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Aledia S.A of Echirolles, near Grenoble, France (a developer and manufacturer of 3D micro-LEDs for display applications based on its large-area gallium nitride nanowires-on-silicon platform) has announced a series of technical advances that, it claims, set new standards for performance, efficiency and display quality...

TETRA or P25 legacy narrowband technologies no longer meet the connectivity needs of today’s first responders. As mission-critical network requirements grow, broadband connectivity is the answer. Proper device and mobile network testing eases the migration to 3GPP-compliant broadband mission-critical services (MCX). At Critical Communications World 2024 (CCW 2024) in Dubai, Rohde & Schwarz will demonstrate its integrated solutions that enable reliable operation of mission-critical devices, networks and services. Solutions that enhance situational awareness for law enforcement and protection round out the exhibited portfolio.

When lives are at stake, reliable communications are vital to emergency services. While voice applications are still the top priority for first responders, data and video-based mission-critical applications are becoming increasingly important in crisis situations and for efficient day-to-day operations. Public safety and government agencies around the world are migrating their various communications networks from narrowband land mobile radio (LMR) like TETRA or P25 to broadband networks that meet this new need not only for voice but also for high-speed data services.

This migration to either 3GPP-compliant isolated secure networks or commercial 4G/5G-based cellular networks with embedded mission-critical capabilities must be planned and executed very carefully in order to maintain existing narrowband capabilities. Narrowband networks will still be in use in parallel for another decade, providing features such as push-to-talk (PTT) to their users. The 3GPP-defined internal architecture for MCX services includes amongst others user/group management, policy and charging enforcement, signaling control, and cross-network interworking. Applying appropriate and advanced test and measurement techniques during this ongoing migration process is essential to ensure reliable operation of critical communications for first responders and to save lives in crisis scenarios.

As an established partner of the critical communications ecosystem, Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing its comprehensive range of test solutions for MCX at Critical Communications World 2024, taking place from May 14 to 16 at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE. At booth M20, visitors can learn from Rohde & Schwarz experts about the full range of test solutions, extending from R&D and conformance testing of end devices to network testing including MCX application verification. Solutions for spectrum monitoring and network protection complete the exhibited portfolio, all aimed at ensuring the reliable operation of mission-critical networks and services.

Device R&D and conformance testing

Rohde & Schwarz is bringing its extensive expertise in 3GPP conformance testing to the world of critical communications, demonstrating at CCW 2024 for the first time its industry-leading 3GPP MCX device conformance test suite on the R&S CMX500 4G/5G one-box tester. The test suite includes comprehensive 3GPP RF, functional, protocol and application tests for rugged MCX devices. In addition, the R&S CMA180 radio test set for testing PMR (public mobile radio) and LMR (land mobile radio) devices will be on display, highlighting the company’s cutting-edge solutions for device R&D and conformance validation for MCX device manufacturers.

Network testing

As an expert in mobile network testing, Rohde & Schwarz will also present its know-how in active and passive mobile network testing methods and solutions that cover the entire MCX network lifecycle, from coverage and interference measurements to specific MCX service testing like MCPTT and MCVideo quality. Visitors will be able to experience a unique MCX smartphone-based test solution implemented on the QualiPoc. This solution can be used in any MCX environment to assess the performance of MCX private and group calls, including measurement of 3GPP-specified MCX KPIs. Another test solution based on the R&S ROMES4 drive test software and the R&S TSMA6B mobile network scanner provides a universal tool for network engineering and optimization.

Spectrum monitoring and analysis

The Rohde & Schwarz portfolio also includes efficient solutions for stationary, transportable and portable spectrum monitoring systems that provide comprehensive spectrum awareness. At CCW 2024, Rohde & Schwarz will be exhibiting the R&S PR200, a tried-and-tested portable monitoring receiver for interference hunting in and around specific areas and facilities. It is an indispensable tool for regulatory authorities, mobile network operators, police forces, military units and other security organizations.

Cellular network analysis

R&S NESTOR is a turnkey mobile communications solution for situational awareness, law enforcement and protection of critical infrastructure. It is a software platform used in conjunction with R&S TSMA6B mobile network scanners and QualiPoc smartphones to analyze cellular networks via the air interface. Public authorities and security organizations, for example, use it to detect, identify, locate and analyze deployed cellular technologies and occupied bands and channels.

Rohde & Schwarz will present its comprehensive portfolio of solutions for mission-critical communications at Critical Communications World 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 14 to 16, 2024, at booth M20. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz experts will share their insights at the Focus Forum on testing and certification of broadband devices on May 15, 2024 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The post Rohde & Schwarz presents its test solutions at CCW 2024 that enable a successful migration to mission-critical broadband appeared first on ELE Times.

In the third blog of this four-part series, we will explore the range of personal micromobility solutions available within the consumer market, the technical challenges they face, and how technology can resolve these issues.

1. Introduction
2. Urban Infrastructure and Micromobility
3. Personal Transportation and Consumer Challenges
4. How Technology Will Shape the Future

Personal Micromobility Solutions

Personal micromobility solutions come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from e-bikes and e-scooters to electric skateboards and hoverboards. For some, they are a form of transportation used as an alternative to walking or driving; for others, they are a form of exercise equipment.

E-bikes are one of the more prominent micromobility solutions; analysts Precedence Research expect the e-bike market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.89 percent from 2023 to 2032, achieving a market value of $44.08 billion.[1]

Whereas early e-bikes were essentially bicycles with heavy bolt-on batteries and hub motors, modern e-bikes are significantly lighter and are designed from the ground up to accommodate electric drive systems and batteries. Wiring is now carefully passed through the frame’s tubing to avoid damage. For midrange and above models, mid-drive motor units are located between the pedals to optimize the drivetrain’s efficiency and weight distribution (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Modern urban e-bikes feature mid-drive motors and integrated batteries. (Source: stockphoto-graf/stock.adobe.com) Beyond e-bikes

In addition to e-bikes, there is a wide array of micromobility alternatives, such as hoverboards, Segways, electric skateboards, and e-scooters. Although ownership of these is legal, their usage in the UK and most of the EU is restricted to private land due to the prohibition of their presence in public spaces, such as footpaths, roads, and cycle lanes.

In terms of electronic design, these products are similar to e-bikes, with a motor, control interface, and battery pack. The distinction between them and e-bikes lies in the control of their movement, as they rely exclusively on an electric powertrain operated through a throttle or, in the case of hoverboards and Segways, a gyroscopic sensor that the user can manipulate to regulate the speed.

Challenges of Personal Micromobility

While personal micromobility solutions have seen incredible growth in recent decades—a trend set to continue—barriers are impacting the market. While regulatory issues need to be addressed, there are still technical challenges faced by existing personal micromobility solutions that must be resolved.

Battery Fires

Perhaps the most prevalent issue is battery fire due to the failure of individual cells or the battery management system (BMS). The London Fire Brigade reported 116 fires in 2022 caused by e-bike and e-scooter batteries, with occurrences becoming more frequent. At the start of 2023, emergency calls specifically regarding e-bike and e-scooter battery fires averaged as every other day.[2] Transport for London (TfL) has banned electric scooters, hoverboards, and skateboards from its services since 2021 due to a rise in fires.

Within modern micromobility batteries are an array of lithium-ion (Li-ion) 18650 cells linked together to provide the necessary charge capacity and voltage (usually 36V, 48V, or 52V). The electrolytes used within Li-ion cells are lithium salts. While lithium salts are ideal for this application, they are also volatile and flammable; as a result, lithium cells are extremely sensitive to temperature changes and can experience thermal runaway.

When a cell is compromised, either through damage, manufacturing defects, external heat, or over-charging/discharging, its temperature increases rapidly until it catches fire or explodes, igniting the rest of the battery pack and creating a runaway event. Furthermore, because the cathodes in Li-ion batteries contain oxygen, any fire is self-fueling and extremely hard to extinguish.

Maintaining Safety

While micromobility fires are far too common, they are almost completely restricted to devices at the lower end of the market, with mid- and premium-tier manufacturers having few to no cases of fires.

Designing Safe Batteries

To save costs, lower-end batteries often use a simple BMS designed only to balance the cells charging and discharging, with a fuse on the charging line and power outlet.

In comparison, higher-end models implement much more sophisticated safety measures, like those recommended by Littelfuse, which provides a wide range of solutions designed for e-bikes and other micromobility designs (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Littelfuse e-bike battery pack block diagram. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors are recommended within its battery block diagram, such as the Littelfuse KC Series, which can be used to monitor the temperature of cells independently, allowing for microcontrollers to act before thermal runaway can occur.

These are used alongside battery-level overcurrent and overvoltage protection devices, including the compact surface mount 0805L Series polymeric positive temperature coefficient device (PPTC), while Littelfuse ITV Battery Protectors allow for additional protection (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Littelfuse ITV battery protectors. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

Sitting between the combined cells output and the BMS unit, the ITV battery protectors are a fast-responding and cost-effective surface-mount solution designed to cut the circuit when an IC or field-effect transistor (FET) detects an overvoltage.

Conclusion

Micromobility fires present a considerable risk to consumers and dent confidence in the market. To guarantee the safety of Li-ion batteries, designers must include multiple safety measures throughout the battery, targeting voltage, current, and temperature at both the battery pack and cell level. In addition, rigorous third-party testing and complying with local regulations help ensure designs are less likely to fail, and if they do, they fail in a safe manner, preventing thermal runaway.

In the final blog of this series, we will explore the future of micromobility.

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Along with Microchip’s Mi-V ecosystem, new device family helps system designers to lower power, size and weight and speed time to market

Developers of spacecraft electronics utilize radiation-tolerant (RT) field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to ensure high performance, reliability, power-efficiency and the best-in-class security for emerging space domain threats. To take it a step further and help provide fast, cost-effective software customization, Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) has introduced the RT PolarFire® system-on-chip (SoC) FPGA. Developed on Microchip’s RT PolarFire FPGA, it is the first real-time Linux® capable, RISC-V-based microprocessor subsystem on a flight-proven RT PolarFire FPGA fabric.

With today’s announcement, developers can now start designing using the commercially available PolarFire SoC (MPFS460) device and Libero® SoC development tools. Along with Microchip’s extensive Mi-V ecosystem, PolarFire SoC solution stacks, the PolarFire SoC Icicle Kit or the PolarFire SoC Smart Embedded Vision Kit, developing lower power solutions for the challenging thermal environments seen in space can happen today.

Safety-critical systems, control systems, space and security applications need the flexibility of the Linux Operating System (OS) and the determinism of real-time systems to control hardware. RT PolarFire SoC FPGAs feature a multi-core Linux-capable processor that is coherent with the memory subsystem. The RT PolarFire SoC enables central satellite processing capabilities similar to those in single board computers which are common in the space industry for command and data handling, in platform avionics and in payload control. The SoC allows for flexible implementation of highly integrated designs, customization and evolution of function while improving size, weight and power considerations.

Systems deployed in space are subjected to harsh radiation, prompting design methodologies that can provide protection for the most critical radiation-induced upset types. Unlike SRAM FPGAs, the RT PolarFire SoC is designed for zero configuration memory upsets in radiation, eliminating the need for an external scrubber and reducing the total system cost. Satellites are designed to deliver both peak and average power and to dissipate heat through conductive paths, namely metal. Starting with a SoC FPGA that can reduce your power consumption by up to 50 percent simplifies the entire satellite design, allowing designers to focus on the mission at hand.

“By delivering the design ecosystem for the industry’s first RISC-V-based radiation-tolerant SoC FPGA, Microchip is driving innovation and giving designers the ability to develop a whole new class of power-efficient applications for space.” said Bruce Weyer, corporate vice president for Microchip’s FPGA business unit. “This will also allow our clients to add enhanced edge compute capabilities to aerospace and defense systems.”

Microchip’s comprehensive Mi-V ecosystem helps designers slash time to market by providing support for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) rich operating systems like Linux, VxWorks®, PIKE OS and more real time operating systems like RTEMS and Zephyr®. Mi-V is a comprehensive suite of tools and design resources, developed with numerous third parties, to support RISC-V designs. The Mi-V ecosystem aims to increase adoption of the RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) and support Microchip’s SoC FPGA portfolio.

The RT PolarFire FPGA has already received the Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) Class Q designation based on specific performance and quality requirements as governed by the Defense Logistics Agency. There is also a clear path for this device to achieve QML Class V qualification, the highest qualification standard for space microelectronics.

For more than 60 years, Microchip’s solutions have powered space flight missions. Building on a history of providing reliable, low-power SONOS-, Flash- and antifuse-based FPGAs in the industry, the company works to help streamline the design of high-speed communications payloads, high-resolution sensors and instruments and flight-critical systems for Low Earth Orbit (LEO), deep space or anything in between. To learn more, visit Microchip’s radiation-tolerant FPGA page.

Availability of Development Tools

Customers can start designs now with the development tools and boards provided for the commercial equivalent PolarFire SoC. For more information, visit the PolarFire SoC page.

Resources

High-res images available through Flickr or editorial contact (feel free to publish):

• Application image:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/53640600685/sizes/l/

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SemiQ Inc of Lake Forest, CA, USA — which designs, develops and manufactures silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and 150mm SiC epitaxial wafers for high-voltage applications — has announced a partnership with ClearComm Technical Sales of Huntsville, AL, USA, a specialist manufacturer’s representative serving the computing, communication, industrial and consumer sectors across the Southeastern USA...

Real-time application awareness from next-gen DPI engine R&S®PACE 2 to power traffic aggregation and optimization algorithms in XipLink’s multi-path hybrid networking solution

ipoque, a Rohde & Schwarz company and a leading provider of next-gen deep packet inspection (DPI) software for networking and cybersecurity solution providers, today announced that it is partnering with XipLink, a leading global technology provider of optimized, secure and intelligent multi-path hybrid networking. The technology partnership sees the creation of the XipLink Application Classification Engine (XipACE) by integrating ipoque’s cutting-edge DPI technology R&S®PACE 2 into the XipLink operating system (XipOS), delivering advanced application visibility for multi-orbit networking.

Layer 7 visibility for multi-orbit networking

Leveraging standards-based SCPS protocol acceleration, link bonding, Layer 2 switching and Layer 3 routing, XipLink delivers intelligent multi-orbit networking that ensures network performance and QoS across satellite, cellular and wireless networks. Embedding the next-gen DPI software R&S®PACE 2 introduces traffic visibility up to Layer 7 and beyond, powering the traffic aggregation and optimization algorithms used by XipLink. “Instantaneous identification of protocols and applications enables intelligent and contextual routing policies that are aligned to the criticality of the underlying applications and prevailing network conditions,” said Dr. Martin Mieth, VP Engineering at ipoque. Prior to R&S®PACE 2, XipLink relied on its built-in classification engine that supported network traffic visibility only up to Layer 4.

R&S®PACE 2 combines behavioral, statistical and heuristic analysis with metadata extraction to accurately and reliably identify protocols, applications and application attributes in real time. “Our breakthrough AI-based encrypted traffic intelligence, which includes machine learning and deep learning techniques, and high-dimensional data analysis, brings traffic awareness to the next level by identifying any type of IP traffic, despite encryption, obfuscation and anonymization,” said Dr. Mieth.

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with ipoque to integrate their cutting-edge DPI software, R&S®PACE 2, into our XipOS product. The inclusion of R&S®PACE 2 underscores our dedication to delivering top-tier solutions to our customers who require enterprise-grade quality and efficiency,” said Jack Waters, CEO, XipLink. “Application-aware networking plays a crucial role in optimizing network resources, enabling us to meet the escalating demands while ensuring compliance with SLAs,” added Waters.

Delivering high-performance networks

By tapping into R&S®PACE 2’s high throughput and light-weight, efficient software form-factor, XipACE is able to augment the performance of its core functions, which include QoS management, traffic analytics, steering decisions, load balancing and dynamic link bonding. Apart from performance and scalability, XipLink’s selection of ipoque’s R&S®PACE 2 is also driven by the engine’s extensive feature and plug-in set, such as first packet classification, customizability of app signatures or tethering detection. “ipoque provides us with a proven technology that has been tested in challenging network environments. Its weekly updated signature library ensures that we keep tabs on the latest traffic trends.” said Jaco Botha, SVP Product at XipLink.

Driving the responsiveness and resilience of multi-orbit networks

From offloading traffic from congested pathways to tapping into GEO satellites to alleviate latency issues, insights from R&S®PACE 2 enable XipOS to support network diversity and resilience. At the policy level, it enables application prioritization and SLA compliance. With a growing number of applications that are bandwidth-hungry and latency-sensitive, R&S®PACE 2’s granular traffic analytics help operators to optimize their networks continuously and improve resource efficiency. The insights also pave the way for autonomous and self-healing networks via data-driven decision making. DPI analytics also support hybrid aggregation of GEO and NGSO, enabling XipOS to improve network scalability and security. “The partnership strengthens our position as the most efficient link aggregation and optimization solution in the market, especially in addressing networks that comprise constrained wireless links such as LEO services,” added Sasmith Reddi, SVP Marketing at XipLink.

The new partnership will boost XipLink’s multi-orbit networking portfolio, benefiting customers in various verticals including mobile, satellite, maritime, government and defense, as well as modem OEMs.

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SemiQ Inc of Lake Forest, CA, USA — which designs, develops and manufactures silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and 150mm SiC epitaxial wafers for high-voltage applications — has begun a known-good-die (KGD) screening program that delivers high-quality, electrically sorted and optically inspected SiC MOSFET technology ready for back-end processing and direct die attachment...

Sushil Motwani, Founder, of Ayetexcel Pvt. Ltd. writes about the environmental impact of electronic waste and how smart projectors can help mitigate it 

Sushil Motwani, Founder, Ayetexcel Pvt. Ltd.

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First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA says that MN8 Energy LLC has placed orders for 457MW of its cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaics (PV) modules, including 170MW of its Series 6 Plus bifacial modules and 287MW of its Series 7 modules, to power projects in the northeastern and southern USA...

Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA participated in the China Electronic Hotspot Solutions Innovation Summit in Shenzhen on 27 April, which gathered key players in power semiconductors and associated customer design teams for innovations in electric vehicles (EV) such as 800V supercharging, battery management, intelligent connected vehicle electronics, and high-power digital power supplies. EV OEM attendees this year included experts from Voyah and Dongfeng...

I2C is a popular bidirectional serial communications bus having a clock and a data line. Both line’s drivers consist of an open drain ground-referenced N-channel MOSFET with a pullup resistor connected to a supply ranging from 1.8 V to 5 V. The pullup resistor must be small enough to meet certain timing requirements in the presence of significant bus capacitance, but large enough that the surprisingly weak active driver (specified to drop less than 0.4 V at 3 mA for standard mode and less than 0.6 V at 6 mA for fast mode speeds) current is not exceeded and that the logic low levels are met. Meeting both needs can be a challenge.

Figure 44 in section 7.24 of the UM10204 I2C-bus specification and user manual presents a method of amelioration (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Switched-pullup circuit where the analog switch is activated at high bus voltages only, paralleling an additional resistor with the standard pullup. Source: NXP

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

An analog switch is activated at the higher bus voltages only, paralleling an additional resistor with the standard pullup. This reduces rise time without raising the driver’s achievable logic low level. But when the driver is activated, the amount of improvement is limited by the presence of the additional resistor at the higher voltages—too small an additional pullup, and the allowed driver current will be exceeded, and the required logic low level will not be met. A better approach would be to connect the additional resistor only when the signal is rising, that is, when the driver is off. The driver would then not be fighting the additional pullup, which accordingly could be made extremely small. This is the approach taken with the following circuit.

In Figure 2, comparators U1 and U2 are set to switch at the logic low and high thresholds of a typical 1.8V I2C bus.

Figure 2 A schematic of simulated I2C drivers, pullup resistors and bus capacitances, without (old) and with (new) connection to the autonomous non-linear pullup circuit.

When the driver turns off and releases the signal “new” from a logic low, that signal rises through the low threshold. There is an acceptable propagation-delayed positive output transition of U1 which clocks the 1Q output of D flipflop U3 to a logic high. This activates U4, switching R5 in parallel with the standard pullup R6 and greatly reducing rise time. As the signal rises through the logic high level, the output of U2 transitions to a logic low, clearing the 1Q output of U3, deactivating U4 and disconnecting R5. (In this instance, the propagation delay is welcome. U2’s delay allows the signal time to reach 1.8 V, courtesy of the additional pullup.) The circuit is now ready for the driver’s next activation, which will happen without it having to fight R5. Until activation, the circuit draws negligible current. Figure 3 shows the reduced rise time of the “new” circuit in comparison to that of the “old”, both having the same bus capacitance and same standard pullup. 100 pF is only 25% of the maximum specified value for I2C operation.

Figure 3 A comparison of the performances of standard (old) and an enhanced (new) I2C bus signals. The signals CLR, CLK, and Q swing between ground and +3.3 V are shown scaled for clarity purposes.

Although 1.8 V is a popular bus voltage (especially for smart battery IC’s), I was unable to find suitably fast, adequately low supply current comparators which can be powered from this voltage. Fortunately, 3.3 V is generally available in products with 1.8 V buses, and an analog switch serves admirably to bridge the gap between the two supplies. If the bus runs at 3.3 V, the analog switch can be replaced with a PNP transistor whose emitter is connected to the bus’s supply, and its base driven through a 3.3k resistor. In the unlikely event of a 5 V bus, 5V can be connected to the PNP’s emitter, but a 5 V-supply-capable D flip-flop will need to be found to replace U3.

Christopher Paul has worked in various engineering positions in the communications industry for over 40 years.

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The post Non-linear pullup for multi-rate I2C buses appeared first on EDN.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is the recipient of a $4m Empire State Development (ESD) Grant. The new funding — combined with an additional $16m investment in SUNY Poly’s College of Engineering announced by Hochul in November — will support the establishment of a $26.5m Semiconductor Processing to Packaging Research, Education, and Training Center in the NY CREATES Quad C building on SUNY Poly’s campus, which is also occupied by Semikron Danfoss...

First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA is to supply 547MW of its Series 6 Plus Bifacial cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaics (PV) modules to renewable energy company Birch Creek Energy of St. Louis, Missouri, which develops, finances and owns utility-scale solar and storage projects across the USA...

Lithium-ion batteries are a crucial enabler in the ongoing global quest to electrify the transportation sector. While lithium-ion batteries are not the only solution for mobile energy (hydrogen-based fuel cells are also highly promising for certain applications) they appear certain to play a key role in vehicle electrification for years to come. Compared to other chemical batteries such as nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-ion batteries offer 50%+ greater capacity by weight.

To Download the Whitepaper Please Fill in the Form. >>>>

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Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult in Newport, South Wales, UK has appointed Jonathan Flint CBE as the new chair of its board of directors. He will lead the board to help deliver the mission and purpose of CSA Catapult, as well as overseeing the corporate governance of the organization...

A previous design idea (DI), “Gated 555 astable hits the ground running” fixed the problem of the excessively long first pulse generated by 555 astables when gated by the RESET pin from oscillation-off to oscillation-on. See Figure 1 and Figure 2.

Figure 1 The problem – first oscillation cycle has a too-long first pulse generated by 555 astables when gated by the RESET pin from oscillation-off to oscillation-on.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

 Figure 2 The fix via C2 charge injection when Vreset = V+ to equalize pulse length.

 However, unstated in the DI was the simplifying assumption that Vreset = V+ if the C2 = C1/2 fix is to work. But what if they’re not equal?

The LMC555 is rated for V+ supply voltages from 1.5 V to 15 V which lie outside the recommended limits of most logic families. This makes the ability to choose V+ unequal to Vreset a frequently useful thing. Happily, a C2 can still be chosen that will work with most combinations of supply rails. Specifically, the arithmetic is…

1. Let Ct = total required timing capacitance.
2. Then C2 = Ct * V+ / Vreset / 3
3. C1 = Ct – C2

 Some examples:

1. Vreset = 5v and V+ = 1.5v, C2 = 0.1Ct, C1 = 0.9Ct
2. Vreset = 3v and V+ = 5v, C2 = 0.2Ct, C1 = 0.8Ct
3. Vreset = 5v and V+ = 5v, C2 = 0.33Ct, C1 = 0.67Ct
4. Vreset = 5v and V+ = 15v, C2 = Ct, C1 = 0

 Stephen Woodward’s relationship with EDN’s DI column goes back quite a long way. Over 100 submissions have been accepted since his first contribution back in 1974.

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The post Gated 555 astables can still the ground running even when Vreset doesn’t equal V+ appeared first on EDN.

Guerrilla RF Inc (GRF) of Greensboro, NC, USA — which develops and manufactures radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for wireless applications — has finalized the acquisition of entire portfolio of gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifiers and front-end modules of Singapore-based Gallium Semiconductor, which designs and manufactures RF GaN products for 5G mobile communications, aerospace & defense, and industrial, scientific & medical (ISM) applications...

For coverage of all the key business and technology developments in compound semiconductors and advanced silicon materials and devices over the last month, subscribe to Semiconductor Today magazine...

At a time when the semiconductor industry is shrouded in mystery about who is ASML’s second customer of high numerical aperture (NA) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine after Intel acquired the first one for its upcoming 14A process node at its fab in Hillsboro, Oregon, ASML has resolved a long-standing matter about its future.

The world’s largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment has been pondering about moving to another country amid unfavorable business conditions in the Netherlands. Multinationals Shell and Unilever moved their headquarters to London in 2018, citing an unfavorable change in Dutch tax law.

Figure 1 A year after its birth in 1984, ASML moved to a newly built office and factory in Veldhoven, an Eindhoven suburb just a few kilometers from the Philips research labs. Source: ASML

Now ASML—the Netherlands’ largest company and Europe’s largest technology outfit—is having second thoughts due to the government’s immigration policies, housing market shortage, and phasing out of the beneficial tax measures for expats. ASML, which employs 42,000 staff worldwide, has nearly half its workforce based in and around its headquarters in Veldhoven, Netherlands.

It’s important to note that more than 40% of ASML’s 23,000 employees in the Netherlands are not Dutch. In fact, ASML’s initial response was sparked after anti-immigration parties made substantial gains in Netherlands’ 2023 elections. In January 2024, ASML’s then-CEO Peter Wennink warned that his company was highly reliant on skilled foreign labor.

“The consequences of limiting labor migration are large, we need those people to innovate,” he told the press. “If we can’t get those people here, we will go somewhere where we can grow.” That thrust the caretaker cabinet into action, leading to the “Operation Beethoven” initiative to address ASML’s concerns, reported the largest daily newspaper in the Netherlands, De Telegraaf.

The outcome of this government initiative led to a $2.7 billion investment package to improve infrastructure in the Eindhoven region to prevent ASML from moving operations abroad, reported Reuters. The initiative, also aiming to turn Eindhoven into a booming technology hub, will include a large expansion capable of housing 20,000 new employees near Eindhoven’s airport.

The $2.7 billion investment striving to create favorable business conditions for ASML and other Dutch tech outfits will encompass housing, education, transportation, and the electric grid. The infrastructure and highway buildup will also benefit ASML’s headquarters in Veldhoven, a suburb of Eindhoven.

It’s an ambitious undertaking by the Dutch government, and it shows the leverage that successful tech companies have in the socioeconomic context. At the same time, this ambitious expansion plan in Noord-Barbant, an Eindhoven suburb, is merely a letter of intent right now.

That means it’s a long-term undertaking, and that there won’t be any improvements in infrastructure aspects like housing in the short term. “Of course, we have a Plan B, but we want to expand here due to what Veldhoven and Eindhoven have to offer,” said Roger Dassen, ASML’s financial director. “The government also recognizes the circumstances we need to grow.”

Figure 2 The Dutch maker of semiconductor lithography equipment is under immense pressure to maintain its position as an undisputed leader in chip manufacturing gear. Source: ASML

The Dutch paper De Telegraaf, which first reported Operation Beethoven, also mentioned France as a potential destination for ASML’s future expansion. So, while expansion in the Eindhoven region suits ASML because of its existing operations, it has a Plan B in case of failure.

It all comes at a crucial time for the semiconductor lithography titan. It’s nervously charting the opportunity of a lifetime that comes with an unprecedented chip manufacturing boom spanning from Asia to Europe to the United States.

ASML has promptly identified the issues surrounding its future growth, showing its preparedness to fulfill the soaring demand for cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A company spokesperson summed it well by saying that “The decision we need to take is not if we (will) stay, but where we (will) grow.”

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• ASML aims to accelerate EUV platform R&D once SVG merger closes

The post Lithography specialist ASML decides to stay in Eindhoven, for now appeared first on EDN.

Author: STMicroelectronics 

STM32CubeMX 6.11 is a new milestone as it allows developers to use the unique features of the new STM32H7R and STM32H7S. The software also continues to simplify development on STM32 by offering popular USB middleware previously bound to an OS. Similarly, it is the first version of CMake, which will significantly optimize workflows. STM32CubeMX thus continues to stand as the reference application for STM32 developers thanks to its UI that removes complexity and increases the accessibility of the STM32 ecosystem. Furthermore, the new version inaugurates support for the NUCLEO-U031R8, NUCLEO-U083RC, NUCLEO-H7S3L8, NUCLEO-H533RE.

What’s new in STM32CubeMX 6.11 Support for the STM32H7R and STM32H7S

STM32CubeMX 6.11 is a crucial update for the new STM32H7R and the STM32H7S MCUs because the software helps take advantage of their memory capabilities. Indeed, the devices have a smaller flash, which makes them the most cost-effective STM32H7. Since the device targets applications that must use external storage, the new memory can help significantly lower the bill of materials. Additionally, to make the embedded flash even more meaningful, ST introduced the boot flash, which stores the entire boot sequence, thus replacing the ROM we see on MCUs. Consequently, the embedded storage becomes even more flexible and practical since it isn’t only used for application, but boot, and initialization as well.

To make the boot flash more accessible, we are exposing the feature on STM32CubeMX. Put simply, the GUI will help developers configure the embedded flash to take advantage of its boot capabilities. Similarly, since the STM32H7R and STM32H7S will be used in systems with external memory, STM32CubeMX can set up an external loader so applications like STM32CubeProgrammer can program those discrete flash modules directly. It will also help developers load the main application in the embedded memory and the rest of the system in the external one.

Support for USBX middleware

The new version of STM32CubeMX adds support for the USBX middleware in a bare metal environment. USBX is a software stack that enables the use of a USB host or device. Until now, developers who wanted to use it had to install ThreadX RTOS. The problem is that if teams wanted to do away with the operating system to optimize their system, they couldn’t use USBX. Thanks to STM32CubeMX, it is now easier to include the right middleware into projects.

Make project generation

STM32CubeMX 6.11 inaugurates its support for CMake, an open-source suite of tools that allow developers to build, test, and package their software. It’s especially useful in large multi-platform projects because it helps streamline large workflows. The current CMake support current focuses on applications that run on a single-core MCU and do not use Trustzone. Over time, we will continue to update our CMake support to allow STM32CubeMX to generate projects for more STM32 microcontrollers.

What is STM32CubeMX?

STM32CubeMX is a graphical tool that helps developers generate code that initializes a microcontroller and its application. Users get an interface to configure the MCU’s pinout, resolve conflicts, and set up hardware peripherals and middleware. Users can also configure the clock tree and benefit from a wizard that automates specific calculations. Similarly, it can help set up and tune the DDR on STM32 MPUs. The tool also helps select MCUs or MPUs and download their software packages. Hence, it’s very often the first point of contact with developers. The tool is available in STM32CubeIDE or as a standalone download.

STM32CubeMX also assists developers in other parts of their job. For instance, finding the proper documentation can be tricky, especially with such a vast library. ST is famous for its extensive documentation, and partners tell us that it’s one of the reasons they select our devices. Hence, we offer tutorial videos within the standalone version of STM32CubeMX to help developers search for information. We offer content on configuring the clock tree, the pins, or different software features. Programmers who are new to our tools can start their application quicker, thus further lowering the barrier to entry and reducing friction.

For readers who may be less familiar with STM32CubeMX, here is a rundown of some of the features we’ve released in the past.

A UI for quick feature access

Embedded system developers must grasp the numerous layers of abstractions within their ecosystem. A typical PC or mobile app developer can do all their work with only one or very few high-level languages and scripting frameworks. Conversely, working with a microcontroller forces teams to consider the many existing layers. For instance, a team looking for the ultimate optimizations will work as close to the metal with low-level code. However, those looking for a more practical approach that can still yield excellent performance will use our hardware abstraction layer (HAL), and those with a priority on rapid development will use our board support package (BSP), which abstracts the HAL.

However, too many embedded ecosystems fail to understand that the higher the abstraction, the more developers seek convenience. Indeed, if teams must spend hours or even days setting up an abstraction layer, it becomes pointless. Consequently, CubeMX 6.10.0 introduced a new UI that helps initialize our BSP functions under “New Projects” -> “Start My Project”. The UI currently works with only a few of our newest development platforms (NUCLEO-C031C6, as well as NUCLEO-H563ZI and NUCLEO-U5A5ZJ-Q when TrustZone is disabled), but our teams are working to support more development boards over time.

Let’s take the example of a blinking light demo on the NUCLEO-H563ZI. The first step is to ensure that at least USER LED GREEN is selected in the Human Machine Interface dropdown menu. When choosing this option in the new UI, the system automatically commits the right pins, instead of just suggesting which pin to use and sets up the HAL so developers can immediately use the BSP function to toggle the LED on or off. Hence, users simply have to push the GENERATE CODE button on the top right side and open the main.c file in Core/Src/ to see the BSP_LED function initialized and ready to use in the main function and ready for use in the while loop.

Additionally, ST included a “Generate demonstration code” option, which adds comments and examples in the generated main C file. Hence, beyond automating the initialization process, the new UI can also serve as a guide for new developers who can open their new files and see how to toggle a light on and off, for instance. Consequently, even a developer with a cursory knowledge of C can run a blinking light application with minimal coaching. In a nutshell, the new version of STM32CubeMX aims to make embedded systems more accessible, even to those with minimal experience in the field.

No admin rights required

With version 6.10.0, STM32CubeMX for Windows managed to do away with the admin privilege requirement. Previously, the operating system would ask for the admin password when installing the utility. Now, thanks to a reworking of the installation process, Windows no longer asks for admin permissions, which is a tremendous help for users with a locked-down computer. Often, corporations lock their machines to prevent hacks or misuse, and it can be very cumbersome to ask the administrator to authorize an installation. STM32CubeMX 6.10.0 solved that. The Linux and macOS versions of STM32CubeMX don’t suffer the same issues due to how each operating system manages user privileges.

New support for the STM32H5 and STM32MP13

STM32CubeMX is often the first utility developers launch when working on their STM32 MCU because it lets them initialize their device, select the correct firmware package, configure the clock tree, and more. As a result, ST aims to add support for our latest devices continuously. For instance, this new version is compatible with the ability to generate files for secure projects running on our new STM32H5, which introduces new security safeguards. Similarly, STM32CubeMX now provides a memory management tool for the STM32WB and STM32WBA MCUs. The latter is also getting options to support its Thread, Zigbee, and 802.15.4 millimeter wave RF functionalities. Finally, as promised, we are also adding RTOS support for the new STM32MP13.

Memory Management Tool (MMT)

STM32CubeMX comes with a Memory Management Tool. The graphical user interface vastly facilitates the configuration of registers on devices like the STM32H5 or STM32U5, among others. For instance, it can help set up a device to use TrustZone, a secure environment, or a memory protection unit with only a few clicks. Previously, developers had to figure out which registers governed what function. The new MMT removes much of the complexity to create a far more intuitive experience. Furthermore, as STM32CubeMX 6.10.0 shows, we continue to bring the MMT to new STM32 devices.

Boot Path Management

The Boot Path Manager facilitates the configuration of the new boot loader available on the STM32H5. The latest mainstream MCU from ST supports an immutable root of trust (iRoT) and an updatable root of trust (uRoT). Depending on their security needs, developers can choose to use both, one or none. STM32CubeMX makes this possible by helping users select their configuration from a menu, automatically generate keys, and set up the boot path to secure the microcontroller. As STM32H5 development boards are increasingly available, we ensure that STM32CubeMX can help them take advantage of the new features.

Secure Manager

Secure Manager is another critical feature announced in early 2023 that is now accessible from STM32CubeMX. Secure Manager is our first Trusted Execution Environment. As part of the STM32 Trust initiative, it includes binaries and can help with certification at the system level. As a result, customers targeting a SESIL & PSA Level 3 Certification can vastly hasten their qualification process. In a nutshell, developers use STM32CubeMX to set up all the functionalities in Secure Manager, and the system then uses a scripting mechanism relying on the latest version of STM32CubeProgrammer CLI to configure the MCU.

Pre- and post-flight scripts

ST added pre- and post-flight scripting capabilities in STM32CubeMX to automate various tasks. Put simply, users can ask the application to launch scripts before and after it performs a code generation to adapt to the needs of expert users. For instance, a programmer could automatically copy files to a new folder or send them to GitHub before they are erased by the new files generated. It would enable engineers to keep a history of their configuration in case they’d like to revert to a previous state. Similarly, a post-flight script could add the newly generated files to a project and launch an IDE.

Authentication STM32CubeMX

STM32CubeMX requires users to log in to their my.ST.com account before downloading a package, which may perplex some in our community. Previously, users had to leave the application, go to ST.com, and enter their credentials when downloading a piece of software. A few versions ago, STM32CubeMX created a more cohesive experience by ensuring users don’t have to leave the software. However, it does mean asking for their credentials. However, it’s still possible to use STM32CubeMX without an account until that point

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