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PWM + Quadrac = Pure Power Play

EDN Network - 2 години 24 хв тому

It’s just a fact, I’m curiously fond of topologies that combine PWM switching and filtering circuitry with power handling devices like adjustable voltage regulator chips. This scheme makes power-capable DACs with double-digit wattage outputs. For example, “0 V to -10 V, 1.5 A LM337 PWM power DAC.”

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

The simple circuit in Figure 1 joins this favored family but makes its siblings look weak and wimpy by upping the power ante by more than a factor of 10. It attains output capabilities over a kilowatt and gets there with a total parts count of only nine inexpensive discretes. Here’s how it works.

Figure 1 The quadrac Q2 conduction-angle triggering time constant = R1C1 / DF, where DF is the PWM duty factor from 0 to 100%.

The power control method in play is variable AC phase angle conduction via a quadrac (also sometimes called an alternistor). Quadracs are bidirectional thyristors that comprise the dual functions of a triac (to do the power switching) and an integrated diac (to trigger the triac).

They’re popular in applications like variable-speed power tools and lamp dimmers because they’re cheap, efficient, and durable. What’s also nice is that the only support components they need for AC power control are a small potentiometer and a timing capacitor (both also cheap) to adjust triggering delay and thereby the phase angle of conduction, thence power output

Q2 is wired in exactly that traditional way ,except that opto-isolator Q1 and R1 fill the role of the pot. The duty factor (DF) of Q1’s PWM input sets its average conductance and thereby the effective trigger delay from a

DF = 1 minimum of ~1.7 ms for an upper 95% output power, down to a DF = 0 delay that’s longer than the entire 8.33 ms AC half-cycle. Which is to say: OFF. The PWM cycle rate isn’t critical but should be at least 10 kHz to avoid possible annoying beat frequencies since it’s not synchronized with the 60 Hz AC cycle.

The relationship between DF, phase angle, and percent power output is equal to the time integral of [(Vpk*sin(r)) 2], which is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 The (Vpk*sin(r))2 power output versus the PWM DF. The right axis is the voltage of the trigger capacitor (C1), the left axis is the fraction of the full output power versus trigger phase, and the x-axis is the AC phase in radians.

Because Q1, unlike Q2, isn’t bidirectional, the D1-4 diode bridge is necessary to keep it upright despite 60-Hz phase reversals. Q1’s typical current transfer ratio of 80% makes ~10 mA of PWM drive current necessary. Current limiter R2’s 330 Ω assumes a 5-V rail and a low impedance driver and will need adjustment if either assumption is violated. The Vc1 trigger voltage is 38 V ±5 V with ±3 V max asymmetry. These tolerances place a limit on DF versus power precision.

The full throttle Q3 power output efficiency is around 99%, but Q2’s max junction temperature rating is only 110 °C. Adequate heatsinking of Q2 will therefore be wise if outputs greater than 200 W and/or toasty ambient temperatures are expected.

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

Related Content

The post PWM + Quadrac = Pure Power Play appeared first on EDN.

Is the World Ready for Driverless Cars? Consumer Sentiment and Self-Driving Cars Market Potential

ELE Times - 5 годин 46 хв тому

The concept of self-driving cars has long fascinated the world, and in the last decade, this once-futuristic vision has begun taking tangible form on real-world roads. Backed by artificial intelligence, advanced sensor systems, and increasingly robust regulatory frameworks, autonomous vehicles are moving from prototypes to potential mainstream adoption. However, the question remains: Is the world truly ready for driverless cars?

As consumer sentiment evolves and the Self-driving Cars Market matures, industry leaders and policymakers must align innovation with public trust. In this blog, we’ll explore the current state of market potential, public readiness, technological advancements, and the barriers still standing in the way.

Consumer Perception: Trust Is Still Evolving

One of the biggest hurdles facing the Self-driving Cars Market isn’t technological—it’s psychological. Despite increasing awareness and media coverage, consumer trust in autonomous driving systems remains mixed.

According to various global mobility surveys, while many people express curiosity and even excitement about autonomous vehicles (AVs), a significant portion remains skeptical. Safety concerns, such as fear of accidents due to software glitches or hacking, rank among the top reasons for hesitation.

This sentiment is supported by recent studies, including those cited in Fairfield Market Research reports, which show that over 60% of consumers still prefer to be in control behind the wheel. Interestingly, younger demographics and tech-savvy consumers are more open to embracing driverless technology, signaling a gradual generational shift in acceptance.

Market Potential: A Multibillion-Dollar Industry in the Making

Despite consumer hesitations, the Self-driving Cars Market is poised for remarkable growth. According to Fairfield Market Research, the market is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade, driven by advancements in AI, LiDAR, radar, and 5G connectivity. From autonomous taxis and delivery vehicles to personal self-driving cars, this sector is brimming with transformative potential.

Forecasts indicate that the market could reach several hundred billion dollars in value by 2032, thanks to increasing investment by both automakers and tech giants. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, NVIDIA, Baidu, and General Motors are pouring billions into R&D, strategic partnerships, and road testing to get ahead of the curve.

What sets this market apart is its ability to serve a wide range of applications—from mobility as-a-service (MaaS) to long-haul trucking, ride-sharing platforms, and even emergency services. The convergence of self-driving capabilities with electrification is further fueling this trajectory, positioning autonomous EVs as the future of smart mobility.

Technology Advancements That Make Autonomous Driving Possible

The backbone of autonomous vehicles lies in a suite of intelligent technologies designed to mimic human perception and decision-making. These include:

  • Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS): Core to self-driving features like lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, and emergency braking.
  • LiDAR and Radar: Crucial for depth perception, obstacle detection, and maintaining 360-degree awareness.
  • Machine Learning and AI: These enable real-time learning and predictive decision-making based on road conditions, traffic, and behavior of other drivers.
  • 5G Connectivity: Enables ultra-fast communication between vehicles (V2V) and infrastructure (V2X), essential for safe navigation and traffic management.

Tech innovations continue to improve the reliability and scalability of autonomous driving systems. What was once limited to controlled environments is now being tested—and increasingly trusted—on busy city streets and highways.

Regulatory Landscape: Countries Taking the Lead

While technology marches forward, regulation remains a critical piece of the puzzle. Governments around the world are experimenting with frameworks to ensure the safe integration of AVs into public infrastructure.

The United States, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has issued federal guidance and pilot programs to promote innovation while safeguarding public welfare. Similarly, countries like Germany, Japan, and China are crafting regulatory sandboxes to foster autonomous mobility.

The European Union’s push for standardized vehicle safety norms and China’s rapid AV testing initiatives further demonstrate that the regulatory environment is evolving, albeit at different speeds across regions.

The harmonization of safety standards, liability protocols, and cybersecurity norms will play a major role in determining how quickly driverless vehicles move from limited trials to widespread adoption.

Urban Infrastructure and the Readiness Gap

Beyond consumer acceptance and regulatory progress, physical infrastructure plays a pivotal role in enabling the adoption of driverless vehicles. Smart traffic signals, connected roadways, digital mapping, and real-time traffic data are prerequisites for safe AV deployment.

However, most cities are still in the early stages of integrating such infrastructure. While some smart cities like Singapore, San Francisco, and Dubai are leading with AV-friendly road networks and IoT integration, the majority of the world still lags behind.

The readiness gap between developed and developing economies could pose a major challenge for the global adoption of autonomous vehicles. Investments in digital infrastructure, maintenance of road quality, and real-time data exchange capabilities will be crucial in bridging this divide.

Ethical Considerations and Data Privacy

With the rise of autonomous mobility comes a wave of ethical dilemmas. From decision-making in crash scenarios to potential bias in AI algorithms, the question of who is accountable when things go wrong is still murky.

Moreover, self-driving cars collect vast amounts of data—from location tracking and biometric identifiers to driving behavior. Ensuring data privacy and cybersecurity will be a top priority as the Self-driving Cars Market scales.

Consumer concerns about surveillance, hacking, and misuse of personal data must be addressed through transparent policies, encryption technologies, and government oversight.

Economic Impact and Job Disruption

As the market evolves, the ripple effects on employment and industry structures are inevitable. While autonomous vehicles will generate new job roles in software development, data science, and fleet management, they are also expected to disrupt traditional roles—especially in trucking, taxi services, and delivery.

Balancing automation with human employment is an area that governments, labor unions, and corporations must address proactively. Reskilling and upskilling the workforce will be essential to ensure a smooth transition to a more autonomous transportation ecosystem.

A Road Paved with Caution and Opportunity

So, is the world ready for driverless cars? The answer is complex. Technologically, we are closer than ever. From AI to vehicle connectivity, innovation has created a solid foundation. Yet public perception, regulatory clarity, infrastructure readiness, and ethical concerns still need time and effort to align.

The Self-driving Cars Market holds extraordinary promise, offering a future with safer roads, efficient traffic systems, and more accessible mobility options. But realizing this vision will require global collaboration between automakers, tech firms, regulators, and consumers.

As reported by Fairfield Market Research, the journey toward widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles is not a sprint but a marathon. The path ahead is filled with both promise and pitfalls—but with the right strategies in place, a driverless future is no longer just a dream.

The post Is the World Ready for Driverless Cars? Consumer Sentiment and Self-Driving Cars Market Potential appeared first on ELE Times.

Alpes Lasers unveils GLIDER widely tunable mid-IR laser source for solid and liquid spectroscopy

Semiconductor today - 6 годин 46 хв тому
Alpes Lasers SA of St-Blaise, Switzerland — an engineering company pioneering advanced light sources, especially quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) — has launched the GLIDER, its most versatile and powerful widely tunable laser source to date. Designed for fast mid-infrared spectroscopy, the GLIDER delivers what is claimed to be exceptional performance across a wide range of applications, from advanced research to industrial discovery...

PCB design error

Reddit:Electronics - 7 годин 13 хв тому
PCB design error

I work for an electronics company who design their own boards. Yesterday I was fault finding a board that had the IS07810DWW ic fitted but the board wasn't working. After looking at the schematic and the technical datasheet i found that they had design the board to use IS07810DW and fitted the IS07810DWW. Unfortunately the pin layouts are completely different and the DW version is 6mm too thin to fit on the pad profile of the DWW. So yea. We have 250 of these on the shelf.

This shows you should always get your work peer reviewed before getting the boards made.

submitted by /u/EmergingAnger
[link] [comments]

Donut and Coffee - Diagnosing a problem Eight Sleep Pod 4 hub

Reddit:Electronics - 7 годин 20 хв тому
Donut and Coffee - Diagnosing a problem Eight Sleep Pod 4 hub

Someone at Eight Sleep left this fun easter egg, Coffee and Donuts. Pod 4 Hub refused to sense a filled water container. Apparently whole Donut board had no power due to a short on 12v rail....

submitted by /u/Nerfarean
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🏠 Про поселення на 2025/2026 навчальний рік

Новини - 9 годин 23 хв тому
🏠 Про поселення на 2025/2026 навчальний рік
Image
kpi ср, 07/23/2025 - 10:00
Текст

Зважаючи на особливості формату навчання в університеті та наявну кількість місць в укриттях студмістечка КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського, поселення здобувачів вищої освіти буде відбуватися за рейтинговою системою.

India’s Electronics Exports Surge 47% in Q1 FY26, Led by US, UAE, and China

ELE Times - 10 годин 9 хв тому

India has witnessed a remarkable 47% jump in the electronics exports during the April-June quarter of FY 26 to USD 12.41 billion as compared to the previous year. This surge testifies to the accelerated role India is assuming in global electronics supply chains and the execution of key strategic initiatives at the national level.

 Export Destinations:

United States: India accounted for 60.2% of electronics exports to the US, amounting to about USD 7.47 billion, thus rigidifying the US as the single largest electronics trade partner for India.

UAE: The UAE took the second position, with an 8.09% share (~USD 1.0 billion).

China: With 3.88% (~USD 482 million), China came third among electronics export destinations.

Others: The Netherlands, with shares of 2.68%, and Germany, at 2.09%, came below.

Factors Influential in Growth:

  • Policy Push through PLI and Make in India

The government Production-Linked Incentive scheme and Make in India have been instrumental in encouraging electronics manufacturers, both domestic and international, to scale up operations and target exports. This has attracted investments into the sector through incentives, facilitating ease of doing business, and developing infrastructure.

  • Export Boom in Smartphones

The big factor in the swell is India becoming a global hub for manufacturing smartphones. Local manufacturing is being ramped up by big brands, including Apple and Samsung, with iPhone itself witnessing a large share of electronics exports in Q1 FY26.

  • Strategic Manufacturing Reshuffles

Global manufacturers diversify supply chains owing to geopolitical risks and China-centric disruptions. India has, on account of cheap labor, government supports, and budding technological capabilities, been emerging as a preferred destination for electronics assembly.

  • Expansion of Export Markets

India’s electronics exports are now entering new markets beyond the traditional West. The increase in shipments to the UAE, China, the Netherlands, and Germany is indicative of India’s effort to diversify its export portfolio and reduce dependence on any one country.

  • Private Sector Momentum

Indian businesses and foreign OEMs operating in India have seen a sharp rise in their manufacturing capabilities. Better supply chains, logistics systems, and quality improvements have made Indian electronics more competitive in international markets.

Broader Export Context:

The electronics boom forms part of a bigger export rush:

  • Textiles & Apparel: Ready-made garment exports stood at USD 4.19 billion in Q1 and continued their upward movement.
  • Seafood: This sector saw shipment increases of 19.45% to USD 1.95 billion during the same quarter.
  • These factors underpin total merchandise and services exports standing at nearly USD 210 billion, out of which exports of goods were nearly USD 112 billion in Q1-my assert 5.9% growth on a year-against-year basis.

Strategic Implications:

  • Position India as a Global Electronics Hub: A 47 percent increase in exports indicates India’s emergence as a plausible alternative to China in global electronics manufacturing, pointing towards growing international faith in India’s production ecosystem.
  • Enhancement of Domestic Manufacturing and Jobs: The growth in exports indicates a rise in domestic manufacturing capacities. This in turn increases India’s GDP and helps open entry-level employment opportunities in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
  • Strengthening Bilateral Trade: With the United States re-exporting over 60 percent of all electronics, the data showcases strengthened ties between strategic partners. Such alignment should pave the way for greater collaboration in technology, supply chains, and innovation.
  • Another factor: The surge in exports has portrayed India as a destination in the eyes of PLI-type schemes and Make in India, thereby emboldening policymakers and investors to consider India a manufacturing hub.
  • Widening their export marketplace: With export growth increasing in the UAE, China, and Europe, the rising trends attest to India’s entry into diversified markets, lessening the country’s over-dependence on any single region and offering trade-related resilience.

Future Outlook:

Looking ahead, India intends to capitalize on momentum through:

  • Further extension of PLI to semiconductors and value-added electronics.
  • Enhanced quality standards and export logistics.
  • Greater entry into overseas markets, especially Europe and emerging economies.

Conclusion:

While scaling-up views for semiconductor fabrication, further diversification of export markets, and sustained competitiveness on the global front continue to pose challenges, the Q1 trajectory is signaling that India stands ready for taking bigger roles in global electronics trade. India’s 47% annual growth in electronics exports attests to its coming-of-age stellar performance synergized by the global manufacturing center. The sector-fueled by solid policy, growing markets, and production capacity-on a steady footing uphill. India is well on its way to become a major participant in the global electronics value chain with sustained investment and support.

The post India’s Electronics Exports Surge 47% in Q1 FY26, Led by US, UAE, and China appeared first on ELE Times.

Wireless telemetry on a sub dollar chip!

Reddit:Electronics - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 23:04
Wireless telemetry on a sub dollar chip!

The PIC16F13145 chip is at the center of this, its under a dollar in pretty much every big supplier.

For those who dont know, The pic is a little microcontroller, less powerfull than an arduino but what makes it capable of this is that it contains configurable logic blocks. Basically you can reprogram the logic inside of them kind of like in FPGAs. I find it kind of strange how the arduino chips are like 2-3x more expensive while being less capable.

This project uses a PIC16f13145 curiosity nano dev board which is a dev board for a configurable logic bloc chip.

using no external hardware it transits digital data that can then be picked up and decoded on another radio.

For more details visit my post !

How it works: Encoding:

The configurable logic uses logic to turn on and off a pin conected to wire which acts as an antenna forming a square wave which causes harmonics allowing us to transmit at 96mhz. This is our carrier. Then we use timers to decide when to turn on or off the the carrier. We use on off keying which means the carrier is either on or off and to increase resilience to timing problems we use manchester encoding. Manchester encoding works by using edges or transitions in aplitude levels to encode 1 and 0. In our case we use the following:

bit == 0: outputs 1 then 0 → High to Low → IEEE Manchester 0

bit == 1: outputs 0 then 1 → Low to High → IEEE Manchester 1 In a spectrogram it looks like this:

When translated to 1 and 0 to be decoded it looks like the second image

We use a sync sequence before each data byte. in this case being 0b11111111. This allows the decoder to understand the timing and synchronise the phase of the manchester encoding.

you can see this as the carrier being turned on and off in a repeated pattern before a different pattern in teh spectrogram from gqrx from an rtl sdr.

In this example its transmitting 8 bits per second but it could be much faster, this was done so you could see the encoding in the spectrogram.

Antenna

You could get real fancy and use a real 100mhz fm antenna but for our case we just need a wire that will radiate the rf carrier. Ideally the wire would be 1/4th the wavelength of the carrier which at around 100mhz is around 75cm but thats relatively long and for short ranges we can afford to make our antenna much smaller even if it costs us signal strength. In my tests i used a 8cm 22awg wire another good thing is that having a short wire will help filter out out of band frequencies such as our original 32mhz signal that creates our 96 mhz harmonic. Though admitedly, at the power level we are transmitting it doesnt matter that much.

Decoding and receiving

I used an rtl-sdr and I used a python script (main.py) to read samples at 512hz for 8bps and then convert them to digital 1s or 0s which are written to test.txt for me to open on pulseview using the import digital data or binary data option. I can then use the OOK and manchester decoding function that's integrated in pulseview. You could also do this using python directly but then its harder to visualise what's going on. In an earlier commit it did do that though.

how to use the code
  • sync_sequence : defines the sync sequence default is 0b11111111
  • start_tx : set to 1 to start tx
  • sending_sync : set to 1 when you send sync (otherwise only the txbyte wil be sent upon setting start_tx to 1

If you want to change the bitrate you can do so by changing the high and low bytes of the timer defined as 100hz timer even though its only 16hz by default

submitted by /u/Patcybermindd
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I made a security key with the RP2350!

Reddit:Electronics - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 18:23
I made a security key with the RP2350!

Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg3U53FJ8HM

Hey everyone! I wanted to share MicroKey, a PCB I designed that uses the RP2350 microcontroller and a fork of the Pico Keys software.

This setup allows the RP2350 to function as a FIDO WebAuthn security key!
I added a shine-through RGB LED to MicroKey, which (imo) makes it even cooler than a YubiKey. (Okay, maybe I’m biased lol /j)

I assembled and reflowed this board myself, so please excuse the minor blobs of solder and flux on the otherwise beautiful ENIG finish D:

Github Repos:
Hardware | Firmware

submitted by /u/Badbird_5907
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A battery backup for a solar-mains hybrid lamp 

EDN Network - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 17:35
1. The solar-mains hybrid lamp

In the April 4, 2024, issue of EDN, the design of a solar mains hybrid lamp (HL) was featured. The lamp receives power from both a solar panel and a mains power supply to turn on an array of LED lamps. Even when solar power is widely variable, it supplies a constant light output by dynamically drawing balanced power from the mains supply. Also, it tracks the maximum power point very closely. 

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

1.1 Advantages

The advantages of the HL are as follows:

  1. It utilizes all the solar power generated and draws only the necessary power from the grid to maintain constant light output.
  2. It does not inject power into the grid; hence, it does not contribute to any grid-related issues.
  3. It uses a localized power flow with short cabling, resulting in negligible transmission losses.
  4. It uses DC operation, resulting in a simple, reliable, and low-cost system.
  5. Generated PV power is utilized even if the grid fails, thus acting as an emergency lamp in the event of a grid failure during the daytime.
  6. It has a lengthy lifespan of 15 years with minimal or no maintenance, resulting in a good return on investment.
1.2 Disadvantages

The limitations of the HL are as follows: 

  1. It does not provide light if the grid fails after sunset.
  2. Solar power is not utilized outside of office hours or on holidays.

As mentioned above, the HL’s utility can be fully realized in places such as hospitals, airports, and malls, as it can be used every day of the week.

In offices that are open for work only 5 days per week, the generated PV power will be wasted on weekends and outside of office hours (early mornings and evenings). 

For such applications, to fully utilize the generated PV power, a battery backup scheme is proposed. It is designed as an optional add-on feature to the existing HL. The PV power, which would otherwise go to waste, can now be stored in the battery whenever the HL is not in use. The stored energy can be utilized instead of mains power on workdays to reduce the electricity bill. In cases where the grid fails, it will work as an emergency lamp. 

2. Battery backup block diagram

The block diagram of the proposed scheme is shown in Figure 1. It consists of a HL having an array of 9 LED lamps, A1 to A9. Each HL has five 1-W white LEDs connected in series, mounted on a metal core PCB (MCPCB). For more details, refer to the previous article, “Solar-mains HL.” Here, the HL is used as is, without any changes. 

The PV voltage (Vpv) is supplied through a two-pole two-way switch S1 to the HL. Switch S1A is used to connect the PV panel to either the lamp or to the battery. As shown in the figure, the PV panel is connected to the battery through an Overvoltage Cutoff circuit. This circuit disconnects PV power when the battery voltage reaches its maximum value of Vb(MAX). 

A single-pole two-way switch S2 is used to select either MAINS or BAT to feed power to the VM terminal of the HL. When S2 is in the BAT position, battery power is fed through the undervoltage trip circuit. Whenever the battery voltage drops to the minimum value Vb(MIN), the HL is disconnected from the battery. Switch S1B is used to disconnect the battery/mains power to the HL when S1 is in the CHARGE position.

Figure 1 The proposed add-on battery backup system for HL.

Note: This simple battery cutoff and trip circuit has been implemented to prove the concept of battery backup using the existing HL. In the final design, the Overvoltage Cutoff circuit should be replaced with a solar charge controller, which will track the maximum power point as the battery charges. Readily available off-the-shelf solar charge controllers could be used. The selection of a solar charge controller is given in Section 5.

Here are the lamp specifications: 

  1. Solar PV panel: 30 Wp, Vmp = 17.5 V, Imp = 1.7 A
  2. Adapter specifications Va = 18 V; Current 2 A
  3. Lead Acid Battery: 6 V 5 Ah. (3 batteries connected in series)
  4. Battery nominal voltage Vb = 18V, Vb(MAX) = 19 V, Vb(MIN) = 17 V
  5. Lamp power output: 30 W
3. Overvoltage and undervoltage circuits 

The circuit diagram of the battery Overvoltage Cutoff and Undervoltage Trip is shown in Figure 2. Three lead-acid batteries (6 V, 5 Ah) connected in series are used for storing solar energy. The battery is connected to the solar panel Vpv through a P-channel MOSFET T1 (IRF9540). The Schottky diode D1 (1N5822) is connected in series to prevent the battery from getting discharged into the solar panel when it is not producing any power. 

T1 is controlled using comparator CMP1 of IC1 (LM393). The battery voltage is sensed using the potential divider R6 and R7. The reference to the comparator non-inverting pin (3) is generated from a +12-V power supply implemented using the IC2 (LM431) shunt regulator. If the battery voltage is lower than the reference voltage, the CMP1 output (pin 1) is high. This turns on transistor T3, which turns on T1. The green LED_G indicates that the battery is being charged.

Figure 2 The circuit diagram of Overvoltage Cutoff and Undervoltage Trip circuits.

The battery is connected to the load through MOSFET T2 (IRF9540). T2 is controlled using comparator CMP2 of IC1. The battery voltage is sensed using the potential divider R14 and R15, and is connected to the non-inverting terminal (Pin 5). The reference voltage is connected to the inverting terminal (Pin 6). 

So long as the battery voltage is higher than the reference, the CMP2 output remains high. This drives transistor T4, which turns on T2. When the battery voltage drops below the reference, T2 is turned off, thus disconnecting the lamp load. LED_R indicates the battery voltage is within the Vb(MIN) and Vb(MAX) range.

Figure 3 shows the PCB assembled according to the circuit diagram in Figure 2. The connections for the solar panel Vpv, battery Vb, and battery output Vb+ (through the MOSFET T2) are made using three 2-pin screw terminals. 

Figure 3: The assembled PCB for battery overvoltage cutoff and undervoltage trip circuit.

Figure 4 shows the interconnections of the battery charger circuit with the HL.

Figure 4 A top view of the interconnections of the battery charger circuit with the HL.

The modes of operation of this circuit are captured in Table 1. When S1 is in the CHARGE position, the PV voltage is supplied to the batteries for charging. In this mode, the position of S2 does not affect the charging process. 

When S1 is in the PV position, the HL turns ON. Using S2 we can select either mains power or battery power.

S1

S2

Function

CHARGE

X

Battery charging

PV

MAINS

Hybrid with mains power

PV

BAT

Hybrid with battery power

Table 1 Operating modes of the battery backup circuit: battery charging, hybrid with mains power, and hybrid with battery power. 

4. Integration and testing

Figure 5 shows the integration of the battery protection circuit with the HL and three batteries. The cable from the PV panel is connected to the 2-pin screw terminal labeled as Vpv. Three 6-V batteries in series are connected to the screw terminal Vb. A DC socket labeled Va is mounted for plugging into the adapter pin. In the photograph, S1 is in CHARGE position, so the battery is being charged using PV power. In this case, the position of S2 is irrelevant and will not affect the charging process.

Figure 5 An image of the circuit in Battery Charging mode. The green LED indicates the battery is being charged from the PV panel. The red LED indicates battery power is available for use.

Figure 6 shows the HL turned on using PV power and a battery. In this case, S1 is in the PV position, and S2 is in the BAT position. Note that the LED lamp array (A1 to A9) is facing downwards. On the HL PCB, there are nine red and nine green indicator LEDs. Each pair of LEDs represents 11% of the total power. The photograph shows four green LEDs are ON, which means 44% of the power is coming from solar. The remaining 55% of power is being drawn from the battery. The green and red LED combination changes as the sunlight varies. 

Figure 6 The lamp in Hybrid mode. Four green LEDs indicate 44% of the power is coming from the PV panel. Five red LEDs indicate 55% of the power is being drawn from the battery.

5. Design Example of a 90-W HL with battery backup

Here, the design of a 90-W HL with a battery backup is proposed. The nominal working voltage selected is 48 V. 

5.1 HL specs

The specifications for the HL design are as follows: 

  1. Solar Panel Specifications: Power = 30 Wp, Vmp = 17.5 V, Imp = 1.7 A
  2. Number of Solar Panels connected in series: 3
  3. Solar Array Voltage: Vpv = 3 x 17.5 = 52.5 V; Voc = 60 V
  4. Number of LEDs in each MCPCB (A1 to A9): 15 white LEDs of 1 Watt each.
  5. Forward voltage of LED: 3.12 V
  6. Voltage across each lamp (A1 to A9): 15 x 3.12 = 46.8 V
  7. Current through LED lamps: 0.2 A (selected) 
  8. Current limiting resistor [1]: R1 to R9 = (52.5 – 46.8)/0.2 = 28.5 Ω (select 27Ω/2W)
  9. Adapter specifications: 48 V, 2 A

As stated earlier, this lamp can be used without a battery backup in facilities that are open all seven days a week. In these applications, the solar power generated is fully utilized, so the cost of this lamp is minimal. The deployment of a large number of such lamps can significantly reduce the electricity bill. 

However, in offices that operate 5 days a week, the power generated during weekends goes to waste. In cases where another load can utilize the available PV power on weekends, such as a pump, vacuum cleaner, or a battery that needs charging, the PV panel’s output can be connected to that load. This way, we can still use the HL as is. However, if there is no other load that can utilize the PV power, then we must resort to battery backup.

5.2 Battery selection

The battery selection can be as follows: 

  1. Lithium-ion Battery: 13S (13 cells in series), Nominal voltage 48 V
  2. Battery voltages: Vb(MIN) = 42 V, Vb = 46.8 V, Vb(MAX) = 54.6 V
  3. Energy storage capacity (24 Ah):  48 x 24 = 1152 Wh
  4. Solar energy generation per day: 90 W x 6 hrs = 540 Wh
  5. Battery storage: 1152 Wh / 540 Wh = 2.1 or 2 days  
5.3 Solar charge controller specs

A wide range of solar charge controllers is available on the market. To select a suitable charge controller, the following specifications are provided as guidelines:

  1. Battery Type: Li-ion, Life-Po4
  2. Nominal Voltage: 48 V
  3. Controller type: MPPT
  4. Maximum output current: 5 A
  5. Protections: Battery reverse polarity, solar panel reversal, short circuit protection, battery overvoltage cutoff, battery low voltage trip.

Note that the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the solar array is 60 V; therefore, the selected components should have a voltage rating greater than 60 V. 

This design is for a 90-W HL; however, higher-wattage lamps can also be designed. In that case, the lamp MCPCB selected should have a higher power rating. Alternately, the number of MCPCBs can be increased to around 16. This way, the array can be arranged in a 4×4 layout. With an increased number of arrays, both the hardware and software of HL have to be upgraded. 

It may be possible to connect two MCPCBs in parallel to increase the lamp power. However, in this case, the two MCPCBs should have a matching LED array forward voltage. This will ensure equal division of lamp current. 

5.4 Scheduling

The design shown here uses manual switches which can be replaced with semiconductor switches. In this case, the operation of the HL can be automated with a weekly programming cycle. On weekdays, it will work in hybrid mode. In this mode we can either select mains power or battery power. The duration of battery power consumption can be planned to ensure that battery is available for charging during weekends. 

6. Storing the HL’s excess energy

The solar-mains HL proposed earlier, provides constant light irrespective of the sunlight conditions. It is a very cost-effective design and can be deployed in large numbers to reduce electricity costs. However, if it is not used on all 7 days of the week, then the solar power gets wasted. To avoid any power wastage, a battery backup system has been proposed here as an add-on feature. Using batteries, the excess solar energy can be stored. The battery backup makes this lamp work as an emergency lamp, also during grid failures.  

Vijay Deshpande recently retired after a 30-year career focused on power electronics and DSP projects, and now works mainly on solar PV systems.

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How to prevent overvoltage conditions during prototyping

EDN Network - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 16:40

The good thing about being a field applications engineer is that you get to work on many different circuits, often all at the same time. While this is interesting, it also presents problems. Jumping from one circuit to another involves disconnecting a spaghetti of leads and probes, and the chance for something going wrong increases exponentially with the number of wires involved.

It’s often the most basic things that are overlooked. While the probes and leads are checked and double checked to ensure everything is in place, if the voltage on the bench power supply is not adjusted correctly, the damage can be catastrophic, causing hours of rework.

The circuit described in this article helps save the day. Being a field applications engineer also results in a myriad of evaluation boards being collected, each in a state of modification, some of which can be repurposed for personal use. This circuit is based on an overvoltage/reverse voltage protection component, designed to protect downstream electronics from incorrect voltages being applied in automotive circuits.

Such events are caused by the automotive battery being connected the wrong way or a load dump event where the alternator becomes disconnected from the battery, causing a rise in voltage applied to the electronics.

Circuit’s design details

As shown in Figure 1, MAX16126 is a load dump protection controller designed to protect downstream electronics from over-/reverse-voltage faults in automotive circuits. It has an internal charge pump that drives two back-to-back N-channel MOSFETs to provide a low loss forward path if the input voltage is within a certain range, configured using external resistors. If the input voltage goes too high or too low, the drive to the gates of the MOSFETs is removed and the path is blocked, collapsing the supply to the load.

Figure 1 This is how over-/reverse-voltage protection circuit works. Source: Analog Devices Inc.

MAX16127 is similar to MAX16126, but in the case of an overvoltage, it oscillates the MOSFETs to maintain the voltage across the load. If a reverse voltage occurs on the input, an internal 1 MΩ between the GATE and SRC pins of the MAX16126 ensures MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 are held off, so the negative voltage does not reach the output. The MOSFETs are connected in opposing orientations to ensure the body diodes don’t conduct current.

The undervoltage pin, UVSET, is used to configure the minimum trip threshold of the circuit while the overvoltage pin, OVSET, is used to configure the maximum trip threshold. There is also a TERM pin connected via an internal switch to the input pin and this switch is open circuited when the part is in shutdown, so the resistive divider networks on the UVSET and OVSET pins don’t load the input voltage.

In this design, the UVSET pin is tied to the TERM pin, so the MOSFETs are turned on when the device reaches its minimum operating voltage of 3 V. The OVSET pin is connected to a potentiometer, which is adjusted to change the overvoltage trip threshold of the circuit.

To set the trip threshold to the maximum voltage, the potentiometer needs to be adjusted to its minimum value and likewise for the minimum trip threshold the potentiometer is at its maximum value. The IC switches off the MOSFETs when the OVSET pin rises above 1.225 V.

The overvoltage clamping range should be limited to between 5 V and 30 V, so resistors are inserted above and below the potentiometer to set the upper and lower thresholds. There are Zener diodes connected across the UVSET and OVSET pins to limit the voltage of these pins to less than 5.1 V.

Assuming a 47-kΩ resistor is used, the upper and lower resistor values of Figure 1 can be calculated.

To achieve a trip threshold of 30 V, Equation 1 is used:

To achieve a trip threshold of 5 V, Equation 2 is used:

Equating the previous equations gives Equation 3:

So,

From this,

Using preferred values, let R3 = 10 kΩ and R2 = 180 kΩ. This gives an upper limit of 29 V and a lower limit of 5.09 V. This is perfect for a 30 V bench power supply.

Circuit testing

Figure 2 shows the prototype PCB. The trip threshold voltage was adjusted to 12 V and the circuit was tested.

Figure 2 Modified evaluation kit illustrate the circuit testing. Source: Analog Devices Inc.

The lower threshold was measured at 5.06 V and the upper threshold was measured at 28.5 V. With a 10-V input and a 1-A load, the voltage measured between input and output was measured at 19 mV, which aligns with the MOSFET datasheet ON resistance of about 10 mΩ.

Figure 3 shows the response of the circuit when a 10-V step was applied. The yellow trace is the input voltage, and the blue trace shows the output voltage. The trip threshold was set to 12 V, so the input voltage is passed through to the output with very little voltage drop.

Figure 3 A 10-V step is applied to the input of MAX16126. Source: Analog Devices Inc.

The input voltage was increased to 15 V and retested. Figure 4 shows that the output voltage stays at 0 V.

Figure 4 A 15-V step is applied to the input of MAX16126. Source: Analog Devices Inc.

The input voltage was reversed, and a –7 V step was applied to the input, with the results shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 A –7 V step is applied to the input of MAX16126. Source: Analog Devices Inc.

The negative input voltage was increased to –15 V and reapplied to the input of the circuit. The results are shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 A –15 V step is applied to the input of MAX16126. Source: Analog Devices Inc.

Caution should be exercised when probing the gate pins of the MOSFETs when the input is taken to a negative voltage. Referring to Figure 1, the body diode of Q1 pulls the two source pins toward VIN, which is at a negative voltage. There is an internal 1 MΩ resistor between the GATE and SRC connections of MAX16126, so when a ground referenced 1 MΩ oscilloscope probe is attached to the gate pins of the MOSFETs, the oscilloscope probe acts like a 1 MΩ pull-up resistor to 0 V.

As the input is pulled negative, a resistive divider is formed between 0 V, the gate voltage, and the source of Q2, which is being pulled negative by the body diode of Q1. When the input voltage is pulled to lower than twice the turn-on voltage of Q2, this MOSFET turns on and the output starts to go negative. Using a higher impedance oscilloscope probe overcomes this problem.

A simple modification to the MAX16126 evaluation kit provides reassuring protection from user-generated load dump events caused by momentary lapses in concentration when testing circuits on the bench. If the components in the evaluation kit are used, the circuit presents a low loss protection circuit that is rated to 90 V with load currents up to 50 A.

Simon Bramble specializes in analog electronics and power. He has spent his career in analog electronics and worked at Maxim and Linear Technology, both now part of Analog Devices Inc.

Related Content

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AEK-MOT: 2 new challenges facing motor control applications in cars and what we are doing to address them

ELE Times - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 14:34

By: STMicroelectronics

Over the years, ST has multiplied the AutoDevKit development boards for motor control applications in cars, which all have a name that starts with “AEK-MOT”. There are general systems like the AEK-MOT-2DC40Y1 for driving three DC motors, the AEK-MOT-3P99081 for brushless motors, and the AEK-MOT-SM81M1 for stepper motors. There are also more targeted approaches like the AEK-MOT-TK200G1 for powered liftgates or the AEK-MOT-WINH92 for powered windows. The reason behind this broad range of solutions is that engineering needs in cars are changing, and as applications become varied, so must the solutions that address them. Let’s explore how those who make cars are looking at them differently.

How the car has changed Challenge 1: Application diversification The AEK-MOT-2DC40Y1The AEK-MOT-2DC40Y1

While many talk about the electrification of cars or the advent of AI in vehicles, there’s one trend that many overlook. In a span of a couple of decades, vehicles went from having about ten or so motor control applications to close to 50, and we are going to reach a hundred in a few years. The reason is simple: as cars become more digital, replacing a basic mechanical system with a motor control application means greater safety and the ability to add smart features. There are popular examples, such as powered windows, doors, or trunks. There are also systems that many drivers are oblivious to, like active suspensions, electric braking and power steering, EV drivetrains, new actuators, and more.

Challenge 2: Architectural transformation

Moreover, the underlying foundation of the car itself is going through a major shift as many adopt a zonal architecture. In essence, it means that engineers organize electric control units based on their zone or physical location instead of just grouping similar features together. It has the advantage of simplifying designs. In some cases, moving to a zonal architecture helped reduce the overall harness weight by 20%. It also means that engineers can use much more powerful computing systems, leading engineers to use an even more diverse range of motor control applications as they infuse artificial intelligence in more parts of the car.

The need for new motor control applications The AEK-MOT-3P99081The AEK-MOT-3P99081

This trend comes with two significant challenges. The first one is that as more diverse applications use motor control systems, OEMs need different motor drivers and motor types. Some also wonder whether they need an integrated or non-integrated solution. Simply put, as the kinds of applications become more varied, teams struggle to find new solutions to meet their needs. The second challenge is that designers are looking at cars differently. The move to zonal architectures means that more diverse systems must easily interact with one another. Put simply, teams are increasingly looking at the vehicle as a whole rather than the sum of its parts, and they need solutions that can meet this new global vision.

AEK-MOT or how to keep up with the changes A comprehensive ecosystem

Another challenge is that each automated component must talk to the central unit, which means dealing with numerous interfaces. Currently, some systems prioritize SPI, while others use LIN, CAN, 100BASE-TX, 10BASE-T1S, or something else entirely. As engineers look at the car more globally, they are demanding motor control systems that can work with both new and existing interfaces. How a motor control application implements these systems also matters. Are they integrated or not? Does the SDK make one more accessible than the others, and can abstraction layers help solve these issues? This is why our AutoDevKit ecosystem includes varied development boards and a software library to take advantage of them more easily.

Furthermore, to enhance the transition towards software-defined vehicles (SDV), ST has developed an additional AutoDevKit functional block, AEK-COM-10BASET, that acts as a gateway between the legacy protocols found in most motor driver ICs and the new trendy 10BASE-T1S. The latter is a key building block for the new Remote Control Protocol (RCP) specification currently in progress (Open Alliance – TC18 Remote Control Protocol), which uses native Ethernet frames on 10BASES-T1S for deterministic performance. In essence, RCP is an intermediary between the Ethernet physical interface and SPI or I2C to access registers or talk to the microcontroller.

Non-integrated The AEK-MOT-SM81M1The AEK-MOT-SM81M1

The AEK-MOT-2DC40Y1 can drive up to three DC motors, two bi-directional in parallel or three with proper sequencing. It features VN7 high-side switches and the VNH704AY integrated H-bridge motor driver. The documentation shows how to set up the motors and the configurations available. Additionally, developers can use the graphical user interface in AutoDevKit to manage rotation direction, start them, increase or decrease their speed, and more. The AEK-MOT-2DC40Y1 connects to an SPC5 MCU board, meaning integrators can rapidly design a proof-of-concept. Similarly, the AEK-MOT-SM81M1 also connects to an SPC5 board but features the L99SM81V stepper motor driver, while the AEK-MOT-WINH92 for window lifts uses the L99H92.

Integrated

The AEK-MOT-3P99081 focuses on CAN-controlled brushless motors. It is an integrated solution with an SPC560P microcontroller and the L9908 gate driver. The MCU talks with the driver through an SPI interface for easy access to configuration options, protection features, and diagnostic messages. Similarly, the AEK-MOT-TK200G1 for powered liftgate runs on the SPC582B60E1 microcontroller and the L99DZ200G drivers, which supports LIN and HS-CAN interfaces for MCU programming during production. Developers talk to the board using a CAN bus to make it easier to access the motor remotely, meaning from another domain controller. Avid readers will remember it was at the center of our AEKD-TRUNKL1 demo.

The AEK-MOT-WINH92The AEK-MOT-WINH92

All in all, the comprehensive aspect of the AutoDevKit ecosystem means that the learning curve gets easier as teams use different AEK-MOT development boards. They get a range of integrated and non-integrated solutions that all work together under one ecosystem. As a result, everyone, from the decision-makers to the engineers building the platform, can more easily look at the car as a whole and see how all its components can come together under one overarching system. This means that ST is uniquely positioned to become a one-stop shop as more and more motor control applications transform vehicles.

The post AEK-MOT: 2 new challenges facing motor control applications in cars and what we are doing to address them appeared first on ELE Times.

STMicroelectronics and Metalenz Sign a New License Agreement to Accelerate Metasurface Optics Adoption

ELE Times - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 14:10
  • New license agreement enabling the proliferation of metasurface optics across high-volume consumer, automotive and industrial markets: from smartphone applications like biometrics, LIDAR and camera assist, to robotics, gesture recognition, or object detection.
  • The agreement broadens ST’s capability to use Metalenz IP to produce advanced metasurface optics while leveraging ST’s unique technology and manufacturing platform combining 300mm semiconductor and optics production, test and qualification.

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications and Metalenz, the pioneer of metasurface optics, announced a new license agreement. The agreement broadens ST’s capability to use Metalenz IP to produce advanced metasurface optics while leveraging ST’s unique technology and manufacturing platform combining 300mm semiconductor and optics production, test and qualification.

“STMicroelectronics is the unique supplier on the market offering a groundbreaking combination of optics and semiconductor technology. Since 2022, we have shipped well over 140 million metasurface optics and FlightSense™ modules using Metalenz IP. The new license agreement with Metalenz bolsters our technology leadership in consumer, industrial and automotive segments, and will enable new opportunities from smartphone applications like biometrics, LIDAR and camera assist, to robotics, gesture recognition, or object detection,” underlined Alexandre Balmefrezol, Executive Vice President and General Manager of STMicroelectronics’s Imaging Sub-Group. “Our unique model, processing optical technology in our 300mm semiconductor fab, ensures high precision, cost-effectiveness, and scalability to meet the requests of our customers for high-volume, complex applications.”

“Our agreement with STMicroelectronics has the potential to further fast-track the adoption of metasurfaces from their origins at Harvard to adoption by market leading consumer electronics companies,” said Rob Devlin, co-founder and CEO of Metalenz“By enabling the shift of optics production into semiconductor manufacturing, this agreement has the possibility to further redefine the sensing ecosystem. As use cases for 3D sensing continue to expand, ST’s technology leadership in the market together with our IP leadership solidifies ST and Metalenz as the dominant forces in the emergent metasurface market we created.”

The new license agreement aims to address the growing market opportunity for metasurface optics projected to experience significant growth to reach $2B by 2029*; largely driven by the industry’s role in emerging display and imaging applications. (*Yole Group, Optical Metasurfaces, 2024 report)

The post STMicroelectronics and Metalenz Sign a New License Agreement to Accelerate Metasurface Optics Adoption appeared first on ELE Times.

Altum RF announces sales representative agreement with RF Alliance

Semiconductor today - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 12:41
Altum RF of Eindhoven, The Netherlands (which designs RF, microwave and millimeter-wave semiconductors) has announced a sales representative agreement with RF Alliance, covering customers in New Jersey, New York and east Pennsylvania. Founded in 2005 with headquarters in West Milford, NJ, RF Alliance specializes in technical knowledge and support of RF, microwave, mmWave, frequency-control and analog components. As an international company, with strategic partnerships and office locations worldwide to support its growing product portfolio, Altum RF has expertise and relationships across various RF markets and applications including telecoms, satellite, test & measurement, defense and aerospace markets...

A Strange Diode Burnout Issue in a High-Voltage Medical TX Board — Lessons Learned

Reddit:Electronics - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 10:55
A Strange Diode Burnout Issue in a High-Voltage Medical TX Board — Lessons Learned

Hi everyone,
We recently encountered an unusual and critical issue during the development of a high-voltage medical controller board (TX side), and I thought it might be helpful to share for others who may face similar problems.

🛠 Background:

This is a TX board for a high-voltage medical controller. The PCB includes:

  • Two inductors placed close together in the output stage
  • One flyback diode (D1) for protection
⚠️ The Problem During Testing:
  • During power-up testing, the flyback diode (D1) burned out repeatedly within seconds.
  • Even when we increased the distance between D1 and the inductors up to 15mm, the issue persisted.
🔍 What We Found:
  • The initial design used only one high-power diode to handle current.
  • After multiple failures, the client replaced it with a second diode in parallel.
  • That seemingly solved the issue — no more diode burning during short-term tests.
  • However, the root cause was more complex:
    • One diode was overloaded while the other was underused.
    • Close physical proximity between the inductors caused mutual interference and possibly voltage spikes.
    • Eventually, this not only killed the diodes but damaged MOSFETs and ICs on the TX side as well.
💡 Key Takeaways:
  • High voltage + high current = parasitic inductance matters a LOT.
  • Placement and number of diodes — and even inductor layout — can make or break a design.
  • Parallel diodes may not share current equally, leading to uneven heating and failure.
  • A deeper layout and schematic review often uncovers the "hidden killers."

We're now optimizing the design and replacing the layout, but we hope this case provides some insights to those troubleshooting strange diode failures in high-voltage systems.

submitted by /u/emily77277
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BLACKBOX AI: Dissecting the AI Network Traffic

ELE Times - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 09:28

Courtesy: Keysight Technologies

Blackbox AI is an AI-powered coding assistant designed to enhance developer productivity by offering features such as code generation, code search, and code completion across multiple programming languages. It integrates seamlessly with popular development environments like Visual Studio Code and provides tools for tasks including autocompletion, natural language to code conversion, and code extraction from various sources.
The platform employs a multi-model architecture, integrating several advanced large language models (LLMs) to deliver comprehensive coding assistance. These include GPT-4oClaude 3.5 SonnetGemini ProLLaMA 3.1DeepSeek R1 and more .

Network Traffic Analysis

The ATI team in Keysight has analyzed the network traffic of Blackbox AI and found some interesting insights, which can be helpful for other researchers, optimize performance and ensure secure usage. This was done utilzing a HAR captures of a web session. Blackbox AI operates with standard web protocols, relying on secure TLS encryption for communication.

Overall Analysis

We have performed extensive user interactions with the Blackbox AI web application. The captured traffic was completely TLS encrypted. We have further analyzed the traffic based on host names.

Figure 1: Request-Response count per host

 

In the figure above we can observe the maximum number of request-response was seen by www.blackbox.ai followed by www.useblackbox.io. The first host has been observed as the main host responsible for handling core dynamic functionalities such as user authentication and session management. While the latter is for telemetry and analytics, logging events, and user interactions.

Figure 2: Cumulative payload per host

The diagram above shows that the host www.blackbox.ai has the maximum cumulative payload followed by api-iam.intercom.io. The rest of the hosts are creating smaller network footprints.

Analyzing Endpoints

By examining the HAR file, we gain a detailed view of the HTTP requests and responses between the client and Blackbox AI’s servers. This analysis focuses on critical endpoints and their roles in the platform’s functionality.

Session Authentication

Endpoint: /api/auth/session

  • Method: GET
  • Purpose: Checks or retrieves the current user session and related authentication status.
  • Request Headers:
  • Accept: application/json
  • Content-Type: application/json
  • Origin: https://www.blackbox.ai (Ensures requests originate from BlackBox AI’s platform)
  • Response Status: 200 OK (active session or session data returned)
  • Response Body: JSON object containing user session status, expiry, and authentication details

This endpoint is essential for maintaining secure access to Blackbox AI, allowing the platform to verify and manage user sessions and authentication status.

Query Execution

Endpoint: /api/chat

  • Method: POST
  • Purpose: Processes user queries and returns AI-generated responses.
  • Request Headers:
  • Content-Type: application/json
  • Accept: application/json
  • Origin: https://www.blackbox.ai (Ensures requests originate from BlackBox AI’s platform)
  • Request Payload: JSON object with the user’s query and session details.
  • Response Status: 200 OK (successful query processing)

This endpoint is central to Blackbox AI’s functionality, enabling dynamic interactions between users and the AI model.

Source Verification

Endpoint: /api/check-sources

  • Method: POST
  • Purpose: Validates the origin of the provided input or context for generating responses or citations.
    Request Headers:
  • Content-Type: application/json
  • Accept: application/json
  • Origin: https://www.blackbox.ai (Ensures requests originate from BlackBox AI’s platform)
  • Request Payload: Contains the query type and the user’s input
  • Response Status: 200 OK (source check completed)
  • Response Body: JSON object with source metadata or validation results

This endpoint ensures the integrity of AI responses by validating the origin and credibility of the user’s input, reinforcing trust in generated outputs.

Telemetry Logging

Endpoint: /tlm

  • Method: POST
  • Purpose: Logs user behavior or system diagnostics to help improve product performance and stability.
    Request Headers:
  • Content-Type: application/json
  • Accept: */*
  • Origin: https://www.blackbox.ai (Ensures requests originate from BlackBox AI’s platform)
  • Request Payload: The request payload contains a JSON object logging a user event with its type, timestamp, and specific details like the action performed and its duration.
  • Response Status: 200 OK (telemetry event accepted)
  • Response Body: Confirmation message or status log

This endpoint supports platform reliability and user experience optimization by capturing detailed telemetry data on user behavior and system performance.

NOTE: While BLACKBOX AI can be useful, it is a prohibited tool by many companies and government entities. Policy and technical systems must be in place to prevent usage, and it is vital to confirm this via test using BreakingPoint. These tests help validate the security measures and help organizations prevent accidental or malicious use of the platform.

Blackbox AI Traffic Simulation in Keysight ATI

At Keysight Technologies Application and Threat Intelligence (ATI), since we always try to deliver the hot trending application, we have published the network traffic related to Blackbox AI in ATI-2025-07 StrikePack which simulates the HAR collected from the Blackbox AI web application as of April 2025 including different user actions like performing text-based queries, uploading multimedia files, refining search results, managing saved searches. Here all the HTTP transactions are replayed in HTTP/2 over TLS1.3.

Figure 3: Blackbox AI Apr25 HAR Replay HTTP/2 over TLS1.3 Superflow in BPS

 

The Blackbox AI application and its 4 new Superflows as shown below:

Figure 4: Blackbox AI App and its Superflows in BPS
Leverage Subscription Service to Stay Ahead of Attacks

Keysight’s Application and Threat Intelligence subscription provides daily malware and bi-weekly updates of the latest application protocols and vulnerabilities for use with Keysight test platforms. The ATI Research Centre continuously monitors threats as they appear in the wild. Customers of BreakingPoint now have access to attack campaigns for different advanced persistent threats, allowing BreakingPoint Customers to test their currently deployed security control’s ability to detect or block such attacks.

Sulagna Adhikary (R&D at Keysight ATI)

The post BLACKBOX AI: Dissecting the AI Network Traffic appeared first on ELE Times.

HENXV Announces Latest Range of Innovative Power and Communication Products

ELE Times - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 09:08

HENXV announced its latest range of innovative products designed to elevate system performance and reliability: AC/DC Converters, DC/DC Converters, and Bus Transceiver Modules.

New Products:

1. AC/DC Converters: It delivers stable power conversion with high efficiency, compact designs, and robust safety features, ideal for Industrial Automation, Medical, IoT, Electric Vehicles, and many more.

2. DC/DC Converters: Offering precise voltage regulation and high power density, these converters are built to support demanding applications, ensuring reliable performance in telecommunications, automotive, renewable energy, and many more.

3. Bus Transceiver Modules: Designed for seamless data communication, these transceiver modules provide high-speed, low-latency performance with compatibility across industry-standard protocols, perfect for IoT devices, industrial networks, etc.

Why Choose HENXV?

Reliability and Quality: Rigorously tested to ensure durability and consistent performance.
Customizable Solutions: Tailored options to meet specific project requirements.
Dedicated Support: A team to provide technical assistance and ensure smooth integration.
Warranty: 3 years of warranty on all products.
Certifications: All products certified with CE, ROHS, and REACH.

The post HENXV Announces Latest Range of Innovative Power and Communication Products appeared first on ELE Times.

Rohde & Schwarz verifies Next Generation eCall for EN 17240:2024 Standard

ELE Times - Втр, 07/22/2025 - 08:43

Introduced in 2015, eCall, an automated vehicle emergency call system, has been a mandatory requirement for all new cars sold within the European Union since 2018. However, as 2G/3G circuit-switched cellular networks become obsolete, emergency call systems will need to be adapted to 4G/5G packet-switched cellular networks. The European Commission has defined in its most recent regulation that NG eCall will be obligatory starting January 1, 2026. This standard establishes guidelines for testing eCall systems over IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks, including advanced 4G LTE and 5G NR technologies. Consequently, to incorporate the new NG eCall features in eCall modules, the automotive industry will require NG eCall testing solutions.

The Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF is a 5G automotive-grade platform that has paved the way for next-generation connected vehicles, delivering high-speed connectivity, advanced positioning, and support for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology. Designed to meet the demands of modern telematics, it supports reliable connectivity, precise multi-band GNSS navigation, and enhanced safety.

Through this joint effort, Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies have successfully verified the compliance of the Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF’s NG eCall functionality with the most recent eCall standards. The verification process employed the Rohde & Schwarz CMX500 mobile radio tester, a comprehensive testing solution for NG eCall including voice and data transmission. This rigorous test, which was simulating a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), validated the compliance of the implementation at both ends with the EN 17240:2024 standard. Moreover, the CMX500 supports both 4G and 5G technologies, aiming to provide that the solutions are future-proof.

“We are pleased to have joined forces with Qualcomm Technologies on the verification of their chipsets’ NG eCall implementation,” said Juergen Meyer, Vice President Market Segment Automotive at Rohde & Schwarz. “This collaboration sets a new benchmark for the future of emergency call services, providing the automotive industry a robust and dependable solution to meet the latest eCall standards.”

As a highly versatile tool, the CMX500 with the CMX-KA098 software option can be effectively used for NG eCall testing under realistic network conditions.

The post Rohde & Schwarz verifies Next Generation eCall for EN 17240:2024 Standard appeared first on ELE Times.

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