e-Ismosys edition 5

e-Ismosys: The newsletter for users and partners of Ismosys.com

Welcome to the fifth edition of e-Ismosys, the newsletter of the web-based user and partner portal that provides "Engineering Solutions for the Global Electronics Industry", created specifically for the electronics engineering community. Ismosys.com continues to increase its technology coverage with the addition of new supplier and design partners in Q2 - visit the Design Services and Semiconductor Manufacturer sections of the site for details. In addition, we've increased the number of manufacturers making thier products available for purchase online, so make sure you visit the Online Store regularly to stay up to date.

Please feel free to provide feedback on the e-Ismosys newsletter and on the Ismosys.com website. We welcome and value your inputs and will use them to provide an even more useful product design and development aid for the future.  email info@ismosys.com

Ismosys.com features...

• Easy access to current and emerging technology products
• News, features, releases, articles
• Outsourced Design and Manufacturing
• Engineering services and service providers
• Significant silicon vendor endorsement
  
  
  

16-channel I²C/SMBus LED driver/blinker added to the extensive portfolio of bus products available from Catalyst Semiconductor

Driving up to sixteen 25mA LEDs in either programmable flashing or "on/off" modes, the Catalyst Semiconductors CAT9552 LED Driver features an internal oscillator and two programmable "on/off" or "blink" rate timers, adjustable from 0.02 to 5.8 seconds - Providing Simple Solutions for Flashing and "On/Off" LED Applications

This oscillator and its two timers reduce overall parts count and substantially reduce the I²C bus traffic inherent with conventional bus expanders. An added benefit of the CAT9552 is that I/Os not used for controlling LEDs can be used as general-purpose I/Os (GPIOs). Three address pins allow up to 8 CAT9552 devices to occupy the same bus.

The CAT9552 is available in 24-lead SOIC, TSSOP and 24-pad TQFN (4 x 4mm) packages.

Applications might include; Office Machines, Appliance Control Pannels, Alarm Systems and Point of Sales Displays

CAT9552 Typical Application

Samples of the CAT9552 LED driver/blinker can be ordered via Ismosys.com. Lead-time for production quantities is currently 6 to 8 weeks from receipt of orders. 

New Intel Atom™ based COM module drives performance up and costs down

RadiSys Procelerant™  Z500 COM module is the innovative combination of Intel’s low power 1.6GHz ATOM processor with a 85mm x 70mm module compatable with the COM Express Type 2 pin-out. The module provides up to 1GB of memory to alleviate memory bottlenecks when used with Intel’s performance low power ATOM processors. 

The COM Express Type 2 specifies the connectors for high speed serial differential signaling technologies such as PCI Express, Serial ATA*, USB 2.0, LVDS, and Serial DVO while retaining some legacy support to ease migration from existing modular designs.

The new module delivers powerful performance with low power dissipation. Also providing up to 1GB memory down, a MicroSD socket, gigabit Ethernet*, extended voltage range and smart battery support, the Procelerant Z500 is ideal for makers of handheld and mobile equipment destined for industrial automation, gaming, test and measurement and military markets. The ultra-low power Procelerant Z500 module enables manufactures  to shrink device size, stretch battery life and increase processing performance while also cutting manufacturing costs.

*Serial ATCA and Gigabit Ethernet are Optional.

Micro Sized COM
The Procelerant Z500 module enables OEM to start designing at the same time as processor release, saving months of development time and resources.  It frees OEM to concentrate on their core competencies such as software and application development rather than focus on high speed circuit design, and so avoid the design churn that comes with implementing new processor generations. 

With the Procelerant Z500 COM module feature changes, demand fluctuations and performance upgrades can all be handled without product re-designs.  Further, service repair inventory can be reduced and upgrades simplified, significantly contributing to the success of a product over its lifetime.

Design Services by the COM Experts
OEMs can depend on RadiSys to support their design at every stage, whether it is carrier board design or services such as schematic reviews, debug assistance and custom BIOS generation. Carrier design tools such as the Carrier Design Guide, carrier schematics and Gerber files are available for customers committed to using RadiSys Procelerant processor modules.  Carrier design consulting and debug services are also available to support OEM product development at any stage.

Comprehensive Radisys Design Kits Accelerate Product Development and Time to Market

COM Express Starter Kits minimize installation requirements and reduce the amount of time design teams need to get development underway, helping to control pre-market costs and time requirements.

World’s Best Studio-Quality Audio DAC Delivers Unprecedented 134dB Dynamic Range

ESS Technology, has unveiled the world’s best studio-quality audio DAC. The Sabre Reference Digital to Analog Converter outperforms the hitherto best audiophile equipment by offering an unprecedented134dB dynamic range and -118dB total harmonic distortion for 44.1 to 192kHz sampling rate.

ESS Technology, a leading provider of high performance audio/video solutions, has unveiled the world’s best studio-quality audio DAC. The latest member of the ESS Vista™ family, the Sabre Reference Digital to Analog Converter outperforms the hitherto best audiophile equipment by offering an unprecedented134dB dynamic range and -118dB total harmonic distortion for 44.1 to 192kHz sampling rate.

Bringing true studio quality audio to consumer digital home entertainment products including Blu-Ray/HD-DVD players, Universal DVD/DVD-Audio/SACD players and Home Theatre receivers, the Sabre Reference’s superior real-life performance is built upon a number of key ESS innovations: A patented multi-bit Hyperstream™ modulator with Dynamic Matching using 48-bit accumulator and 28-bit data path allows true reproduction of audio as it is mastered at the recording studio. Another patent-pending time-domain Jitter Eliminator enables unmatched audio clarity free from clock jitter common in digital audio systems.  

The Sabre Reference’s Hyperstream™ architecture supports mono, stereo, 4- and 8-channel output in current or voltage modes, featuring click-free soft mute and volume control, deemphasis, zero detect and programmable roll-off filter characteristics. In addition, the Sabre Reference integrates an all-digital SPDIF receiver and supports multi-channel digital audio in PCM or DSD formats. Despite its ultra high performance, the Sabre Reference operates with extremely low power, consuming only 100mW in 8-channel mode.

Housed in 64-LQFP package the Sabre Reference ES9008S Digital to Analog Converter is sampling now via Ismosys.com.

Also sampling via Ismosys.com is the Sabre Premier ES9006S Digital to Analog converter with 120dB dynamic range and - 102dB total harmonic distortion, housed in a 48-LQFP package.

Numonyx M29 NOR Flash spans 4Mbit to 128Mbit densities with full Industrial/Automotive compliance

Numonyx, the new Intel/STMicroelectronics Flash and NV memory company, has launched a family of Flash NOR memory devices compliant with stringent industry/automotive standards. The M29W (automotive) and M29DW (industrial) series meets the needs of designers looking for densities from 4Mbit to 128Mbit, with the added advantages of ease of use and reliability.

The M29W Flash NOR series offers a wide range of automotive grade (AEC-Q100 compliant) devices.

The M29DW Flash NOR series features flexible partitioning for Read-While-Write/Erase (RWW/E) operation, which enables data to be read from one bank - or group of banks - while the other is written or erased.

The design of the Numonyx  M29 family divides the memory into blocks that can be erased independently to allow valid data to be preserved while old data is erased. Higher flexibility in code storage is assured by the asymmetrical and symmetrical block architecture. The asymmetrical memory array includes a Boot Block (at the top or bottom location of the address space, to suit different microprocessors) for parameters and main blocks for code and data storage. In the symmetrical architecture the blocks have the same size. Each block can sustain over 100,000 program/erase cycles with 20 years data retention.

Additional features of the Numonyx M29 family include the 2.7-3.6V voltage range, 128Mb page-mode interface for faster read operations, 12V Vpp programming and block-sector locking to protect against accidental and/or malicious code modifications.

M29 family devices are available in a wide range of package options including
TSOP-48 and BGA. 

 

New Sensor Network Technology enables Wi-Fi devices to run for up to 10 years on a single AA battery

Founded in September 2006 GainSpan is an Intel Corporation spin-off specializing in ultra low-power System-on-a-Chip (SoC) solutions that leverages the widely deployed Wi-Fi (IEE® 802.11) network. The new GainSpan infrastructure enables the deployment of sensor systems that use standard tools and knowledge base and integrate seamlessly with existing management systems such as enterprise network management systems and SCADA industrial and building automation systems.

GainSpan developed its innovative GS1010 SoC specifically to meet the battery life and other requirements of today’s Wi-Fi sensor devices. Offering the flexibility to support a wide range of products and applications: it features an embedded 802.11b/g radio, two 32-bit ARM7 microcontrollers, real-time clock (RTC) and power management unit, FLASH and SRAM memories along with multiple I/Os, and support for location awareness. The complete GainSpan OEM solution also includes a suite of easy-to-use development tools that makes development less complicated and time consuming, so speeding time-to-market. End users are supported by the GainSpan Management System (GMS), a software solution that sits in the network and addresses specific needs of managing Wi-Fi sensors and other connected devices.

Power Management
The innovative power management system of the Gainspan GS1010 SoC provides years of battery life and opens the door to new classes of Wi-Fi products and new applications. Typical design benefits delivered by the GS1010 and associated software include easy customization, reduced energy consumption, reduced costs and improved operational efficiency. From and end-user perspective, the Gainspan approach delivers a low total cost of ownership and high return on investment.

Typical GainSpan applications include:

• Industrial motors – monitor energy consumption to improve efficiencies
• Buildings - save energy, improve indoor air quality and safety
• Food and drug manufacturers - monitor temperature of goods through the supply chain
• Automotive manufacturing - track vehicles during production
• Oil refineries -  locate staff during emergencies
• Utilities - automatically read meters and monitor infrastructure equipment
• Public metro areas - monitor street and traffic lights, and support emergency response services
• Megastructures - automatically verify the safety of bridges etc after an earthquake
• Mining - accurately track real-time movements of miners
• Data centres - monitor and control temperatures and energy usage
• Hospitals - track patients, wheelchairs, diagnostic equipment, and staff

3.3-Volt HCMOS Oscillators with Tighter Stability Options

Fox Electronics offers the industry's broadest line of crystals, oscillators, VCXOs, TCXOs, OCXOs and crystal filters. The company has recently extended its range with the addition of three new HCMOS oscillators that feature significantly tighter stability, ideal for applications where stability and noise characteristics are critical factors, such as communication equipment, data transfer and test and measurement equipment.

Contrasting very favorably with conventional stabilities of 100 ppm to 20 ppm,  Fox's new F53 series HCMOS oscillators are  3.3-volt devices that offer stabilities of 15 ppm (F537); 10 ppm (F539) and 8 ppm (F53S). A wide temperature range of -20°C to +70°C is standard and an extended temperature range of -40°C to +85°C (R version) is available as an option.

F53 series HCMOS oscillators feature an input current (IDD) of 7 mA and an output current (IOL) of 4 mA (min), phase noise of -140 BC/Hz at a 10 kHz offset and a jitter period of 3 ps (RMS). Output symmetry is 45% to 55% over a frequency range of 4 to 54 MHz.

Fox’s F53 series oscillators are RoHS-compliant. The gold over nickel termination finish withstands a maximum soldering temperature of 260°C for 10 seconds. Devices are shipped on tape and reel in industry standard 5.0 mm x 3.2 mm packaging, including footprint and pin-out. Pricing for 40MHz, 8 ppm, standard temperature (F53SR) devices is $1.69 in quantities of 10K. Delivery is approx 8 weeks from receipt of order.  

Low Power Capacitive Touch Controller ICs for Capacitive Button, Slider, and Scroll Applications

Featuring 15 and 13 touch sensor inputs respectively, the LDS6000 and LDS6020 from Leadis Technology consume less than 200µW in full power mode, enabling implementation of capacitive touch in portable devices without the need for low power modes that introduce latency between the first-touch and system touch recognition.

Ismosys.com has samples available of the first two products in Leadis Technology’s new Pure Touch™ family of low power controllers designed for capacitive touch applications. Targeted at both mobile and non-mobile applications, the new touch control ICs support a variety of touch input types including buttons, sliders, and scroll wheels.

Optimised for low power operation at 1.8V, the LDS6000 and LDS6020 consume less than 200µW in full power mode, enabling implementation of capacitive touch in portable devices without the need for low power modes that introduce latency between the first-touch and system touch recognition. The LDS6000 features 15 touch sensor inputs, while the LDS6020 offers up to 13 touch sensor inputs with integrated keypad LED driver functionality.

The LDS6000 is a programmable touch controller featuring 15 sensor inputs. It operates with a 1.8V supply voltage and consumes less than 200µW of power in full power mode. Both SPI-compatible and I2C-compatible interfaces are supported with a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) and interrupt output for additional communication with the host processor. The LDS6000 is packaged in a 4mm x 4mm 28ld TQFN package with maximum thickness of 0.8mm.

The LDS6020 features 13 sensor inputs. Eight sensor inputs are configurable as LED drivers capable of driving up to 8mA of current, with 16mA available for a single LED by connecting to two LED drivers simultaneously. LED dimming may be configured over various transition times, with 32 dimming steps available at maximum current drive. Automatic activation of LED with a valid touch event is achieved by associating an LED driver to a sensor input, alleviating the need for the host processor to turn on the LED.

The device also operates with a 1.8V supply voltage and consumes less than 200uW of power in full power mode. Both SPI-compatible and I2C-compatible interfaces are supported with a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) and interrupt output for additional communication with the host processor. The LDS6020 is packaged in a 4mm x 4mm 28ld TQFN package with maximum thickness of 0.8mm.

LDS6020 Application Diagram

According to Eric Itakura, Director of Business Development for Touch Technology at Leadis, industrial design advantages and high reliability are gaining traction for capacitive touch technology in many product segments, ranging from portable applications such as mobile handsets to as home appliances: “The Leadis Pure Touch™ family offers industry-leading low power consumption with the option for integrated visual feedback to address this rapidly growing market."

An Introduction to the Semiconductor Value Chain Producer (VCP)

Increasing complexity and supply chain specialization is forcing electronics companies to outsource the physical design and integration of their chip to third-party experts. Nothing new there, but managing the sheer number and specialties of these outsource partners itself creates problems for the customer. Enter the semiconductor Value Chain Producer (VCP). In his article for e-Ismosys, eSilicon’s Kalar Rajendiranintroduces a new breed of company dedicated to streamlining and optimising the process by consolidating many of the key services and solutions conventionally sourced from disparate suppliers.

Latest TClamp TVS protects xDSL Applications

Semtech has released details of its latest TVS array designed to protect high-speed xDSL interfaces from over-voltage incidents caused by electrostatic discharge (ESD), cable discharge events (CDE) and lightning.

The TClamp1201S is a low voltage, low-capacitance protection device. Its 12V clamping voltage performance provides maximum protection to sensitive ICs whilst its minimal 15pF capacitance helps maintain signal integrity. The device utilizes a six-pin flow-through package design that grants routing traces and facilitates either common mode or differential configuration.

Reliability is an increasingly critical issue in DSL network equipment as these services become the network of choice for voice and data applications into the home and office.

In addition to ADSL and VDL applications, the TClamp1201S is ideal for protecting RS-232 serial ports.

 

New FlashFlex 8-bit MCU Offers Dual Enhanced SMBus Interfaces and a Tiny Package - ideal for HDMI and Notebook PC Applications

SST has extended its FlashFlex family of 8-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) with the addition of the industry's first 8051-based MCU to feature two system management buses (SMBus), each supporting up to 400 Kbit per second data throughput.

The SST89C58RC is the industry's first 8051-based MCU to feature two system management buses (SMBus). Housed in a tiny 6mm x 6mm QFN package the new device supports operating voltages from 2.7V to 5.5V for implementation in applications with a variety of power supply requirements.

SST built the SST89C58RC using its patented and proprietary SuperFlash nonvolatile flash memory technology. The split-gate cell design and a thick-oxide tunneling injector provided by SuperFlash technology provides the user with notable cost and reliability enhancements. The device comes with 1 KByte of on-chip RAM and up to 34 KBytes of embedded SuperFlash memory. RC Series devices feature single block SuperFlash and the RD series features dual block. Like all devices in the FlashFlex family it uses the 8051 instruction set and is pin-for-pin compatible with standard 8051 microcontroller devices.

The SST89C58RC features In-System Programming (ISP) and In-Application Programming (IAP), features that maximise design flexibility by enabling the user to update the flash device in the field or in an application. These re-programming features also have a significant role in enabling increased functionality, such as remote diagnostics and product monitoring, in network- or Internet-enabled devices.

The dual SMBus feature, 6mm x 6mm form factor and support for a wide range of operating voltages make the SST89C58RC MCU an ideal solution for applications such as  HDMI, HDTVs, A/V receivers, home appliances, industrial instruments, notebook PCs, DVD players, Blu-ray players, RF modules and security applications such as fingerprint identification. Further, the device is ideal for bundled applications, shielding the host from low-level interrupts while providing a 'virtual' register interface for simplified control and status access.

Pricing and Availability
The SST89C58RC is now in production and is priced at $1.25 per unit in 10K unit quantities.

New 8-Bit I²C/SMBus I/O Expander consumes <1µA in standby

Catalyst Semiconductor has further expanded its line of bus products with the addition of an 8-bit general purpose input/output (GPIO) expander for I²C and SMBus-based systems.

Featuring a low standby mode current supply of 1µA (max), the CAT9534 offers a simple and cost-effective solution for adding I/Os for functions in consumer goods such as LED indicators, control buttons, fans and sensors, while at the same time reducing power consumption: The CAT9534 will find ready applications in a broad range of end products, including white goods, digital cameras, cell phones, PDAs, routers, hubs and servers.

The CAT9534 comprises eight ports that power up as inputs. Each port can be configured as an input or output simply by writing to a register. An internal power-on reset eliminates glitches on power-up. Each I/O port is 5V input tolerant, with a high current I/O drive sink of up to 25mA and an I/O source of up to 10mA (max). Additionally, each I/O port is compatible with logic thresholds of 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V.

CAT9534 Block Diagram

The CAT9534 is pin-for-pin and functionally compatible with Catalyst's industry-standard CAT9554, but operates at 100 times lower standby power, making it the perfect choice for battery-powered and "green" systems application The device operates over the industrial temperature range of -40 degrees C to +85 degrees C and is available in 16-pin SOIC, TSSOP and 16-pad 4x4 TQFN packages. 
 

Semtech Targets Telecom Industry with Ultra-small Package, 3.3 Volt, Ethernet Protection Device

Designed to protect high-speed interfaces such as Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet transceivers from cable discharge, ESD and lightning threats Semtech has introduced a the industry's smallest 3.3V working voltage protection device rated for GR-1089 intra-building lightning surge.

Delivering superior performance yet occupying 4.5 times less board space than competitive SO-8 packaged devices, Semtech’s latest  TClamp™ voltage protection device is the industry's smallest 3.3V working voltage protection device rated for GR-1089 intra-building lightning surge. Housed in Semtech's proprietary, very small 2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm SLP package the TClamp3302N offers telecom system designers the benefits of high performance, significant board space savings and the energy conservation and hazardous waste reduction that comes with full RoHS & WEEE compliance.

According to Rick Hansen, Senior Marketing Manager, Semtech Protection Products, the proliferation of Ethernet in communication infrastructure has made the high-speed design community particularly eager for a surge protection solution that offers the performance advantages of the TClamp3302N: “In an application environment with increasing port density and decreasing board space, this small and robust part should generate plenty of traction in high-growth telecom applications such as date centre routers, digital surveillance cameras, WiMAX base stations and triple-play ONTs”, Hansen concluded.

16-bit, 10-MPS SAR converter surpasses industry performance benchmark

Addressing the need of today’s most advanced industrial and medical systems to process information at higher speeds while preserving data integrity Analog Devices (ADI) has introduced the latest addition to its PulSAR® family of precision 16-bit SAR (successive-approximation register) analog-to-digital converters.

The AD7626, ADI’s latest PulSAR ADC achieves a new level of 16-bit data capture performance.  It offers best-in-class 15-bit ENOB (effective number of bits) and 10-MSPS (million samples per second) throughput, which is 2.5 times faster than other SAR ADCs. And unlike other ADCs, which operate at much lower speeds or reach higher sample rates by increasing power consumption and trading off ac and dc performance, the AD7626 has a 92-dB SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) that is 8 dB (1.3 bits) better than any ADC, regardless of architecture. 

Housed in a compact 5 mm × 5 mm QFN (quad flat no-lead) package that is 70 percent smaller than competing offerings, the AD7626 consumes just 130 mW of power, which even at its highest sample rate is 15 percent lower than other ADCs in its class. The AD7626 also uses a self-clocked low-voltage differential serial (LVDS) bus that provides a very-low-noise interface and reduces the number of external components required to address board-level noise concerns.  

AD7626 Functional Block Diagram

According to Leo McHugh, Analog Devices’ product line director, precision signal processing, the AD7626 is a dramatic jump forward in terms of sampling rates, while delivering linearity performance that rivals converters with much lower throughputs: “For applications that don’t require full 10-MSPS data rates, the AD7626 can be easily multiplexed. Some medical imaging devices, for example, could use the AD7626 in a two-channel configuration where each channel operates at 5 MSPS. This would allow the system designer to lower materials costs by reducing data converter component count by 50 percent—while still maintaining speeds that are 25 percent faster than existing solutions”.  

Pricing and Availability
The AD7626 PulSAR ADC is available now in production quantities. Available in a 32-lead QFN (quad flat no-lead) package it’s priced at $34 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities.

PulSAR ADCs including the AD7626 are supported by a range of evaluation tools.

Precision Sensing Sigma-Delta A/D Converter is unmatched in speed and resolution

Analog Devices introduced a 24-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter that features the industry’s best combination of data rate and noise-free resolution. The AD7190 achieves greater than true 16-bit noise-free resolution up to 2.4 kHz across all input voltages from 40 mV to 5 V, enable designers of precision measuring equipment to measure much smaller signals faster and with greater accuracy.

Analog Devices Inc (ADI) is the global leader in data converter technology. In its bid to enable industrial equipment manufacturers to expand the operating speed and precision of sensitive measurement instruments the company has introduced a sigma-delta ADC (analog-to-digital converter) that features the industry’s best combination of data rate and noise-free resolution. While the resolution of competing devices degrades quickly at speeds beyond 1 kHz, ADI’s 24-bit AD7190 sigma-delta ADC achieves greater than true 16-bit noise-free resolution up to 2.4 kHz across all input voltages from 40 mV to 5 V.

The levels of performance provided by the new AD7190 enable designers to measure much smaller signals faster and with greater accuracy, which significantly improve system performance in applications such as precision instruments and medical monitoring devices. Additionally, designers can achieve an industry-leading 21-bit noise-free resolution for their high-precision dc systems given the device’s noise performance of only 7 nV rms (root mean squared) for an input signal of 40 mV at a 4.7 Hz data rate.

On-chip PGA Delivers Ultra-low Noise Performance and Industry-leading Offset Drift
The AD7190 sigma-delta ADC includes an advanced, on-chip PGA (programmable gain amplifier) with ultra-low noise and drift from dc to 4.8 kHz. The innovative design of the integrated PGA enables the AD7190 to realise an ultra-low noise of only 7 nV rms (root mean squared) at 4.7 Hz data rate with a gain of 128, and an industry-leading offset drift of only 5 nV/ degrees C. In addition to delivering two bits better resolution than competing sigma-delta ADCs designed to convert small input signals at kHz data rates, the highly integrated AD7190 reduces signal chain cost by up to 25 percent through on-chip features that include an oscillator; temperature sensor; bridge power-down switch; reference detect monitor; and a choice of single-ended, pseudo-differential or fully differential input channels. Also included on-chip are simultaneous 50-/60-Hz rejection; offset and gain calibration; open sensor detection; a choice of chopped or non-chopped signal; and four general-purpose output pins. A zero-latency mode is selectable in order to reduce software overheads if a valid conversion per data output is required.

According to Mike Britchfield, ADI’s product line director, precision signal processing, the ADI7190 delivers superior noise-free resolution across the widest data rate and input signal range of any sigma-delta ADC: “The AD7190 is a single-chip solution that performs highly accurate measurements across a broad range of input signal magnitudes and data rates, to deliver faster throughput without sacrificing system resolution. It offers manufacturers the flexibility to use the same data converter solution in multiple lines of end equipment”.

Pricing and Availability
The AD7190 sigma-delta ADC is sampling now and will be available in production quantities in November 2008. The AD7190 comes in a 24-lead TSSOP (thin-shrink small-outline package) and is priced at $5.90 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities.