ELE Times

With embedded security considered to be a vital aspect in the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, Infineon Technologies AG has announced that its new PSOC Edge E8x MCU product family has been designed to meet the highest certification level provided by the Platform Security Architecture (PSA) Certified program, a framework for embedded security. The PSA Certified Level 4 device certification is targeted by implementing an on-chip, hardware-isolated enclave that provides secured boot, key storage and crypto operations in all PSOC Edge E8x devices.

“By aspiring to achieve this robust embedded security certification, IoT designers for edge applications such as wearables and smart home applications can be confident their products can achieve highest levels of security,” said Erik Wood, Senior Director Product Security for IoT, Computer and Wireless business, Infineon Technologies. “Integrating hardware security on the MCU also unlocks new edge computing markets such as printers and payment terminals that previously required discrete security chips. As a security leader, we are committed to enabling designers to reach the highest level of security for all applications.”

PSA Certified is a security framework established by Arm and industry partners in 2019. It provides both design guidelines and independent security evaluations through third-party labs intended to assure that all connected devices are built upon a Root of Trust. PSA Certified certifications achieved by an MCU extend through the value chain, allowing device builders and application providers to reuse that certification as they deploy products in the field.

“Connected device security is critical to scaling IoT deployments, and something that Arm and its ecosystem is committed to continuing to drive through initiatives like PSA Certified,” said David Maidment, Senior Director, Secure Devices Ecosystem at Arm. “We applaud Infineon’s ongoing commitment to robust device security by striving to achieve PSA Certified Level 4 iSE/SE for its new family of MCUs.”

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Sometimes, the tech buzzwords of the moment are used so freely when speaking to colleagues and customers and read daily in articles, on social media, and even in the mainstream news. Although terms such as AI, gen AI, edge computing, digital twins, IoT, and sustainability are familiar, their practical implementation is challenging. The challenges and obstacles are numerous and, at times, unique to specific use cases or organizations and depend on the maturity of the emerging technology.

Consider digital twins as an example; what are they, and what is all the hype surrounding them? The definition used by the Digital Twin Consortium describes a virtual representation of real-world entities and processes synchronized at a specified frequency and fidelity with the capability of transforming business by accelerating holistic understanding, optimal decision-making, and effective action. Digital twins use real-time and historical data to represent the past and present and simulate predicted futures. Furthermore, digital twins are motivated by outcomes, tailored use cases, powered by integration, built on data, guided by domain knowledge, and implemented in IT/OT systems.

Suppose we take a manufacturing plant as an example. Whether the equipment used is of new generation or legacy and has fixed function, general-purpose devices, or a combination, one thing is for sure: an overwhelming amount of data is produced. The data is a modern-day goldmine if extracted, processed, aggregated, and verified. Data allows digital twins to thrive, and its integrity is one of the most critical aspects of the technology. It is what helps ensure consistent, accurate, reliable results. In the future, IT and OT resources and infrastructure will need to converge further to standardize, transform, and apply data insights in manufacturing settings.

The accuracy of the data allows us to rapidly create physically precise, virtual 3D models and replicate real-world environments, from the factory floor to stores and cities.

Digital twins can be used to recreate the factory itself, allowing organizations to monitor and make changes in the digital environment to verify the impact of results before making changes on the factory floor. Manufacturers can also create an exact digital replica of their product and carry out true-to-world testing, allowing them to find and correct issues or errors and make optimizations before moving into production. Furthermore, digital twins create predictive models based on data points and their historical changes. They are measuring conditions against historical patterns and trends to identify anomalous behaviour, such as production line bottlenecks or potential safety and security breaches, right down to granular details, such as the temperature and vibration of a single appliance.

Considering today’s level of technological maturity, digital twins provide a range of benefits, including:

• Heightened visibility and transparency into assets and environments
• Reducing costs, time, and effort in changing production workflows
• Reducing material waste and delivering energy and other utility savings
• Sustainability
• Efficient acceleration of production times
• Reduced errors and issue resolution in pre-production phase
• Employing machine learning models that can understand and act in real-world situations.

Digital twins generally require purpose-built software on IoT edge servers that draw real-time data from sensors, appliances, and cameras. However, in most cases, organizations can start with their existing infrastructure and layer analytic tools to leverage the data already generated by installed equipment. Incrementally adding compute resources will help improve the accuracy of the digital twin over time. These considerations depend on what the organization is trying to achieve and its long-term goals. Technology is a strategic investment, so organizations should work with a reliable collaborator to plan for new use cases from infrastructure, resource, and security aspects.

The skill sets needed to leverage modern technology have evolved, and the workforce needs to evolve with that to obtain optimal results.

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In the automotive industry, embedded AI is becoming increasingly important for safety-critical real-time applications. However, this also creates new requirements and standards that must be considered during the complete product lifecycle. Infineon Technologies addresses these new requirements with the AURIX TC4x microcontroller (MCU) family, which meets the AI-specific safety requirements to achieve SAFE AI compliance, as proposed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS. The MCUs, with their ASIL-D compliant AI accelerator (PPU), provide an innovative platform for developing embedded AI-based use cases and automotive applications such as motor control, battery management systems, vehicle motion control and siren detection.

The SAFE AI framework based on ISO PAS 8800 and current state-of-the-art AI regulations is an evaluation methodology developed by Fraunhofer IKS that assesses the trustworthiness of AI in terms of robustness, data utility, operational design domain (ODD) and environmental conditions. The functional safety measures of the AURIX TC4x family thus provide mechanisms for compliance with AI regulations and standards at the application level. By using the AURIX TC4x family, car manufacturers can assess the safety and reliability of AI solutions and identify potential vulnerabilities during system development and operation. For safety-critical real-time applications, the use of AI models like neural networks increases accuracy and provides additional safety in conjunction with the existing physical sensor.

“The integration of safe and reliable AI functionality into automotive microcontroller families is essential to further improve vehicle performance, safety, and comfort,” said Thomas Boehm, Senior Vice President Microcontroller at Infineon. “We are therefore very proud that our AURIX TC4x microcontroller has successfully passed the SAFE AI assessment by the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Intelligence. This underlines our position as one of the leading innovation drivers in the industry.”

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Low-Cost Devices Target Consumer Electronics, Small Appliances, Industrial System Control and Building Automation

• Core: 32MHz Arm Cortex-M23
• Memory: Up to 64KB integrated Code Flash memory and 12KB SRAM
• Analog Peripherals: 12-bit ADC, temperature sensor, internal reference voltage
• Communications Peripherals: 3 UARTs, 1 Async UART, 3 Simplified SPIs, 1 IIC, 3 Simplified IICs
• Safety: SRAM parity check, invalid memory access detection, frequency detection, A/D test, immutable storage, CRC calculator, register write protection
• Security: Unique ID, TRNG, Flash read protection
• Packages: 16-, 24- and 32-lead QFNs, 20-pin LSSOP, 32-pin LQFP

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Industry-low 160nA current consumption improves power savings in consumer and industrial equipment

ROHM has developed a linear operational amplifier (op amp) – LMR1901YG-M – featuring the lowest* current consumption in the industry. This makes it ideal for amplifying sensor signals used to detect and measure temperature, flow rate, gas concentration, and other parameters in applications powered by internal sources (i.e. batteries).

In recent years, advanced control has been in increasing demand for various applications in consumer and industrial electronics. Therefore, there is an increasing need for accurate sensing of parameters relevant to the application – such as temperature, humidity, vibration, pressure, and flow rate. Op amps whose main function is to amplify sensor signals for subsequent detection and/or analog-to-digital conversion, is a crucial component in the signal chain – greatly affecting both accuracy and power consumption. ROHM is developing op amps that satisfy the dual need for high accuracy and low current consumption. By further refining the circuit design based on original Nano Energy technology, ROHM is now able to offer an op amp that delivers the lowest current consumption on the market.

The LMR1901YG-M leverages original ultra-low power technology that thoroughly suppresses current increase caused by temperature and voltage changes to reduce current consumption to just 160nA (Typ.) – approximately 38% lower than that of general low power op amps. This not only extends the life of applications powered by internal batteries like electronic shelf labels, but also contributes to longer operating times for smartphones and other devices equipped with rechargeable batteries. At the same time, this low current consumption does not change over the temperature range of -40°C to +105°C – allowing stable low-power operation, even in environments where external temperatures fluctuate, including fire alarms and environmental sensors.

Other performance enhancements include 45% reduction of input offset voltage to just 0.55mV (Max. Ta=25°C) over general low-current op amps while a maximum input offset voltage temperature drift of 7V/°C is guaranteed. This enables high-accuracy amplification of sensor signals. Capable of operating from 1.7V to 5.5V supply voltage and offering rail-to-rail input/output, LMR1901YG-M is suitable for a wide variety of applications in the industrial equipment and consumer markets. ROHM’s new op-amp also complies with the automotive reliability standard AEC-Q100 – ensuring stable operation even under harsh conditions such as vehicle cabins without compromising functionality.

In addition to various technical documents necessary for circuit design and SPICE models for simulation (available free of charge on ROHM’s website), the LMR1901YG-M can be used with ROHM Solution Simulator to speed up time to market.

Going forward, ROHM will continue to pursue further power savings in op-amps using proprietary ultra-low power technology. On top, ROHM aims to improve the performance of op-amp lineups by reducing noise and offset – increasing power savings and expanding the power supply voltage range while contributing to solving social issues through higher accuracy application control.

Product Lineup

Application Examples

• Consumer applications: smartphones, smartwatches, wearables, fire alarms, motion sensors, etc.
• Industrial equipment: electronic shelf labels (ESL), handheld measurement instruments, data loggers, environmental sensors for IoT, etc.
• Automotive systems: anti-theft sensors, drive recorders, etc.

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STMicroelectronics’ ST25R100 near-field communication (NFC) reader delivers a unique combination of advanced features, robust communication, and affordability, raising the value of contactless interaction in high-volume consumer and industrial products.

Combining its high performance and reliability with low power consumption, the 4mm x 4mm ST25R100 supports powerful contactless use cases. The tiny outline simplifies integration in products such as printers, power tools, gaming terminals, home appliances, medical devices, and access controls.

“Contactless is a great way for all sorts of products to interact for purposes such as recognizing genuine accessories, ordering consumables, and monitoring usage,” said Sylvain Fidelis, Multi-market Business Line Manager at STMicroelectronics. “Bringing an outstanding performance-to-cost ratio, with the added advantage of fast development using our software ecosystem, the ST25R100 delivers an affordable and easily embedded solution to our customers.”

Supporting advanced controls for signal quality and power management, the ST25R100 ensures strong and reliable wireless connections even in space-constrained devices that allow only a tiny antenna. Additionally, the ST25R100 features a new and enhanced low-power card detection (LPCD). This greatly extends the detection range compared to state-of-the-art devices, to ensure a user-friendly experience.

The ST25R100 integrates an advanced analog front end (AFE) and a data-framing system that supports standard NFC specifications, NFC-A/B (ISO 14443A/B, up to 106kb/s) and NFC-V (ISO 15693, up to 53kbit/s) to read cards.

The reader has a wide power-supply and peripheral-I/O voltage range from 2.7V to 5.5V. Multiple operating modes assist power management by allowing the device current to be reduced to as little as 1µA for longer runtime in battery-powered applications. There is also a reset mode that draws just 0.1µA.

The ST25R100 is sampling now, in a compact 4mm x 4mm 24-pin TQFN package that allows small devices to provide contactless card experiences. Pricing starts from $1.82 for orders of 1000 pieces.

ST will showcase the ST25R100 reader’s capabilities in practical demonstrations at Embedded World 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany, April 9-11, booth 148, Hall 4A.

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Author: Giusy Gambino, Marcello Vecchio, Filippo Scrimizzi, STMicroelectronics, Catania, Italy

When developing distributed intelligence for smart power switches in automotive power management systems, it is crucial to ensure that the protection mechanisms are truly intelligent. This is especially critical in scenarios involving multi-channel drivers as even minor asymmetries or unexpected load conditions can impact protection effectiveness.

In automotive environments, smart drivers play a crucial role in managing and distributing power from the car’s battery to various components like ECUs, motors, lights, and sensors. These multi-channel drivers control different electrical loads, such as resistive, inductive, and capacitive actuators, in parallel. It is crucial to maintain a balanced current flow across all channels for the drivers to function correctly and ensure the vehicle operates effectively and efficiently. Any minor asymmetries in the layout that cause current focalization through specific metal paths as well as unexpected situations like damaged or faulty loads and improper wiring can cause high current density in small areas. This leads to overheating of the integrated circuits and heat focalization with hot spots, ultimately resulting in component failure and damage.

Although thermal simulations and preventive measures are implemented, verifying and validating the implementation of intelligent protection mechanisms is crucial to identify potential issues that can delay timely intervention.

Thermal Sensing in Smart Switches

Balanced current flow is essential for high-side drivers to effectively manage heat, as they are required to handle significant amounts of current in very small and compact packages. They are often located in enclosed areas with poor ventilation and thermal dissipation, making heat management even more crucial.

Therefore, intelligent performance should rely on embedded thermal diagnostics based on sensing and protection mechanisms which monitor the driver’s temperature and take action when it exceeds predefined thresholds. Temperature sensing is quite a difficult task as it is strongly affected by the uniformity of the current flow in the different sections of the driver across all channels to achieve accurate temperature readings.

Unexpected high current density areas or short-circuit conditions are a significant concern as they can cause unpredictable heat concentration through diffused hot spots which produce sudden temperature increases in a very short period of time. These conditions can lead to overheating and component failure, which can be dangerous and costly to repair.

To prevent damage caused by thermal stress, the protection circuit is designed to limit the current and keep the power MOSFET within the safe operating area (SOA) until the thermal shutdown is triggered, which turns off the driver. However, this type of protection can cause physical stress on the surface of the power device. The current limit needs to be set high to meet inrush requirements and process tolerances, resulting in a fast thermal rise on the die’s surface when driving into a short load. This sudden temperature fluctuation can create significant thermal gradients across the die’s surface, leading to thermo-mechanical stress that can affect the device’s reliability.

The VIPower M0-9 high-side drivers have addressed this issue by integrating two temperature sensors in the cold and hot zones, respectively (as shown in Fig. 1).

The temperature sensors are implemented using polysilicon diodes thanks to their linear temperature coefficient across operating temperatures. The cold sensor is positioned in the cold zone of the driver near the controller, while the hot sensor is placed in the power stage area, which is the hottest zone in the driver.

Using this double-sensor technique enables the driver’s temperature increase to be limited since the thermal protection is triggered when the lowest temperature value between the over-temperature threshold and a dynamic temperature level between the sensors is reached. Once removed the overtemperature fault, the smart switch can be reactivated when the temperature decreases to a fixed value.

This significantly helps to reduce thermal fatigue in terms of thermo-mechanical stress on the switch, which can accumulate over time and lead to degradation and reduced reliability.

Thermal Mapping

Along with simulation and prevention procedures, infrared (IR) thermography is a valuable technique to obtain detailed thermal maps of the driver, which provide a comprehensive understanding of the heat distribution within the integrated circuit, highlighting any potential hazard.

To assess the effectiveness of intelligent protections in harsh automotive applications, the heat distribution within the driver has to be analyzed under challenging short-circuit conditions with two different scenarios:

• Terminal Short-Circuit (TSC);
• Load Short-Circuit (LSC).

The terminal short-circuit condition occurs when a low resistance connection between the terminals of a component or device is present, as shown in Fig. 2.

On the other hand, a load short-circuit condition arises when there is an inductive path between the load and the power source, leading to a sudden surge in current flow (Fig. 3).

The following test conditions are considered:

• Tamb = 25 °C
• Vbat = 14 V
• Ton = 1 ms for mapping
• Ton = 300 ms for temperature acquisition of thermal sensors and hot spots
• TSC condition: RSUPPLY = 10 mΩ, RSHORT = 10 mΩ
• LSC condition: RSUPPLY = 10 mΩ, LSHORT = 5 µH, RSHORT = 100 mΩ

where  Tamb is the ambient temperature

Vbat the DC battery voltage

Ton the time duration of the short-circuit event

RSUPPLY the resistance of the battery

                RSHORT the short-circuit resistance

LSHORT the short-circuit inductance.

In order to generate a temperature map, the IR camera sensor is utilized to capture the infrared emissions at each location, which are then converted into temperature values. To ensure the conversion accuracy from specific colors to defined temperature values, a calibration process is essential. This process involves comparing the different colors obtained from the sensor with known temperature values, which can be obtained through specific thermal sensitive parameters and their trend versus temperature increase. By analyzing these parameters, the calibration process can ensure that the temperature map accurately reflects the temperature distribution in the area being scanned.

To calibrate the IR camera sensor, the forward voltage (VF) of the MOSFET’s body drain diode is chosen due to its linear dependence on temperature. However, a pre-calibration of the diode is necessary to accurately determine its temperature coefficient. This is achieved by measuring the VF voltage at a constant forward current (IF) while varying the temperature from 25°C to 100°C. To prevent any temperature rise caused by the current and its associated power dissipation, the IF value is selected within the range of 10mA to 20mA.

The VF values collected at different temperatures can be used to perform a linear interpolation and mathematical fitting to obtain the temperature coefficient of the diode, as shown in Fig. 4.

Calculations are made through the following equation (1):

Dt =     DVF /K                         (1)

where:

Dt is the temperature variation;

DVF the forward voltage variation;

K is the temperature coefficient of the diode.

The temperature map is created by acquiring each temperature point through an IR camera sensor at 1ms intervals. Once all the die points are acquired (which takes around 3000 seconds), a specialized software generates the map, which depicts the temperature of each point based on the minimum spatial resolution of the IR sensor. By overlaying the thermal map onto the row silicon die picture, it is possible to identify the hottest points in the active area and determine their coordinates while the current flows through the device.

As an example, the thermal maps for the dual-channel VND9012AJ smart switch are depicted in Fig. 5 under TSC conditions.

The graphical representation of temperature distribution across the driver’s channels, depicted through varying colors within the temperature range of 25°C to 150°C, serves as a crucial aid in detecting any regions experiencing excessive heat and ensuring the driver’s safe temperature operation. The provision of thermal maps for each channel under diverse operating conditions enables the tests to authenticate the driver’s reliable functioning without surpassing its maximum temperature threshold.

In order to locate the hot spots and monitor the temperature evolution for both hot and cold sensors, and subsequently validate the efficacy of the thermal shutdown mechanism, a longer short-circuit duration of 300ms is taken into account.

The temperature variations observed in VND9012AJ while undergoing TSC are displayed in Fig. 6.

The graph indicates the presence of hot spots in both channels of VND9012AJ as detected by the hot sensors, and the maximum temperature of these hot spots is in the range of 150 °C.

The thermal maps for VND9012AJ under LSC conditions are presented in Fig. 7.

The temperature variations observed in VND9012AJ while undergoing LSC are displayed in Fig. 8.

Both conditions trigger the thermal protection mechanism, causing the current to be limited to a safe level.

Conclusions

Valuable insights into the design and operation of the smart switch have been obtained through experimental results, particularly regarding current distribution and thermal protection mechanisms. It is essential to maintain a well-balanced behaviour of all channels to create an intelligent driver that improves safety and reliability in automotive systems. The use of IR thermography enables a precise and comprehensive analysis of temperature distribution, which enhances the smart switch’s thermal sensing and protection system. In demanding automotive environments, swift activation of these protections is crucial to detect overheating and prevent any potential harm to the device or system.

References

[1]  P. Meckler and F. Gerdinand, “High-speed thermography of fast dynamic processes on electronic switching devices”, 26th International Conference on Electrical Contacts (ICEC 2012), 2012.

[2]  X. Zhou and T. Schoepf, “Detection and formation process of overheated electrical joints due to faulty connections”, 26th International Conference on Electrical Contacts (ICEC 2012), 2012.

[3]  T. Israel, M. Gatzsche, S. Schlegel, S. Großmann, T. Kufner, G. Freudiger, “The impact of short circuits on contact elements in high power applications”, IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, 2017.

[4]  Y. Lozanov, “Assessment of the technical condition of electric contact joints using thermography”, 17th Conference on Electrical Machines, Drives and Power Systems (ELMA), 2021.

[5]  M. Bonarrigo, G. Gambino, F. Scrimizzi, “Intelligent power switches augment vehicle performance and comfort”, Power Electronics News, Oct. 10, 2023.

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Rohde & Schwarz, the technology leader inaugurates a state-of-the-art facility in New Delhi, as part of the company’s long-term vision for India. Rohde & Schwarz, is making significant strides in India with recent expansions and strategic initiatives, from fortifying its facilities to venturing direct entry into Defence projects. With a global to-local approach, Rohde & Schwarz emphasises increasing local value additions by production, Research & Development, Application Development, customization for India-specific needs, and system integration, all well fitting into the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Rohde & Schwarz India, the Indian subsidiary of the German-based, global technology company Rohde & Schwarz, celebrated the grand opening of its new facility located at Mohan Cooperative Industrial Estate, in New Delhi.

While inaugurating the new facility, Dr. Alexander Orellano, Executive Vice President, Technology Systems of Rohde & Schwarz, said: “We are proud to expand our presence in New Delhi. The new facility marks a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to enhancing local production, software development, system integration, and assembly in line with the Indian government’s objective of ‘Make in India’. For Rohde & Schwarz, India is not merely a growth market but a vital component of our global strategy”.

Yatish Mohan, Managing Director of Rohde & Schwarz India, expressed his pride in the company’s contribution to India’s defense, aviation, and surveillance capabilities, stating, “As a leading ecosystem partner in the Indian technology industry, Rohde & Schwarz India is proud to contribute to the nation’s defense, aviation, and surveillance capabilities. Our focus on innovation, collaboration, and local value addition underscores our commitment to driving positive change and shaping the future of India’s technological landscape. The new facility aims to further enhance these capabilities and serve as a center of competence for surveillance solutions”.

Rohde & Schwarz India has been a pivotal ecosystem partner in India’s technology industry, catering to critical sectors such as defense, civil aviation, and surveillance. The company plays a significant role in providing cutting-edge technological solutions and services to key sectors like defense, civil aviation, surveillance, and more. Highlighting Rohde & Schwarz India’s successful implementations, such as the deployment of state-of-the-art Milli Meter Wave Full Body Scanners at Bengaluru airport, the company has been at the forefront of innovation in defense and aviation, developing advanced systems and solutions tailored to the unique requirements of these sectors.

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Infineon Technologies AG continued to expand its leading market position in automotive semiconductors in 2023. According to the latest research by TechInsights[1], the global automotive semiconductor market grew by 16.5 per cent in 2023, reaching a new record size of US$69.2 billion. Infineon’s overall market share increased by one percentage point, from nearly 13 per cent in 2022 to about 14 per cent in 2023, solidifying the company’s position as the global leader in the automotive semiconductor market. Infineon’s semiconductors are essential in serving all automotive key applications like driver assist and safety systems, powertrain and battery management, comfort, infotainment and security.

According to TechInsights, Infineon has increased its market share in all regions and remained market leader in South Korea and China. In addition, Infineon has made significant gains in the Japanese automotive semiconductor market. Infineon has strengthened its strong European presence as the second-largest player, as well as its top-three position in North America.

“We are very proud that we have expanded our position as the leading automotive semiconductor supplier. This great success is based on our product innovation and system competence that add value to our customers’ solutions,” said Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division at Infineon. “We also see this achievement as motivation, since our automotive semiconductors are the basis for the future of mobility, making cars clean, safe and smart.”

“Infineon maintained the top spot in the TechInsights automotive semiconductor 2023 vendor market share rankings with nearly 14 per cent market share,” said Asif Anwar, Executive Director of Automotive End Market Research at TechInsights. “The company’s automotive semiconductor revenues grew over 26 per cent year-on-year, allowing the company to stretch its lead over its second and third place rivals by four percentage points.”

Global number one in automotive microcontrollers

A major driver of Infineon’s performance was strong automotive microcontroller (MCU) sales. For the first time, Infineon has reached the world’s number one position in this market. The company’s sales in the automotive microcontroller segment increased by nearly 44 per cent compared to 2022, resulting in a 2023 market share of about 29 per cent worldwide.

Microcontrollers are key components in the automotive industry, controlling and monitoring a wide variety of systems in the automobile such as electric powertrain, electric-electronic (E/E) architecture, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving, radar and chassis. Infineon’s AURIX flagship microcontroller family and the TRAVEO microcontroller family are the main contributors to this success, driving the transition in the automotive industry towards autonomous, connected and electrified vehicles. The families combine power and performance enhancements with the latest trends in the fields of virtualization, AI-based modeling, functional safety, cybersecurity and network functions. They are paving the way for new E/E architectures as well as the next generation of software-defined vehicles.

[1] TechInsights: Automotive Semiconductor Vendor Market Shares. April 2024

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Infineon Technologies AG, a leader in power systems and IoT, is strengthening its outsourced backend manufacturing footprint in Europe and announced a multi-year partnership with Amkor Technology, Inc., a leading provider of semiconductor packaging and test services. Both companies have agreed on operating a dedicated packaging and test centre at Amkor’s manufacturing site in Porto. Operations are expected to commence in the first half of 2025.

With this long-term agreement, Infineon and Amkor further strengthen their partnership, extending the classical Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) business model. Amkor will expand its facilities in Porto and run the production line, providing dedicated clean room space, and Infineon will provide an onsite team with engineering and development support. The cooperation further strengthens the European semiconductor supply chain and contributes to making it more resilient – especially for automotive customers. It complements Infineon’s already diversified manufacturing footprint, balancing in-house and outsourced production capabilities.

”We are pleased to further deepen our partnership with Amkor and will contribute with our engineering and development expertise,” said Alexander Gorski, Executive Vice President and responsible for Infineon’s global Backend Operations. ”Infineon and Amkor are jointly increasing geographical resilience and supply security for our customers. Together, we are strengthening Europe’s importance as a location for semiconductor manufacturing. For 20 years, Infineon has been successfully operating a large service centre in Porto, now with more than 600 employees. With the joint manufacturing centre, we are becoming even more deeply rooted in Portugal’s excellent semiconductor ecosystem. We are looking forward to further increasing our footprint in Portugal.”

“Amkor is proud to expand our partnership with Infineon,” said Giel Rutten, Amkor’s president and chief executive officer. “We continue to invest in our Porto manufacturing site, expanding capacity as well as broadening our Advanced packaging and test technology portfolio. This collaboration represents another milestone for both companies in enhancing supply chain resiliency for advanced products supporting Automotive & Industrial end markets.”

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CENTENNIAL, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Arrow Electronics, Inc. is utilizing the onsemi  Imager Access System (IAS) module standard for developing intelligent vision solutions for use in robotics, machine vision, commercial cameras and other uses.

The solution reduces the design complexities that are common with designing a product that utilizes image sensors. Part of that complexity is there is no standardization of the hardware interfaces of the different technology blocks. This is where the onsemi IAS module standard comes in and is adopted throughout the ecosystem.

Working with Appletec, Arrow developed the newest IAS module, AP-VISION-AR0830-83, that utilizes the latest generation of onsemi image sensors.

“The onsemi Hyperlux LP family of sensors set a new industry benchmark for ultra-low power sensor design. Combined with a small form factor, purpose-oriented features and best-in-class imaging, Hyperlux LP will be a fixture for smart home, office, and robotics for years to come,” said Stephen Harris, senior director of marketing for onsemi’s Industrial and Commercial Sensing Division. “onsemi is now able to bring the newest high-performance, feature-rich 4K sensor in the Hyperlux family, AR0830, to market with Arrow’s IAS module, allowing our customers to reduce camera development efforts significantly with best-in-class module design.”

This new module joins the existing portfolio of IAS modules offered by Arrow and Appletec.

Arrow worked with its company, eInfochips, and onsemi to develop drivers that enable the Appletec IAS modules to work with leading embedded processors.

“eInfochips has extensive experience in developing end-to-end vision solutions. This includes hardware design, image sensor integration and tuning, image processing, image driver development, low latency streaming and AI Inferencing on edge/cloud,” said Gaurav Patel, vice president and general manager of product engineering services for eInfochips. “Companies rely on eInfochips to deliver innovative vision solutions and accelerate and de-risk design cycles.”

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Munich, Germany – In the automotive industry, security and functional safety are playing an increasingly important role even in low-end microcontroller applications. At the same time, vehicle manufacturers are replacing mechanical buttons by touch enabled surfaces that blend into a clean cockpit or steering wheel. As a result, there are strong space limitations for the electronic circuits, and a demand for highly integrated ICs with a small form factor. To tackle these challenges, Infineon Technologies AG introduces the PSoC 4 HVMS family of automotive microcontrollers, integrating high voltage features (12 V-regulator and LIN/CXPI-transceiver) in combination with advanced analog features (CAPSENSE, Inductive sensing), ISO26262 compliant and ISO21434 ready.

Target applications include touch-enabled automotive HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) with touch buttons, sliders, and touchpads for controlling HVAC, interior lighting, power windows/sunroofs or in door handles. In steering wheels, the PSoC 4 HVMS is used for touch sensing as well as safety-critical hands-off detection. The latest generation CAPSENSE module also supports proximity detection for occupant detection or foot kick control. In addition to HMI applications, the PSoC 4 HVMS is also used in generic sensing applications (such as liquid level sensing, Wheatstone bridge sensing, etc.) or in simple actuators such as a PTC heater or interior/exterior lighting.

The PSoC 4 HVMS family is AEC-Q100 qualified and offered in small footprint QFN packages with wettable flanks. The ICs offer scalability and pin compatibility across devices. ISO26262 ASIL-B compliance ensures safe operation at temperatures up to 125°C. The family is based on ARM Cortex-M0+ processors with up to 128 KB of embedded flash and 16 KB of SRAM. The microcontrollers can be powered directly from a 12 V battery and include LIN and CXPI PHY. For capacitive sensing applications, the device supports the latest 5th generation CAPSENSE technology with eight times better SNR than the previous generation, support for high parasitic capacitance up to 3000 pF and support for overlays up to 18 mm. Additional analog integration includes a 12-bit SAR ADC, up to two operational amplifiers and low power comparators.

The microcontroller family is accompanied by comprehensive software support including Automotive Peripheral Driver Library (AutoPDL), Automotive Middleware Library for CAPSENSE, and the Safety Library (SafeTlib) for Automotive PDL, accelerating the time-to-market by significantly reducing customer development time. The software package is developed in adherence to automotive software development processes, including ASPICE, MISRA2012 AMD1, and CERTC coding standards, and guarantees industry-leading reliability and compliance. The PSoC 4 HVMS software package is ISO26262 compliant and developed as a Safety Element out of Context (SEooC) for applications with safety targets up to ASIL-B. The ModusToolbox software development platform will be additionally available soon.

Samples of the PSoC4 HVMS controllers are available for both the 64 K and 128 K families. The series is expected to go into production in 2024. More information is available at https://www.infineon.com/psochv.

Embedded World will take place in Nuremberg, Germany, from 9 to 11 April, 2024. Infineon will present its products and solutions for decarbonization and digitalization in hall 4A, booth #138 and virtually. Company representatives will also hold several TechTalks as well as presentations at the accompanying Embedded World Conference, followed by discussions with the speakers. If you are interested in interviewing an expert at the show, please email media.relations@infineon.com, Industry analysts interested in a briefing can email MarketResearch.Relations@infineon.com. Information about the Embedded World show highlights is available at www.infineon.com/embeddedworld.

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Infineon Technologies has announced the XENSIV Sensor Shield for Arduino, a versatile tool designed for evaluating smart sensor systems in smart home and diverse consumer applications. This innovative shield incorporates a wide range of sensors from Infineon’s portfolio along with Sensirion’s SHT35 humidity and temperature sensor which streamlines its capabilities and enhances the design journey of Infineon’s customers. This shield empowers design engineers to evaluate, prototype and develop sensor-based applications faster by fully leveraging Infineon microcontrollers, wireless connectivity and security chips. As a result, it serves as an exceptional platform for enabling accelerated innovation in sensor powered solutions.

“We are very pleased to be teaming up with Sensirion“, said Philipp von Schierstädt, EVP & CSO Consumer, Computing & Communication at Infineon. “Together we can expand our product range and ease the work of application designers.” With the new shield customers addressing smart home applications such as HVAC will have the opportunity to develop within Infineon’s ecosystem and gain access to additional sensors beyond the company’s consumer sensor portfolio of microphones, pressure sensors, CO2 and radar sensors.

The XENSIV Sensor Shield for Arduino enables seamless hardware interoperability between multiple Infineon MCUs and sensors as a fully integrated development platform. The featured sensors include XENSIV 60 GHz Radar, PAS CO2, Pressure, PDM Microphones, IMU accelerometer and the Sensirion SHT35 humidity and temperature sensor. The shield seamlessly integrates with Infineon’s microcontroller kits and provides convenient access via an Arduino Uno connector. As part of Infineon’s ongoing commitment to deliver comprehensive system solutions, the shield is specifically designed and optimized to work with targeted MCUs in the Infineon lineup such as PSoC 6, AIROC Bluetooth SoCs and Wi-Fi MCUs.

To further accelerate time-to-market and improve the customer experience while working within Infineon’s ecosystem, the XENSIV Sensor Shield for Arduino is fully enabled to work with Infineon’s ModusToolbox software development platform for simplified software integration. ModusToolbox provides a comprehensive development environment: a unified platform with all tools and resources needed for embedded system development. Included code generation and configuration wizards automate repetitive tasks and simplify complex configurations. The ModusToolbox development ecosystem is designed to scale with project requirements and adapt to changing needs, providing developers with essential libraries and code examples necessary for rapidly prototyping a variety of applications.

Designers can also leverage the sensors of the XENSIV Sensor Shield for Arduino in Machine Learning use cases, utilizing Infineon microcontrollers, ModusToolbox and Imagimob Machine Learning together with Infineon’s broad sensor capabilities and Sensirion’s temperature and humidity sensor.

The new XENSIV Sensor Shield for Arduino will be available in the third quarter of 2024. Infineon will be showcasing the shield at Embedded World in Nuremberg.

Embedded World will take place in Nuremberg, Germany, from 9 to 11 April 2024. Infineon will present its products and solutions for decarbonization and digitalization in hall 4A, booth #138 and virtually. Company representatives will also hold several TechTalks as well as presentations at the accompanying Embedded World Conference, followed by discussions with the speakers. If you are interested in interviewing an expert at the show, please email media.relations@infineon.com. Industry analysts interested in a briefing can email MarketResearch.Relations@infineon.com. Information about the Embedded World show highlights is available at www.infineon.com/embedded-world.

The post Infineon introduces the XENSIV Sensor Shield for Arduino with Infineon and Sensirion sensors for Smart Home applications appeared first on ELE Times.