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Technology Integrates Inductive Touch into Existing Application Code
December 8, 2008 10:03 am | Microchip Technology Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsPerforming in a single standard 8-, 16-, or 32-bit PIC MCU or 16-bit dsPIC DSC, Microchip Technology’s mTouch inductive touch-sensing technology allows designers to incorporate inductive touch-sensing functionality with their existing application code. The product enables devices to work through plastic, stainless steel, aluminum, gloves, and surfaces containing liquid. Implementation details are available via a free download from
Fuses Handle High Voltages
December 8, 2008 9:31 am | Product Releases | CommentsComing in a 5 mm × 20 mm ceramic package, Littelfuse’s 477 Series time-lag cartridge fuses demonstrate a voltage rating of 500 V at 8 A or above. The RoHS-compliant devices exhibit ampere ratings from 0.5 A to 16 A, an interrupting capability of up to 1,500 A at 400 VDC, and recognition from UL, CSA, and SEMKO. The products are appropriate for 3-phase power supplies, uninterruptable power systems (UPSs), motor control
Semiconductor Highlight: Power Management for Low-Power IP Phones and VoIP Devices
December 8, 2008 9:19 am | by Rich Nowakowski and T.Y. Chan, Texas Instruments | Articles | CommentsNow that power via media-dependent interface (MDI) was added to the IEEE 802.3af Standard, data terminal equipment (DTE) can receive power over existing data transmission cables. The IEEE 802.3af Standard defines the requirements associated with providing and receiving power over the existing cabling. The power sourcing equipment (PSE) provides the power on the cable, and the powered device (PD) receives the power.
Microcontrollers Target Driver-Assist Vehicle Applications
December 8, 2008 8:42 am | Renesas | Product Releases | CommentsCreated to address the increasingly popular “preventative safety” features in new vehicles, the 32-bit SH74504 and SH74513 microcontrollers (MCUs) from Renesas Technology feature on-chip flash memory and peripheral sets tailored for driver-assist systems. Examples of such “proactive” in-vehicle features include lane-departure warning systems, adaptive cruise control functions and blind-spot monitors.
Shielded Connectors Serve Rugged Applications
December 8, 2008 8:15 am | Product Releases | CommentsComing preassembled for Profibus and Ethernet users, Binder-USA’s M12 shielded panel-mounted male or female connectors offer a receptacle that is attached to a shielded cable with a twisted pair of AWG 22 wires. The Profibus receptacles come in a front- or rear-mount design for mounting to control cabinets, and the die-cast zinc housing has a galvanic
Power Inductors Present Wide Inductance Range
December 8, 2008 7:17 am | Product Releases | CommentsOffering 10 case sizes from 9 mm² to 64 mm², NIC Components’ NPIS_L Series shielded SMT power inductors demonstrate inductance values from 0.800 µH to ~220 µH in ±20% (M) and ±30% (Y) inductance tolerance. The devices present IRMS current ratings from 1.400 A to 7.800 A, an operating temperature range from -25°C to ~120°C (80°C operation at rated IRMS current), DC resistance from 0.006 Ohm to ~4 Ohm, and Sn-Ag-Cu
Interconnects Offer “Reverse Fix” Option
December 8, 2008 6:42 am | Product Releases | CommentsFeaturing a four-finger beryllium copper contact clip with jack-screw fixing, the Datamate J-Tek Reverse Fix family of connectors from Harwin offers a fixing variant reversed from the usual orientation. The connectors are suited for use in environments where high vibration, shock, and extremes of temperature are
When Electronics Go Green, Everybody Wins
December 8, 2008 6:25 am | by Jeff Ittel, senior vice president of semiconductors, Avnet Electronics Marketing | Articles | CommentsFor members of the electronics supply chain, going “green” is not just a short-term marketing scheme rife with buzzwords but short on substance. Granted, the tech sector has jumped on its share of bandwagons, but this movement is different. It’s not just about pioneering technologies, building a positive public image, padding the bottom line or even “doing the right thing.” It’s all of the above. When state-of-the-art electronic products are energy efficient, environmentally sustainable, and cost effective, everyone wins.
Thermal Imaging System Offers Camera Upgrade
December 8, 2008 6:19 am | Product Releases | CommentsTargeting semiconductor failure analysis, OptoTherm’s latest version of the Micro thermal imaging system offers a thermal imaging camera upgrade. The camera upgrade includes a 320 × 240 element uncooled detector, sensitivity of 0.05°C, a 20-µm microscopic lens, a wide angle lens, and a 16-bit digital Camera Link interface. The product measures and displays
Power Bricks Include PFC and Rectification
December 8, 2008 5:44 am | TDK-Lambda Americas, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsCombining the AC input rectification function and power factor correction (PFC), and the DC-DC isolation, PFE1000F power modules from TDK-Lambda provide an output power of up to 1,008 W. The models are available with 12-V, 28-V, and 48-V nominal outputs that can be adjusted ±20 percent
SBC Supports Legacy STD Bus Applications
December 8, 2008 5:37 am | Product Releases | CommentsTargeting legacy applications, the LPM-LX800-G STD Bus single board computer (SBC) from WinSystems provides both an upward performance migration path and a continued source of supply for STD Bus SBCs, while maintaining hardware, software, and I/O compatibility. The SBC can be populated with up to 1 GB of system DRAM
1149.1/JTAG Pod Offers Non-volatile Test Program and Failure Memory
December 8, 2008 5:36 am | Product Releases | CommentsDesigned to allow plug-and-play test and FPGA configuration without a computer, cable, or software, Intellitech’s UltraTAP-BT Bluetooth-enabled IEEE 1149.1/JTAG pod comes with non-volatile test program and failure memory. 1149.1/JTAG-based tests occur via the UltraTAP-BT Flash memory at a continuous test clock rate of up to 50 MHz, and test flow, test scripts, and third-party Serial Vector Format files download over a USB connection to
Brushless Motors Achieve High Efficiency
December 8, 2008 5:04 am | Product Releases | CommentsOffering 2- and 4-pole designs with or without hall sensors, Koford Engineering’s new line of 22-mm slotless brushless motors present efficiencies of up to 86%. The instruments demonstrate power outputs from 0.7 W to 406 W, speeds from 2,600 rpm to
Embedded Systems: A Legacy and a Bright Future for the VMEbus
December 5, 2008 11:05 am | by Ray Alderman, Executive Director, VITA | Articles | CommentsIn October of 1981, three semiconductor companies announced the open-architecture VMEbus, spawned by the introduction of the Motorola 68000 microprocessor. After 27 years, the VMEbus still holds the largest market share of all buses and boards. Today's bus technologies have lives measured in months, so why has the VMEbus survived and prospered while other buses have rapidly gone by the wayside? (Engineers use the terms VMEbus and VME interchangeably.)
Downconversion Mixer Provides Two Independent Channels
December 5, 2008 9:33 am | Product Releases | CommentsOperating from 700 MHz to 1,000 MHz, Maxim Integrated Products’ MAX19985A dual downconversion mixer provides 2 independent downconversion channels, each with a typical IIP3 of 25.5 dBm, typical conversion gain of 8.7 dB, and typical noise figure of 9 dB. The 6-mm x 6-mm 36-pin TQFN-packaged component offers a 2LO-2RF spurious rejection of 76 dBc for an RF level of -10 dBm and 71 dBc for a level of -5 dBm. The SiGe downconverter
