterychargers, among other applications.The UPD1001 is supported byMicrochip’s UPD1001 EvaluationKit (EVB-UPD1001) price at$299.00 and is available today.

The UPD1001 devices are avail-able now for sampling in 32-pinQFN and 28-pin TSSOP. Volumeproduction for these devices isexpected in July.

Microchip announces new family of USB PowerDelivery controllers

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGYwww.microchip.com/get/6FH0

Key Facts:• UPD100X features industry-standard power delivery and battery

charging protocol increasing overall system performance capabilities• Enables delivery of 100W of power, whilst transmitting USB data, to

create a single cable for connectivity of all consumer products• Supports a total of 30 UPD profiles with a single chip• Integrated quad-banks of one-time programmable memory enable

customisation without external memory • Applications include consumer, industrial, automotive and other

products

Renesas Electronics EuropeReleases Free VDE CertifiedSelf-Test MCU Routines for

IEC60730/60335 SafetyCompliance

Renesas Electronics Europe, a premier providerof advanced semiconductor solutions, todayannounced that it has received VDE certifica-tion for its IEC60335-compliant self-test soft-ware for the RX100 family of microcontrollers.This software, which is available for downloadfree of charge from Renesas’ website, is fullycompliant with IEC60730-1 regulations and hasnow been certified by VDE (the GermanAssociation for Electrical, Electronic &Information Technologies). The VDE Institute isrecognized worldwide for its work on safetystandards and approvals.In addition to the on-chip hardware safety fea-tures, the self-test CPU software makes it easierfor manufacturers of industrial, motor controland home appliances to meet IEC60730-1(IEC60335) class B safety requirements. Thesafety standard requires software running onan MCU to be able to detect any safety criticalfailures according to specific fault models. The RX100 MCU family integrates on-chip keyadvanced peripherals like the cyclic redundancycheck engine (CRC) and a hardware clock moni-toring function to detect erroneous clock fre-quencies. Finally, the RX100 offers the uniqueData Operating Circuit (DOC) module, whichreduces the RAM March X algorithms testingtime and frees up the overall CPU load.Renesas’ self-test software has been successfullycertified for its periodic test routines for CPUregisters and program counter tests, stack tests,RAM tests (using March X & C algorithms), Flashcheck (using cyclic redundancy check engines)and clock monitoring tests. These routines areeasy to integrate in any existing software and canbe called after reset and periodically during run-time. The software enables developers to easilydesign safety related software and to meet certi-fication requirements quickly and with less effort.It can reduce development time and the test har-ness process by up to 3 months, and the cost ofcertification by 15%.

The complete software source codes in C andASM for RX100, designed with the E² studio toolchain, is now available on the Renesas website at: www.renesas.eu/support/downloads/download_results/C1000000-C9999999/mpumcu/rx/an_r01an2061ed_rx100_apl.jsp

The package includes the official VDE certificateas well as the Application Note with the detailedtiming of each routine and how to incorporate itinto an existing project.

RENESAS ELECTRONICS www.renesas.eu

Kontron launched TRACe, its new family ofoperational computers designed specificallyfor the transportation market. The TRACetransportation computer family deliversproven, rugged and feature-rich buildingblocks that allow design flexibility. The first

platform in the Kontron family is the TRACeB304-TR, which is an EN50155-certified fan-less transportation computer designed tomake customization extremely easy to meetapplication-specific requirements. TheTRACe family benefits from the inherentflexibility advantages of Kontron's COMExpress Computer-on-Module (COM) thatfeatures the Intel Atom E3845 processorwith up to quad core 1.91 GHz perform-

ance. Its rugged design ensures stable oper-ation in harsh environments and is ideal forany rolling stock application such as passen-ger information systems, video streamingand storage servers, security surveillanceand train management systems.The Kontron TRACe product line featureshigh performance density and low powerconsumption in a small footprint, low profiledesign that offers integrators higher flexibili-ty in terms of the number of available I/O.The family also provides long-term supportby design based on its modularity and seam-less technology insertion of the processor,storage, I/O and power supply unit. Theseinnovative TRACe capabilities allow trans-portation OEMs to significantly decreasedevelopment efforts for faster time-to-mar-ket, while also reducing maintenance costsand the total cost of ownership. The secondmember of the family is the Kontron TRACeV304-TR, which is an EN50155-certified andtested fanless Network Video Recorder(NVR) that can record and transmit H.264video streams making it ideally suited forrolling stock IP video surveillance. KONTRON www.kontron.com

Kontron launches TRACe, an EN50155-certified fanlesstransportation computer product line

MSC Technologies has expanded its FujitsuIndustrial Series product portfolio with theD3243-S Mini-ITX mainboard. The main-board integrates the Intel® Q87 Expresschipset and offers two sockets for a max. of16GB DDR3-1333/1600 memory modules.Fourth generation Intel® Core™ i3 / i5 / i7processors with LGA1150 socketsfeature for high computing andgraphics performance.The robust industrial mainboardwith long product lifecycle isdesigned for 24/7 continuous oper-ation in an extended temperaturerange of 0 to 60 °C. The industrialrequirements in terms of CE (EMVand security), burst, climate, shockand vibration are fulfilled.The D3243-S mainboard supports 1x DVI-I, two DisplayPorts V1.2 andDual Channel LVDS (shared with oneDisplayPort) for the connection of threeindependent displays. Onboard, a PCIExpress™ x16 Gen3 connector, a Mini PCIExpress™ slot, 8 Bit GPIO, multichannel audio,a mSATA (SATA III) socket for the embed-ded operating system, two Intel® GbE LANinterfaces, 8 × USB 2.0 and 4 × USB 3.0 areavailable. The mainboard has an USB 3.0interface to internally connect an USB stick

e.g. for an embedded operating system. TheD3243-S Mini-ITX board can be supplied bya standard 20/24 pin ATX power supply or a12V only DC power supply. The onboardInfineon Trusted Platform Module TPM V1.2offers hardware based Trusted ComputingGroup (TCG) security functionality. Fujitsu’s

password security protects BIOS and harddisks from unauthorized access. TheRecovery BIOS function ensures the recov-ery of defective firmware. The integrated 3-phase (BIOS-POST, Boot, operating system)hardware watchdog guarantees a stable sys-tem operation.MSC TECHNOLOGIESwww.msc-technologies.eu

Fujitsu Industrial Mainboard with Intel Q87 Express Chipset



Ericsson has introduced the third version of its high-power-density quarter-brick power module based on the company’sinnovative Hybrid Regulated Ratio (HRR) topology. ThePKM4613NH is designed to power applications that requirestable voltage and offers available power up to 600W across awide input voltage range of 36V to 75V and an operating tem-perature range of –30°C to +90°C. Combining voltage andduty-cycle regulation, the HRR technology makes it possible tooperate high-power conversion across a wide input voltagerange, while keeping power losses low, resulting in an efficiencypower conversion of up to 96%.

The PKM4613NH comes in an industry-standard quarter-brickfootprint and is designed to power ICT (Information andCommunication Technologies) applications. The new DC/DCconverter delivers 600W over the 42V to 75V range and match-es a large variety of system bus voltages that are powered bymulti-cell batteries or rectifiers commonly used in the ICT indus-try. Complying with the European Standard ETSI EN 300 132-2for both 48V and 60V systems, slight derating of the productapplies below 42V. However, a power of 580W remains availablewhen reaching the low limit of the service voltage of 40.5V, asspecified by the standard. In addition to providing 43% moreavailable power than previous generations of intermediate busconverters, the HRR technology guarantees tightly regulated out-put voltage over the overall operational range, meaning that thevoltage remains stable and safe for the target load in the case ofline disturbance. Addressing the market for high-power-densityboards and powering the intermediate bus, while supplyingcurrents as high as 50A, the PKM4613NH delivers power throughfour power-pins, which means the reduction of power losses andimproved thermal conduction across the motherboard. ERICSSON POWER MODULES www.ericsson.com/powermodules

Ericsson Power Modules Newhybrid regulated ratio quar-ter-brick delivers up to 600W

in powering advanced telecoms applications

Microchip announces an expan-sion to its SPI Serial Flash Memoryportfolio, with the introduction ofthe SST25WF020A, SST25WF040Band SST25WF080B devices.These devices offer 2-, 4- and 8-Mbit of memory and are manufac-tured with Microchip’s high-per-

formance SuperFlash® technologyand NOR Flash cell architecturefor superior quality and reliability.With a low-operating voltage rangefrom 1.65 to 1.95V, extremely low-power consumption, small-foot-print, and low-profile packaging,these SPI Flash memory devicesexcel in a variety of applications.The memory is partitioned into uni-form 4 Kbyte sectors and 64Kbyteblocks, offering flexible erase capa-bilities and seamless partitioning forprogramme and data code in thesame memory block. These devicesenable designers to improve prod-uct performance and lower systemcost during the design cycle andmanufacturing. The range providesdesigners with a low-voltage optionon the power-supply voltage fortheir chipsets and board designs,

and reduces overall power con-sumption, making these Flashmemory devices especially suit-able for battery-operated acces-sories, por table medical devices,and Bluetooth®/Wi-Fi®-enableddevices such as remotes, headsetsand hearing aids.

SST25WF020A, SST25WF040Band SST25WF080B SPI Flash mem-ory devices offer flexible erase andprogramme performance, includ-ing erasing 4Kbyte sectors as fast as40ms, erasing 64 Kbyte blocks asfast as 80 ms, erasing the entireFlash memory chip in 300ms, and aprogramming time of 3ms for a256-byte page using PageProgramme. The devices also offerFast-Read Dual I/O and superiortypical reliability of 100,000endurance cycles, and greater than20 years of data retention. Theactive read current of these devicesis typically only 4mA at 40 MHz,and typical standby current is only4μA. Package options include an 8-pin USON (2 × 3 mm) that usesone-fifth of the board space of thetraditional 8-pin SOIC.

Microchip expands SPI Serial Flash Memoryportfolio with new 1.8V low-power devices

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGYwww.microchip.com/get/1NHK

Key Facts:• Flash memory devices offer a low-operating voltage range of

1.65 to 1.95V• Fast Page Programme time, flexible erase and seamless partitioning• Smaller footprint, low-profile packaging and low-power

consumption• Economical and innovative Flash memory for Bluetooth® &

Wi-Fi®-enabled devices• Extends battery-life for consumer, medical & industrial devices




DESIGN EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

The RZ/A family from Renesas is an all newseries of embedded MPUs aimed at theHuman Machine Interface market. The RZlineup from Renesas is a new direction takenin the embedded processing arena, basedon the Cortex A9 core from ARM running at400MHz and including all the right IP forcreating a high end HMI application withoutinvolving the costs, effort and compromisesinvolved in the current HMI applicationdevelopment.

Embedded MPU?As well one may ask, what does the term“embedded MPU” actually mean? In orderto answer this question, we have to have abrief look at the current offering across theMPU / MCU spectrum. Today, an MCU typ-ically contains embedded flash and RAM,running code from the flash but somewhat

limited in terms of performance, particularlywhen it comes to the area we are talkingabout – the performance level needed for aHuman Machine Interface. The alternative

today is the classical MPU or microprocessorsystem which achieves the performancelevel needed and can significantly exceed it;however, it typically will not have any inter-nal flash and only a small amount of internalRAM. Typical MPUs have their place in themarket as do MCUs, of this there is nodebate. However, there is certainly a signifi-cant gap between the two areas.

Filling the gap is where the eMPU can beuseful. The eMPU, like an MPU, does notcontain any embedded Flash and has a CPUcore running at a performance that wouldnot be possible with a typical MCU. Thisperformance level can (as with the MPU)only be achieved by running from RAM. Incontrast to the microprocessor system, whichwill use external RAM, the eMPU contains allthe RAM that it will need for the application.

Technical Introduction to theRZ/A familyThis article is a technical introduction to the RZ/A family, the new embedded processorfrom Renesas. The device is available in a number of options and a number of configura-tions designed to give designers a broad choice when designing their TFT drive or GUIapplication. The article will go into some detail on the features of the RZ/A family,including a technical overview of the memory architecture that includes the world’slargest embedded RAM (up to 10MB) as well as a specially designed bus architectureto ensure fast bus throughput to the memory. The device also features the 5th generation Video Display Controller from Renesas,which is not only capable of driving a screen up to WXGA size but also of supportingmultiple additional functions in hardware which would often be executed in software,so as to allow for full operation at a lower clock speed. The device also features onOpenVG 1.1 compliant block and the article will go on to show how this can be usedto improve performance and reduce memory overhead.

Author: Robert Kalman, Product Marketing Manager Industrial Communications Business GroupRenesas Electronics Europe GmbH



As can be seen in the system diagramsbelow, the MCU is obviously the most sim-ple, but the eMPU offers a compromiseoffering the performance of an MPU with-out the complexity associated with it.

The eMPU typically will boot from an exter-nal serial flash, compared to an MPU, whichwill typically use external NOR flash. Thiscan have several advantages:

• It is possible to use the QSPI serial flash block which can achieve even faster performance than the standard NOR flash.

• It requires less PCB space and fewer pins on the eMPU than a 32-bit parallel NOR flash.

The eMPU has enough RAM internally thatit does not need to use external RAM, com-pared to an MPU which will typically useexternal DDR or SDRAM. This can have sev-eral advantages:

• The application is decoupled from the RAM market. Although this is not likely to be seen as a positive point for the average hardware designer, any purchasing team will breathe a sigh of relief to be free of this.

• It requires less PCB space and also fewer pins on the eMPU, and coupled with the use of a serial flash can allow designers to use a much smaller QFP package, allowing for a 2 layer PCB instead of a multi-layer PCB.

• It eliminates the requirement for an additional power supply of 1.8V for the DDR supply.

Now clearly there is a line whereby the per-formance of an eMPU is not going to reachthat of the quad core multi-gigahertz systemresiding in a desktop PC, but not every HMIsystem today needs to be built like a PC.There is another way!

The features of the RZ/A devicesThe RZ/A features a Cortex A9 core which isclocked at 400MHz and includes the optionalIEEE754 compliant double precision floatingpoint unit architecture (VFP) and the optionalgeneral purpose 128bit single instructionmultiple data (SIMD) NEON extension. Theseextensions accelerate typical operations inDSP, multimedia and visualisation applica-tions. The core, as is standard on Cortex A9cores, has 32kB of instruction cache and 32kBof data cache. Additionally it includes 128kBof L2 cache to ensure that even if code is run-ning from external non-volatile memory it canbe executed at maximum performance.The core alone is nothing unusual. The uniquefeature of this device is the inclusion of 10MBof internal RAM. This RAM is split into 4 sep-arate blocks. Each block is 2MB in size and hasa dedicated 128-bit wide bus running at133MHz. This means that each block can beaddressed concurrently by the differentperipherals on the chip. At the same time asthe CPU can be running code from one block,it can be writing data to a second block, whilstthe third block can contain the picture data tobe written to the TFT screen and the finalblock can be used for some DMA access or asthe communications buffer for a TCP/IP stack;all of these with no bus collisions.

MCU system diagram

eMPU system diagramMPU system diagram


This is of course another major benefit of theeMPU architecture. Whilst an MPU has typi-cally a fast bus to the external RAM, there isalso only one of them. Thus the likelihood ofa bus collision is high.

A feature of the 10MB of SRAM in the RZ/Afamily is the low-power RAM. In block zeroof the RAM there is 128kB of “data-reten-tion” RAM, which is also split down furtherinto smaller blocks. These blocks can remainpowered in low power modes and allow fora significantly faster wake up from thesemodes. The startup code and even the firstscreen to be driven to the TFT can besaved, thus as soon as the user presses a but-ton or starts the system, it is as near as possi-ble to a live state immediately. This is clearlyanother major advantage over MPU systemstoday which in order to achieve the lowestpossible power consumption will removepower to the RAM and thus need to bootcompletely again from scratch.Another unique feature of the RZ/A family isthe SPI Multi-I/O. This peripheral can bethought of as a simple serial SPI block with afew extra enhancements. The first suchimprovement to the block is that it not onlysupports standard serial mode but also thenew QSPI mode. This mode uses four paral-lel data lines as opposed to the standard 3wire serial bus. With the new improvedspeed of this connection, initial benchmarksare showing a performance improvement inexcess of 9 times when compared to theprevious SPI modules. It also shows that it ispossible to achieve even better perform-

ance (approximately 3%) than when access-ing parallel external NOR flash, for example.This has the upshot of allowing for a fastboot time without needing to connect a 32-bit bus to a device. The other feature of the

SPI Multi-I/O block is the “execute in place”functionality. The block allows the CPU toaccess the QSPI serial flash as if it were anexternal linear address space. This feature isalso supported by the L2 cache, such thatcode can be run directly from this externalflash. The upshot of this feature is that anycritical code that needs to be run fast andregularly can be run from the internal RAM,and then code that does not need to be runregularly can be run from external flash. Soalthough designers are limited to only 10MBof RAM, the amount of code that can bewritten is limited only to the size of the avail-able external SPI flash.Finally, from a communications point ofview, the device comes with everything thatyou would expect. There is an EthernetMAC, two USB 2.0 interfaces supportingboth host and device functionality, as well asup to 5 CAN channels.

An overview of the Graphics IP (VideoDisplay Controller and OpenVG)So now we have learned that the RZ/A fam-ily is a fast processor which achieves highperformance based on the 10MB of internalmemory, and a wide bus avoiding collisions.It also supports a number of peripheralssupporting all the standard interfaces onewould expect while also allowing system

designers to design a system with a low billof materials cost without compromising per-formance. All of this is nice, but it doesn’tget to the real crux of the target applicationyet. How do you drive the screen?

The RZ/A has two features which make driv-ing a screen very simple and allow for animpressive GUI. The first of these features isthe VDC5. The VDC5 is the 5th generation ofthe video display controller from Renesasand is able to drive screens up to a maxi-mum size of 1999 pixels × 2035 lines, mak-ing it the most impressive of its kind. TheVDC5 actually supports up to 2 channelsmeaning that two screens can be drivenconcurrently. The VDC5 also supports stan-dard digital interfaces as well as LVDS, suchthat the trend in larger screens to use theLVDS interface can also be supported.The first portion of the VDC is the inputcontroller, which can receive up to twovideo input signals up to a maximum size of1440 × 1024. The input controller supportsphase compensation as well as horizontalnoise correction and contrast correction.The input signals are then passed to thescaler block.The scaler block (of which there are two perVDC5 channel) can be used to scale the twovideo inputs either up or down to create thecorrect size image for the screen. Theimages can also be rotated and the twovideo inputs can even be overlaid usingalpha blending and a colour look-up table(CLUT). The final images (if both inputs aretreated separately) or image (if only one


Diagram of the RAM blocks and the internal bus



input is used or the two inputs are overlaid)are then stored in a frame buffer in the RAMand passed to the image synthesiser.The image synthesiser combines up to 4individual layers to create a single image.When the either only one or no videoinputs are being used, these layers are freeto be used for other parts of the GUI as sep-arate overlay layer or icons. Through aprocess of alpha blending and the CLUT,the final single image is created for thescreen, and driven to the output controller.

Finally, the output controller takes the gener-ated image and drives it to the TFT screen,either via the LVDS or the digital output, in

one of many supported formats: RGB888(24-bit parallel output), RGB666 (18-bit par-allel output), RGB565 (16-bit parallel output)or RGB888 (8-bit serial output).The operation of the alpha blending andthe combination of the multiple layersmeans that the CPU can be offloaded of thisfunctionality.The second peripheral of the RZ/A devicesthat is useful for HMI development is theOpenVG-compliant graphics engine, whichis a 2D vector graphics accelerator. The IP

accelerates stages 2 to 8 of the OpenVGpipeline by using dedicated hardware and acompliance tested library.

The OpenVG engine can be used to fill theframe buffers and the VDC5 can then beused to drive the image data to the screen.

The advantage of using openVG is that itallows for the use of vector graphics, whichcan greatly improve the efficiency as well asthe “look and feel” of a GUI.

Two simple examples can be used: where animage has to be rotated, the easiest way todo this with a bitmap image is to save the

image 360 times, each rotated by 1 degree,and then simply show each picture one afterthe other.


This is clearly a significant overhead in termsof memory usage and also in terms of band-width of the device, while a vector imple-mentation of the same picture can simply berotated and the support for this rotation isincluded in hardware in the RZ device. The

second example is that of scaling, and in thiscase a picture paints a thousand words, so Iwill leave the picture below uncommented.

Putting it all togetherThe RZ/A, Renesas’ new eMPU, is designedto fill the gap between the traditional MPUand the traditional MCU market spaces. It

features up to 10MB of embedded SRAM,and supports a fast wake up from lowerpower modes. The device only needs a sim-ple and low cost serial flash from which it canboot directly. The 10MB of memory isenough to store both the front and the back

buffer for a double buffered HMI applica-tion. The RZ’s 10MB of internal RAM is con-nected to a multi-layered bus and is separat-ed into 2MB blocks, such that the RAM canbe both read from and written to by multi-ple sources concurrently. This enables a highperformance Human Machine interfaceapplication to run on a system that needs no

external RAM and has a low number of pins,available in QFP packages such that design-ers are able to use a 2 layer PCB.

The RZ/A will never achieve the simplicity ofan 8 bit MCU with 16k of ROM, nor will it

ever achieve the performance of a quad-core 2GHz Processor, but Renesas believesthat your next Human Machine Interfaceapplication needs just a little bit more per-formance than a standard MCU can offer,but without making that big jump to amicroprocessor architecture. nwww.renesas.com


Renesas Electronics Europe, aleading supplier of advancedsemiconductor solutions, official-ly announced that IAR Systems®industry-leading toolchain IAREmbedded Workbench forARM® has full support for theRZ/A1 “Renesas Starter Kit”(RSK) development suite.A key differentiator of theRZ/A1 MPU is the abundanceof up to 10MB of embeddedSRAM. This is sufficient toremove the need for externalRAM. Numerous customer ben-efits stem from this: hardwarecosts are reduced by movingfrom a 3-chip solution (CPU,Flash, RAM) to a 2-chip solution(CPU, Flash); software perform-ance is increased because theRAM is connected directly to

the internal bus, so there is noexternal interface delay; anddesigns can be simpler, morecompact, and therefore getfaster to market. Time-to-mar-ket can also be significantlyimproved by selecting the righttool chain and software part-ners. Renesas is proud toannounce that its RZ/A1 seriesof MPUs is fully supported byIAR Embedded Workbench forARM, and an evaluation versionof IAR Embedded Workbenchfor ARM can be downloaded atwww.iar.com/ewarm. The RZ/A1series of embedded micro-processors is a Cortex®-A9 basedmicroprocessor, optimized forthe Human Machine Interface(HMI) market. It supports up toWXGA (1280 × 800) displays, is

able to drive two screens concur-rently, and includes up to twocamera inputs. RZ/A1 seriesMPUs also include all the connec-tivity for a standard application:for instance, 10/100 Ethernet,

two channels of USB 2.0, and upto five channels of CAN.IAR SYSTEMSwww.iar.comRENESAS ELECTRONICSwww.renesas.eu

IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM Now Supports Renesas Starter Kit for the RZ/A1 Microprocessor



We know the theory that in thespecific case of Bitcoin, it willbecome increasingly difficult tomine – there is an upper limit seton the number available, or atleast at the moment – and there-fore an increasingly amount ofenergy will be required to solvethese mathematical problems tomaintain the transaction ‘blockchain’. The cooling required forall this high-end computingpower is another issue, in addi-tion to getting access to renew-able and safe forms of energysuch as hydropower – hence theattraction of placing ultra-high-capacity mining datacenters infar northern regions of theglobe. There are an increasingnumber of companies setting updatacenters to offer high-per-formance mining services atlocations near the Artic Circle incountries such as Iceland,Sweden, Norway and Finland.Mining for digital currency hascreated the latest race for com-puting power and this new con-

test will ask much of micro-processor and ASIC designersand power system architects.Powering custom-designed mul-ticore processor based ASICs inan energy-efficient way is a hugechallenge and particularly so ifone considers that the time-to-market in this field is absolutelycritical – as soon as you have yourmachine you can start mining.This means that board powerdesigners will have absolutely noroom for complexity in their sys-tem design – and this is where‘digital power’ can make a signifi-cant contribution. While uptake

for the technology has generallybeen firm rather than explosivethus far, digital currency mining isjust the sort of application thatcan really highlight its value. Within a remarkably short peri-od of time, digital power enablespower system architects to man-age complex power schemes,optimizing energy utilization andlowering voltage ripple. Digitalpower delivers excellent man-agement and control abilities viathe PMBus and can quickly han-dle changes in load and systemtemperature, enabling significantenergy savings. Some of largest

benefits reside in the simplicityof the orchestration of differentpower sequences (demonstrat-ed here on Ericsson's YouTubechannel) to optimize energy uti-lization and reduce ripple andnoise, while also retaining a veryhigh level of flexibility such as theability to change any parameterand at any time without hard-ware changes.Highly demanding applicationssuch as crypto-currency miningthat employ substantial technicalknow-how and expertise in thefield, and fully leverage technolo-gies such as digital power to theirutmost, can deliver a five-foldreduction in time-to-market.Companies operating in themore traditional fields of data-com and telecom – some ofwhich thus far have remainedhighly conservative toward thepossibilities of digital power –should take note of what is hap-pening in this revolutionary fieldof computing endeavor… n

www.ericsson.com/powermodules

Digital power – a faster pickfor mining crypto-currenciesTime-to-market has always been important in our industry. And for the mining ofcrypto-currencies, it is even more so the case. Skipping around the question of whethera mathematically protected digital currency outside of any governmental or institutionalcontrol may or may not be a good thing, in addition to the uncertainty over both itsimmediate and long-term future, mining for Bitcoin – the best known virtual currencyavailable today – is certainly highly demanding in terms of computational power andgetting it an efficient manner and getting there fast.

Author: Patrick Le Fèvre, Marketing and Communication Director at Ericsson Power Modules



FUNCTIONALITYRed Pitaya is a low cost but high spec, palmsized, PCB based electronic device whichprovides the following functionality:

Oscilloscope2 channels @ 125 MS/s 14 bit digital withexternal or signal based triggering capability.Spectrum Analyser2 channels with 50 MHz bandwidth signalwith waterfall diagram capability.

Arbitrary Waveform Generator2 channels @ 125 MHz 14 bit arbitrarywaveform generation with external trigger-ing capability.Frequency Response Analyser2 channels with 60 MHz bandwidth.The HDMI (screen) for the device can beconnected to most existing devices in thefield todayE.g. Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet, etc.2×2 MIMO PID Programmable Controller

FUNCTIONALITY HARDWARE

Key Benefits

• Low cost;

• Compact size;

• Can be coded for bespoke applications;

• A growing open source development community;

• Flexibility to connect to a range of existing devices for display;

• Board can be housed in a standard or customised (possibly 3D printed case) or incorporated into a larger instrument as part of its functionality.

Aurocon Compecwww.compec.ro

www.designspark.com

RS stock no: 800-7403

RED Pitaya is available atRed Pitaya is a innovative single-board, open instrumentation and control platformwhich replaces many expensive laboratory and field instruments at a much lower price.


Wireless connectivity is truly ubiquitous andit is due in no small part to the continuedefforts of working groups and industry asso-ciations, dedicated to developing standards. Through the adoption of standards, semi-conductor manufacturers can build convinc-ing business cases for investing in the devel-opment of integrated solutions; the avail-ability of those solutions seeds the marketand if the technology is right - as is the casewith many forms of wireless connectivity -other manufacturers soon follow, creating acompetitive market and driving down the

unit price. This, of course, tends to increasedemand and in some rare cases the result iswhat has become known as a ‘mega-trend’. The mega-trend for wireless connectivityshows no sign of abating, in fact it is gettingstronger; the Internet of Things (IoT) will befundamentally enabled by low power wire-less solutions and industry forecasters arepredicting there will be in excess of 30 bil-lion new devices connected to the IoT bythe year 2020. The vast majority of thosedevices will use low power wireless as theirprimary source of connectivity, as it fits the

use-case of the IoT; distributed intelligenceworking together to make life ‘simpler’. Low power, standards-based wireless tech-nologies, therefore, are currently seeingstrong growth; Bluetooth, ZigBee (in its manyprofiles) and WiFi are all now commonly inte-grated - often in combination - in to embed-ded systems that, until recently, may not haveoffered any kind of connectivity at all.

BluetoothPerhaps the most ubiquitous wireless tech-nology now deployed in consumer devicesis Bluetooth; a robust short-range protocolthat offers relatively high bandwidths fordemanding data. One of the most demand-ing is audio, which is uniquely susceptible toquality due to the ear’s ability to detecteven small fluctuations and variations. Theuse of Bluetooth in audio applications,therefore, such as hands-free devices andmore recently streaming audio, is directlythanks to its inherent strengths. Demand for Bluetooth-enabled audio play-back is increasing, along with the desire toprovide value-added features such as digitalsignal processing and support for multiplecodecs. In consumer devices, it is also impor-tant to provide engaging user-interfaces andto this end Microchip has recently introduceda Bluetooth Audio Development Kit basedon its PIC32 MCU (Figure 1).

WiFiWhen considering the deployment ofInternet-enabled devices, one wireless tech-nology stands ahead of all others; WiFi.Adding WiFi connectivity can empoweralmost any device to become part of a larg-er network, extending its capabilities farbeyond that of a standalone device.

Making the right connections


Wireless connectivity is rapidly becoming a ‘must-have’ feature across all sectors,providing everything from cable replacement to internet connectivity; eventurning everyday objects in to full-function web-servers.

Figure 1



Manufacturers across all sectors are nowadding WiFi connectivity for a range of rea-sons; remote access, diagnostic and logisticcontrol are all examples of why WiFi is nowbeing used to bring the benefits of theInternet to everyday objects.Adding WiFi is also becoming simpler,thanks to highly integrated devices and‘ready-made’ protocol stacks that support arange of networking modes, security fea-tures and internet services such as FTP,SMTP and HTTP. Is now possible to inte-grate a complete web server in a single,powerful microcontroller, for example,allowing almost any device to serve up datato anywhere in the connected world.

ZigBee vs ProprietaryFor short-range, low bandwidth connectivi-ty, a single technology underpins a wideningarray of standard and bespoke solutions.The IEEE 802.15.4 physical interface, and itsstandardised MAC (through the ZigBeeAlliance), uses the same radio technology asother 2.4GHz low-power solutions, whichare free to employ a range of proprietaryprotocols and bit-rates. This popularlicense-free bandwidth supports a numberof wireless technologies, making it impor-tant to choose a protocol capable of co-

existing within a crowded spectrum,whether they be standards-based or propri-etary. Microchip offers a number of proto-col stacks in this space, including the ZigBeePRO, RF4CE and its own MiWi wireless meshprotocol. It now also offers the MRF24XA; asingle-chip radio transceiver that for the firsttime supports all these protocols, at datarates from 125kbit/s to 2Mbit/s

Modular solutionsWhile operating in the license-free spec-trum makes commercialising wireless tech-nology simpler, there is still a need to certi-fy radios. An increasingly popular and viablesolution to simplifying this stage of design is

to use pre-configured modules. Modules have the benefit of being ‘compli-ant by design’ and as such make certificationmuch less arduous. Microchip has recentlyannounced a range of new wireless modulestargeting Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee and pro-prietary connectivity. The new range includes the MRF WiFi rangeof modules that are designed to work close-ly with an MCU running the TCP/IP stack, aswell as the RN XV series of WiFi andBluetooth modules that integrate the TCP/IPstack on the module.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of theMRF24WG0MA/MB modules, which inte-grate an IEEE 802.11 b/g radio supportingdata rates up to 54Mbit/s while achievingjust 100μA power consumption when inhibernation mode. The feature-rich TCP/IP stack is provided insource code for developers, while demon-stration boards are available for hardwareengineers. Microchip is also offering developers amigration path between WiFi andBluetooth, by making available a range ofmodules compatible with the industry-stan-dard XBee footprint. With both WiFi andBluetooth through-hole plug-in modules

available it makes it even easier to add wire-less connectivity to new or existing designs. The Internet of Things will be enabled bylow-power wireless connectivity, with bil-lions of devices joining together in ad-hocand peer-to-peer networks, as well as form-ing personal-, home-, metro and wide-areanetworks. This seamless aggregation anddelivery of data will rely on simple androbust wireless connections enabled by agrowing number of highly integrated, lowpower and modular solutions. nwww.microchip.com

Figure 2



At LASYS in Stuttgart, laser positioningand deflection technology leader SCAN-LAB AG presents together with its sub-sidiary Blackbird Robotersysteme GmbHan industry-proven system solution forrobot-assisted 3D scanner welding. The system's key advantage lies in how it combines flexible industrial robotswith high-dynamics scanners. This combination enables complex on-the-fly welding operations - which meanswelding during robotic motion - now forthe first time with online tracking of position-critical seams. The system hasalready proven its impressive capabilitiesin the automotive industry.

Process technology's speed and precisionrequirements continue to press ahead, par-ticularly in the area of automation. Acrossnumerous sectors, the response is increasedreliance on industrial robots for specificoperations. Precisely to better harness thestrengths of such robots - six degrees offreedom and a large working field of sever-al meters - SCANLAB and Blackbird havedeveloped a system solution that givesrobots speed and highest accuracy in weld-ing. With the intelliWELD high-power scanhead and the RobotSyncUnit controller asits main components, the system will bepresented at Lasys in Stuttgart on June 24-26, 2014. In cooperation with BMW, the

system was enhanced for position-criticalseams via a coaxial illumination unit and acamera system by Lessmüller LasertechnikGmbH, and successfully placed into seriesproduction.

Practical Test: Fillet Welding of Car DoorsRemote laser welding of galvanized steelsurfaces (e.g. car doors) has required cre-ation of a defined gap between the sur-faces for degassing zinc. This time-intensiveand costly preparatory step can be avoid-ed by switching to alternative joint geome-tries, such as fillet seams. However, theyrequire a level of precision during laserbeam positioning that is unattainable with-out real-time sensors and control.

“This is precisely where our system solutioncomes in. We wanted robot-based scannerwelding's advantages - high flexibility withmaximum efficiency - to also be made avail-able for position-critical seams,” is how Dr. Wolfgang Vogl, CEO of BlackbirdRobotersysteme GmbH, explains the concept.

Scan System Teaches RobotsHow to Take AimHigh-power welding with online seam tracking proves its mettle in theautomotive industry.

SCANLAB intelliWELD Blackbird RobotSyncUnit

SCANLAB intelliWELD



“The system's intelligent control technologyconsiders the robot's motion path and posi-tions the scan mirrors in accordance with sen-sor data to enable not only complex weldingoperations, but also simultaneous correctionof positioning inaccuracies during the motion

sequence.” For the first time, this technolo-gy can meet fillet welding's precisionrequirements in a remote process. Here,the significant advantage of short processtimes is further enhanced by intelligent,easily programmable control.

Carefully-Conceived and Focused Down tothe Last Detail The intelliWELD scan sys-tem's optical design is an essential prereq-uisite for this achievement. The head offerstwo ports that can serve as separate inputsand outputs for coaxial sensors - cameramonitoring and illumination in this case.Moreover, a prefocus optic is used in placeof an objective to attain sharp cameraimaging free of chromatic aberrationthroughout the entire working volume. Andmaximum transmission of sensor wave-lengths is guaranteed.

BMW's industrial application of scannertechnology for Mini door fabrication drasti-cally reduced process times, while seamtracking ensured robust and precise weld-ing of front fillet seams. For sure, other automanufacturing applications can profit fromthis integrated system solution, too, as canautomotive suppliers and any high volumeindustry requiring precisely-aimed weldingof defined seams. n

Blackbird Robotersystemewww.scanlab.de

SCANLAB Blackbird Dr Wolfgang Vogl

Broadline technical distributor Future Electronics announced that itis making the latest capacitive sensing evaluation kit from CypressSemiconductor available free to design engineers on its ‘My BoardClub’ website. The CY3280-MBR3 CapSense® MBR3 Evaluation Kit helps design-ers to evaluate the third generation of Cypress Semiconductor’scapacitive-sensing technology. It can be used to develop CapSensebutton designs, and to implement proximity sensing.The CapSense MBR3 devices are register-configurable, and requireno firmware development on the part of the system designer. Thedevices and the kit use the EZ-Click™ software tool to configurecapacitive sensing features.The CapSense MBR3 solution also supports Cypress’s industry-leading SmartSense™ Auto-tuning technology, which reducesdesign effort by eliminating manual tuning for variations in PCB,overlay, paint and manufacturing. The kit can be used to easily eval-uate the advantages of SmartSense Auto-tuning.The kit also demonstrates the water tolerance of the CapSenseMBR3 devices. The MBR3 ICs retain CapSense functionality in thepresence of water droplets, streaming water and mist. Included ineach MBR3 Evaluation Kit is a dropper for users to place water onthe plastic overlays, enabling them to evaluate the water toleranceof the MBR3 device.The kit’s board also includes a proximity loop which can detect thepresence of a finger or hand up to 30cm away.The kit works as a stand-alone unit and as an Arduino-compatibleshield. It can be used to add a capacitive-button user interface to

Arduino projects. Arduino-based example projects for the kit areavailable at www.cypress.com

The new MBR3 kit is available to members of the FTM Board Club (atwww.my-boardclub.com), a website provided by Future Electronics(EMEA) to offer OEM engineers easy access to free evaluation, devel-opment and prototyping boards. Any OEM engineer starting devel-opment of a new or substantially enhanced product design mayapply for a free development board at the FTM Board Club.FUTURE ELECTRONICS www.FutureElectronics.com

Future Electronics helps developers of touch-sensing designs with free Cypress CapSense® evaluation kits



The greatest motivating force for embed-ded systems is currently solutions relating tothe Internet of Things (IoT) and the Internetof Services. Unlike the conventionalInternet, the IoT is not limited to theexchange of data, but also networks objects.The cyber physical systems (CPS) go onestep further: Here processing and communi-cations systems are closely interwoven withphysical or natural systems includingmechanics or mechatronics at all levels. Thisrequires the information processing to bedeeply embedded in machines and objects. A number of systems in different spheres oflife, ranging from Smart Home and SmartMobility via Smart Grid, Smart Logistics toSmart Factory, currently fall within the scopeof this. The technological basis for this deliv-ers ever smaller, ultra-efficient componentswhich are all available in the Rutroniklinecard. Over recent years, the broadlinerhas focused on developing a portfolio thatenables customers to completely and con-sistently implement their specific embed-ded systems, from data recording and pro-cessing to distribution as well as the control

and regulation of machines.

Big dataThe heart of every embedded system com-prises a board, storage component and dis-play. Contemporary systems require small,extremely low-power components in orderto guarantee the fast and reliable recordingand processing of the huge data volumesinvolved. Frequently, already integratedconnectivity is desired for networking viathe Internet. Rutronik bundles these threecomponents into a single product area'Embedded Boards, Storage and Displays'.Here appropriate experts work closelytogether to produce solutions from onesource. On request, they can also compileindividual kits which precisely meet thespecifics of the customer application. Inaddition to the primary components, thesealso include all necessary inverters, cables,connection solutions and power supplies.The boards available range from industrialmain boards via single board computers,computer on modules (COM), PC104,blade computer, PICMG and backplanes,

IPC and servers to box and panel PCs andHMI. Although the focus here is on RISC-based solutions, the product range alsoincludes boards containing the latest Intelprocessors.

'Big data', i.e. the enormous volume of data,is also the greatest challenge in terms ofstorage. Technologies such as MLC (MultiLevel Cell) flash allow for small sizes withhigh storage densities – but at the expenseof data reliability. A few manufacturers arenow offering an interesting variant – theEndurance Managed MLC (EM-MLC) flashmemories – which fall between the high-quality, expensive SLC and more unreliable,cheaper MLC flash memories. In addition toflash memories, hard disks continue to be anoutstanding medium for storing data reli-

Universally representingembedded systemsUntil now, Rutronik has only been seen as an embedded specialist distributor to alimited extent. Unjustly so, in fact, because the broadliner carries all the requiredcomponents for complete, specific embedded systems in its portfolio. Rutronikaccompanies the development with specific expertise in each product area as well asconsideration of the customer's entire system – making it a broadliner and specialistin one. With the perfect combination of embedded technologies, a truly smartdesign is possible.

Author: Andreas Mangler, Director Strategic Marketing and Communications at Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH



ably and in the long term for many embed-ded applications. The Rutronik memoryportfolio comprises all memory technolo-gies and sizes, with all products intendedspecifically for industrial applications.

This ensures that customers receive compo-nents available in the long term with a fixedbill of materials (BOM), if required withincreased robustness, an expanded temper-ature range, 24/7 continuous operation orprotection against aggressive gases or otherexternal influences.

All Rutronik partners have comprehensive,firmly defined PCN (Product ChangeNotification) / EOL (End of Life) processesand universal RMA (Return MaterialAuthorisation) handling.

From smartphone to machine controlUser friendliness is paramount with HMIsolutions. Even in an industrial environment,users are looking for a visually attractive,intuitive means of managing and controllingtheir systems using touch operation, ges-tures or voice control in the same way asthey do with their smartphone or other

devices at home. Customers will find whatthey need at Rutronik Displays in all currenttechnologies, with diagonals from 2.4" to70" in the high-end and low-level segmentwith and without integrated touch functionin capacitive, projected-capacitive (PCAP),SAW, infrared and resistive technology.Specific requirements are fulfilled by mod-els for indoor or outdoor use, with anexpanded temperature range, increasedrobustness or clarity of display even indirect sunlight. Voice controls can be effi-ciently realised using MEMS sensors as verysmall microphones.


From sensor tothe InternetThe Rutronik portfolio also containsother components which can be used toexpand these core parts into a smart factorysolution.

For instance, intelligent sensors or actuatorsincluding power electronics function as aninterface between the virtual world of cybersystems and the real world.

As a rule, MEMS sensors are used as mois-ture, pressure or light gauges, gyro-

scopes or Hall sensors, yaw or accel-eration sensors; the actuators are

intelligently switched circuit break-ers. The use of auto ID components in

RFID or NFC technology enables prod-uct data, for instance, to be automatically

read into the system.

The components are networked together viacable or wirelessly as with other systems andsubsystems, particularly the Internet or cloud.Certified wireless modules with integratedprotocols on the 3G and 4G standard can beused cost-effectively and without specific HFequipment and expertise. These are available in different technologies

from GNS/UMTS/LTE via GNSS/GPS to short-range technologies such as Bluetooth, ZigBee,WLAN/WiFi. In addition, Rutronik offers spe-cial M2M SIM cards aimed specifically atembedded customers. In contrast to SIMcards for end customers, these contain a com-plex M2M management system with whichthe user can manage all the SIM cards in use.


Due to the increasing degree of net-working, the number of interfaces isrising, and leaving the door openfor more and more malware andspyware. Data security measures aretherefore absolutely crucial to everyembedded system. These needs can be met by thehardware and software-basedencryption systems, encryptedwireless protocols, sufficient work-ing memory to ensure real-timeprocessing, larger memories for dis-tributed intelligence as well asrobust hardware and software sys-tems in accordance with the SIL(security integrity level) standard,all of which are available fromRutronik. In order to ensure a trulysecure system, all these levels mustbe taken into account when select-ing the components.

Vertically integrated, specificembedded solutionsAccording to the V model, the dis-tributor compiles all required com-ponents from the respective hori-zontal product areas in verticallyintegrated, complete embeddedsolutions. In addition to the speci-fied primary components, theseinclude special plug-in connectors,thermo management solutions,open frame power supplies andbackup batteries. When doing this,the respective specialists workclosely together, always with theintegrated view of the customer'sproduction.

Thanks to the high degree of diver-sification in the product portfolio,they are able to realise the cus-tomer's specific system at therequired depth of integration. Indoing so, as a supplier of compo-nents and solutions at board andmodule level, Rutronik does notcompete with the end market of itscustomers. Engineering support anddiverse services with a wide partnernetwork provide all-round supportwithin the system from develop-ment service provider, contractmanufacturer and end customer. nwww.rutronik.com

As of now, interested parties can also use the Rutronik24 e-commerce platform without regis-tration. This will only become necessary when an order is placed.This registration-free access now also gives new customers the opportunity to view the entireRutronik24 product range comprising more than one million items from all product areas. Thanks tothe intelligent search options, developers and buyers can quickly and easily find the desired item,whether via parameters, part numbers or full text. The item comparison makes it possible to searchfor cheaper or more readily avail-able alternative items. Differingparameters are specificallymarked. Further details on eachproduct are available under thelink ‘More information’. If the userhas any questions, they can enterthem in the corresponding fieldbelow each product in their ownlanguage. The questions are thensent directly to the product man-ager who will respond via e-mail.In this way, Rutronik24 combinespersonal customer advice andsupport with the advantages offast and convenient online pur-chasing, now making this avail-able to new customers as well. Only when the interested partywishes to make a binding pur-chase of the item in their shopping basket does registration become necessary. In order to receivetheir personal access to rutronik24.com, the user just needs to enter their contact details and someinformation about and the company. After registration, they will receive their own individual, cus-tomer-specific prices. This prices are identical to those they would receive via any other orderingmethod. Personal enquiries are also possible directly via rutronik24.com. There is no minimumorder value, and customers can also order samples via rutronik24.com. In addition, registered userscan benefit from the other helpful Rutronik24 features: They can use the mass quotation tool toupload their individual item list unchanged, thus enabling them to receive all relevant informationabout the products in a matter of seconds, e.g. prices, stock levels, delivery times, packaging units,etc.. In the Procurement area, they see an overview of all offers, orders, item lists, stock levels, deliv-ery times and traceability information. Under ‘Print media’, a number of brochures and manuals areavailable for download. Its optimised display means that rutronik24.com can also be used on allmobile terminals such as smartphones or tablets. RUTRONIK www.rutronik.com

New for Rutronik24: Registration-free access


The TLV271 single channel, rail-to-rail output op-amp from Diodes is a drop-in replacement foralternative industry standard parts. It enables designers to make full use of the entire supply volt-age operating range. The op-amp is available at distributor Rutronik as of now.The device’s wide operating range of 2.7V to16V enables the TLV271 to support an array ofbattery- and low-powered consumer and indus-trial products. A quiescent current of only 550μAhelps minimize device power consumption overa gain bandwidth of 2MHz and slew rate of only1.4V/μs. The TLV271 offers an improved level ofstability and phase margin, enabling capacitiveloads of up to 100pF to be driven without theneed of a nulling resistor. The high input imped-ance and minimal bias current of this CMOSdevice also make it suitable for use with a widerange of signal sensors. To help meet a widerrange of system requirements, the op-amp is provided in a choice of SOT23-5 or SO8 packaging, aswell as with commercial (0 to +75°C) or industrial (-40° to +125°C) temperature ranges.RUTRONIK www.rutronik.com/891a0ffd.l

Rutronik presents Low Voltage, Low Current Op-Amp from Diodes


DESIGN


DESIGN ENCODERS

BackgroundRotary encoders provide critical informa-tion about the position of motor shafts andthus also their rotational direction, velocity,and acceleration. They are vital componentsin the motion-control feedback loop ofindustrial, robotic, aerospace, energy, andautomation applications. In these installa-tions, encoders are asked to provide long-term reliability, durability, and high per-formance despite often working in severeconditions that include dust, dirt, grease,fluctuating temperatures, and heavy vibra-tion. The need for encoders has beenincreasing dramatically with the rise in appli-cations requiring precise motion control.The challenge for design engineers has beento choose between the tradeoffs of the twomost-common encoder technologies: opticaland magnetic. The optical approach offersthe best accuracy but with reduced reliabili-ty; the magnetic approach provides greaterdurability but less accuracy. While somedesigns can avoid using encoders entirely,the reality is that encoders are a vital link inthe overwhelming majority of control/feed-back loops (see Sidebar #1, “What aboutsensorless designs?”).

Encoder technologies require tradeoffsStandard encoders typically providebetween 48 and 2048 pulses per revolution(ppr), with most applications requiringbetween 800 to 1024 ppr. While higher ppr

may seem to offer greater apparent preci-sion, it is both more costly and more com-plex, placing additional calculation and pro-cessing burdens on the system controller ordigital processor that is closing the loop. Inaddition to being unnecessary, excess preci-sion can actually be detrimental due tonoise, vibration, and jitter in shaft position.Most shaft encoders are based on optical ormagnetic principles. The optical methoduses a glass or plastic disk with two sets ofwindows around the periphery, Figure 1. ALED light source and photodetectors arelocated on opposing sides of the disk; as thedisk turns, the on/off passing of light

through the windows provides the typicalsquare wave A & B quadrature pulses.

While used successfully, this opticalapproach has several drawbacks. Withrespect to ruggedness, factors such as dirt,oil and other containments, all of whichoccur both during assembly and also overtime in the field, can easily interfere with thedisk and slots, and thus the encoder output.The traditional approach to mitigate expo-sure to contaminants is to place the encoderin a bell housing. Unfortunately, thisapproach does not completely eliminateexposure to environmental contaminants.Additionally, it introduces new factors to theequation including elevated temperaturesand higher application costs.

Further, the LEDs in optical encoders have alimited lifetime and their brightness can dim

Innovative Encoders DeliverDurability and PrecisionWithout Tradeoffs

Capacitive-based encoders offer a combination of performance, reliability, andaccuracy not available with traditional encoder technologies.

Author: Jeff Smoot, VP of Motion Control, CUI

Figure 1: Generic, simplified drawing of an optical encoder.


DESIGN ENCODERS

by half within 10,000 to 20,000 hours(roughly one to two years), and they eventu-ally burn out. If the disk is made of plastic asa cost reduction measure, it will a have limit-ed temperature range, and any distortionsor warping will affect accuracy. The magnetic encoder's construction is sim-ilar to the optical encoder, except that ituses a magnetic field rather than beam oflight. In place of the slotted optical wheel, ithas a magnetized disk which spins over anarray of magneto-resistive sensors. Any rota-tion of the wheel produces a response inthese sensors, which goes to a signal-condi-tioning front-end circuit to determine shaftposition. While it offers a high level of dura-bility, the magnetic encoder is not as accu-rate and is highly susceptible to magneticinterference produced by electric motors,most notably stepper motors.In addition to optical and magneticencoders, Hall-effect sensors can be usedfor position encoding. While effective andreliable, they are suitable only for relativelylow-accuracy/resolution determination ofshaft position.

An innovative approach based on a proven designGiven the need for accurate, precise, andrugged rotary-position encoding, CUIlooked for other electronic techniqueswhich could be used. Their solution was toadapt the capacitive-sensing operatingprinciples of a standard linear-positionencoder, as developed for vernier calipersover 30 years ago (see Sidebar #2, “Fromcaliper to encoder”). The result is a highlydurable and accurate rotary encoder plat-form known as AMT.Capacitive sensing uses patterns of bars orlines, with one set on the fixed element andthe other set on the moving element, to forma variable capacitor configured as a transmit-ter/receiver pairing, Figure 2. As the encoderrotates, an application specific integrated cir-cuit (ASIC) counts the line changes and alsointerpolates to find the precise position ofthe encoder and direction of rotation. By design, the encoder ASIC's electrical out-put is 100% compatible with optical and mag-netic encoders. This non-contact encoderimplementation has several significant userbenefits:• It is not affected by dust, dirt, or oil, and

so is inherently more reliable than the optical approach.

• It is less sensitive to heat and cold; again, thus more reliable and consistent.

• It is less susceptible to vibration than a glass disk.

• There is no LED to dim or burn out.• The encoder needs only 6 to 10mA of

operating current, far less than the 20 to 50mA of the optical units; this makes it an efficient component for mobile and battery-operated applications.

Because the AMT encoder family has noneed for LEDs or line of sight, it has beencalled upon in applications where existingencoders often fall short. In one case, amanufacturer of baking automation equip-ment was having repeated and frequent

downtime at customer sites due to flourdust and other contaminants affecting theoptical encoder on a key production unit,requiring monthly shutdown, replacement,and re-zeroing. When the optical unit wasreplaced with a capacitive one, this problemdisappeared. In another case, a manufactur-er of off-shore drilling equipment required

that the entire motor assembly be sub-merged in oil due to the high pressures asso-ciated with the application. A capacitiveencoder was selected because of its abilityto operate without interruption in noncon-ductive fluids such as oil.

Figure 2: Principle of capacitive sensing - quadrature rows of bars, and output waveforms.

Figure 3:Exploded view showing assemblyof AMT encoder on motor shaft.


DESIGN ENCODERS

There is another benefit, although a less-obvious one, for designers fine tuning theproportional-integral-derivative (PID) con-trol loop: the ability to adjust the encoder'sppr count to optimize performance withoutneed to change encoders. This ability todynamically modify the resolution greatlysimplifies the system optimization process,which is usually done via adjustments to thecode, or by changing the encoder's linecount (resolution). With an optical encoder,this latter process requires differentencoders to be purchased and installed,increasing overall cost and lengthening thedesign cycle. With the capacitive-basedencoder, the control engineer simplyinstructs a change in the line count parame-ter of the encoder, until the desired control-loop result is obtained. Even in installation and production, thecapacitive encoder brings other benefits.Mechanically, its mounting holes are alsomatched to the other encoder types, mak-

ing it a fit-and-function compatible unit,Figure 3. Thus, a single encoder can be fit-ted to different diameter shafts simply byusing adapter sleeves, which reduces thenumber of SKUs (stock-keeping units) inproduction and repair stock. The versatility of an encoder built from acapacitive transducer and custom ASICelectrical interface is illustrated by theAMT11 from CUI, Inc (Figure 4). The smallunit, with a 37-mm diameter and a 10.34-mm thick profile, operates from a single +5Vsupply. It provides both single-endedCMOS incremental-position quadrature(90°) and differential line driver outputs thatare electrically compatible with convention-al optical- or magnetic-encoder signals. Itprovides a wide range of programmableresolution choices ranging from 48 to 4096ppr, plus a once-per-revolution indexingpulse. Axial and radial connection orienta-tions are available depending on the appli-cation requirement, along with a operating

temperate range of -40°C to 105°C foradded durability.There is a possible concern with the capaci-tive-based encoder, as there is with any elec-tronic transducer and associated circuitry,namely, susceptibility to electrical noise andinterference (EMI). Careful design of theASIC interface circuitry as well as fine-tuningof the encoder demodulation algorithms hasmitigated these issues. The ASIC also offersfuture opportunities for designs to alsoinclude embedded, on-board diagnostics toverify the performance of the encodermechanism and ASIC itself, as part of a more-intelligent encoder and subsystem.With the availability of the field-testedencoders based on capacitive-sensing prin-ciples, there's no longer a need for thedesign engineer to make the difficult choicebetween the attributes that optical andmagnetic encoders force: short and long-time reliability versus output accuracy. Thecapacitive encoder excels at both, and also

Figure 4: Photo of AMT11 and actual installation.


DESIGN ENCODERS

brings additional benefits in mechanicalmounting, inventory, ppr selection, readoutzeroing, and power consumption, all withfull compatibility to standard outputs.

Sidebar #1: What about sensorless designs?Along with using BLDC motors, there'sanother, smaller trend as well: the use ofsensorless designs which have no need foran encoder indicating shaft position. These

motors are controlled by a variety of algo-rithms including field-oriented control(FOC - also called vector control). While eliminating the need for an encoderis certainly attractive in theory, the FOCmethod has several drawbacks: it is not asprecise as a sensor-based design, it can loseposition and require a re-set, there are con-trol issues at some points in the torquerange, and it requires considerable compu-tational effort by the system processor. As aresult, it is mostly used in applications wherehigher precision and consistency in shaftposition and speed are not critical, such asconsumer appliances (washers, dryers). Formost industrial applications, though, theapparent “cost” of the encoder is more than

worthwhile, compared to the performancerequirements.

Sidebar #2:From caliper to rotary encoderCapacitive sensing is commonly used fortouch switches, where the user's finger actsas the second plate of a capacitor. Anychange in capacitance is sensed by interfacecircuit, thus emulating the function of a tra-ditional electromechanical pushbutton; they

are often used in “open” or public applica-tions such as elevators and crosswalks. Touchswitches are known for their resistance todirt, water, and overall abuse, since theyhave no moving parts internally and the onlyexposed part is a small metal tab which isflush with the mounting surface.The uses of capacitive sensing go beyondbasic on/off switches (either as single unitsor in an array), with the ubiquitous digitalcaliper as a mass-market example. IngvarAndermo, an electrical engineer at the IMResearch Institute in Stockholm, was workingon a bill-reading application using capaci-tive technology over 30 years ago. C.E.Johansson approached Andermo aboutdeveloping a digital caliper using magneto-

resistive technology, but Andermo thoughtthat approach was too complicated anddecided to use his experience with capaci-tive sensing. The first Johansson Caliper, or Jocal,debuted at a 1980 exhibition in Chicago.Johansson later licensed the technology toMitutoyo in Japan which introduced theirfirst digital caliper using this technologysome years later. Since then, millions of suchcalipers have been sold worldwide, Figure 5.

Andermo eventually worked with CUI Inc.,based in Tualatin, Oregon, to develop theAMT Series capacitive encoder using thesame technology, this time applied to high-speed rotational measurement. Three ele-ments are present: a high-frequency trans-mitter, a rotor etched with a sinusoidal-metal pattern, and a receiver board. Therotor sits between the transmitter andreceiver boards. As the rotor turns, its sinu-soidal-metal pattern modulates the high-fre-quency signal in a predictable fashion. Thereceiver board reads these modulations anda proprietary ASIC translates them intoincrements of rotary motion at encoder res-olutions of up to 4,096 steps/turn. nwww.cui.com

Figure 5: Mitutoyo digital caliper.

CUI Inc announced the release of a new ac-dc power supply family targeting applica-tions that demand 100% uptime. Available in75 W, 100 W and 155 W configurations, thePSF series is designed with built-in batterycharging and back-up functionality. Undernormal operating conditions, the units areable to charge the stand-by battery and alsosupply direct power to the load. In the eventof electrical power (AC) failure, the PSF seriesautomatically switches to DC power from thebattery source to ensure continuous opera-tion of the system. The PSF series accommo-

dates a universal input voltage of 90~264Vac and is available in two different outputformats. The dual output version features13.8V and 27.6V – one output goes towardspowering the load, while the other output is

available to charge the battery. The tripleoutput models include an additional 5V, 3Aregulated output. The PSF series comes withbuilt-in protections that add a great deal offlexibility and decrease complexity for thesystem designer.Protections include brownout (due to lowAC input voltage), battery low cut-off, andbattery polarity by resettable fuse. Thesefeatures are in addition to over-load, out-put over-voltage, constant current limit,and short circuit protections.CUI www.cui.com

Ac-Dc Power Supplies Ensure Continuous Operation with Addition of Battery Charging and Back-Up Features


The RK46C-VarOS object sensor is a retro-reflective photoelectricsensor which, unlike normal sensors that detect selectively, detectsobjects over a 50 mm band area. In packaging systems and intralogis-tics, the object sensor detects objects in the light-band with varioussizes and shapes as well as surfaces with openings. In the past, multi-ple sensors and consid-erable work was necessary for this purpose.Adjustable sensitivity levels and automatic sensitivity readjustment(ALC) support high system availa-bility in the event of soiling andchanging environmental conditions – even stretch-wrapped or shrink-wrapped objects are reliably detected. The special lens enables reliable detection over the entire light-band width in two adjustable sensitivity levels (8 and 12 mm). Common parts from standard sensor technology and compatibility with established mounting systems considerablysimplify mounting of the variable object sensor and bring a noticeable price advantage.

Light-band detects object presence

DESIGN SENSORS

SMARTER PRODUCT USABILITY

SMARTER APPLICATION KNOW-HOW

SMARTER CUSTOMER SERVICE

RK46C-VarOS variable object sensor scoreswith two adjustable sensitivity levels levelsand automatic sensitivity readjustment.

• Tel. +40 256-201346• [email protected]• www.oboyle.ro


Universum, the research insti-tute for HR marketing, con-ducts an annual representativesurvey of 10,000 Swiss studentson their most desired employ-ers and career plans. Accordingto the latest results, Sensirionremains one of the most popu-lar employers for engineers(38th place) and graduates ofother natural sciences and ITdisciplines. The popularity ofthe leading manufacturer ofsensor and software solutions isbased in part on its strong cor-porate culture, in which fair andhonest cooperation, social cohe-sion and promotion of excep-tional performance are core val-

ues. Another key factor isSensirion’s worldwide reputa-tion for innovation and continu-ous development: Its productsand technologies are protectedby more than 100 patents.

According to the EuropeanPatent Office (EPO), the compa-ny is one of the top 20 patent fil-ers in Switzerland and one of thetop 3 in the canton of Zurich.These figures are compelling

evidence of the friendly, yetdemanding work environment.They also show that Sensirion isable to recruit the top graduatesfrom each class. Another sign of Sensirion’s inno-vative force is its transition froma pure hardware componentmanufacturer into a comprehen-sive solution and softwareprovider. This innovative drivegives rise to an endless pipelineof new and diverse fields ofactivity for engineers and natu-ral scientists from different disci-plines, including sensor technol-ogy, physics, technology andsoftware development.SENSIRION AG www.sensirion.com

Sensirion again among the 100 most popular employers

n Optical sensorsn Sensors for logistic applicationsn Safety at work

n Optical Sensorsn Inductive Sensors

n Color Sensorsn True Color Sensors, Spectrometersn Gloss Sensors

Leuze

Contrinex

Sensor Instruments

n Linear Sensorsn Angle Sensorsn Tilt Sensors

n PLCsn Temperature Controllern Timer

n Flowmetersn Level Indicators and Switchesn Pressure Sensors and Switches

ASM

Selec

Koboldn Linear Solenoidsn Permanent Electromagnets

Harting

HTP

Intertec

Visit our online shopwww.oboyle.ro

n Circular connectors M8; M12; M23n Cable and Connectors for Sensorsn Valve Connectorsn Distribution Blocks

n Heavy Duty Industrial Connectorsn Power and Data Transmission Connectors

AUTOMATION


DESIGN ELECTRONICS

Tel. +40 256-201346 • Mail [email protected] • Web www.oboyle.ro

A significant area of the disturbances andinfluences on the mains voltage set phaseeffects; they do arise when resources areoperated with a nonlinear current - volt-

age characteristic or with non-stationaryoperating behavior of a power grid. Thisproblem of network perturbations gainsthrough the increased use of power elec-tronics with increased emission increasing-ly important.In view of the increasing network pollu-tion and the necessary reduction to com-ply with the power network stability, therequirements are to be adapted to devicemanufacturers to comply with the electro-magnetic compatibility. With the harmo-nization of EU Directive 2004/108/ECtowards the new version 2014/30/EG witheffect from 20th April 2016, new guide-lines have been applied for the marketingof new devices in Europe. In order tomeet these future requirements on the

grid-connected emissions, HAHN pro-vides you already an extended mainschoke series, which allows you within veryshort time to optimize the EMC-features

of your device, compliant to the new stan-dard location.With a power range up to 10A as well as awide range of inductance values, thisseries covers completely the range ofcommon household appliances using theirtypical plug connected load. Through compliance with the standards inrelation to the relevant standards EN61558-2-20 for chokes , EN 62041, as wellas the compliance with the glow wire testsof all materials used in accordance with EN60335-1 and the use of insulation to theinsulation class B and F UL 1446, the integra-tion of these components is quick and easy. Investments in new measurement tech-niques also allow customized solutions.

Our HAHN development team and ourtechnical support team will be happy toan-swer your questions. n

Extended mains choke SeriesOne of the most important environmental conditions for thesmooth operation of electrical equipment is a reliable quality of supply networks. Disturbances and influ-ences caused bypower-ups, switching power supplies, frequency controllers, etc.,endanger equipment and systems in their operational safety.

At Sensor+Test 2014, Sensirionpresented its latest temperaturesensor, the STSC1, proving onceagain that high measurement accu-racy can be combined with anextremely attractive price-per-formance ratio. The latest genera-tion of temperature sensors fea-tures high accuracy, low powerconsumption and minimal size.Sensirion’s sensor family isgrowing. The STSC1 tempera-ture sensor will be availablefrom summer 2014 and has thepotential to build on the suc-cess of the SHTC1 humidityand temperature sensor, whichhas impressed the market a mil-lion times over. Its successor willinherit in particular its high-pre-cision temperature measure-ment and remarkable value formoney. The STSC1 focuses onapplications that require very pre-cise temperature measurement. Itis suitable for consumer electron-ics, Internet of Things and smarthome applications, as well as fordata loggers and thermostats. Withcompact dimensions of just 2 mm× 2 mm × 0.8 mm, low power con-sumption and supply voltage of1.8V, it clearly fulfills industry

requirements. In addition to itseasy handling, the STSC1 providesa fully calibrated and linearizeddigital signal to a microcontroller.Its good genes are also apparent inits application: the STSC1 meas-ures temperatures from -40 °C to125°C with a typical accuracy of±0.3°C. The fully calibrated sensor

features an I2C interface and isreflow-solderable. It is suitable forstandardized industrial series pro-duction of electronic devices andcan be successfully integrated intocomplex applications. Sensirion supports its customerswith application expertise gainedfrom many years of experiencewith millions of sensors. SENSIRION www.sensirion.com

Impressive precision

Micronas extends its Hall-effectsensor portfolio by the new HAL15xy switch family, successor ofthe HAL 5xy family. The new sen-sors provide highestquality and reliability fora broad variety of auto-motive applications.Distributor Rutronik pre-sented the sensor inno-vations at the Sensor +Test from June 3 to 5,2014, at Nuernberg.The new sensor familywas developed forharshest environmental condi-tions from -40°C up to 150°Cambient temperature. As the firstgeneration of ASIL A ready Hall-effect switches with a single-pointfault metric greater than 60%according to the latest ISO 26262standard, the HAL 15xy sensorsfulfill enhanced functional safetyrequirements. They provide

many new diagnostic features,allowing a deployment in ASIL A,B and higher classified automo-tive applications.

For even more stringent securityrequirements, the HAL 15xy fea-tures an additional, uniquepower-on self-test. It can option-ally be enabled for a full function-al test of the sensors’ signal pro-cessing path and output beforestarting standard operation.RUTRONIKwww.rutronik.com/8b2e1050.l

Sensor + Test: Rutronik distributes first ISO 26262compliant Hall Switch Family from Micronas Murata has developed a surface-

mount device (SMD)-type ultra-sonic sensor whose productionstarts in summer 2014. It isdesigned for applications like dis-tance measurement, positiondetection and 3D gesture detec-

tion in portable equipment.Distributor Rutronik presentedthe new sensors at the Sensor +Test from June 3 to 5, 2014, atNuernberg (hall 12, booth 466). Constructed in an ultra low profile

package measuring only 5.2 × 5.2× 1.15mm, Murata’s MA40H1S-Rseries of SMD ultrasonic sensors iscapable of delivering up to100dB sound pressure at 40kHz.Its operating voltage is 6Vp-p.The sensor comes with a -6dB full

angle beam of 80°.Utilising an exclu-sive structuraldesign, includingthe ceramic ele-ment, MurataM a n ufa c t u r i n gmanaged todevelop world’sfirst SMD-typeultrasonic sensor.It requires mini-mal mountingspace and enables

improved functionality for dis-tance measurement and positiondetection through the use ofultrasonic waves.RUTRONIKwww.rutronik.com/8ded107e.l

The Swiss sensor manufacturerSensirion is showing its new digitalmass flow controller, suitable fordiverse applications in the indus-trial and medical technology sec-tors, at the Semicon West tradeshow in the USA. The newSFC5000 Series leveragesSensirion’s CMOSens® Technologyto provide extremely high accura-cy, repeatability and reliability at avery attractive price. The SFC5000Series with its excellent long-termstability enables precise controlover a wide control range of1000:1. Its ultra-fast settling time is50 milliseconds. The excellent per-formance of the mass flow con-troller is based on Sensirion’s inno-vative CMOSens® Technology,which combines the high-precisionsensor element and the analog anddigital signal processing circuitryon a single tiny CMOS silicon chip.The sensor signal is converted intoa fully calibrated and temperaturecompensated digital signal directlyon the chip. The new mass flowcontroller features both analogand digital interfaces, enabling

new features such as optionalmultigas, gas recognition and self-test capability. The SFC5000Series mass flow controller oper-ates from a standard supply volt-age of 14–24 VDC. It can be usedwith input pressures up to 10 bar(145 psi), and it is resistant to elec-tromagnetic interference (EMI).Due to exceptionally fast reactiontime of the flow chip combined

with fast control algorithm andvalve, inlet pressure fluctuationscan be regulated in real time pro-viding stable output flow profile.The mass flow controller features avacuum-tight stainless steel pack-age of the flow chip which ismounted on a sturdy aluminum orstainless steel flow body.SENSIRION www.sensirion.com

Versatile mass flow controller with ultrafast settling time

Sensor + Test: Rutronik presented World’s FirstSurface Mount Ultrasonic Sensor from Murata


PRODUCT NEWS SENSORS


Innolux guarantees at least fiveyears‘ availability for its G260JJE-L07 26-inch (66 cm) SMVA TFTdisplay, available immediatelyfrom MSC Technologies, a busi-ness group of Avnet Electronics

Marketing EMEA, a businessregion of Avnet Inc. Apart from itshigh resolution of 1920 × 1200pixels, the 16:10 format panel alsofeatures an especially wide verticaland horizontal viewing angle of88° in each direction. 1000:1 con-trast and 300 cd/m² brightnessprovide good display clarity evenin unfavorable lighting conditions.

The indoor display, equippedwith an integrated LED driver anda twin-channel 30-pin LVDS inter-face, is specified for an operatingtemperature range of 0 to 50°C.The service life of the high-quality

white LED background lightingbefore it reaches 50 percent ofthe specified light density is atleast 50,000 hours. Typical applications for theG260JJE-L07 are medical equip-ment, slot machines and also nau-tical applications.MSC TECHNOLOGIESwww.msc-technologies.eu

26-inch (66 cm) SMVA TFT display with WUXGAresolution and at least five years‘ availability

Everlight Electronics puts its threedecades of experience in opto-electronics in developing LEDcomponents into the new Argusseries fog light source. This prod-uct is capable of providing a clearforward visibility when driving indense fog or heavy downpour.Combined with the color temper-ature of sunlight (5600K), the LEDfront fog light increases the dri-ver’s ability to perceive contrasts.The Argus series combined foglight and daytime running lightmodule will be showcased in the2014 Guangzhou InternationalLighting Exhibition. LED car lightsources featuring high lighting effi-ciency and uniformity give youinfinite horizons. Similar to gener-al lighting, car lighting has a longhistory from the earliest kerosenelamps to halogen light to the mostpopular HIDs of today. Alongsidewith the popular applications in

lighting, LED is making its way intocar products. As the “eye” of a car,car lights are the most importantcontributors to driving safety andevolved from satisfying nighttimelighting needs to taking care ofdriving safety 24-7. The LED head

lamps and adaptive front lightingsystem, such as those installed onAudi A7, A8 and BMW M3, M4, aswell as commonly seen LED brakelights and indicator lights not onlyshow the unequaled ability ofLEDs in energy saving and envi-ronmental protection, but alsosuggest that the use of LEDsimproves the selling point andvalue of products themselves.EVERLIGHT www.EVERLIGHT.com

Everlight Electronics is LaunchingNew Fog Light - Argus LED

Osram Opto Semiconductorsadds the particularly low, high-capacity T-Midled SFH 4140 to itsportfolio of remote control trans-mitters. Thanks to this first flush-mountable infrared LED, remotecontrol functionality can now beincorporated in a lower profilethan ever before. The infraredtransmitter can be integrated invery thin smartphones and tabletcomputers. It is available at distrib-utor Rutronik as of now. With theT-Midled SFH 4140, a surface-mountable infrared LED can besunk in a pc board for the firsttime. Only 0.6mm of the T-shapedtransmitter extend above andbelow the board. Besides, thecomponent size is only 3.1mm ×1.5mm × 1.5mm, thus it takes uponly 4.6mm² of board space.Thanks to an integrated reflector,a powerful focused beam is emit-ted to the side in a beam angle of

±25°. With a typical radiant inten-sity of 100mA, the SFH 4140 pro-duces 50mW/sr (per steradiant)and achieves a wavelength of940nm. The T-Midled SFH 4140was designed for home entertain-ment electronics: If a smartphoneor tablet is equipped with the

appropriate infrared transmitterdiode, the diode can be con-trolled via suitable app and thusbe turned into an universalremote control. RUTRONIKwww.rutronik.com/c73210b9.l

The highly popular SerialPeripheral Interface (SPI) is nowavailable on Electronic AssemblyOLED text displays. The deploy-ment of serial datatransmission contin-ues to increase andSPI expands theapplication range ofthe displays. Abroad and everexpanding range ofSPI-enabled com-ponents and micro-controllers is avail-able on the marketand the SPI bus is now beingdesigned into many applications.In theory, there is no limit to thenumber of displays and nodesthat can be attached to the SPIbus. The bus has three shared buslines (MOSI, MISO and CLK) aswell as a CS (Chip Select) line.Previously, the advanced text dis-plays which are available in icewhite and yellow/green were onlysupplied with a 4/8 bit data bus.All displays have a built-in con-troller similar to the HD44780and run on a single 3.3V or 5Vsupply. Current consumption is

very low with 15 ~ 50mA. Four character sets including spe-cial characters are already storedin the character ROM:

English/Japanese, English/Russian(Cyrillic) and 2 different WesternEuropean character sets. Userscan also define up to 8 of theirown characters. Different func-tions can easily be programmedwith a single command: ClearDisplay, Cursor Home, Cursoron/off, Cursor blink and ShiftDisplay. Example code is availableon the homepage.All OLED displays will run over awide operating temperaturerange (-40°C ~ +80°C).ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLYwww.lcd-module.com

OLED displays with SPI interface run onsimple 3.3V supply

Rutronik introduces first flush-mountable infraredLED from Osram

PRODUCT NEWS Lighting Solutions / Display

MSC Technologies has presentedits MSC CXC-BT COM Express™Type 2 module family based onlatest Intel® Atom™ E3800 proces-sors (code named “Bay Trail“).With Type 2.0 pin-out of theCOM Express™ specification, themodules offer “legacy” inter-faces like PATA and PCI bus andthus can replace products withprocessors and chipsets whichare being discontinued by Intel.These are modules with Intel®Core™ 2 Duo processors andIntel® Atom™ N270 processorswith Intel® 945 chipset or withIntel® Atom™ Z Series proces-sors with US15W chipset.The MSC CXC-BT module fam-ily in the compact form factor of95 × 95mm offers a broad rangeof interfaces like PCI bus (32 bit),up to eight USB 2.0, LPC, 4 × PCIExpress™ x1 Lanes Gen. 2.0 andGbit Ethernet. There are twoSATA (up to 3Gb/s) ports or alter-natively one PATA and one SATAinterface. Furthermore, a socketfor a microSD card is available.Two independent displays can beconnected via LCD (LVDS 24 bit,dual-channel) and VGA. Dual-channel DDR3L (1333, low volt-

age) SDRAM modules with a max-imum storage capacity of alto-gether 8GB can be plugged intothe boards. Today, the MSC CXC-BT COM Express™ Type 2 plat-form is offered in seven variants.The module based on the quad-

core Intel® Atom™ processorE3845 (1.91GHz, 10W TDP)offers highest performance. Theboards with dual-core Intel®Atom™ processors E3827(1.75GHz, 8W TDP), E3826(1.45GHz, 7W TDP) and E3825(1.33GHz, 6W TDP) and with sin-gle-core Intel® Atom™ E3815processor (1.46GHz, 5W TDP) forless demanding applications arefully compatible. MSC TECHNOLOGIESwww.msc-technologies.eu

Intel Atom based COM Express Type 2modules as replacement

Mouser Electronics, Inc. has justlaunched a new InstrumentationApplications Site. The newInstrumentation Applications Site,available on Mouser.com has sev-eral sections designed to helpdevelopers build instrumentationsystems. The Applications sectionprovides articles, resources andvideos on building instrumenta-tion and data acquisition systemsincluding design guidelines forhigh performance data acquisi-tion systems, input protection foranalog to digital converters(ADCs), what typical values in adatasheet really mean, and whento use a high precision program-mable current source. TheArticles section provides refer-ence information on the designchallenges and solutions whenbuilding instrumentation proj-ects. The Resources section con-

tains many useful videos, articles,and white papers to assist devel-opers in solving instrumentationdesign challenges. Last, theFeatured Products section offers

direct links to products useful indesigning instrumentation anddata acquisition systems includingAnalog Devices AD7176-2 SigmaDelta ADCs, Freescale Kinetis KSeries Cortex-M0+ microcon-trollers, and Molex EdgeLine HighSpeed Connectors.MOUSER ELECTRONICSwww.mouser.com

Mouser Announces New InstrumentationApplication Site CUI Inc launched four new series

of compact, open frame ac-dcpower supplies, which range from30 W to 85 W – The VOF Series.The single-output suppliesadvance the company’s existingoffering, delivering higher effi-ciencies, improvedno-load perform-ances, and a boostin power versus theprevious genera-tion. The powersupplies can accom-modate a wide uni-versal input voltageof 90~277 Vac at 47-63 Hz input,offering global compatibility forOEM manufacturers. It has beencreated to provide an industryleading combination of efficiencyand competitive pricing, makingthe series ideally suited for use inITE, industrial, and consumerelectronics applications.

Available in 30, 50, 70, and 85 Wversions, the power supplies offeroutput voltage options of 5, 12,15, 18, 24, 28 and 48 Vdcdepending on the series. All mod-els include output voltage adjusta-bility of ±5% via an onboard

potentiometer.The VOF-30, VOF-50, and VOF-70 models are rated for operationat 100% load from -20°C to 50°C,derating to 50% load at 60°C. TheVOF-85 operates at 100% loadfrom -20°C to 40°C, also deratingto 50% load at 60°C.CUI www.cui.com

Microchip announces the expan-sion of its 36V digital potentiome-ter (digipot) portfolio with twonew volatile, I2C™ devices: theMCP45HV31 and MCP45HV51(MCP45HV31-51). These are theindustry’s first digipots tooffer a 5 kohm resistancewith a specified operat-ing voltage of 36V. Inaddition, they provide10V to 36V analogueoperation and 1.8V to5.5V digital operation,for systems requiringwide signal swings or highpower-supply voltages.The MCP45HV31-51 digipotssupport both 7-bit and 8-bit resis-tor configurations, and a high ter-minal/wiper current, including theability to sink/source up to 25 mAon all terminal pins for driving larg-er loads. These features, com-bined with an extended tempera-ture range of -40°C to +125°C,make the MCP45HV31-51 wellsuited for a broad range of high-voltage and high-temperatureapplications, including those in theindustrial, automotive and audiomarkets. The MCP45HV31’s 7-bit

resistor network resolutionenables 127 resistors and 128 taps,while the MCP45HV51’s 8-bit con-figuration supports 255 resistorsand 256 taps. Additionally, bothdigipots provide RAB resistance

options of 5, 10, 50 and 100kohms. Both devices also feature a1μA typical serial-interface inac-tive current, and a 2MHz typicalbandwidth operation (-3dB) at the5 kohm resistance level.Microchip’s 20-Pin TSSOP andSSOP Evaluation Board(TSSOP20EV) allows systemdesigners to quickly evaluate theoperation of the newMCP45HV31-51 digipots, in the14-pin TSSOP package option.MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGYwww.microchip.com/get/FAHU

Industry’s first 5 kohm digital potentiometers withspecified 36V operating voltage

Open Frame Power Supplies Ranging from 30~85 Ware Efficient and Economical


PRODUCT NEWS EMBEDDED SYSTEMS


Intersil Corporation announcedthe ISL85003 and ISL85003A 3Amp synchronous buck regula-tors with integrated high side andlow side MOSFETs. The newISL85003/3A buck regulatorssupport an input voltage range of

4.5V to 18V while delivering veryefficient and continuous 3A cur-rent for the latest generation ofFPGAs from leading manufactur-ers for high-end server, networkcommunication and industrialprocess control applications. TheISL85003/3A buck regulators arethe most efficient regulators of

their kind, reducing power loss,eliminating the need for fans orother cooling systems, improvingreliability and extending the lifeof end products. TheISL85003/3A buck regulators aredesigned to deliver a very low

resistance in a triode regionRDS(ON) with an optimized cur-rent mode controller to furtherimprove efficiency and reducedie temperatures, keeping com-plex systems cooler and prevent-ing product failures.INTERSILwww.intersil.com

Intersil Announces Industry’s Most Efficient, Reliableand Easy-to-Use 3 Amp Synchronous Buck Regulators

Diamond Microwave, a specialistin high performance microwavepower amplifiers, is extending itsrange of GaN-based solid-statepower amplifiers (SSPA) toinclude a 2 - 6GHz model thatcan be operated in either pulsedor CW mode. Announced at this week’sInternational MicrowaveSymposium (IMS) inTampa, the DM SC50 01is an ultra-compactbroadband amplifier thatcomplements DiamondMicrowave’s existingSSPAs in X-Band and Ku-Band. All of DiamondMicrowave’s amplifiersare ideal for use in demandingdefence, aerospace and commu-nications applications.The amplifier designs are flexiblein layout and architecture, andare fully customisable to meet

individual specifications for elec-trical, mechanical and environ-mental parameters. Amplifierswith pulsed power outputs inexcess of 1kW, and with multi-octave performance are alsounder development.

Diamond Microwave is exhibitingon Booth 1651 at the IEEEInternational Microwave Symposiumin Tampa.DIAMOND MICROWAVEwww.diamondmw.com

Diamond Microwave launches ultra-compact 2 – 6GHz GaN SSPA

Radiocrafts AS, a leading providerof RF modules announced today anew radio module series for theindustrial radio market. TheRC17xxHP-RC232 module seriesprovides narrowband radio per-formance combinedwith high output powerfor long range industrialapplications. The new module seriescovers all ISM bandsbelow 1GHz, including169, 433 and 868MHz,as well as some national bandsused for application specific radiocommunication (444, 458,465MHz, etc.). The embeddedRC232 radio protocol providepoint-to-point and point-to-multi-point communication over anencrypted data link, and is veryeasy to use.The narrowband modules operatein bandwidths down to 12.5kHz,

with temperature stabilized crystaloscillators to ensure reliable oper-ation over the full industrial tem-perature range, -40 to +85°C. TheRF output power is configurableup to 500 mW.

The combination of superior sen-sitivity of the narrowband radio,and high RF output power gives avery long communication range.The selectivity and blocking prop-erties of these radios makes themideal for use in critical applicationsand environments with radio noisefrom industrial equipment.RADIOCRAFTS ASwww.radiocrafts.com

Murata today announced twoproducts that are designed toimprove power conversion effi-ciency in large data centre envi-ronments. Thesec o m p l e m e n t a r yproducts are a 5kW PFC converterwith 3-phase ACinput and a match-ing high input volt-age 1,200 WattDC-DC converter.High voltage directcurrent (HVDC)power supply solu-tions are increas-ingly becoming popular as a wayto power large server racks anddatastorage equipment in themost energy efficient means pos-sible. These two new productsachieve this while meeting therestrictions placed on reducinghigher harmonics to a minimum.The PFC converter, model num-ber MPA9535, operates from ahigh-line 3-phase 480 VAC inputand provides a 380 VDC output.The converter ensures that thepower factor correction is a closeas possible to unity thus ensuring

that efficiency is as high as possi-ble. Typical power conversionefficiency of the MPA9535 is upto 96%. The matching MPA9512

DC-DC converter is fed directlyfrom the MPA9535 and has twoDC outputs. The main output is12.12 VDC and a standby +5VDC output is also provided.This stage of power conversionachieves a typical efficiency of95.2%.Designed for use in standard 19-inch server racks, the two unitscombined occupy a 4U footprint.Mass production will commenceduring 2015.MURATAwww.murata.eu

Murata announces highly efficient combined 3-phasePFC and DC-DC converter for data centre applications

Radiocrafts announces narrowband RF modules forindustrial market

PRODUCT NEWS ACTIVE COMPONENTS

Intersil Corporation announcedthe ISL6388, a 6-phase pulse-width modulation (PWM) con-troller with non-volatile memory(NVM) that is compliant withIntel’s VR12/12.5s p e c i f i c a t i o n .Designed for serv-er and high-enddesktop applica-tions, the ISL6388digitally program-mable multiphasecontroller featuresmultiple time pro-grammable NVMthat allows for thecreation of custom configurationsduring the design process, elimi-nating the need for a solderingiron to make adjustments. Thenew multiphase controller is sup-ported by the company’s latestrelease of the PowerNavigator™graphical user interface, whichallows designers to easily useIntersil’s digital power productswithout writing a line of code. TheISL6388’s patented enhancedadaptive pulse positioning (EAPP)architecture provides outstanding

transient response using a linearcontrol loop, avoiding beat fre-quency issues, and improvingtransient response over competi-tive solutions. Designers today are

looking for power managementsolutions that can exceed thepower delivery requirements ofmodern processors, with all of theprogramming and monitoringcapabilities of digital control.Intersil’s new ISL6388 provides thebest of both worlds with a fastcontrol loop combined with fulldigital communication andtelemetry options to enable ulti-mate flexibility and customization. INTERSILwww.intersil.com

Intersil Announces Its First Digitally ProgrammableMultiphase Intel® VR12/12.5 Compliant Controllerfor Server and High-End Desktop Applications

Mouser Electronics, Inc. is now thefirst to ship the new MAX11905Single Channel SAR Analog toDigital Converter from MaximIntegrated. The MAX11905 is asingle-channel 20 bit SuccessiveApproximation Register (SAR)Analog to Digital Converter(ADC). At 1.6 million samples persecond (MSPS) it is the industry'sfastest 20 bit ADC. It is designedto provide excellent static anddynamic performance with best inclass power consumption.The new Maxim MAX11905Single Channel Analog to DigitalConverter, available from MouserElectronics, is a single channel,fully differential input ADC thatachieves 20 bit resolution with nomissing codes. This ADC achievesa high sampling rate and resolu-tion while consuming very littlepower and conserving board

space. Board space is saved byincluding an internal oscillator andinternal reference buffers. The MAX11905 has dedicated input clampsto provide ESD protection as well as protect

the ADC input from overranging. The deviceachieves an excellent 98.3dB Signal toNoise Ratio (SNR) and 123dB TotalHarmonic distortion (THD).

MOUSERwww.mouser.com

MAXIM INTEGRATEDmaximintegrated.com

Mouser First to Ship Maxim MAX11905, Industry'sFastest 20 bit ADC Intersil Corporation announced its

latest generation LCD videoprocessor - the TW8836 - withboth analog and digital videoinputs, a built-in scaler and de-interlacer, as well as imageenhancement and OnScreen Display capabili-ties in a single-chip,hardware-based solu-tion. Intersil’s LCD con-troller family is the mostmature and market-proven product of itstype. Designed for ulti-mate flexibility andquality, the TW8836 can be usedto display rear camera video withgraphic overlay in less than 500milliseconds from the start of avehicle, exceeding governmentsafety regulations. This versatiledevice can be used in a wide arrayof infotainment system applica-tions and is optimized for use with

today’s most popular SoCs. TheNational Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration announced inMarch 2014 that "rear-visibilitytechnology" must be implement-ed as standard equipment in all

vehicles under 10,000 poundsstarting in 2018, as part of the KidsTransportation Safety Act. Themove aims to reduce the numberof deaths and injuries causedevery year by backup accidents,most involving children or seniors.INTERSILwww.intersil.com

Intersil Corporation announcedthe ISL8240M, a dual 20A/single40A step-down power modulethat sets a new standard for effi-ciency and power density in infra-structure and embedded com-puting applications.Capable of deliveringup to 100W of outputpower in a 2.9cm2

footprint, greater than90% power efficiency,and industry-leadingthermal performance,the ISL8240M pro-vides designers with aturnkey DC/DC con-verter solution for high currentapplications. Today’s power sys-tems for communications andcomputing infrastructure supporthigh current loads from increas-ingly power hungry FPGAs, ASICs,and microprocessors. To supplythese high current circuits, equip-ment makers often rely on discretepower solutions that are compli-cated, take up valuable real-estateand may have significant poweroutput limitations. Intersil’s powermodule family reduces designcomplexity and creates headroom

in the power system, increasingflexibility while improving efficien-cy and thermal performance. Thelatest addition to Intersil’s com-plete family of power modules,the ISL8240M is pin-to-pin com-

patible with the company’s popu-lar ISL8225M 30A power module,expanding the output current to40A and delivering up to 100Woutput power.This offers designers a high levelof flexibility, enabling a singlePCB design across platforms. TheISL8240M is also capable ofdelivering up to 240A outputwhen six modules in paralleloperation are current shared,enabling the industry’s highesttotal output current.INTERSIL www.intersil.com

Intersil’s Latest Power Module offers Industry-leadingPower Density, Efficiency and Thermal Performance

Intersil’s Market-Proven, Highly Integrated LCDController Technology Improves Vehicle Safety





Chassis mount supply providesprogrammable voltage andcurrent down to zeroXP Power announced the HDS3000 series of 3000 Wattprogrammable AC/DC power supplies. The series com-pliments the existing 800 Watt and 1500 Watt versionsand comprises seven single output models providing allthe popular nominal output voltages from + 12 to + 60VDC. These highly efficient supplies, up to 93%, allowthe output voltage or output current to be programmedfrom 0 to 105% of nominal output by a variety of means.Digital communication can be made via I2C or RS232 seri-al interfaces and analog controls include using a 0 to+5VDC input voltage or by using an external resistor.

An output trim adjustment of ±5% of stated nominal viaa potentiometer is also provided in order to compen-sate of wiring losses, or to accommodate a non-stan-dard voltage requirement. An always-on standby out-put is also available and is user selectable betweeneither 5VDC / 0.5A or 9VDC / 0.3A.Despite its high output power, the HDS3000 has a highpower density and is packaged in a chassis mount for-mat measuring only 360.0 × 127.0 × 127.0 mm (14.7 ×5.0 × 5.0 inches) including the bus bar output connec-tors and the variable speed fan. Using a variable speedfan helps keep energy consumption to a minimum,reduces acoustic noise when operating at low load con-ditions, and extends the lifetime of the fan.Signal and other control functions include RemoteOn/Off, AC OK, remote sense and overtemperatureshutdown. Up to five supplies can be configured in par-allel to provide a current share capability for increasingavailable power output or to build in redundancy intothe end-system. A multicolour LED is used to indicatepower supply operational status through a combinationof colour and flashing or constant illumination.

XP POWER www.xppower.com

IQD’s new IQOV-164 series oven con-trolled crystal oscillator (OCXO) deliv-ers exceptional frequency stability per-formance at ±0.2ppb over an operatingtemperature range of -20 to 70°C. Thisnew ultra high stability model can alsobe specified to operate over a wider -30 to 75°C temperature range with onlya minor drop in temperature stabilityperformance at ±0.5ppb.Available over a frequency range from10 to 40MHz, this OCXO consumes amaximum of 7.0 Watts during warm uptime which takes only 3 minutes.Frequencies are available up to 100MHzwith a lower stability of ±10ppb over -30to 75°C. Designed to operate from a3.3V supply, the IQOV-164 is housed inan industry standard 5-pin euro packagemeasuring 36 × 27mm and 13.5mm high.Output can be specified as eitherHCMOS, 15pF load or Sinewave, into50 Ohms load. Phase noise perform-ance is typically -158dBc/Hz at 100kHz

offset and the IQOV-164 can be speci-fied with different frequency pullingoptions in order to offset the impact ofageing. Typically ageing is ±0.2ppb perday, ±10ppb per year depending onthe required specification. With theIQOV-164 offering such exceptionalfrequency temperature stability com-bined with a short term stability of 1E-

11/S it is particularly suitable for a rangeof applications including: 4G and LTEbase stations, test & measurement, GPS,radar, communications, point to pointcommunications and Sonet/SDH.IQD www.iqdfrequencyproducts.com

IQD’s launches new ±0.2ppb OCXO at IMS 2014

Power Integrations announcedfour reference designs describingdrivers for dimmable PAR 30 andPAR 38 LED light bulbs. Jointlydeveloped by Power Integrationsand CREE, the designs showcasethe combination of PowerIntegrations’ LYTSwitch™-4driver ICs and CREE MT-G2EasyWhite LEDs. DER-364and DER-365 detail low- andhigh-line PAR 30 LED bulbdrivers, respectively, whileDER-350 and DER-396 addresslow- and high-line PAR 38bulbs. These and other refer-ence designs are hosted atwww.powerint.com/ledrivers/creeLYTSwitch-4 ICs are highly effi-cient and deliver accurate outputcurrent regulation in bulb andtube replacement applicationsand high-bay lighting. Thedevices simplify design andreduce cost while ensuring thatlamps deliver uniform light out-put and provide exceptional per-formance in TRIAC-dimmable

applications. LYTSwitch-4 ICscombine PFC and constant cur-rent in a single-stage topology,resulting in power factor greaterthan 0.95 and typical efficienciesof better than 90%. The single-

stage approach also eliminatestemperature-sensitive electrolyt-ic bulk capacitors, greatly increas-ing the bulbs’ reliability and life-time. LYTSwitch-4 ICs also oper-ate at a high switching frequency(132-kHz), enabling smaller,lower-cost magnetics to be used,while frequency jittering reducesthe need for EMI filtering. POWER INTEGRATIONS www.powerint.com

Power Integrations Introduces Driver ReferenceDesigns for CREE LED Bulbs

Exar Corporation announced theexpansion of its low voltage, low-dropout (LDO) regulators withthe new XR71211. This LDOprovides 1.5A from voltages aslow as 1.4V and a guaranteeddropout voltage of 250mV atmaximum junction temperature.The XR71211 istargeted at 1.5V to1.2V and 1.8V to1.5V conversions.The new LDO istargeted at a widerange of marketsincluding commu-nications, enter-prise solutions,industrial systemsand space con-strained consumer devices.Exar achieves the low dropoutperformance of the XR71211regulator without requiringeither an external bias voltage oran internal charge pump, whichcan often generate unwantednoise and affect system opera-tion. The new LDO uses a singlesupply which reduces board lay-

out complexity by avoiding theneed to route a secondary biasrail to the LDO. Operating inputvoltage range is 1.4V to 2.625Vand the device provides outputvoltages down to 0.6V with anaccuracy of 0.5% using ceramiccapacitors. In addition, precision

enable and power good func-tions allow for easy sequencingand control. The XR71211 is available now inRoHS compliant, green/halogenfree space-saving 10-pin 3×3mmDFN package and is priced from$1.59 in 1000 piece quantities.EXARwww.exar.com

Exar Expands Low Voltage Single Supply LDO Portfolio

Aito BV, the leader in softwareenhanced piezo (SEP) touch con-trol technology, introduced itsATB250 AitoTouch Controller,which provides a highly config-urable user interfacefor up to 11 touchbuttons. Aito’s SEPtechnology allows thecreation of seamlesstouch keys on anysurface, replacing tra-ditional mechanicalswitches and over-coming the problemsof capacitive andother touch tech-nologies that eitherrequire significantbutton travel or willnot operate withgloved hands orthrough metal paneloverlays. Target mar-kets are those wherethis capability addsvalue in design aes-thetics and function-ality to provide aquality user experi-ence. Applicationsinclude: kitchen appli-ances, such as ovens,hobs, hoods, refrig-erators, coffeemachines, toasters,as well as consumeraudio / video andhome automationproducts, but alsomedical equipmentand industrial con-trols, where the ben-efits of sealed panelsand robust, reliableoperation are vital.The ATB250 con-troller provides a combination ofinput and output channels to sup-port up to 11 piezo touch buttons,each with drivers for LED indicatorsto provide visual feedback, alongwith a single buzzer output foraudible feedback. The piezo sens-ing parameters for each key can beindividually configured for sensitiv-ity, detection area and to cope withdifferent overlay stiffness ormechanical integration conditions.The LED and buzzer feedback pat-terns can be customized for eachkey. For easy integration into exist-

ing hardware, the device offers SPI,I2C and DEO (Digital EncodedOutput) mode interfaces for com-munication with the host processor.Aito is the leading solution

provider in the SEP consortium ofcompanies, which promotes ‘bestpractice’ for SEP touch technologysoftware. Other partners includeapproved MCU platform andcomponent suppliers. TheATB250 represents the latestdevelopment of SEP, bringing thetechnology to a whole new levelof software configurability byincreasing the scalability of SEPtouch modules and, in turn, reduc-ing product development cyclesand the cost of manufacturing.AITO www.aitochip.com

Aito Controller Enables Touch Keys onMetal Surfaces



EP&Dee no 6

Documents

e c t r o n

digital format

development board

eurostandard press

euro standard press

voltage trim

power devices andcircuitry

dual independent lowpower