Microelectronics world news

Last time, I covered one half of the Energizer Ultimate Powersource Pro Solar Bundle that I first introduced you to back at the beginning of August and purchased for myself at the beginning of September (and, ironically, is for sale again as I write these words on November 6, at Meh’s companion SideDeal site):

If you haven’t yet read that premier post in this series, where I detailed the pros and cons of the Energizer PowerSource Pro Battery Generator, I encourage you to pause here and go back and peruse it first before proceeding with this one. This time I’ll be discussing the other half of the bundle, Energizer’s 200W Portable Solar Panel. And as before, I’ll start out with “stock” images from the bundle’s originator, Battery-Biz (here again is the link to the user manual, which covers both bundled products…keep paging through until you get to the solar panel section):

Here’s another relevant stock image from Meh:

Candidly, there’s a lot to like about this panel, model number ENSP200W (and no, I don’t know who originally manufactured it, with Energizer subsequently branding it), reflective of the broader improvement trend in solar panels that I previously covered back in mid-September. The following specs come straight from the user manual:

Solar Cells

• Solar Cell Material: Monocrystalline PERC M6-166mm
• Solar Cell Efficiency: 22.8%
• Solar Cell Surface Coating: PET

Output Power

• Max Power Output – Wattage (W): 200W
• Max Power Output – Voltage(Vmp): 19.5V
• Max Power Output – Current (Imp): 10.25A
• Power Tolerance: ±3%
• Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 23.2V
• Short Circuit Current (Isc): 11.38A

Operating Temperatures

• Operating Temp (°C): -20 to 50°C / -4 to 122°F
• Nominal Operating Cell Temp (NOCT): 46°± 2° C
• Current Temp Coefficient: 0.05% / °C
• Voltage Temp Coefficient: – 0.35% / °C
• Power Temp Coefficient: – 0.45% / °C
• Max Series Fuse Rating: 15A

Cable

• Anderson Cable Length: 5M / 16.5 ﬞ
• Cable Type: 14AWG dual conductor, shielded
• Output Connector: Anderson Powerpole 15/45

Dimensions and Weight

• Product Dimensions – Folded: 545 x 525 x 60 mm/21.5″ x 20.7″ x 2.4″
• Product Dimensions – Open: 2455 x 525 x 10 mm/96.7″ x 20.7″ x 0.4″
• Product Net Weight: 5.9 kgs/ 13.0 lbs

As you can see from the last set of specs, the “portable” part of the product name is spot-on; this solar panel is eminently tote-able and folds down into an easily stowed form factor. Here’s what mine looked like unfolded:

Unfortunately, as with its power station bundle companion, the solar panel arrived with scuffed case cosmetics and ruffled-through contents indicative of pre-used, not brand new, condition:

Although, I was able to clip a multimeter to the panel’s Anderson Powerpole output connector and, after optimally aligning the panel with the cloud-free direct sunlight, I got close to the spec’d max open circuit output voltage out of it:

the connector itself had also arrived pre-mangled by the panel’s prior owner (again: brand new? Really, Battery-Biz?), a situation that others had also encountered, and which prevented me from as-intended plugging it into the PowerSource Pro Battery Generator:

Could I have bought and soldered on a replacement connector? Sure. But in doing so, I likely would have voided the factory warranty terms. And anyway, after coming across not-brand-new evidence in the entire bundle’s constituents, I was done messing with this “deal”; I was offered an exchange but requested a return-and-refund instead. As mentioned last time, Meh was stellar in their customer service, picking up the tab on return shipping and going as far as issuing me a full refund while the bundle was still enroute back to them. And to be clear, I blame Battery-Biz, not Meh, for this seeming not-as-advertised bait-and-switch.

A few words on connectors, in closing. Perhaps obviously, the connector coming out of a source solar panel and the one going into the destination power station need to match, either directly or via an adapter (the latter option with associated polarity, adequate current-carrying capability and other potential concerns). That said, in my so-far limited to-date research and hands-on experiences with both solar panels and power stations, I’ve come across a mind-boggling diversity of connector options. That ancient solar panel I mentioned back in September, for example:

uses these:

to interface between it and the solar charge controller:

The subsequent downstream connection between the controller and my Eurovan Camper’s cargo battery is more mainstream SAE-based:

The more modern panel I showcased in that same September writeup:

offered four output options: standard and high-power USB-A, USB-C and male DC5521.

My SLA battery-based Phase2 Energy PowerSource Power Station, on the other hand:

(Duracell clone shown)

like the Lithium NMC battery-based Energizer PowerSource Pro Battery Generator:

expects, as already mentioned earlier in this piece, an Anderson Powerpole (PP15-45, to be precise) connector-based solar panel tether:

To adapt the male 5521 to an Anderson Powerpole required both the female-to-female DC5521 that came with the Foursun F-SP100 solar panel and a separate male DC5521-to-Anderson adapter that I bought off Amazon:

What other variants have I encountered? Well, coming out of the EcoFlow solar panels I told you about in the recent Holiday Shopping Guide for Engineers are MC4 connectors:

Conversely, the EcoFlow RIVER 2:

and DELTA 2 portable power stations:

both have an orange-color XT60i solar input connector:

the higher current-capable (100 A vs 60 A), backwards-compatible successor to the original yellow-tint XT60 used in prior-generation EcoFlow models:

EcoFlow sells both MC4-to-XT60 and MC4-to-XT60i adapter cables (note the connector color difference in the following pictures):

along with MC4 extension cables:

and even a dual-to-single MC4 parallel combiner cable, whose function I’ll explore next time:

The DELTA 2 also integrates an even higher power-capable XT150 input, intended for daisy-chaining the power station to a standalone supplemental battery to extend runtime, as well as for recharging via the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger:

Ok, now what about another well-known portable power station supplier, Jackery? The answer is, believe it or not, “it depends”. Older models integrated an 8 mm 7909 female DC plug:

 

which, yes, you could mate to a MC4-based solar panel via an adapter:

Newer units switched to a DC8020 input; yep, adapters to the rescue again:

And at least some Jackery models supplement the DC connector with a functionally redundant, albeit reportedly more beefy-current, Anderson Powerpole input:

How profoundly confusing this all must be to the average consumer (not to mention this techie!). I’m sure if I did more research, I’d uncover even more examples of connectivity deviance from other solar panel and portable power station manufacturers alike. But I trust you already get my point. Such non-standardization might enable each supplier to keep its customers captive, at least for a while and to some degree, but it also doesn’t demonstrably grow the overall market. Nor is it a safe situation for consumers, who then need to blindly pick adapters without understanding terms such as polarity or maximum current-carrying capability.

Analogies I’ve made before in conceptually similar situations, such as:

• It’s better to have a decent-size slice of a sizeable pie versus a tiny pie all to yourself, and
• A rising tide lifts all boats

remain apt. And as with those conceptually similar situations on which I’ve previously opined, this’ll likely all sort itself out sooner or later, too (via market share dynamics, would be my preference, versus heavy-handed governmental regulatory oversight). The sooner the better, is all I’m saying. Let me know your thoughts on this in the comments!

 —Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

Related Content

• Experimenting with a modern solar cell
• SLA batteries: More system form factors and lithium-based successors
• Experimenting with a modern solar cell
• Then and Now: Solar panels track the sun
• Solar-mains hybrid lamp
• Solar day-lamp with active MPPT and no ballast resistors
• Beaming solar power to Earth: feasible or fantasy?

 

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In recent years, smart farming has emerged as a transformative approach to agriculture, integrating technology to enhance productivity and sustainability. Central to this transformation are low-power microcontrollers (MCUs) and reliable RF devices, which provide the backbone for efficient data collection and communication in remote farming applications. These innovations are essential for monitoring environmental conditions, managing livestock, and optimizing resource use, all while addressing the unique challenges of remote and battery-powered systems.

The Role of Smart Farming in Modern Agriculture

Smart farming leverages data analytics and IoT technology to inform and enhance agricultural practices. By monitoring critical parameters such as soil condition, moisture levels, and livestock health, farmers can make informed decisions that improve efficiency and reduce waste. Precision agriculture, a key component of smart farming, uses tools like variable rate technologies (VRTs) to optimize the application of inputs such as seeds, water, and fertilizers.

There are two primary types of VRT: map-based and sensor-based. Map-based VRT relies heavily on satellite imagery to plan input applications, while sensor-based VRT gathers real-time data directly from sensors in the field or on farm machinery. These systems often work together, with sensor-based VRT providing immediate insights that allow for real-time adjustments.

Beyond Crops: Monitoring Livestock

Smart farming extends its benefits to livestock management as well. By monitoring animal health and behavior, farmers can detect early signs of illness or disease, enabling timely intervention. Advanced sensors collect a range of data, from temperature and moisture to soil health indicators such as salinity, pH, and nutrient levels. This information allows for targeted actions that enhance productivity and sustainability.

Addressing Challenges in Remote Farming Applications

Many smart farming systems operate in remote locations where power efficiency and secure wireless communication are critical. Battery-powered devices, often supplemented by photovoltaic (PV) cells, need to function effectively with minimal energy consumption. For basic measurements like temperature, moisture, and nutrient levels, the data transfer requirements are modest, making efficient design essential.

Microcontrollers play a pivotal role in achieving these efficiencies. MCUs designed for low-power applications, and are optimized for tasks like digital sensor connectivity and data processing. These devices include core independent peripherals (CIPs), which perform repetitive tasks with minimal CPU involvement, reducing power consumption and enhancing reliability.

Innovations in Sensor and IoT Technology

Modern MCUs feature advanced interfaces like SPI and I2C for digital sensor integration and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with programmable gain amplifiers (PGAs) for versatile sensor connectivity. Such capabilities allow for precise monitoring of environmental conditions, from soil composition to plant health.

In addition to MCUs, RF devices play a crucial role in wireless communication. For example, data transfer in smart farming can be facilitated using technologies like Zigbee, which offers reliable connectivity within a 100-meter range. For longer-range communication, systems can utilize Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), a low-data-rate variant of 4G LTE tailored for applications like smart metering.

Enhancing Livestock Monitoring with RFID

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology is particularly useful for livestock tracking. Devices like Microchip’s ATA5575M2 chip enable contactless identification, operating within the 100-150 kHz frequency band. These chips use a single coil for both power supply and communication, making them efficient and practical for remote applications.

RFID technology can also support soil and crop monitoring. For instance, in-field sensors equipped with RFID can provide real-time data on soil health, enabling precision application of fertilizers and water. This targeted approach minimizes resource use while maximizing crop yield.

Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and IoT

Drones and IoT-enabled systems further enhance the capabilities of smart farming. Drones can capture aerial imagery to assess plant health and soil conditions, while IoT devices collect and transmit data to cloud-based systems for analysis. Automated actions based on this data can optimize resource use and improve operational efficiency.

IoT technology also facilitates seamless integration across the supply chain. Data from in-field sensors can inform decisions on input procurement and determine optimal harvest times, enhancing overall productivity.

The Importance of Secure and Sustainable Solutions

As IoT becomes integral to smart farming, robust cybersecurity measures are essential to protect sensitive data and ensure system integrity. Secure communication protocols safeguard the nodes and cloud-based infrastructure from potential threats, minimizing risks without significantly increasing costs.

Sustainability is another critical consideration. By using energy-efficient designs and leveraging renewable energy sources like solar power, smart farming solutions can minimize their environmental impact. Low-maintenance systems further reduce operational costs and enhance long-term viability, particularly in remote locations.

Practical Applications and Real-World Benefits

Studies worldwide have demonstrated the positive impact of smart farming on agricultural productivity. By monitoring factors such as humidity, temperature, and soil composition, farmers can achieve higher crop yields and reduce resource waste. In livestock management, real-time monitoring of health indicators enables early detection of issues, improving animal welfare and productivity.

A Smarter Future for Agriculture

Smart farming represents a significant leap forward for agriculture, combining advanced sensors, IoT technology, and efficient RF devices to create systems that are both powerful and sustainable. Low-power MCUs and innovative RF solutions are driving this transformation, enabling precise monitoring and seamless communication even in the most challenging environments.

As technology continues to evolve, the integration of IoT and smart farming will play a pivotal role in addressing global challenges such as food security and resource conservation. By adopting these cutting-edge solutions, the agricultural industry is paving the way for a smarter, more sustainable future.

The post Smart Farming Redefines Agriculture with Advanced IoT and Sensor Technology appeared first on ELE Times.

Wireless communication has long served as a foundational pillar of modern technology, facilitating seamless connectivity across devices and regions. However, the advent of 5G—and the promises of 6G and beyond—marks a paradigm shift in how electronics are designed, deployed, and experienced. These advancements are not just incremental; they redefine the fundamental capabilities of wireless technology and its impact on electronics, from consumer gadgets to industrial systems.

Understanding 5G: The Foundation of Future Connectivity

5G, or the fifth generation of wireless communication, offers unprecedented speed, latency, and connectivity. With theoretical speeds of up to 10 Gbps and latency as low as 1 millisecond, 5G is not just an evolution of 4G but a revolutionary leap.

Key features of 5G include:

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB): Facilitates ultra-fast internet for high-definition streaming and virtual reality.
• Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC): Supports billions of IoT devices with efficient communication protocols.
• Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC): Enables mission-critical applications like autonomous vehicles and remote surgery.

These capabilities create new possibilities for electronics, requiring innovation in hardware and software to fully leverage 5G’s potential.

Transformative Impact on Consumer Electronics

The consumer electronics industry is among the biggest beneficiaries of 5G. Smartphones, wearable devices, and smart home systems are now more powerful and interconnected than ever.

• Smartphones: 5G enables real-time applications such as augmented reality (AR) gaming, ultra-high-definition streaming, and seamless video conferencing. It also pushes hardware manufacturers to adopt advanced processors and antennas capable of handling higher data rates.
• Wearables: Devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches now support continuous monitoring and real-time data analysis, enhancing user experience and utility.
• Smart Homes: 5G enhances the reliability and responsiveness of smart devices, from thermostats to security cameras, fostering a truly interconnected living environment.

Industrial Applications: A New Era of Automation

Industries across sectors are leveraging 5G to revolutionize operations. From manufacturing to healthcare, the integration of 5G and electronics is driving unprecedented efficiency and innovation.

• Smart Manufacturing: 5G-powered Industrial IoT (IIoT) enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and autonomous robotics, leading to a new era of Industry 4.0.
• Healthcare: Wearable medical devices can provide continuous patient monitoring, while 5G’s low latency supports telemedicine and robotic surgery.
• Energy and Utilities: Smart grids and renewable energy systems benefit from 5G’s ability to handle vast amounts of data from distributed sources in real time.

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communication

One of the most promising applications of 5G in electronics is in the automotive sector. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication relies heavily on 5G to enable real-time data exchange between vehicles, infrastructure, pedestrians, and networks.

• Autonomous Vehicles: 5G ensures ultra-low latency communication required for self-driving cars to make split-second decisions.
• Smart Traffic Management: Connected infrastructure can dynamically manage traffic flow, reduce congestion, and improve safety.
• Enhanced In-Vehicle Experiences: High-speed connectivity supports in-car entertainment systems, navigation, and over-the-air software updates.

Challenges and Opportunities in 5G Electronics Design

While the potential of 5G is immense, realizing its full capabilities presents significant challenges, particularly in electronics design.

• Thermal Management: Higher data rates and power consumption generate more heat, necessitating advanced cooling solutions.
• Miniaturization: Integrating 5G components, such as antennas and transceivers, into compact devices requires innovative design approaches.
• Energy Efficiency: Power management becomes critical, especially for IoT devices that rely on battery power.

On the flip side, these challenges drive innovation in materials, design methodologies, and manufacturing techniques, paving the way for next-generation electronics.

The Road to 6G and Beyond

As 5G technology continues to revolutionize global connectivity, researchers and industries have already turned their attention toward the possibilities of 6G. Expected to roll out by 2030, 6G promises to surpass 5G in every metric, offering speeds up to 1 Tbps and microsecond-level latency.

Key advancements anticipated in 6G include:

• Terahertz Communication: Utilizing higher frequency bands for unprecedented bandwidth and speed.
• Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC): Combining communication with environmental sensing to enable applications like digital twins and high-precision navigation.
• AI-Driven Networks: Using artificial intelligence to optimize network performance, resource allocation, and security.

These developments will further transform the electronics landscape, introducing new opportunities and challenges.

Sustainability in the Era of 5G and Beyond

With great power comes great responsibility. The massive deployment of 5G infrastructure and devices raises concerns about energy consumption and electronic waste.

• Energy-Efficient Designs: Engineers are developing low-power chips and optimizing network architectures to minimize energy use.
• Recycling and Reuse: Encouraging circular economies in electronics can mitigate the environmental impact of rapid technological turnover.
• Green Networks: Using renewable energy sources for powering 5G infrastructure is a key focus for sustainable deployment.

Real-World Success Stories

• South Korea: A global leader in 5G adoption, South Korea has demonstrated how 5G can transform urban infrastructure, healthcare, and entertainment.
• Germany: In manufacturing, German companies are leveraging 5G for smart factories, showcasing the potential of Industry 4.0.
• United States: The rollout of 5G networks has spurred innovation in autonomous vehicles and telemedicine, with significant societal benefits.

A Connected Future

5G is not merely a technological upgrade but a transformative force reshaping the electronics industry and beyond. As we move towards 6G and beyond, the synergy between wireless communication and electronics will continue to drive innovation, enhance quality of life, and tackle global challenges. However, realizing this potential will require collaboration across industries, academia, and governments to address technical, economic, and ethical considerations.

The journey of wireless communication is far from over. Each generation builds upon the last, creating a future where connectivity is ubiquitous, intelligent, and transformative.

The post The Wireless Revolution Transforming Electronics with 5G and Beyond appeared first on ELE Times.

Sivers Semiconductors AB of Kista, Sweden (which supplies RF beam-formerICs for SATCOMs and photonic lasers for AI data centers) is in advanced discussions with its strategic customer Ayar Labs of San Jose, CA, USA (which provides silicon photonics-based chip-to-chip optical connectivity solutions) to partner on the next phase of engagement focused on manufacturing at scale to support deployment of Ayar Labs’ in-package optical interconnect solutions...

New and repurposed fabrication techniques for flexible electronic devices are proliferating rapidly. Some may wonder if they are better than traditional methods and at what point they’ll be commercialized. Will they influence electronics design engineers’ future creations?

Flexibility is catching on. Experts forecast the flexible electronics market value will reach $63.12 million by 2030, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 10.3%. As its earning potential increases, more private companies and research groups turn their attention to novel design approaches.

Flexible electronics is a rapidly developing area. Source: Institute of Advanced Materials

As power densification and miniaturization become more prominent, effective thermal management grows increasingly critical—especially for implantable and on-skin devices. So, films with high in-plane thermal conductivity are emerging as an alternative to traditional thermal adhesives, greases, and pads.

While polymer composites with high isotropic thermal conductivity (k) are common thermal interface materials, their high cost, poor mechanics, and unsuitable electrical properties leave much to be desired.

Strides have been made to develop pure polymer film with ultrahigh in-plane k. Electronics design engineers use stretching or shearing to enhance molecule chain alignment, producing thin, and flexible sheets with desirable mechanical properties.

Here, it’s important to note that the fabrication process for pure polymer films is complex and uses toxic solvents, driving costs, and impeding large-scale production. A polyimide and silicone composite may be the better candidate for commercialization, as silicone offers high elasticity and provides better performance in high temperatures.

Novel manufacturing techniques for flexible electronics

Thermal management is not the only avenue for research. Electronics engineers and scientists are also evaluating novel techniques for transfer printing, wiring, and additive manufacturing.

Dry transfer printing

The high temperatures at which quality electronic materials are processed effectively remove flexible or stretchable substrates from the equation, forcing manufacturers to utilize transfer printing. And most novel alternatives are too expensive or time-consuming to be suitable for commercial production.

A research team has developed a dry transfer printing process, enabling transferring thin metal and oxide films to flexible substrates without risk of damage. They adjusted the sputtering parameters to control the amount of stress, eliminating the need for post-processing. As a result, the transfer times were shortened. This method works with microscale or large patterns.

Bubble printing

As electronics design engineers know, traditional wiring is too rigid for flexible devices. Liquid metals are a promising alternative, but the oxide layer’s electrical resistance poses a problem. Excessive wiring size and patterning restrictions are also issues.

One research group overcame these limitations by repurposing bubble printing. It’s not a novel technique but has only been used on solid particles. They applied it to liquid metal colloidal particles—specifically a eutectic gallium-indium alloy—to enable high-precision patterning.

The heat from a femtosecond laser beam creates microbubbles that guide the colloidal particles into precise lines on a flexible substrate. The result is wiring lines with a minimum width of 3.4 micrometers that maintain stable conductivity even when bent.

4D printing

Four-dimensional (4D) printing is an emerging method that describes how a printed structure’s shape, property or function changes in response to external stimuli like heat, light, water or pH. While this additive manufacturing technique has existed for years, it has largely been restricted to academics.

4D-printed circuits could revolutionize flexible electronics manufacturing by improving soft robotics, medical implants, and wearables. One proof-of-concept sensor converted pressure into electric energy despite having no piezoelectric parts. These self-powered, responsive, flexible electronic devices could lead to innovative design approaches.

Impact of innovative manufacturing techniques

Newly developed manufacturing techniques and materials will have far-reaching implications for the design of flexible electronics. So, industry professionals should pay close attention as early adoption could provide a competitive advantage.

Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as an associate editor at Revolutionized.

 

 

Related Content

• Flexible electronics tech shows progress
• Fab-in-a-Box: Flexible Electronics Scale Up
• Printed electronics enhance device flexibility
• Flexible electronics stretch the limits of imagination
• Printed Electronics to Enhance both Exteriors and Interiors in EVs

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This is an old rv remote that i broke by stepping on it. I had to do something so i could watch tv. As you can see it cracked clean from the tip. At least the ir led was ok. I saw that it was only one layer. I always wanted to repair electronics so i always watch repair videos. With a big ass tweezers i scratched the mask and got to the lines. There was 6 line i had to connect. As you can see the joints are scary. Because i live in a 3rd world country and a student i had to the repair with a oxidated tip and a 40w soldering iron. No flux, just low quality fluxed solder. But the important thing is it workss. Yes its ugly bot nobody sees it and i know i did it. I gotta get me some good equipment fr. I just wanted to share my joy. Dont hold back anything say what you want. submitted by /u/guserrrr [link] [comments]

Power Integrations Inc of San Jose, CA, USA (which provides high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion) has introduced a wide-creepage package option for its InnoSwitch3-AQ flyback switcher IC for automotive applications. A wide drain-to-source-pin creepage distance of 5.1mm eliminates the need for conformal coating, making the IC compliant to the IEC60664-1 standard in 800V electric vehicles (EVs) while simplifying manufacturing and increasing system reliability...

Microchip’s MTCH2120 turnkey touch controller offers 12 capacitive touch sensors configured via an I2C interface. Backed by Microchip’s unified ecosystem, it simplifies design and streamlines transitions from other turnkey and MCU-based touch interface implementations.

The MTCH2120 delivers reliable touch performance, unaffected by noise or moisture. Its touch/proximity sensors can work through plastic, wood, or metal front panels. The controller’s low-power design enables button grouping, reducing scan activity and power consumption while keeping buttons fully operational.

Easy Tune technology eliminates manual threshold tuning by automatically adjusting sensitivity and filter levels based on real-time noise assessment. An MPLAB Harmony Host Code Configurator plug-in eases I2C integration with Microchip MCUs and allows direct connection without host-side protocol implementation. Design validation is facilitated through the MPLAB Data Visualizer, while built-in I2C port expander capabilities allow for the addition of three or more unused touch input pins.

In addition, access to Microchip’s touch library minimizes firmware complexity, helping to shorten design cycles. For rapid prototyping, the MTCH2120 evaluation board includes a SAM C21 host MCU for out-of-the-box integration.

MTCH2120 product page

Microchip Technology

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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A synchronous step-down LED driver with high-side current sensing, Diodes’ AL8891Q drives up to 2 A of continuous current from a 4.5-V to 65-V input. It also supports up to a 95% duty cycle, enabling the driver to power longer LED chains in various automotive lighting applications.

The AL8891Q uses constant on-time control for simple loop compensation and cycle-by-cycle current limiting, offering fast dynamic response without needing an external compensation capacitor. Its adjustable switching frequency, ranging from 200 kHz to 2.5 MHz, optimizes efficiency or enables a smaller inductor size and more compact form factor. Spread spectrum modulation further enhances EMI performance and aids compliance with the CISPR 25 Class 5 standard.

Two independent pins control PWM and analog dimming. PWM dimming, from 0.1 kHz to 2 kHz, enables high-resolution dimming. Analog dimming, ranging from 0.15 V to 2 V, supports soft-start and other adjustments. The AL8891Q also features comprehensive protection with fault reporting.

The AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified AL8891Q driver costs $0.78 each in lots of 1000 units.

AL8891Q product page 

Diodes

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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The Certus 9704 IoT module from Iridium supports satellite IoT applications requiring real-time data analysis and automated decision-making. This compact module offers larger file transfer sizes and faster message speeds than previous Iridium IoT modules, enabling the delivery of data, pictures, and audio messages up to 100 KB in industrial and remote environments.

With Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT) technology, the Certus 9704 provides two-way IoT services worldwide over Iridium’s low-latency global satellite network. The module is 34% smaller than the Iridium 9603, 79% smaller than the Iridium 9602, and offers an 83% reduction in idle power consumption compared to both.

In addition to conventional satellite IoT applications, the Certus 9704 is AIoT-ready. Products built with Certus 9704 modules can offload more computing to the cloud in a single message, where an AIoT engine can quickly make decisions and send actionable instructions back to the remote device. With IMT at its core, a built-in topic-sorting capability ensures messages are efficiently organized for delivery to the appropriate engine for real-time data, audio, or image analysis.

Iridium offers a development kit preconfigured with the Certus 9704 module mounted on a motherboard, along with a power supply, antenna, and Arduino-based software. The kit comes with 1000 free messages and GitLab-hosted reference materials.

Certus 9704 product page 

Iridium Communications 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Kyocera AVX has expanded its CR series of high-power chip resistors with a device that handles 2.5 W in a small 0603 package. Designed to enable the miniaturization of RF power amplifiers, the 0603 resistor overcomes size constraints and enhances thermal management by incorporating a high thermal conductivity substrate and maximized heat sink grounding area.

Chip resistors in the CR series are non-magnetic, qualified to MIL-PRF-55342, and deliver reliable performance in a variety of communications, instrumentation, test and measurement, military, and defense applications. They feature thin-film resistive elements, aluminum nitride substrates, and silver terminals.

The resistors are available in eight chip sizes from 0603 to 3737, with standard resistive values of 100 Ω and 50 Ω and tolerances as tight as ±2%. They offer capacitance values ranging from 0.3 pF (0603) to 6.0 pF, power handling up to 250 W, and operating temperatures from -55°C to +150°C.

Chip resistors in the CR series are available from Mouser, DigiKey, and Richardson RFPD.

CR series product page

Kyocera AVX 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Kioxia and Nanya Technology have co-developed a type of 4F2 DRAM known as Oxide-Semiconductor Channel Transistor DRAM (OCTRAM). It features an oxide-semiconductor transistor that has both high ON current and ultra-low OFF current, enabling reduced power consumption across a wide range of applications, including AI, post-5G communication systems, and IoT products.

Panoramic view of the OCTRAM.

OCTRAM seeks to deliver low-power DRAM by using an InGaZnO-based cylinder-shaped vertical transistor with ultra-low leakage. This 4F2 design adaptation, according to Kioxia, provides significantly higher memory density than conventional silicon-based 6F2 DRAM.

ON and OFF current characteristics of InGaZnO transistor across configurations and structures.

The InGaZnO vertical transistor delivers a high ON current of over 15 μA per cell and an ultra-low OFF current below 1aA per cell, achieved through device and process optimization. In the OCTRAM design, the transistor is integrated on top of a high aspect ratio capacitor using a capacitor-first process. This setup helps separate the effects of the advanced capacitor process from the InGaZnO performance.

Kioxia

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Introduction

In vehicle electrical systems, a high- to low-voltage DC/DC converter is a reversible electronic device that changes the DC from the vehicle’s high-voltage (400 V or 800 V) battery to a lower DC voltage (12 V). These converters can be unidirectional or bidirectional. Power levels from 1 kW to 3 kW are typical, with systems requiring components rated at 650 V to 1,200 V for the converter’s high-voltage power net (primary side) and at least 60 V on the 12-V power net (secondary side).

The need for greater power density and a smaller powertrain led to increased switching frequencies for power components to several hundred kilohertz, in order to help shrink the size of magnetic components. The miniaturization of a high- to low-voltage DC/DC converter exposes many issues that are not as important at lower switching frequencies, such as electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), thermal dissipation, and active clamp for metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). In this power tip, I will discuss the design of clamping circuits for synchronous rectifier MOSFETs at a high switching frequency.

Traditional active clamp

The phase-shifted full bridge (PSFB) shown in Figure 1 is a popular topology in high- to low-voltage DC/DC applications because it can achieve soft switching on switches to increase converter efficiency. But you can still expect to see high-voltage stress on the synchronous rectifier, as its parasitic capacitance resonates with the transformer leakage inductance. The voltage stress of the rectifier could be as high as Equation 1:

Vds_max = 2VIN x (Ns/Np)                      (1)

where Np and Ns are the transformer’s primary and secondary windings, respectively.

Considering the power level of a high- to low-voltage DC/DC converter and the power losses of a resistor-capacitor-diode snubber [1], designers often use active clamp circuits for synchronous rectifier MOSFETs. Figure 1 shows the typical circuits.

Figure 1 Traditional active clamp circuit for PSFB synchronous rectifier MOSFETs. Source: Texas Instruments

In this schematic, you can see the P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) Q9 and the snubber capacitor, which are the main parts of the active clamp circuit. One terminal of the snubber capacitor connects to the output choke, and the source of the PMOS connects to ground. In a traditional active clamp circuit for a PSFB, synchronous rectifier MOSFET Q5 and Q7 have the same scheme; so do Q6 and Q8. Each time after the synchronous rectifier MOSFETs shut down, the PMOS will turn on with a proper delay time.

Figure 2 shows the control scheme of the PSFB and active clamp. You can easily find that the switching frequency of PMOS will be double the fsw.

Figure 2 Control scheme of active clamp PMOS Q9 where the switching frequency of the PMOS is doble the fsw. Source: Texas Instruments

Evaluating active clamp loss

You can use Equation 2, Equation 3, Equation 4, Equation 5, and Equation 6 to evaluate the loss of the active clamp PMOS. Apart from Pon_state, all of the other losses are proportional to fsw. When the switching frequency of the PMOS doubles, the loss doubles, so you will need to resolve the PMOS thermal issue. And the exact thermal issue turns out to be even worse when pushing the fsw higher to meet the needs for miniaturization.

Pon_state = Irms2 x Rdson                                (2)

Pturn_on = 0.5 x Vds x Ion x ton x fsw        (3)

Pturn_off = 0.5 x Vds x Ioff x toff x fsw        (4)

Pdrive = Vdrv x Qg x fsw                                   (5)

Pdiode = Isnubber x Vsd x td x fsw                 (6)

The proposed active clamp

So, what can you do? To select PMOS with better figure of merit (FOM) or to choose thermal grease with higher conductivity coefficient? Both are OK but remember the thermal issue caused by active clamp still concentrates at one part which makes the issue hard to resolve. Can we divide the thermal into several parts? A feasible way is to use two active clamp circuits and connect the terminal of the snubber capacitor to the switching node of the secondary legs, as Figure 3 shows. Then you can only turn on Q11 after Q5 and Q7 turn off, and only turn on Q10 after Q6 and Q8 turn off. Figure 4 shows the control scheme of the PSFB and proposed active clamp.

Figure 3 Proposed active clamp circuit for PSFB synchronous rectifier MOSFETs. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 4 Control scheme of the PSFB and proposed active clamp. Source: Texas Instruments

When Q5 and Q7 turn off, Q6 and Q8 are still on. So, you can locate the clamp loops for Q5 and Q7, as indicated by the green arrows in Figure 3. The switching frequency of Q10 and Q11 are both fsw, not double the fsw.

So, according to Equation 2, Equation 3, Equation 4, Equation 5, and Equation 6, Pon_state of each PMOS will be one quarter of original, Pturn_on, Pturn_off, Pdrive, and Pdiode will be one half of original. Obviously, the proposed method divides the loss of the clamp circuit into two parts and even less, which makes it easier to deal with the thermal issue.

Let’s come back to the clamp loop. Q5 has a larger loop than Q7; it’s similar to Q6 and Q8. You will need to pay attention to the layout of the synchronous rectifiers in order to get a minimum clamp loop for Q5 and Q6.

Proposed active clamp performance

Figure 5 and Figure 6 shows the related tests from the High-Voltage to Low-Voltage DC/DC Converter Reference Design with GaN HEMT from Texas Instruments, which uses the proposed active clamp circuit working at a 200-kHz switching frequency. Figure 5 shows the voltage stress of the rectifier.

Figure 5 Voltage stress of the rectifier where CH1 is the Vgs of the rectifier, CH2 is the Vds of the rectifier, CH3 is the voltage for the primary transformer winding, and CH4 is the current for the primary transformer winding. Source: Texas Instruments

CH1 is the Vgs of the rectifier, CH2 is the Vds of the rectifier, CH3 is the voltage for the primary transformer winding, and CH4 is the current for the primary transformer winding. The maximum voltage stress of the rectifier is below 45 V at 400 VIN, 13.5 VOUT, 250-A IOUT. The maximum temperature of the active clamp circuit is 46.6°C at 400 VIN, 13.5 VOUT, 180-A IOUT [2], as shown in Figure 6. So, the proposed control scheme achieves quite good thermal performance for the clamping MOSFET.

Figure 6 Thermal performance of the active clamp circuit where the maximum temperature of the active clamp circuit is 46.6°C at 400 VIN, 13.5 VOUT, 180-A IOUT. Source: Texas Instruments

500-kHz active clamp sans thermal issues

When promoting switching frequency from 200 kHz to 500 kHz, the volume of transformer will shrink about 45% [2], which will help to promote the power density of the High-Voltage to Low-Voltage DC/DC Converter. With the proposed method, BOM cost will increase a little, but designer can run the active clamp at 500-kHz switching frequency without thermal issue, leading to improved performance. Considering the pulsed drain current of PMOS is far smaller than NMOS, designer can also use NMOS in active clamp with isolated driver and bias power supply if necessary.

Daniel Gao works as a system engineer in the Power Supply Design Services team at Texas Instruments, where he focuses on developing OBC and DC/DC converters. He received the M.S. degree from Central South University in 2010.

 

 Related Content

• Power Tips #135: Control scheme of a bidirectional CLLLC resonant converter in an ESS
• Power Tips #134: Don’t switch the hard way; achieve ZVS with a PWM full bridge
• Power Tips #133: Measuring the total leakage inductance in a TLVR to optimize performance
• Precision clamp protects data logger
• Inverted bipolar transistor doubles as a signal clamp
• High-speed clamp functions as pulse-forming circuit

 References

1. Betten, John. 2016. “Power Tips: Calculate an R-C Snubber in Seven Steps.” TI E2E design support forums technical article, May 2016.
2. “High-Voltage to Low-Voltage DC-DC Converter Reference Design with GaN HEMT.” 2024. Texas Instruments reference design test report No. PMP41078, literature No. TIDT403A. Accessed Dec. 16, 2024.

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Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies Inc of Ithaca, NY, USA says that its only, and final, liquidating distribution will be of $0.11 per share, to be paid on or about 23 December, to holders of its common stock, as of the record date of 19 August...

Digital electronics refers to the branch of electronics that deals with systems and devices that use digital signals to represent data. Unlike analog electronics, where signals vary continuously over time, digital electronics processes data in the form of discrete values (typically represented as binary code, 1s and 0s). The technology has revolutionized the way we interact with computers, communicate, and control various systems, making it one of the most important fields in modern electronics.

Digital electronics forms the backbone of nearly all modern electronic devices and systems, including computers, mobile phones, digital clocks, and more. It is the foundation for innovations in automation, communication, computing, and entertainment.

Examples of Digital Electronics

1. Computers: At the core of every modern computer is digital electronics, from the processing of instructions in the CPU to the storage of data on hard drives and solid-state drives. Computers use binary code (0s and 1s) to process information, perform calculations, and control tasks.
2. Mobile Phones: Mobile phones rely on digital electronics to process signals, handle data, and manage communication. Digital signal processing (DSP) enables high-quality sound, image processing, and real-time transmission of data over cellular networks.
3. Digital Clocks: A simple example of digital electronics is the digital clock. These devices convert the time into a digital display (usually LED or LCD) and use digital circuits to calculate and display the hours, minutes, and seconds.
4. Television and Digital Media Devices: Digital electronics are used in the encoding and decoding of signals in digital television. Digital TVs and media players process video and audio signals in binary form, enabling higher-quality displays and sound.
5. Smart Home Devices: From smart thermostats to digital locks, digital electronics are integrated into a variety of smart home systems. These devices use microcontrollers, sensors, and wireless communication to enable automation and control.

Digital Electronic Circuits

Digital electronic circuits are the fundamental building blocks of digital electronics. They operate using discrete voltage levels (usually two levels, representing binary 1 and 0). These circuits are designed to perform specific tasks, such as computation, storage, and communication. Some common types of digital circuits include:

1. Logic Gates: Logic gates are the simplest digital circuits and form the basis for more complex operations. The basic logic gates—AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR—perform basic logical operations on binary inputs to produce a specific output. These gates are integrated to build more complex digital circuits, including adders, multiplexers, and flip-flops.
2. Flip-Flops and Registers: Flip-flops are circuits that store binary information. They can be used to store data or state information and are the building blocks for memory elements like registers, which hold data temporarily in digital devices like processors and controllers.
3. Multiplexers (MUX): A multiplexer is a circuit that selects one of many input signals and forwards it to a single output line. It is widely used in communication systems, data routing, and digital signal processing.
4. Counters: Digital counters are sequential circuits that increment or decrement their output based on clock pulses. They are used in applications such as digital clocks, frequency division, and event counting.
5. Adders: Digital adders, such as half-adders and full-adders, perform binary addition. These circuits are used in arithmetic logic units (ALUs) of processors to carry out mathematical operations.
6. Memory Circuits: Memory elements, such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read-Only Memory), are vital components in digital electronics. They store data temporarily or permanently for use in computing systems.

Digital Electronic Devices

1. Microcontrollers: A microcontroller is a small integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. It serves as the central component in many embedded systems, such as those found in washing machines, microwave ovens, and automotive control systems.
2. Microprocessors: Microprocessors are the central processing units (CPUs) of computers and other digital systems. They execute instructions, perform calculations, and control data flow in a computer or other digital device. Common examples include Intel and ARM processors.
3. Digital Signal Processors (DSPs): DSPs are specialized microprocessors designed to handle complex mathematical operations, particularly for signals like audio, video, and telecommunications. They are used in applications like sound recording, image processing, and speech recognition.
4. Logic Circuits (ICs): Integrated Circuits (ICs) containing logic gates and other digital circuits are used in almost every electronic device. These ICs are responsible for carrying out various tasks, such as processing signals, controlling devices, and enabling communication.
5. Digital Displays: Devices such as LED and LCD displays use digital electronics to convert binary data into visible information, displaying numbers, text, or images.
6. Digital Sensors: These sensors convert physical parameters like temperature, pressure, and motion into digital signals that can be processed by digital circuits. Examples include temperature sensors and accelerometers used in various consumer electronics and industrial applications.

Applications of Digital Electronics

Digital electronics has applications across a wide range of fields, transforming everyday life and driving technological advancements. Here are some key applications:

1. Telecommunication: Digital electronics form the foundation of contemporary communication systems. From mobile phones to satellite communication, the conversion of analog signals to digital signals allows for more efficient transmission, higher data rates, and better quality.
2. Healthcare: Medical devices like digital thermometers, ECG machines, and imaging systems use digital electronics for more accurate diagnostics, processing of medical data, and storage of patient information.
3. Automation and Robotics: Digital control systems are used in industrial automation and robotics. These systems rely on digital sensors, microcontrollers, and actuators to perform tasks like assembly, sorting, and packaging in manufacturing environments.
4. Consumer Electronics: Almost all modern consumer electronics—televisions, audio systems, digital cameras, and video game consoles—rely on digital electronics for their operation. This includes processing signals, converting data, and providing intuitive user interfaces.
5. Automotive Industry: Modern vehicles are equipped with digital electronics for engine control, infotainment systems, autonomous driving features, and safety applications. Digital circuits control the vehicle’s performance and deliver real-time feedback to the driver.
6. Entertainment and Media: Digital electronics are crucial in entertainment systems. From streaming services to gaming consoles, digital circuits enable high-definition video and audio processing, data storage, and interactive experiences.
7. Security Systems: Digital electronics are integral to modern security systems, including digital cameras, alarms, access control systems, and surveillance equipment. These devices use digital signals for data encryption, processing, and remote monitoring.

Conclusion

Digital electronics has transformed the world of electronics, enabling advancements in computing, communication, entertainment, and numerous other fields. With its use of binary signals and logic circuits, digital electronics allows for the development of highly efficient, reliable, and versatile devices that are now an integral part of everyday life. Whether it’s in the form of a mobile phone, computer, or even the smart devices in our homes, digital electronics continues to drive innovation and improve our lives.

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LiFi, GiFi, and Wi-Fi are innovative wireless communication technologies, each offering unique capabilities in data transmission, speed, range, and security. This article explores their features, applications, and distinctions.

LiFi 

LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a wireless communication technology that transmits data using light, much like Wi-Fi relies on radio waves. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi, which operates on radio frequencies, LiFi transmits data by modulating light from a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb. This modulation happens so quickly that it is imperceptible to the human eye. The photodetector captures the light signals and translates them back into data.

Key Features of LiFi:

1. High-speed data transfer: LiFi can offer data transfer speeds that surpass traditional Wi-Fi in certain cases.
2. Security: Since light does not pass through walls, the signal is confined to a specific area, providing enhanced security compared to radio-frequency-based communication.
3. Efficiency: LiFi can work with existing LED lighting infrastructure, making it energy-efficient and potentially reducing the need for additional network equipment.
4. Interference-free: It avoids interference from radio frequency devices, which can be an issue for Wi-Fi in certain environments (e.g., hospitals or airplanes).

Applications of LiFi:

• Smart homes and offices: For high-speed internet access using ambient light sources.
• Healthcare: In hospitals, where radio-frequency communication may interfere with medical equipment, LiFi can provide a safe alternative.
• Autonomous vehicles: LiFi can be used for communication between vehicles and infrastructure in smart cities.

Though still in the early stages of development compared to Wi-Fi, LiFi has the potential to revolutionize wireless communication by leveraging light as a medium for high-speed data transfer.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi (short for Wireless Fidelity) is a technology that allows devices to connect to the internet or local networks wirelessly using radio waves. It allows devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other electronics to connect wirelessly to a router or access point linked to the internet, eliminating the need for cables.

Key Features of Wi-Fi:

1. Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi allows devices to connect to the internet or local area networks (LAN) without using wired connections, offering convenience and mobility.
2. Range: Wi-Fi works over short to medium distances, typically within a home, office, or public area (depending on the strength of the router or access point).
3. Multiple Devices: Wi-Fi supports multiple devices connecting to a single router or access point at the same time, allowing many users to share an internet connection.
4. Speed: Wi-Fi networks offer varying speeds depending on the technology used (e.g., Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6). For instance, Wi-Fi 6 provides higher speeds and improved efficiency in managing multiple connected devices.
5. Security: Wi-Fi networks can be secured with encryption methods like WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WPA2 to prevent unauthorized access.

How It Works:

1. Router/Access Point: A Wi-Fi router or access point is connected to the internet via a wired connection (e.g., fiber or DSL). This device emits radio signals.
2. Devices: Devices with Wi-Fi capabilities, such as smartphones or laptops, receive these radio signals and use them to communicate with the router, thus allowing access to the internet or local network resources.

Applications of Wi-Fi:

• Home Networking: Enabling internet connectivity for various household devices, including smart TVs, printers, gaming consoles, and smartphones.
• Public Wi-Fi: Many public spaces like cafes, airports, hotels, and libraries offer free or paid Wi-Fi for customers.
• Business Use: Wi-Fi is used in offices and workplaces to facilitate communication, file sharing, and internet access without the need for wired connections.

Wi-Fi is one of the most widely used technologies for wireless internet access and local networking, offering a high degree of convenience, speed, and flexibility.

GiFi

GiFi (also sometimes written as “Gifi”) is a short-range wireless communication technology that was designed to offer high-speed data transfer at close ranges. It operates in a similar way to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but with certain features aimed at achieving faster data rates and efficient communication for specific types of devices.

Key Features of GiFi:

1. High-Speed Data Transfer: GiFi was developed to offer fast data transfer speeds, potentially much higher than Bluetooth, and similar to Wi-Fi in terms of throughput, but optimized for short-range communication.
2. Short Range: GiFi is intended for short-range communication (typically up to 10 meters), making it suitable for personal area networks (PANs) and device-to-device communication in close proximity.
3. Frequency Band: GiFi operates in the 5 GHz frequency range, which is the same range used by Wi-Fi, enabling it to offer faster communication without interference from other common wireless technologies like Bluetooth.
4. Low Power Consumption: GiFi was designed to be energy-efficient, which would be ideal for battery-powered devices like smartphones, cameras, and other mobile electronics.

Potential Applications:

• Media Sharing: GiFi could enable the fast transfer of media such as photos, videos, and large files between devices, similar to how Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct work.
• Home Automation: It could be used for communication between smart home devices like lights, sensors, and appliances in a home network.
• Mobile Device Communication: Devices like smartphones, tablets, and other portable electronics could use GiFi for high-speed data sharing over short distances.

Current Status:

Despite its potential, GiFi did not gain widespread adoption and was largely overshadowed by more popular technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi Direct, which dominate the short-range wireless communication market.

GiFi remains a niche concept in wireless communications, with limited use or development in the broader consumer technology ecosystem.

Here’s a comparison of LiFi, GiFi, and Wi-Fi. This table highlights the key differences and strengths of each technology.

Feature	LiFi	GiFi	Wi-Fi
Technology	Uses visible light (LED) for data transmission	Uses radio waves (5 GHz) for short-range communication	Uses radio waves (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) for data transmission
Speed	Up to 10 Gbps or more	High-speed, similar to Wi-Fi for short range	Up to 9.6 Gbps (Wi-Fi 6)
Range	Short (typically within the same room)	Very short (up to a few meters)	Moderate (up to 100 meters indoors)
Frequency	Visible light spectrum	5 GHz	2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6)
Security	Very secure (light cannot pass through walls)	Secured with typical encryption	Secured with WPA2/WPA3 encryption
Interference	Minimal (no radio frequency interference)	Less interference than Bluetooth but still susceptible	Can suffer interference from other RF signals (e.g., microwaves, other Wi-Fi networks)
Power Efficiency	Depends on LED usage, but generally energy-efficient	Energy-efficient (designed for mobile devices)	Power-consuming (especially for routers)
Primary Use Case	High-speed data in secure or confined environments (e.g., offices, hospitals)	Short-range, high-speed file sharing between devices	General internet access, networking, streaming, and file sharing
Adoption	Emerging, still in development	Limited adoption, niche use	Widely adopted, widely available
Infrastructure	Requires special light sources (LED bulbs)	Requires devices that support GiFi technology	Standard infrastructure (Wi-Fi routers, access points)
Device Compatibility	Devices with light sensors required	Devices supporting GiFi needed	Most devices (smartphones, laptops, smart devices, etc.) support Wi-Fi

 

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By: STMicroelectronics

Page EEPROM for asset tracking? Yes, indeed! A lot of companies with great assets are tracking how Page EEPROM is on track to transform asset tracking. While the phrasing is cheeky, the phenomenon is quite real. A couple of studies published just a few months ago both anticipate EEPROMs to exceed one billion dollars by 2030. Interestingly, both reports cite ST as a leading player, noting how innovative EEPROMs are driving this growth. Put simply, Page EEPROM is responsible for massive transformations in numerous industries, like medical devices and hearing aids. Let us, therefore, explore why this memory is gaining ground in asset tracking systems and what engineers should know to ensure that they stay ahead of this new trend.

What makes asset tracking special?

Asset tracking applications must deal with unique challenges because they often have an abnormally long lifespan. In many cases, the asset tracker doesn’t regularly return to a base. In some cases, it never does. Hence, changing a battery or physically accessing a terminal to update its firmware can be a real problem. Consequently, systems must not only be small and consume little power because they operate on batteries but also last five to ten years, and sometimes more. Hence, every microamp counts. Similarly, the memory must be robust and have enough endurance to survive hundreds of thousands of read-write cycles because their lifespan is so long.

What makes Page EEPROM unique? The basic workings of Page EEPROM

Avid readers of the ST Blog already know that ST’s Page EEPROM solves many of these issues with its ultra-low power consumption of 500 µA in read operations, its high data rate of 320 Mbit/s, and its high endurance of half a million read-write cycles per page. Thanks to its hybrid architecture, which uses 16-byte words and 512-byte pages while still enabling byte-level write operations, the Page EEPROM retains the flexibility and robustness of traditional EEPROMs while offering capacities and speeds on par with Flash. This unique structure also explains why ST is at the forefront of the EEPROM expansion, as Page EEPROMs can now serve applications that would have had to use Flash.

Consequently, Page EEPROM is often found in data logging applications and used for firmware management. Traditionally, engineers use EEPROM to log a lot of small data, like sensor information, due to its byte-level architecture. However, the memory itself lacks speed. Conversely, firmware management needs speed as it usually entails a large data transfer but doesn’t require the same granularity. Thanks to Page EEPROM, integrators get the best of both worlds, which means that they can use one time of memory for more applications, thus getting a better return on their investment.

What asset tracking applications do most often? Asset tracking applications have very unique needs

However, when an application like asset tracking must last a decade in the field, an application needs more than low power consumption. Tracking assets comes with the unique technical consideration that the system spends most of its time asleep. Indeed, the MCU will only wake up at specific intervals, and the external memory is active for only a short while to record information before adopting the lowest power mode possible. As a result, the power consumption during those off times is even more critical, and the time the memory takes to boot up is also a key factor because it will affect how long the system stays awake and thus consumes more energy.

What difference does a 30 µs power-up time make?

Page EEPROM is interesting because it’s possible to turn it entirely off while enjoying a power-up time of only 30 µs when connected to the MCU’s GPIO. Comparatively, a memory like Flash is often kept in a deep low-power mode, partly because it would take ten times longer to boot up. Hence, thanks to our memory’s inherent speed, it’s possible to spend no current at all most of the time, use the MCU to wake it up quickly, write to it, and then power it back down. Something that’s not feasible with Flash. Interestingly, this aspect has already drawn ST partners to adopt our Page EEPROM in asset-tracking applications.

Many engineers may also have noticed that driving the Vcc line of the memory with one of the MCU’s GPIO pins is unusual. Indeed, this is impossible with a traditional flash module because their peak current consumption is too high. However, because ST’s Page EEPROM never requires more than 4 mA, it becomes possible to power it using the microcontroller’s pin, thus ensuring a simpler design and faster power-up time.

What to do to get started with Page EEPROM for asset tracking? X-NUCLEO-PGEEZ1: A great place to start using Page EEPROM for asset tracking

We developed an internal demo firmware showcasing an asset-tracking system. As the video above demonstrates, it uses a Bluetooth connector to send data wirelessly and implements features like data logging and over-the-air update capabilities. Developers thus get to see what’s possible on our platform. We are also sharing a firmware over-the-air implementation that can run on evaluation boards coupled with the X-NUCLEO-PGEEZ1 daughterboard, which houses a 32 MB Page EEPROM. Put simply, we want to help developers avoid a vital mistake: thinking memory is just a commodity, and it won’t have a tremendous impact on their application.

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The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF of Freiburg, Germany says that, as part of the pilot line ‘Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration for Electronic Components and Systems’ (APECS), it will continue to expand its semiconductor research infrastructure in the coming years, supported by national funding of €4.35m via the state of Baden-Württemberg. A cheque was symbolically handed over in a visit on 16 December by Dr Patrick Rapp, the Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism...

Epitaxial deposition and process equipment maker Veeco Instruments Inc of Plainview, NY, USA says that, following evaluation of its Lumina metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system, Taiwan-based PlayNitride has qualified it for the production of micro-LEDs, and placed an order for two systems for delivery in 2025...