Новини світу мікро- та наноелектроніки

First please read this earlier post where I noted how Hydrotherapy equipment for my physical therapy after a foot surgery had “scalding” temperatures set to 120°F (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Hydrotherapy equipment with scalding water temperature is 120oF and beyond.

Then see this more recent post and be prepared for a shock.

The post on Inside Edition describes how a man was killed after being exposed to a water shower where the hot water temperature was 150 degrees Fahrenheit (150°F). This was way, way higher than the scalding threshold of 120°F mentioned in the earlier EDN post.

No mention was made, but I rather suspect, that the man who was killed may have let the hot water run for a while before stepping into the shower to avoid being chilled by cold water and that he did not test the shower water by hand first. Had he checked, he would have avoided the scalding.

John Dunn is an electronics consultant, and a graduate of The Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (BSEE) and of New York University (MSEE).

Related articles:

• Understanding circular polarization
• How hot is too hot to touch?
• Misconception revealed: Can a heat sink be too big?
• Goodbye, thermal grease; hello, integral heat sink?
• Non-electronic instrument measures water depth and temperature
• Common-impedance plumbing
• The case of the too-hot laptop

The post Part 2: How hot is too hot to touch?  appeared first on EDN.

An electromagnetic wave or signal traveling from “here” to “there” has an electrostatic field component that we call its E-field and whose direction we assign as the signal’s polarity. Often, the E-field is either vertical or horizontal as developed by a dipole structure or a ground plane antenna, but it can also be rotary which means it can be rotating around the signal’s axis of travel. The conventional terminology for that case however is not the word “rotary”, it is the word “circular”. We thus speak of vertical polarization, horizontal polarization, and circular polarization.

What grammarian made that decision is anyone’s guess, but that’s how things are.

It isn’t hard to create a circularly polarized signal. Please see Figure 1.

Figure 1 Making a circularly polarized signal is achieved by feeding both polarizations at the same time but with a 90o signal phase shift between the two.

A circularly polarized signal has a handedness which is defined from the point of view of the signal’s recipient. If the E-field is rotating clockwise from the recipient’s observation point, the signal is right hand polarized (RHP). If the E-field is rotating counterclockwise from the recipient’s observation point, the signal is left hand polarized (LHP). When I was at Sirius Satellite Radio prior to the merger with XM Radio, I learned that their Sirius satellite signals were LHP.

If you the recipient of an incoming signal point your right-hand thumb along the axis of signal arrival, your remaining four fingers will curl to your right for RHP, the direction of E-field rotation. If you the recipient of an incoming signal point your left-hand thumb along the axis of signal arrival, your remaining four fingers will curl to your left for LHP, the direction of E-field rotation.

Got that?

One advantage of circular polarization is a reduced susceptibility to signal fading over long distances. Various factors can affect the polarization of the traveling signal, and the degree of fading can be different between different degrees of polarization angle. Vertical and horizontal polarizations share this vulnerability.

Circular polarization is less susceptible to signal fading since the polarization most easily propagated is achieved whatever the intervening propagation environment might happen to be. In ham radio, this is a noted advantage of “cubical quad” antennas over multi-element Yagi antennas. Cubical quads deliver circular polarization.

Please see this article.

Where “QSB” stands for signal fading and “DX” stands for long distance communication, we find the following:

John Dunn is an electronics consultant, and a graduate of The Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (BSEE) and of New York University (MSEE).

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• Tutorial: Radio Basics for UHF RFID–Part VI
• Take advantage of smaller beam widths and higher frequencies in antenna designs
• Minimize lightning damage on satellite antennae

The post Understanding circular polarization appeared first on EDN.

Figure 1 is a cheap and cheerful voltage inverter I offered awhile back in “A simple, accurate, and efficient charge pump voltage inverter for $1”.

Figure 1 The generic and versatile xx4053 provides the basis for a cheap, efficient, and accurate voltage inverter.

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

Shortly thereafter the idea morphed into an uncomplicated, inexpensive, and fairly fast (1 MHz), low power voltage to frequency converter (VFC): “Voltage inverter design idea transmogrifies into a 1 MHz VFC”. See Figure 2.

Figure 2 Modified voltage inverter becomes power thrifty 1 MHz VFC.

 An interesting quirk of the Figure 2 circuit is that, although it is described as a voltage to frequency converter, it could just as accurately be called a current to frequency converter. That’s because input current =Vin/R1 charges C3 making transconductance amplifier Q1, Q2 complete a feedback loop through the charge pump oscillator. The loop continuously adjusts Fpump to balance pump current to be equal and opposite to input current,

Ipump = 5*C2*Fpump = Iin

Fpump = Iin / (5 C2 R1) = Iin / (5*100pF) = 2 kHz/µA

This makes possible some unusually simple and economical sensor interface topologies like the one in Figure 3.

Figure 3 Eight thermistors can share a single excitation resistor.

A typical NTC thermistor’s datasheet (e.g., Molex 2152723605) summarizes its characteristics with four parameters like these from the 2152723605 sheet, shown in parentheses.

To = rated/calibration temperature (25°C = 298.15K)     (1)

Ro = resistance at To (10k+/-1%)                                       (2)

b = beta (3892K)                                                                   (3)

dissipation (self-heating) factor (1.5 mW/°C)                (4)

Then thermistor resistance (Rt) as a function of temperature (T) in Kelvin is predicted by:

Rt = Ro exp(b(T-1 – To-1))                                                     (5)

 Choosing a value for excitation resistor R1 requires estimating the highest temperature (Tmax) any of the thermistors is expected to be immersed in, and hence the lowest resistance to be read. Then we figure

Rx = Ro exp(b(Tmax-1 – To-1))                                             (6)

R1 = 10k – Rx                                                                        (7)

If calculation #7 calls for R1 < 0, then R1 is of course simply omitted. Taking for example Tmax = 100oC and numbers from the 2152723605 datasheet, Rx = 725, R1 = 10000 – 725 = 9275, to which the nearest standard 1% value is 9310.

The addressing of the thermistor to be read is done by output of the connected microcontroller by its three-bit binary U2 address on general purpose output lines GP0-2. A microcontroller internal counter-timer peripheral connected to input CTPin is then enabled to accumulate VFC pulses for 216 µs = 65.536 ms. Call the accumulated 16-bit integer ADC. Then the calculation of acquired temperatures, assuming 2152723605 sheet numbers again, would proceed thusly:

X = ADC/216 = 10k / (R1 + Rt)

X*(R1 + Rt) = 10k

Rt = 10k/X – R1 = 10k/X – 9310

T = (Ln(Rt/Rx)/b + Tmax-1)-1

oK = (Ln(Rt/725))/3892 + 0.002680)-1

oC = K – 273.15

 The conversions are inherently radiometric, therefore insensitive to 5-V rail noise and tolerance, and integrating, making them highly noise pickup resistant. Which are not bad features for a two buck ADC.

Multiplexor U2’s error contributions—Ron and Roff—are, respectively, small (~60 ohms) and large (~100 Mohms) enough to not be significant factors.

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

• A simple, accurate, and efficient charge pump voltage inverter for $1 (in singles)
• Voltage inverter design idea transmogrifies into a 1MHz VFC
• Turn negative regulator “upside-down” to create bipolar supply from single source
• Single supply 200kHz VFC with bipolar differential inputs
• New VFC uses flip-flops as high speed, precision analog switches
• Inexpensive VFC features good linearity and dynamic range

The post Capture 16-bit readings of 8 thermistors in less than 1 second for $2 appeared first on EDN.

Celestial AI of Santa Clara, CA, USA, the creator of the Photonic Fabric, has acquired silicon photonics intellectual property from Rockley Photonics Ltd (including worldwide issued and pending patents)...

RVA23 Profile, a major release for the RISC-V software ecosystem, has been ratified, and it’s expected to help accelerate widespread implementation among toolchains and operating systems. Before ratification, it underwent a lengthy development, review, and approval process across numerous working groups. RVA23 Profile has now received the final ratification vote by the RISC-V Board of Directors.

RISC-V has more than 80 technical working groups that collectively advance the RISC-V ISA capabilities. They aim is to address the need for portability across vendors with standard ISA Profiles for applications and systems software.

RVA Profiles—which align implementations of RISC-V 64-bit application processors running rich operating system (OS) stacks from standard binary OS distributions—are crucial for software portability across many hardware implementations and thus help avoid vendor lock-in.

Each Profile specifies which ISA features are mandatory or optional, providing a common target for software developers. Mandatory extensions are assumed to be present, while optional extensions can be discovered at runtime and leveraged by optimized middleware, libraries, and applications.

“Profiles are the foundations of application and systems software portability across RISC-V implementations,” said Andrea Gallo, VP of technology at RISC-V International. “A large software ecosystem is only possible with a standard Profile for software vendors to target and within which multiple suppliers can work together.”

Vector extension and hypervisor extension are key components of the RVA23 Profile. Vector extension, which aims to accelerate math-intensive workloads such as AI/ML, cryptography, and compression/decompression, is critical for better performance in mobile and computing applications. RVA23 is the baseline requirement for the Android RISC-V ABI.

Next, hypervisor extension enables virtualization for enterprise workloads in both on-premises server and cloud computing applications. That, in turn, accelerates the development of RISC-V-based enterprise hardware, operating systems, and software workloads.

An Omdia research forecasts that RISC-V processors will account for almost a quarter of the global market by 2030. Then, there is a statement from Calista Redmond, CEO of RISC-V International, which claims that the RISC-V community has grown tremendously to more than 16,000 engineers worldwide.

The ratification of the RVA23 Profile is expected to aid RISC-V’s community growth as it will enable software vendors to successfully sell their software and services on a wide variety of RISC-V products.

Related Content

• Startups Help RISC-V Reshape Computer Architecture
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• Accelerating RISC-V development with network-on-chip IP
• Certifying RISC-V: Industry Moves to Achieve RISC-V Core Quality

The post RVA23 Profile ratification bolsters RISC-V software ecosystem appeared first on EDN.

BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has secured an AUS$1.2m order for the first phase (lasting about 12-months) of a three-phase joint development agreement (JDA) with Uviquity of Raleigh, NC, USA, a venture-backed start-up pioneering wide-bandgap integrated photonics...

ams OSRAM GmbH of Premstätten, Austria and Munich, Germany has introduced its new IR:6 infrared (IR) LED chip technology, which increases brightness by up to 35% and efficiency by up to 42% compared with the existing chip technology used in ams OSRAM IR LED emitters...

The full-bridge converter

A full-bridge converter provides an efficient solution for isolated power conversion (Figure 1). Within this topology, the choice of control method will affect the overall performance of the converter. Most engineers only consider a hard-switched full bridge (HSFB) or a phase-shifted full bridge (PSFB). In this power tip, I will demonstrate a simple modification to a pulse width modulation (PWM)-controlled full bridge that can improve efficiency by achieving zero-voltage switching (ZVS) and eliminate the resonant ringing on the transformer windings.

Figure 1 An example of a synchronous HSFB converter power stage. Source: Texas Instruments

The HSFB

An HSFB converter uses two output signals (OUTA and OUTB) that are 180 degrees out of phase to control the diagonal pair of FETs on the primary-side bridge, shown in Figure 1. The controller allows three states for the primary-side FETs: OUTA high and OUTB low, OUTB high and OUTA low, and both OUTA and OUTB low. To maintain regulation, the controller modulates the ratio of time spent in each state.

Figure 2 shows (from bottom to top) the OUTA and OUTB signals, the switch-node voltages on each side of the primary bridge, and the primary winding current. The switch nodes return to half of the input voltage during the dead time when both OUTA and OUTB are low.

Figure 2 Conventional configuration for driving opposite FETs on the primary side (1 µs/div). Source: Texas Instruments

When no primary-side FETs are on during the dead time, the secondary current will continue to freewheel through the synchronous rectifiers. At this time, leakage energy stored on the primary side resonates with the output capacitance of the primary-side FETs, creating a large leakage spike when either OUTA or OUTB go low. This resonance impacts all four FETs on the primary side. Figure 3 shows how large the leakage spike can get. In practice, a large leakage spike may require you to use higher-voltage components.

Figure 3 Primary switching nodes with a conventional configuration (400 ns/div). Source: Texas Instruments

An alternative approach with complementary logic

An alternate approach is to control the primary FETs with complementary logic on each half of the bridge. In this method, PWM high turns the high-side FET on, and PWM low turns the low-side FET on. Figure 4 shows a diagram using this approach.

Figure 4 An example of a synchronous ZVS full-bridge converter power stage. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 5 shows the PWM, switch-node voltages and primary current for this approach. With complementary signals on each side of the primary bridge, both low-side FETs are now on during the dead time. This enables the primary current to continue to freewheel through the two low-side FETs during what used to be the dead time in the conventional approach.

Figure 5 Complementary PWMs for driving FETs on the primary side (1 µs/div). Source: Texas Instruments

 The freewheeling current on the primary side has many benefits. First, the primary-side FETs achieve ZVS. Figure 6 shows the primary switch nodes and PWM logic for one side of the full bridge during ZVS events. The drain-to-source voltage falls to zero before the introduction of the gate-drive signal, which indicates ZVS.

Figure 6 Primary switching nodes with complementary PWM configuration (400 ns/div). Source: Texas Instruments

 Another benefit is less noise throughout the converter. The large leakage spike and resonant ringing are eliminated when going from the primary switch-node waveforms in Figure 3 to Figure 6. The secondary rectifier also has reduced noise after changing the primary to get ZVS.

Figure 7 compares the drain-to-source voltage of the secondary rectifiers for both design options. The HSFB variation has noticeably more ringing that needs a snubber to mitigate stress at the expense of decreased overall system efficiency. Changing to ZVS on the primary leads to less ringing on the secondary FET. There is still a leakage spike present, however for this case a diode clamping circuit is more suitable than a snubber.

Figure 7 Conventional configuration (400 ns/div) (left); using complementary PWM signals (1.00 µs/div) (right). Source: Texas Instruments

A modified HSFB reference design

The introduction of ZVS alone provides an efficiency boost across loading conditions. Figure 8 compares a modified HSFB reference design, the “100W, 5V Output Hard-Switched Full-Bridge Converter Reference Design for 100kRad Applications”, that uses ZVS logic on the primary side to the initial data that was an HSFB. The logic to the primary FETs was the only change; optimizations to the primary-side FET driver and improvements to the secondary-side protection circuit would further increase the benefits of this approach.

Figure 8 The total power loss versus output power for conventional (TI HSFB reference design revision B) and PWM (modified board) configurations. Source: Texas Instruments

 Using complementary logic

Using complementary logic on a full-bridge converter can enable the primary FETs to achieve ZVS. This approach has many benefits for system efficiency, and the approach is easy to implement.

In test cases, a standard synchronous full-bridge converter only needs the logic adjusted to generate the complementary signals. You can make this adjustment by using a logic NOR gate; alternately, some drivers such as the Texas Instruments TPS7H6003-SP gate driver used in the HSFB reference design have a PWM mode where a single input signal drives the high-side FET when the signal is high, and drives the low-side FET when the signal is low. As you can see, this subtle change in control logic can pay big dividends in system performance.

John Dorosa is a Systems Engineer in Texas Instrument’s Power Design Services team focused on industrial and aerospace applications. Since joining the team in 2017 John has developed over 100 unique SMPS reference design boards to meet custom power requirements. His work covers a broad range of non-isolated and isolated topologies that were optimized for a few milliwatts to 500 watts. He received a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI.

 

Related Content

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• Power Tips #94: How an upside-down buck offers a topology alternative to the non-isolated flyback

The post Power Tips #134: Don’t switch the hard way; achieve ZVS with a PWM full bridge appeared first on EDN.

Comptek Solutions Oy of Turku, Finland (which specializes in III-V compound semiconductor quantum surface engineering) has completed the installation of its pilot line, after a two-year project funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC)...

 

                                                                                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Littelfuse Unveils Industry’s First Asymmetrical TVS Diode Series for SiC MOSFET Gate Protection

Ideal for high-efficiency power solutions in data center, EV infrastructure, and industrial equipment

CHICAGO, October 22, 2024 — Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ: LFUS), an industrial technology manufacturing company empowering a sustainable, connected, and safer world, today announced the SMFA Asymmetrical Series Surface-Mount TVS Diode, the first-to-market asymmetrical TVS solution specifically designed to protect Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET gates from overvoltage events. As SiC MOSFETs become increasingly popular due to their faster switching speeds and superior efficiency compared to traditional Silicon MOSFETs and IGBTs, the need for robust gate protection has never been greater. The SMFA Asymmetrical Series offers an innovative, single-component solution that significantly enhances circuit reliability while simplifying design.  View the video.

The SMFA Asymmetrical Series is the only TVS diode on the market engineered specifically for the unique gate protection requirements of SiC MOSFETs. Unlike traditional solutions that require multiple Zener or TVS diodes, the SMFA Series effectively protects against ringing and overshoot phenomena in gate drive circuits using a single component, saving valuable PCB space and reducing the complexity of circuit designs.

The SMFA Asymmetrical Series Surface-Mount TVS Diode offers the following key features and benefits:

• Asymmetrical Design: The SMFA Series is tailored to the specific negative and positive gate voltage ratings of SiC MOSFETs, ensuring precise and reliable protection.
• Single-Component Solution: Replaces multiple Zener and TVS diodes, reducing the number of components and simplifying circuit layout.
• Space Efficiency: By combining multiple protection functions into one component, the SMFA Series minimizes PCB space usage, allowing for more compact and efficient designs.
• Compatibility: The SMFA Asymmetrical Series is compatible with all available Littelfuse and other leading SiC MOSFETs, making it a versatile solution for various applications.

“The SMFA Asymmetric TVS Diodes protect valuable SiC MOSFETs from gate failures using a single component solution that easily replaces multiple Zener and TVS diodes,” said Ben Huang, Director of Product Marketing at Littelfuse. “This unique solution also saves valuable PCB space while reducing the number of components required.”

The SMFA Asymmetrical Series is ideal for a variety of demanding applications where SiC MOSFETs are used, including:

• AI / Data Center Server Power Supplies: Enhances the reliability and efficiency of critical power supplies in high-performance computing environments.
• High-Efficiency Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (EVI) Power Systems: Provides robust gate protection in EV charging stations and related power systems, ensuring longevity and performance.
• High-Reliability Semiconductor/Industrial Equipment Power Supplies: Protects essential power supplies in industrial and semiconductor manufacturing environments, where reliability and uptime are paramount.

Availability

The SMFA Asymmetrical Series TVS Diode is available in tape and reel format in quantities of 3,000. Sample requests are accepted through authorized Littelfuse distributors worldwide. For a listing of Littelfuse distributors, please visit Littelfuse.com.

 

For More Information
Additional information is available on the SMFA Asymmetrical Series TVS Diodes product page. For technical questions, please contact: Ben Huang, Director of Product Management, Protection Business, SBU, Bhuang@littelfuse.com

About Littelfuse
Littelfuse is a diversified, industrial technology manufacturing company empowering a sustainable, connected, and safer world. Across more than 20 countries, and with approximately 17,000 global associates, we partner with customers to design and deliver innovative, reliable solutions. Serving over 100,000 end customers, our products are found in a variety of industrial, transportation, and electronics end markets—everywhere, every day. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Littelfuse was founded in 1927. Learn more at Littelfuse.com.

LFUS-P

# # #

 

The post Press release of Littelfuse, Inc. about its unveiling of industry’s first asymmetrical TVS diode series for SiC MOSFET gate protection appeared first on ELE Times.

Author: STMicroelectronics

X-CUBE-STL now supports the STM32MP1, the STM32U5, the STM32L5, the STM32H5, and the STM32WL. In essence, the most extensive family of general-purpose microcontrollers capable of running Safety Integrity Level 2 and 3 certified systems continues to grow, and teams needing to meet IEC 61508, ISO 13849, and IEC 61800 requirements can do so on our latest devices. Additionally, the Functional Safety page will make finding the various ST resources that will assist developers striving for industrial or household electrical appliance certifications easier. It also lists the ST Authorized Partners providing real-time operating systems, development tools, engineering services, and training to ensure teams can cross the bridge from proof-of-concept to commercial products.

• Watch our Webinar on functional safety

The International Electrotechnical Commission defines safety as the “freedom from unacceptable risk of physical injury or of damage to people’s health.” When designing an embedded system, functional safety covers the various aspects of safety that depend on that system. For instance, in a manufacturing plant, functional safety ensures that in case of an internal failure, the circuit controlling a robot fails gracefully instead of harming its operators. In a medical application, standards guarantee that users are aware of malfunctions by the use of an alarm, among other things, to prevent detrimental usage. And since our STM32 microcontrollers are everywhere, we needed to see that they all had a straightforward path to IEC 61508 for industrial applications.

Before X-CUBE-STL: How to start working on an IEC 61508 certification A robot arm in an industrial setting

The IEC 61508 governs functional safety for electrical and electronic systems in all sorts of industries and applications. However, many STM32 users seek this certification when working in an industrial setting where risks are higher and requirements more stringent. The first significant aspect of the standard is the safety life cycle. Before anything else, engineers must document all the steps and measures they will take to accomplish functional safety, from the first design operations to the product’s decommissioning. The process includes risk analysis, safety protocols, and validations, maintenance, etc.

Our Functional Safety page is a great starting point for engineers because it provides a “safety manual” for nearly all STM32 microcontrollers, thus ensuring that teams can begin working on defining their product’s life cycle. Most documentation focuses on IEC 61508 compliance. However, we recently published an application note (AN5698) to help engineers adapt what’s in the X-CUBE-STL package to other safety certifications, such as ISO 13849, for safety of machinery. We also provide a failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), which lists all the MCU failure modes and how to mitigate them. Similarly, the failure mode effect and diagnostic analysis (FMEDA) extends the former and computes failure rates for the MCU at the function level.

X-CUBE-STL: Self-test libraries to more rapidly obtain SIL 2 or SIL 3 certifications Understanding Safety Integrity Levels

The second aspect of IEC 61508 is the assignment of a Safety Integrity Level (SIL). After a hazard analysis determines what can go wrong and how badly it can damage a person or the environment, there’s a risk assessment to determine how often or how likely a hazard can occur. From these analyses, functional safety standards draw safety requirements or SIL.

There are four levels, the first being the laxest and the fourth representing the strictest standard. SIL 4 is traditionally for railway or nuclear applications. SIL 1 is looser and tends to apply to monitoring/information devices like CCTV, while SIL 2 and 3 are much more common in hardware designed for industrial applications. The main difference is the requirement to perform redundant measurements in SIL 3.

Knowing how to get started

To start working toward SIL 2 or SIL 3 certifications, teams begin by selecting an STM32 with the hardware safety features that match their application’s requirement. For instance, all our MCUs have a dual watchdog, but only the STM32G0, STM32G4, STM32H5, STM32H7, STM32L4/L4+, STM32L5, STM32U5, STM32WB/A, and STM32WL have ECC Flash memory, and out of them, only the STM32H7, STM32H5, and STM32U5 have ECC SRAM, which is traditionally only a requirement for high-performance applications.

Teams can also use the self-test libraries available in the X-CUBE-STL to start implementing failure detection mechanisms. For instance, they can help spot random failures in the CPU, the SRAM, or the Flash. The diagnostic capability of X-CUBE-STL is verified by fault injection methodology to improve the customers’ confidence in our solutions. To make these libraries more accessible, we offer them as object code, meaning that they can be integrated into any application, and developers can use any compiler.

X-CUBE-STL provides object code to help developers run self-tests on STM32 MCUs. Consequently, because we deliver an object code, developers can integrate it into their software, certify one object, and reuse it multiple times since it doesn’t depend on the compiler version or other dependencies. It greatly facilitates the process when applying to certification bodies.

X-CUBE-CLASSB and why an ecosystem matters Sharing resources

Recently, ST updated its X-CUBE-CLASSB, which targets electrical household appliances, to align it with X-CUBE-STL. Put simply, while they have different user manuals and different purposes, the selt-test libraries share the same code base with X-CUBE-STL. Hence, it becomes much easier to obtain more than one certification on the same hardware platform. Additionally, since these certifications are much less stringent than IEC 61508, the ability to use the same object code as the X-CUBE-STL provides greater assurance. The software package currently supports the STM32U5, STM32G0, STM32C0, STM32L4, STM32G4, STM32WL, STM32MP1, STM32H5, STM32F7, and STM32H7. Support for the STM32H7R/S, STM32U0, and STM32F4 will arrive by the end of the year.

Optimizing functional safety

All these packages turn our STM32 general-purpose microcontrollers into great candidates for the most complex protocols. Traditionally, MCUs aimed at these standards are custom products, which means that they are much more expensive and use hardware specifications that are sometimes more prohibitive in one way or another. ST’s approach is thus unique because we make these standards more accessible and provide an essential network of partners. In many instances, using two STM32s is still more cost-effective than using one MCU sold specifically for safety.

As great as the documentation and self-test libraries are, we know that they represent only the first steps in a long process. Many teams often underestimate the difficulties associated with getting a certification. Hence, we also have ST Authorized Partners who know our devices and can ensure engineers cross the finish line by shipping a certified product.

The post X-CUBE-STL: Supporting more STM32s and sharing resources to demystify functional safety appeared first on ELE Times.

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

Mid-last year, in one of my more recent LED light bulb-themed teardowns, I noted the feature set extension that manufacturers were undertaking with the aspirations of differentiation, competitive isolation and consequent profitability:

Such innovations are fundamentally enabled by LEDs’ inherent low power consumption and heat dissipation, along with their inherent reliance on a DC voltage source. Several of these differentiated offerings (color temperature, multi-color, network connectivity) have also found their way to my teardown table, while others (integrated speakers, candelabra and other shapes) are still awaiting their turns in the analysis spotlight.

What I admittedly didn’t expect, however, were devices that were lightbulb-shaped (to not draw attention to themselves) but that (mostly, at least) dispensed with the illumination function, leveraging the AC power coming out of the socket for other purposes (including, it turns out, speakers). Today’s teardown victim, LaView 4 Mpixel Bulb Security Camera, is one such example:

(there’s also a nifty 360° product view on the company’s website)

Back in February I picked up a two-pack on sale for $35.06 plus tax at Amazon. One’s showcased today; the other is destined for donation to charity. The broader product family is quite diverse:

• Colors:
  • White (mine)
  • Black
• Connectivity:
  • 4 GHz Wi-Fi only (mine)
  • 4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
  • LTE
  • 5G and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
• Quantity:
  • Single
  • Pair (mine)
  • Five-pack
  • Eight-pack

As usual, I’ll start with a series of packaging shots:

Lift the lid and move aside the flaps on the outer box and the camera pair comes into view:

Next comes extraction of one of the two:

The literature suite:

includes one sliver of paper specifically devoted to initial setup:

To get the camera as close as possible to the Wi-Fi broadcast source during this initialization process, LaView included an adapter (as usual accompanied by a 0.75″/19.1 mm diameter U.S. penny in the following photos for size comparison purposes) to temporarily alternatively power the unit via a conventional AC plug:

LaView also included an extender in case the camera won’t as-is fit in the intended final-destination light bulb enclosure:

And here’s today’s patient, for which I can’t find standalone dimensions-and-weight specifications online, only those for the packaged unit(s). My tape measure suggests that it’s about 6.5” long and 3.25” at its widest point, and the kitchen scale reports it weighs 10.8 oz.

Reviews on the device are at-best mixed, but I’ll give LaView kudos for at least (and in contrast to other devices I’ve dissected) making the “remove plastic before using” warning prominent:

The left- and right-side views are predominantly unmemorable, so I’ll point out the mid-body seam that enables side-to-side camera rotation (with implementation to be revealed shortly), along with a more subtle lower seam around the “globe”:

The back, thankfully, is a bit more interesting:

A clarification before proceeding: the camera can perhaps obviously be mounted at any angle to the horizontal, depending on the mated light bulb socket’s orientation. However, for consistency purposes (aligned with the frontside markings), I’m going to assume that it’s installed thusly:

Therefore, I’m claiming that this sticker is toward the top:

And the speaker (used to communicate via the mobile-device app with a front-door potential burglar, for example) is toward the bottom:

Orientation also matters when it comes to water resistance. LaView claims that the device has an IP 66 rating, which is:

• Totally dust tight. Full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow (first “6” digit), and has
• Protection against direct high-pressure (fluid) jets (second “6” digit)

Again, user feedback both on the company’s own website (awkward) and at Amazon, for example, renders these claims a “bit” dubious. But they’re clearly only valid at all if the ventilation vents on the bottom end are pointed downward, away from rainfall and such:

On the top end, of course, is the base, cap-protected as packaged, that screws into the socket:

Time to dive inside. The aforementioned “more subtle lower seam around the globe” seems like a promising place to start:

Voila:

And there’s the speaker!

It turns out that, reminiscent (at least to me) of a couple of Matryoshka dolls:

there’s an inner case, too:

Yep, you guessed it:

A wiring-passage orifice, a couple of airflow vents, and four more screws to go:

In the midst of popping open the inner case, by the way, I came across the flap-covered access to the microSD card slot and reset button shown in the earlier “stock” diagram:

Here’s what it looks like on the other (intact) unit, after I rotate the camera lens out of the way:

And now back to our patient; we’re finally inside at least this portion of the device:

To the right is the formerly screw-attached motor whose bracket affords vertical pivots:

And to the left is a PCB, connected the remainder of the device’s electronics by several cable harnesses (one of which had a connector glued in place, which I therefore initially left as-is):

and held in place by six screws:

We have liftoff:

Hey, look, it’s a camera! (duh):

For reasons I’ll explain shortly, I suspect there’s no IR filter over the image sensor in the center:

The IC in the upper left, AltoBeam’s ATBM6012B, is the Wi-Fi transceiver (as if you hadn’t already guessed from the embedded-antenna markings in its upper right corner on the PCB). The IC doesn’t also support Bluetooth, but as this setup video shows, it’s not necessary; cleverly, the camera instead receives its initial network setup information visually:

One other comment before proceeding; notice the (unpopulated) matching IC site to the upper right of the ATBM6012B? Always makes me wonder what was originally planned to be there.

On the PCB’s other side is (among other ICs) the system SoC, an Ingenic T31 toward the left:

In its upper right corner is a Winbond W25Q64JV 64 Mbit serial NOR flash memory, presumably storing the system firmware. Above it is another set of PCB-embedded Wi-Fi antenna markings. And at far right are the enclosure for the microSD card slot and the reset switch.

Now let’s return our attention to the earlier-glimpsed front bezel. Behind that glob of adhesive is the microphone:

Remove the three screws shown:

And the front cover comes off:

Two more to go:

And the LED assembly is free:

Let’s pause on this last photo for a minute. LaView’s website makes the following claims:

Vibrant Nights with Starlight Color Night Vision

 Illuminate the darkness like never before with our cutting-edge security camera, featuring Starlight Color Night Vision. Equipped with a powerful starlight sensor, our device captures crystal-clear, full-color images even in the faintest lighting conditions. Rest assured, whether it’s day or night, you’ll experience unparalleled visibility and security for your home.

I found this assertion confusing when I read it. Typically, in dim lighting, a security camera will bypass the IR filter normally ahead of the image sensor, resulting in still-meaningful albeit monochrome captured images. The lens assembly’s wiring harness, shown in earlier shots, whose on/off status controls the positioning of the IR filter, suggests that a similar technique finds use here, not to mention the seeming mix of conventional (primarily intended, via mobile-device app control, to shine light on a front-door potential burglar, for example) and IR LEDs in the above photo.

How, then, is LaView getting dim light full color (or at least a semblance) images out of the camera? A clue comes from the “Starlight” branding. My guess is that the Ingenic T31 (which touts a “Starlight ISP” with “Dedicated optimizations for low light and surveillance scenarios”) is mixing together whatever conventional ambient light remains usable from the image sensor with IR augmentation. So, is it “full color”? Arguably. But (maybe) still better than IR-only.

Speaking of which, let’s take one more look at that lens assembly from multiple angles:

A revisit of the PCB, this time with that final originally glued connector now severed:

And, last but not least, let’s see if we can figure out how the camera rotates horizontally (per that earlier mentioned thicker seam running around the center of the device). The answer, I suspect, lies behind this single screw:

Alas, what’s underneath is thoroughly “potted” (aside from the obvious additional motor):

Oh well. That’s all for today, then. Share your thoughts in the comments!

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

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• Freeing a three-way LED light bulb’s insides from their captivity
• Teardown: A19 LED bulb
• Teardown: Blink XT security camera

The post Dissecting incandescent-reminiscent stealth security appeared first on EDN.

Keysight Propels Pegatron 5G to Transform Power Efficiency for Open RAN

• 40% reduction in power consumption will support sustainability goals and reduce network operating costs

 

October 21, 2024

INDIA – Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) has enabled Pegatron 5G to test and validate its Open Radio Unit (O-RU) advanced energy savings features using ETSI-specified energy measurement methods. This was achieved using Keysight’s Open Radio Access Network Architect Solutions (KORA), which ensures conformance, interoperability, performance, security, and energy efficiency validation for radio access network (RAN) testing.

With the majority of energy (76%) consumed in the RAN, improving efficiency is a strategic priority for operators. Therefore, testing energy consumption and its impact on network performance is critical. While advancements from 2G to 5G have delivered improvements, the increasing density of 5G networks to meet higher data demands will drive up consumption, impacting operating costs and sustainability goals. E-plane testing helps operators and manufacturers optimize networks to enhance efficiency in 5G and future network deployments.

By utilizing Keysight’s E-Plane ETSI Test Suites to evaluate the energy efficiency of its PR1450 O-RU solution, Pegatron 5G was able to achieve a 40% reduction in power consumption while adhering to O-RAN energy saving requirements and the ETSI ES 202 706-1 and ETSI TS 103 786 energy measurement methods. This will significantly reduce network operating costs and ensure compliance with environmental targets. The capability was demonstrated at the India Mobile Congress 2024.

David Hoelscher, Vice President of Business Development and Chief Product Officer of Pegatron 5G, said: “We are proud to be the first company in Taiwan to demonstrate O-RAN energy saving and e-plane support on our PR1450 O-RU. This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation and our ability to deliver advanced 5G solutions that benefit customers and the environment.”

Peng Cao, Vice President and General Manager of Keysight’s Wireless Test Group, said: “Keysight’s KORA solutions expedite the sustainable development and deployment of the O-RAN ecosystem, with a full range of industry-proven Open RAN energy lab and field tests solutions. By collaborating with partners like Pegatron 5G, Keysight is accelerating deployments, helping network operators reduce costs, and contributing to environmental sustainability.”

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

 

Media Contacts

Keysight

 

North America PR Team
pdl-americas-keysight@keysight.com

 

Fusako Dohi

Asia

+81 42 660-2162

fusako_dohi@keysight.com

 

Jenny Gallacher

Europe

+44 (0) 7800 737 982

jenny.gallacher@keysight.com

 

Thejas A S

India

+91 98862 57535

thejas.as@2020msl.com

 

The post Press release of Keysight Technologies, Inc. about how it is propelling Pegatron 5G to transform power efficiency for open radio access network (RAN) appeared first on ELE Times.

As wearables get smaller, and foldable devices gain popularity, they’re running into a common challenge. Their rigid components—batteries, in particular—limit how compact or flexible they can be. While shrinking their size has yielded some success, a more promising solution is to develop stretchable, pliable power cells.

Researchers have experimented with flexible lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries throughout the past decade to varying degrees of success. Historically, maintaining acceptable performance after bending and twisting has been difficult, as repeated deformation often degrades electrodes. Physical damage, high costs and complex manufacturing have likewise proved challenging.

Despite these obstacles, the industry is getting closer. The American Chemical Society recently developed a Li-ion battery that can stretch up to 5,000% times its original length while remaining stable. Instead of placing hard components in a flexible medium, the scientists made every part of it stretchable. While the battery is only reliable for 70 charge cycles, it’s an impressive step forward.

Another solution, which used carbon nanotubes and a gel polymer electrolyte, retained 93% of its capacity after 150,000 cycles of deformation. The electrodes were also 1.6 times as energy dense as conventional components, allowing a smaller battery to deliver the same amount of power.

Source: Panasonic

Success stories like these are becoming increasingly common. As that trend continues, it may not be long before flexible Li-ion batteries are ready for large-scale adoption in the electronics industry.

Viability of flexible batteries

The advent of bendable batteries could have massive implications for electronics designers. Large versions would spur marked improvements in electric vehicles (EVs). Over one in four passenger vehicles will be an EV by 2030, but as they grow, so do concerns about Li-ion cells’ safety. A flexible battery is less likely to combust and can absorb more impact, making it a safer option.

Consumer electronics would likely gain the most from pliable batteries of any segment. Foldable phones could become thinner and give designers additional options for how to arrange components around moving parts. Wearables could get smaller without sacrificing battery life.

Within the wearable umbrella, smart textiles would see particularly strong growth. Researchers have already developed connected shoes and yoga mats that can predict motion with 99% accuracy, and flexible batteries would take similar applications further. Clothing could monitor health factors like body heat and perspiration, and worker safety vests could come with built-in location tracking.

Flexible batteries reshaping wearables

Currently, wearables designers face a choice between the functionality batteries enable or the flexibility of energy harvesting systems. Thin, bendable power cells combine these benefits to open new possibilities. Breaking past conventional constraints would lead to greater freedom of design and novel ways to serve niche markets.

Flexible batteries still require some advancement before they’re ready for industrial-scale implementation. However, the sector could get there sooner than some may expect. Given how big the implications are, electronics engineers should stay up to date with how this technology progresses.

Capitalizing on stretchable power cells would improve electronics safety, create more functional wearables, and open the door to new markets. That’s too great an opportunity to overlook. Learning about the potential today is the first step to making the most of it tomorrow.

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

 

 

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• Flexible battery tech could support wearable, textile applications
• Will EV Battery Design Developments Help or Hinder the Second-Life Battery Market?

The post Integration of flexible batteries in wearable and foldable electronics appeared first on EDN.

Themed ‘Innovation and Collaboration: Powering Sustainable Exponential Growth’, SEMICON Europa 2024 is gathering industry experts at Messe München in Munich, Germany (12–15 November) for insights into the latest innovations and trends in sustainability, mobility, healthcare, materials, packaging, fab management and workforce. Co-located with electronica, it features keynotes from the electronics design and manufacturing ecosystem, academia and governments...

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system maker Riber S.A. of Bezons, France says that it has sold an MBE 49 GaN production system (for delivery in 2025) to a European customer that aims to enhance its capacity for producing gallium nitride (GaN) components for next-generation high-brightness and low-energy displays. The MBE 49 GaN system is specifically configured for plasma-assisted GaN epitaxy on 200mm silicon wafers, offering a cutting-edge solution for manufacturing aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN) and indium gallium nitride (InGaN) devices...

At the IEEE Energy Conversion Congress & Expo (ECCE 2024) in Phoenix, Arizona (20–24 October), gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA is introducing IntelliWeave, a patented new digital control technique for improving next-generation AI data-center power supply unit (PSU) efficiency...

The Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) Hub has announced $1,038,133 in grants to 13 companies through its Powering Regional Opportunities for Prototyping Microelectronics (PROPEL) manufacturing program, which was launched in June. Funded through the federal US CHIPS and Science Act, the program supports NEMC Hub members (particularly startups and small companies) and helps them to move microelectronics projects from early-stage concepts through to production of validated devices by offsetting costs associated with hardware lab-to-fab development...

Wanted to share my experience with getting multicolour PCBs fabricated and the results. To try is out I just made e a simple badge.. The image was created in Inkscape and exported as a ping.. Then just sent the png along with the Gerber's for fabrication. The results are excellent!! submitted by /u/Keysight112 [link] [comments]