MUNICH, GERMANY: Silicon Line GmbH, a leading provider of ultra-low power analog ICs, has brought to market the SL82728 and SL82718 ICs targeted at notebooks, ultrabooks and tablets using the latest VESA based Embedded DisplayPort standard. The ICs are used to optically connect the graphics processor to the display and enable the replacement of traditional electrical connectors with optical connectors.
Strong consumer demand for high resolution retina type displays and 3D technology is driving the data rates inside mobile devices ever higher. These extremely high data rates not only generate significant EMI when traditional electrical cables are used to transport the data but also are reaching the limits of the practical capabilities of electrical cables.
Silicon Line already has a broad portfolio of ultra-low power high speed optical link interface ICs including products for MIPI D-PHY and MIPI M-PHY based smart phones. The SL82728 and SL82718 are the latest additions to the portfolio and are the first products compliant with the Embedded DisplayPort specification. These world’s first optical Embedded DisplayPort ICs enable Silicon Line to support the latest trends for high performance displays in notebooks, ultrabooks and tablets.
“The latest generation of retina type displays demand extremely high data rates”, says Ian Jackson, senior manager, Sales and Marketing, Silicon Line. “As an example, a 10 inch tablet display with 500 pixels per inch can require up to 23 Gbps and when used in 3D mode would require twice that bandwidth. Optical transport of these signals solves the EMI challenges which these data rates create as well as enabling the small and thin form factor designs specified for Ultrabooks”, he added.
The SL82728 quad channel vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) driver and the SL82718 quad channel transimpedance amplifier (TIA) together with appropriate photonics are used to implement an optical link for transporting high speed Embedded DisplayPort signals from the graphics processor to the display.
The devices support up to four data lanes at up to 6 Gbps per lane. They can therefore be used to implement the Embedded DisplayPort Version 1.3 standard which specifies a maximum of 5.4 Gbps per data lane. Their ultra-low power consumption of less than 13 mW per channel at 6 Gbps makes them ideal for mobile battery operated consumer devices such as notebooks, ultrabooks and tablets. Extremely small optical links based on these ICs eliminate EMI issues and enable slim form factor designs.
Single and dual channel versions of these products are also available for applications which require less than four data lanes. The SL82728 and SL82718 are available as bare die and are sampling now.
Friday, January 27, 2012
ST's innovative chip enables greater storage capacity and faster multimedia access on portable devices
INDIA: STMicroelectronics introduced the industry’s first voltage-level translator compliant with the latest SD (Secure Digital) 3.0 standard. The increase in storage capacity and access speed of SD 3.0, together with the low static power consumption and small package size of ST’s new level translator, makes it an ideal choice for interfacing application processors or digital basebands to SD memory cards in mobile phones, portable media players, tablets, digital cameras or personal navigation devices.
The SD 3.0 specification provides up to 2 terabytes of storage capacity and accelerates SD interface read/write speeds to 50 megabytes per second, at 50 MHz Double Data Rate. ST’s newest voltage-level translator is the first device on the market to support the new standard, giving system designers a head start in developing portable applications with increased storage space and faster access to multimedia content, including music, videos and pictures.
The ST6G3244 couples high-speed operation with very low power dissipation, supported with the Power Down mode. Data integrity is secured through balanced propagation delays and electromagnetic-interference filters and signal conditioning. Recommended for portable devices that connect directly to the external memory card, ST’s newest voltage-level translator incorporates 15kV air-gap electrostatic discharge protection on the card side.
ST’s selectable-supply (1.8V or 2.9V), 6-bit bi-directional CMOS-level translator for SD, mini-SD and micro-SD memory cards is offered in a space-saving BGA25 package, reducing board area by more than 50 percent over current-generation devices (ST6G3238). It is backward pin-to-pin compatible with most existing SD 2.0 products, so customers can easily ‘hot swap’ and protect their investment in application development. The ST6G3244 is available in volumes, with unit pricing at $0.84 in quantities of 1,000 pieces.
The SD 3.0 specification provides up to 2 terabytes of storage capacity and accelerates SD interface read/write speeds to 50 megabytes per second, at 50 MHz Double Data Rate. ST’s newest voltage-level translator is the first device on the market to support the new standard, giving system designers a head start in developing portable applications with increased storage space and faster access to multimedia content, including music, videos and pictures.
The ST6G3244 couples high-speed operation with very low power dissipation, supported with the Power Down mode. Data integrity is secured through balanced propagation delays and electromagnetic-interference filters and signal conditioning. Recommended for portable devices that connect directly to the external memory card, ST’s newest voltage-level translator incorporates 15kV air-gap electrostatic discharge protection on the card side.
ST’s selectable-supply (1.8V or 2.9V), 6-bit bi-directional CMOS-level translator for SD, mini-SD and micro-SD memory cards is offered in a space-saving BGA25 package, reducing board area by more than 50 percent over current-generation devices (ST6G3238). It is backward pin-to-pin compatible with most existing SD 2.0 products, so customers can easily ‘hot swap’ and protect their investment in application development. The ST6G3244 is available in volumes, with unit pricing at $0.84 in quantities of 1,000 pieces.
MagnaChip to acquire Dawin Electronics
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA & CUPERTINO, USA: MagnaChip Semiconductor Corp. announced that its Korean subsidiary has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Dawin Electronics Co. Ltd, a privately held semiconductor company that designs and manufactures Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), Fast Recovery Diode (FRD) and MOSFET modules. Dawin Electronics is headquartered in Incheon, South Korea, and has
sales offices in China and Europe. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"The acquisition of Dawin Electronics is a strategic fit for MagnaChip and allows us to continue to diversify and expand our fast-growing Power Solutions business into the commercial and industrial segments," said Sang Park, MagnaChip's chairman and CEO. "Dawin's high-power modules will enable MagnaChip to compete quickly and effectively in the high-growth IGBT market with a broader portfolio of power solutions for our customers. This acquisition also demonstrates our continued focus on capital allocation and commitment to return shareholder value to our investors."
According to market research firm IHS iSuppli, the total IGBT market in 2011 was estimated to be $4.1 billion and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 10 percent from 2011 to 2015. The IGBT is used in a broad range of medium- to high-power commercial and industrial applications and in many consumer appliances such as variable speed refrigerators, air-conditioners and stereo systems.
Availability of affordable, reliable IGBTs is also an important enabler for electric vehicles and hybrid cars.
The acquisition of Dawin and its IGBT and FRD module technology is synergistic with MagnaChip's goal of expanding into high-growth, high-margin markets and with its long history as a designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products. The acquisition is expected to be completed before the end of March 2012.
sales offices in China and Europe. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"The acquisition of Dawin Electronics is a strategic fit for MagnaChip and allows us to continue to diversify and expand our fast-growing Power Solutions business into the commercial and industrial segments," said Sang Park, MagnaChip's chairman and CEO. "Dawin's high-power modules will enable MagnaChip to compete quickly and effectively in the high-growth IGBT market with a broader portfolio of power solutions for our customers. This acquisition also demonstrates our continued focus on capital allocation and commitment to return shareholder value to our investors."
According to market research firm IHS iSuppli, the total IGBT market in 2011 was estimated to be $4.1 billion and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 10 percent from 2011 to 2015. The IGBT is used in a broad range of medium- to high-power commercial and industrial applications and in many consumer appliances such as variable speed refrigerators, air-conditioners and stereo systems.
Availability of affordable, reliable IGBTs is also an important enabler for electric vehicles and hybrid cars.
The acquisition of Dawin and its IGBT and FRD module technology is synergistic with MagnaChip's goal of expanding into high-growth, high-margin markets and with its long history as a designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products. The acquisition is expected to be completed before the end of March 2012.
Mentor Graphics hires industry veteran in Noida
WILSONVILLE, USA: Mentor Graphics Corp. announced the hiring of industry veteran Dr. Srinivas Mandavilli as Product Line Director for the Integrated Silicon Systems (ISS) business unit with responsibility for a wide breadth of FPGA design products including synthesis and FPGA/PCB co-design.
The addition of Dr. Mandavilli and establishment of the ISS R&D organization in India emphasizes the Mentor Graphics commitment to support FPGA design and its importance to the development of advanced electronic products. Dr. Mandavilli will report directly to Henry Potts, Mentor VP and GM of the Systems Design Division, responsible for approximately 30 percent of the Mentor business.
Dr. Mandavilli has held engineering and management positions in the past at Motorola, Hitachi, and Ionic Microsystems, and was co-founder of Lucivid Software Systems. He also had seven years at Mentor Graphics where he managed the Hyderabad R&D center with engineering management responsibility spanning several areas of advanced technology development. Along with a best thesis award for his Ph.D dissertation in Genetic Algorithms, Srinivas has over 2,000 citations to date for his IEEE publications.
“It is a pleasure to have Srinivas back with Mentor,” stated Henry Potts. “FPGA design and optimization is a critical part of advanced systems design for our customers and the focus on those products, with this investment in India, will ensure their success in the marketplace.”
The addition of Dr. Mandavilli and establishment of the ISS R&D organization in India emphasizes the Mentor Graphics commitment to support FPGA design and its importance to the development of advanced electronic products. Dr. Mandavilli will report directly to Henry Potts, Mentor VP and GM of the Systems Design Division, responsible for approximately 30 percent of the Mentor business.
Dr. Mandavilli has held engineering and management positions in the past at Motorola, Hitachi, and Ionic Microsystems, and was co-founder of Lucivid Software Systems. He also had seven years at Mentor Graphics where he managed the Hyderabad R&D center with engineering management responsibility spanning several areas of advanced technology development. Along with a best thesis award for his Ph.D dissertation in Genetic Algorithms, Srinivas has over 2,000 citations to date for his IEEE publications.
“It is a pleasure to have Srinivas back with Mentor,” stated Henry Potts. “FPGA design and optimization is a critical part of advanced systems design for our customers and the focus on those products, with this investment in India, will ensure their success in the marketplace.”
NVIDIA launches India’s first GPU computing social networking group
BANGALORE, INDIA: NVIDIA announced the launch of an online platform dedicated to GPU computing and High Performance Computing (HPC) users in India. The informal special interest group will bring together GPU users from all fields and experience levels in India, including academicians, researchers, scientists, device manufacturers, system integrators, service providers and all early adopters of HPC and GPU computing.
The group, hosted on Meetup.com – the world's largest network of local groups, will provide HPC and GPU computing enthusiasts in India a comprehensive platform to track industry trends and engage with each other, discussing the latest developments in the field.
The group, supported by NVIDIA, will have a core group of key academicians to lead and moderate discussions. The site will feature a bank of research papers, case studies and posts on the latest technological developments not only at NVIDIA but also in the global industry. The platform will also encourage users to engage over group chats and web conferences to interact with each other. NVIDIA will periodically host live talks with industry experts to elucidate on pertinent industry updates.
Vishal Dhupar, MD, South Asia, NVIDIA, said: “GPU computing is becoming increasingly relevant in our lives today. Everyone from gaming enthusiasts, to college students, working professionals to researchers and scientists can apply the GPU to enable better graphics and faster computing. NVIDIA will lead and facilitate the pioneering HPC and GPU Computing Group with an aim to establish a strong connect among GPU computing users and spread GPU computing awareness in India. We hope to make the GPU synonymous with computing and build a strong interconnected community of GPU users in India.”
HPC and GPU computing has come into sharp focus in India with the Indian Government’s focus on setting-up of Petaflop-class systems in the upcoming five-year plan. NVIDIA will facilitate the virtual informal special interest group as an extension of its University and Academic programs. NVIDIA in India has four different programs to engage with academia, through which 18 CUDA Teaching Centers, 1 CUDA Research Centre and 66 Academic partnership programs have been established in association with universities and professors.
Jaya Panvalkar, senior director and site leader, Pune Design Center, Head – Academic Relationships in NVIDIA India, said: “With NVIDIA’s drive to build stronger ecosystem in academia in India by collaborating with educational and research institutes across the country we are reinforcing NVIDIA’s commitment to developing and building a strong ecosystem of GPU computing in India. NVIDIA’s initiatives with academic and research institutes in the country enables the growth of software developers, scientists and researchers in various engineering and scientific streams. We see this special interest online platform as furthering this growth and bringing in a higher level of excellence in the professional and scientific fields.”
The group, hosted on Meetup.com – the world's largest network of local groups, will provide HPC and GPU computing enthusiasts in India a comprehensive platform to track industry trends and engage with each other, discussing the latest developments in the field.
The group, supported by NVIDIA, will have a core group of key academicians to lead and moderate discussions. The site will feature a bank of research papers, case studies and posts on the latest technological developments not only at NVIDIA but also in the global industry. The platform will also encourage users to engage over group chats and web conferences to interact with each other. NVIDIA will periodically host live talks with industry experts to elucidate on pertinent industry updates.
Vishal Dhupar, MD, South Asia, NVIDIA, said: “GPU computing is becoming increasingly relevant in our lives today. Everyone from gaming enthusiasts, to college students, working professionals to researchers and scientists can apply the GPU to enable better graphics and faster computing. NVIDIA will lead and facilitate the pioneering HPC and GPU Computing Group with an aim to establish a strong connect among GPU computing users and spread GPU computing awareness in India. We hope to make the GPU synonymous with computing and build a strong interconnected community of GPU users in India.”
HPC and GPU computing has come into sharp focus in India with the Indian Government’s focus on setting-up of Petaflop-class systems in the upcoming five-year plan. NVIDIA will facilitate the virtual informal special interest group as an extension of its University and Academic programs. NVIDIA in India has four different programs to engage with academia, through which 18 CUDA Teaching Centers, 1 CUDA Research Centre and 66 Academic partnership programs have been established in association with universities and professors.
Jaya Panvalkar, senior director and site leader, Pune Design Center, Head – Academic Relationships in NVIDIA India, said: “With NVIDIA’s drive to build stronger ecosystem in academia in India by collaborating with educational and research institutes across the country we are reinforcing NVIDIA’s commitment to developing and building a strong ecosystem of GPU computing in India. NVIDIA’s initiatives with academic and research institutes in the country enables the growth of software developers, scientists and researchers in various engineering and scientific streams. We see this special interest online platform as furthering this growth and bringing in a higher level of excellence in the professional and scientific fields.”
AMD upbeat on FirePro professional graphics
NEW DELHI, INDIA: AMD announced its strategic alliance with TAG (Technology And Gadgets), a fast growing national distributor, for the distribution of its entire portfolio of AMD professional graphics including its newest generation of AMD FirePro professional graphics in India.
Through this arrangement with TAG, one of the largest distributors of technology products and accessories, with branches in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai, AMD aims to expand its presence in India and explore newer market segments for its professional graphic cards business.
With the explosion in multimedia and the growing importance of visual computing, the Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) and its massively parallel computing architecture is increasingly being leveraged by applications to manage and manipulate data. This is leading to the rapid adoption of latest technologies in the world of graphics not just in the field of entertainment, but other areas like education, retail, mission critical applications and other professional purposes – thereby representing huge business opportunity for AMD FireProTM professional graphics.
“AMD FirePro is one of the fastest growing lines of professional graphic cards," said Ed Caracappa - director of Global Sales, Professional Graphics, AMD. “From generation to generation of graphics performance, this success stems from our unwavering focus on the needs of the professional, where we offer a complete range of professional graphics solutions. We're pleased with the new relationship between AMD and TAG, as it enhances our route to market and gives us the leverage to expand our customer base in India, by adding to our existing base of consumers and entering new geographic segments where TAG has a strong foothold.”
“In the business for a little over 4 years, we take pride over our penetration in nationwide distribution that makes us one of the few specialized value added Video Graphics Array (VGA) distribution houses in India that caters to both consumers and professional segments of the VGA arena. AMD professional graphics cards here represent a high-growth, high-margin sales and service opportunity for our channel partners and growing IT components business, we therefore value our new-found relationship with AMD.” said Vikas Gupta, director, TAG (Technology And Gadget).
“This alliance adds to our business expertise and network and thereby gives us the ability to set new and competitive price barriers for our wide range of offerings that span over 100 products for both desktops and laptops.”
TAG and AMD share the philosophy to bring innovative solutions to market that provide an easier and more profitable way for channel partners and OEMs to deploy and manage business and therefore foresee this relationship as a key milestone in the expansion of professional graphics business in India.
Through this arrangement with TAG, one of the largest distributors of technology products and accessories, with branches in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai, AMD aims to expand its presence in India and explore newer market segments for its professional graphic cards business.
With the explosion in multimedia and the growing importance of visual computing, the Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) and its massively parallel computing architecture is increasingly being leveraged by applications to manage and manipulate data. This is leading to the rapid adoption of latest technologies in the world of graphics not just in the field of entertainment, but other areas like education, retail, mission critical applications and other professional purposes – thereby representing huge business opportunity for AMD FireProTM professional graphics.
“AMD FirePro is one of the fastest growing lines of professional graphic cards," said Ed Caracappa - director of Global Sales, Professional Graphics, AMD. “From generation to generation of graphics performance, this success stems from our unwavering focus on the needs of the professional, where we offer a complete range of professional graphics solutions. We're pleased with the new relationship between AMD and TAG, as it enhances our route to market and gives us the leverage to expand our customer base in India, by adding to our existing base of consumers and entering new geographic segments where TAG has a strong foothold.”
“In the business for a little over 4 years, we take pride over our penetration in nationwide distribution that makes us one of the few specialized value added Video Graphics Array (VGA) distribution houses in India that caters to both consumers and professional segments of the VGA arena. AMD professional graphics cards here represent a high-growth, high-margin sales and service opportunity for our channel partners and growing IT components business, we therefore value our new-found relationship with AMD.” said Vikas Gupta, director, TAG (Technology And Gadget).
“This alliance adds to our business expertise and network and thereby gives us the ability to set new and competitive price barriers for our wide range of offerings that span over 100 products for both desktops and laptops.”
TAG and AMD share the philosophy to bring innovative solutions to market that provide an easier and more profitable way for channel partners and OEMs to deploy and manage business and therefore foresee this relationship as a key milestone in the expansion of professional graphics business in India.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
ISCUG 2012: Call for contributions
BANGALORE, INDIA: The Indian SystemC User’s Group (ISCUG) aims to accelerate the adoption of SystemC in the Semiconductor Industry. ISCUG provides a platform for the SystemC beginners, SystemC experts, ESL managers and ESL vendors to share their knowledge, experiences and best practices about SystemC usage. The organizers are calling for contributions to ISCUG 2012 to be held Monday, April 9, 2012 in Bangalore.
Abstract Deadline: Wednesday, 15th Feb 2012
Submit your abstract upto 200 words at: iscug.in/submit_abstract
The final contribution will be a presentation of about 25 minute duration. The topic of the presentation can include all the use cases of SystemC including but not restricted to: Virtual platform for embedded software development, Architectural exploration, Performance optimization, High level synthsis (HLS), Analog Mixed-Signal (AMS) modeling etc. The presentation should not appear like a sales presentation and should not talk about any specific tools/offerings from a ESL vendor.
You may submit the abstract for the following category of sessions:
Getting started with SystemC
The target audience of this session will be the engineers who want to get started with SystemC modelling. The session will consist of one presentation of 50 minute duration or the two presentations of 25 minutes each.
Advanced modelling techniques
This session is for power users of SystemC to share their knowledge and experiences with the industry peers. The session will consist of three to four presentations of 25 minutes each.
ESL success story
In the session the semiconductor companies may share their case study about the usage of SystemC in their ESL flow. They will talk about the challenges faces, methodologies/techniques employed, and the success achieved by using SystemC in their flow. The session with consist of two presentations from two different semiconductor companies.
Abstract Deadline: Wednesday, 15th Feb 2012
Submit your abstract upto 200 words at: iscug.in/submit_abstract
The final contribution will be a presentation of about 25 minute duration. The topic of the presentation can include all the use cases of SystemC including but not restricted to: Virtual platform for embedded software development, Architectural exploration, Performance optimization, High level synthsis (HLS), Analog Mixed-Signal (AMS) modeling etc. The presentation should not appear like a sales presentation and should not talk about any specific tools/offerings from a ESL vendor.
You may submit the abstract for the following category of sessions:
Getting started with SystemC
The target audience of this session will be the engineers who want to get started with SystemC modelling. The session will consist of one presentation of 50 minute duration or the two presentations of 25 minutes each.
Advanced modelling techniques
This session is for power users of SystemC to share their knowledge and experiences with the industry peers. The session will consist of three to four presentations of 25 minutes each.
ESL success story
In the session the semiconductor companies may share their case study about the usage of SystemC in their ESL flow. They will talk about the challenges faces, methodologies/techniques employed, and the success achieved by using SystemC in their flow. The session with consist of two presentations from two different semiconductor companies.
RFaxis granted four fundamental patents for disruptive single-chip single die RFeIC technology
IRVINE, USA: RFaxis, a fabless semiconductor company focused on innovative, next-generation Radio Frequency (RF) solutions for the wireless connectivity and cellular mobility markets, has been awarded four patents for its revolutionary single-chip, single-die RF Front-end Integrated Circuit (RFeIC) architecture. These are the fundamental patents among the company’s substantial intellectual property (IP) portfolio which consists of more than 30 patents that have been filed to-date.
The patents are “Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit with Matching Circuit Voltage Divider,” “Multi Mode Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit,” “Multi Mode Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit with Inter-Stage Matching Circuit,” and “Multi Mode Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit with Inter-Stage Power Divider.”
“Our single-chip, single-die RFeIC architecture is process and materials agnostic, and can be implemented in all semiconductor technologies such as Gallium Arsenide-based HBT, Indium Phosphide-based HEMT, Silicon Germanium-based BiCMOS or pure bulk CMOS,” commented Dr. Oleksandr Gorbachov, CTO of RFaxis.
“We developed and productized our first-generation RFeICs including the RFX2401 for ZigBee and RFX2402 for WLAN using BiCMOS process in 2009. We have since successfully migrated these products to standard bulk CMOS process and are now shipping our second-generation, backwards-compatible products including RFX2401C and RFX2402C. We are in the process of launching several new pure CMOS-based RFeICs that serve major wireless protocols including WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth, ZigBee/ISM, and markets such as Smart Meters, Wireless Audio/Video and Home Automation, among others.”
“These four fundamental patents provide full protection for our main architecture,” said Mike Neshat, chairman and CEO of RFaxis. “Our disruptive RFeIC technology is now fully patented. We expect to have more patents granted in the coming weeks and months. Combining these patented architectures along with our in-house design methodologies and trade secrets, RFaxis is truly leading the way of ‘Bridging the RF Gap’ for the exponentially-growing wireless industry, as initially envisioned when we started the company four years ago.”
The patents are “Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit with Matching Circuit Voltage Divider,” “Multi Mode Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit,” “Multi Mode Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit with Inter-Stage Matching Circuit,” and “Multi Mode Radio Frequency Transceiver Front End Circuit with Inter-Stage Power Divider.”
“Our single-chip, single-die RFeIC architecture is process and materials agnostic, and can be implemented in all semiconductor technologies such as Gallium Arsenide-based HBT, Indium Phosphide-based HEMT, Silicon Germanium-based BiCMOS or pure bulk CMOS,” commented Dr. Oleksandr Gorbachov, CTO of RFaxis.
“We developed and productized our first-generation RFeICs including the RFX2401 for ZigBee and RFX2402 for WLAN using BiCMOS process in 2009. We have since successfully migrated these products to standard bulk CMOS process and are now shipping our second-generation, backwards-compatible products including RFX2401C and RFX2402C. We are in the process of launching several new pure CMOS-based RFeICs that serve major wireless protocols including WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth, ZigBee/ISM, and markets such as Smart Meters, Wireless Audio/Video and Home Automation, among others.”
“These four fundamental patents provide full protection for our main architecture,” said Mike Neshat, chairman and CEO of RFaxis. “Our disruptive RFeIC technology is now fully patented. We expect to have more patents granted in the coming weeks and months. Combining these patented architectures along with our in-house design methodologies and trade secrets, RFaxis is truly leading the way of ‘Bridging the RF Gap’ for the exponentially-growing wireless industry, as initially envisioned when we started the company four years ago.”
Cypress’s Tx-Boost feature for TrueTouch touchscreen controllers delivers three times higher signal-to-noise ratio without using digital filters
SAN JOSE, USA: Cypress Semiconductor Corp. unveiled a breakthrough feature for its Gen4 TrueTouch touchscreen controllers that dramatically improves system performance without added cost. Cypress has developed a new proprietary technology based on Gen4’s patent-pending high-voltage Tx drivers.
Tx-Boost extends Gen4’s performance leadership by delivering three times higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than previously possible. This is accomplished without the use of performance-robbing digital filters or external components, enabling manufacturer’s to produce the industry’s thinnest handsets and tablets with low material costs.
The key to excellent touchscreen performance in noisy environments is high SNR. Gen4 already delivers up to four times the raw SNR of the competition through its internally generated 10V Tx circuitry; whereas competitive offerings require customers to use large, expensive, and noisy external switching regulators to generate high-voltage Tx signaling.
The Tx-Boost feature, now available on all TrueTouch Gen4 devices, uses specialized hardware acceleration to triple the already best-in-class SNR of the Gen4 family. This high SNR enables manufacturers to employ sensor-on-lens with direct lamination to displays and in-cell architectures with flawless performance for the thinnest products in the market.
In addition, Tx-Boost efficiently parallelizes multiple operations in hardware, without burdening the CPU with costly digital filtering. This significantly increases Gen4’s scan speed, making the world’s fastest touchscreen controller even faster. These parallel operations also further improve Gen4’s industry-leading power consumption by increasing the amount of idle time during each scan period.
“We understand that touchscreen customers are in highly competitive markets and need constantly improving technology to stay ahead,” said Dhwani Vyas, VP, Cypress’s User Interface Business Unit. “We’re pleased to provide Tx-Boost to enable the industry’s best controller family to extend its leadership against competitive offerings. Customers who have seen this technology in action have been universally impressed.”
Tx-Boost extends Gen4’s performance leadership by delivering three times higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than previously possible. This is accomplished without the use of performance-robbing digital filters or external components, enabling manufacturer’s to produce the industry’s thinnest handsets and tablets with low material costs.
The key to excellent touchscreen performance in noisy environments is high SNR. Gen4 already delivers up to four times the raw SNR of the competition through its internally generated 10V Tx circuitry; whereas competitive offerings require customers to use large, expensive, and noisy external switching regulators to generate high-voltage Tx signaling.
The Tx-Boost feature, now available on all TrueTouch Gen4 devices, uses specialized hardware acceleration to triple the already best-in-class SNR of the Gen4 family. This high SNR enables manufacturers to employ sensor-on-lens with direct lamination to displays and in-cell architectures with flawless performance for the thinnest products in the market.
In addition, Tx-Boost efficiently parallelizes multiple operations in hardware, without burdening the CPU with costly digital filtering. This significantly increases Gen4’s scan speed, making the world’s fastest touchscreen controller even faster. These parallel operations also further improve Gen4’s industry-leading power consumption by increasing the amount of idle time during each scan period.
“We understand that touchscreen customers are in highly competitive markets and need constantly improving technology to stay ahead,” said Dhwani Vyas, VP, Cypress’s User Interface Business Unit. “We’re pleased to provide Tx-Boost to enable the industry’s best controller family to extend its leadership against competitive offerings. Customers who have seen this technology in action have been universally impressed.”
IR’s compact AUIR0815S automotive-qualified gate drive IC shrinks and simplifies power train design in hybrid and electric vehicles
EL SEGUNDO, USA: International Rectifier (IR), a world leader in power management technology, introduced the AUIR0815S automotive-qualified IC featuring very high output current in excess of 10 A to drive large IGBTs or MOSFETs in inverter stages for the power train of hybrid and electrical vehicles.
The AUIR0815S’ very low output impedance and power losses allow operation in harsh and high temperature environments. Typical output resistance is 90 mOhm sink and 180 mOhm source. The device also features negative Vgs driving and continuous on-state capability as a result of an integrated PMOS output in parallel to the high-side pull-up NMOS. The OUTH and OUTL separated outputs allow selection of two different external resistors for charging and discharging the gate essential for controlling EMI and CdV/dT effect in high power motor driver and SMPS applications.
“The AUIR0815 simplifies the design of inverter systems by offering high current drive capability with all of the necessary protection features and qualification requirements for the harsh automotive drive train environment,” said Davide Giacomini, director of Product Management and Applications, IR’s Automotive Products Business Unit.
At low input state on the IN pin, the OUTL is pulled down to VEE, allowing negative gate driving for margination and wide range of IGBT selection. Internal shoot-through prevention logic controls the OUTH and OUTL outputs to avoid simultaneous conduction to optimize dead time delay. In addition, a low current consumption mode can be activated through an LPM input pin, which reduces the IC consumption at the expenses of slower operation delays.
The device is qualified according to AEC-Q100 standards, housed in an industry standard SO-8 package that features an environmentally friendly, lead-free and RoHS compliant bill of materials, and is part of IR’s automotive quality initiative targeting zero defects.
The AUIR0815S’ very low output impedance and power losses allow operation in harsh and high temperature environments. Typical output resistance is 90 mOhm sink and 180 mOhm source. The device also features negative Vgs driving and continuous on-state capability as a result of an integrated PMOS output in parallel to the high-side pull-up NMOS. The OUTH and OUTL separated outputs allow selection of two different external resistors for charging and discharging the gate essential for controlling EMI and CdV/dT effect in high power motor driver and SMPS applications.
“The AUIR0815 simplifies the design of inverter systems by offering high current drive capability with all of the necessary protection features and qualification requirements for the harsh automotive drive train environment,” said Davide Giacomini, director of Product Management and Applications, IR’s Automotive Products Business Unit.
At low input state on the IN pin, the OUTL is pulled down to VEE, allowing negative gate driving for margination and wide range of IGBT selection. Internal shoot-through prevention logic controls the OUTH and OUTL outputs to avoid simultaneous conduction to optimize dead time delay. In addition, a low current consumption mode can be activated through an LPM input pin, which reduces the IC consumption at the expenses of slower operation delays.
The device is qualified according to AEC-Q100 standards, housed in an industry standard SO-8 package that features an environmentally friendly, lead-free and RoHS compliant bill of materials, and is part of IR’s automotive quality initiative targeting zero defects.
GSI reports developments related to pending patent litigation with Cypress
SUNNYVALE, USA: GSI Technology Inc. responded to Cypress Semiconductor Corp.’s January 18, 2012 press release regarding the status of pending patent litigation between the two companies.
Lee-Lean Shu, GSI’s president and CEO, noted: "In its most recent press release, Cypress has once again chosen to make misleading statements in the press rather than fight the lawsuit on the merits before the International Trade Commission (ITC). Their press release states: 'Cypress expands its patent infringement complaint.' In truth," said Shu, "contrary to Cypress’ report, the judge in the ITC proceeding specifically denied Cypress’ request to expand its complaint – Order No. 20: Denying Complainant Cypress Semiconductor Corp.’s Motion for Leave to Amend the Complaint (dated January 4, 2012).
"Further, the only recent order allowing the expansion of the pleadings in the proceeding was an order allowing GSI to amend its responsive pleading – Order No. 22: Granting Respondents’ Motion for Leave to Amend Their Responses to the Second Amended Complaint and Notice of Investigation (dated January 9, 2012).
“The facts are that GSI has had a remarkable series of victories during the pre-trial phase of the ITC proceeding,” continued Shu. "In another recent order, for example, the judge also denied a motion by Cypress that would have expanded the scope of Cypress’ discovery. In addition, the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has issued initial office actions rejecting a number of claims of the Cypress patents as invalid on the basis of prior art, as GSI announced in November."
“It continues to be Cypress’ strategy to attempt to intimidate customers and prospective purchasers of GSI’s technologically superior products by making misleading statements about developments in the patent litigation,” said Didier Lasserre, GSI’s VP of Worldwide Sales. “As the March 2012 trial date approaches, Cypress seems to be ratcheting up these efforts,” he added.
“We remain confident in our position on the merits of the case and look forward to prevailing at the trial in March,” said Shu. “In fact," he added, "on January 19, 2012, we filed motions for summary determination seeking a pre-trial ruling that GSI and the other respondents do not infringe any of the Cypress patents asserted against them.”
Lee-Lean Shu, GSI’s president and CEO, noted: "In its most recent press release, Cypress has once again chosen to make misleading statements in the press rather than fight the lawsuit on the merits before the International Trade Commission (ITC). Their press release states: 'Cypress expands its patent infringement complaint.' In truth," said Shu, "contrary to Cypress’ report, the judge in the ITC proceeding specifically denied Cypress’ request to expand its complaint – Order No. 20: Denying Complainant Cypress Semiconductor Corp.’s Motion for Leave to Amend the Complaint (dated January 4, 2012).
"Further, the only recent order allowing the expansion of the pleadings in the proceeding was an order allowing GSI to amend its responsive pleading – Order No. 22: Granting Respondents’ Motion for Leave to Amend Their Responses to the Second Amended Complaint and Notice of Investigation (dated January 9, 2012).
“The facts are that GSI has had a remarkable series of victories during the pre-trial phase of the ITC proceeding,” continued Shu. "In another recent order, for example, the judge also denied a motion by Cypress that would have expanded the scope of Cypress’ discovery. In addition, the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has issued initial office actions rejecting a number of claims of the Cypress patents as invalid on the basis of prior art, as GSI announced in November."
“It continues to be Cypress’ strategy to attempt to intimidate customers and prospective purchasers of GSI’s technologically superior products by making misleading statements about developments in the patent litigation,” said Didier Lasserre, GSI’s VP of Worldwide Sales. “As the March 2012 trial date approaches, Cypress seems to be ratcheting up these efforts,” he added.
“We remain confident in our position on the merits of the case and look forward to prevailing at the trial in March,” said Shu. “In fact," he added, "on January 19, 2012, we filed motions for summary determination seeking a pre-trial ruling that GSI and the other respondents do not infringe any of the Cypress patents asserted against them.”
Renesas Electronics announces low-loss silicon carbide (SiC) power device series
TOKYO, JAPAN: Renesas Electronics Corp. announced the availability of three silicon carbide (SiC) compound power devices, the RJQ6020DPM, the RJQ6021DPM and the RJQ6022DPM, respectively, that incorporate multiple SiC diodes and multiple power transistors in a single package to compose a power converter circuit or switching circuit.
These are the second series of power semiconductor products from Renesas to employ SiC, a new material effective in reducing loss, and they are intended for use in home appliances such as air conditioners, PC servers, and power electronics products such as solar power generation systems.
Recently, efforts to reduce the power consumption of electric devices have progressed to address considerations such as environmental protection, and demand has increased for higher efficiency in a variety of electrical products. In particular, a strong trend can be seen toward boosting power conversion efficiency and operating efficiency to reduce power consumption in power switching circuits for products such as air conditioners, communication base stations, PC servers, and solar power generation systems, and in inverter circuits for applications such as motors and industrial equipment.
This has spurred demand for power devices with improved efficiency and lower loss characteristics. Renesas responded by introducing SiC Schottky barrier diode (SiC-SBD) products employing SiC to achieve reduced loss. This is now followed by a series of SiC compound power devices that implement a circuit (switching, power conversion, etc.) in a single package by combining an SiC-SBD and high-power MOSFETs or IGBTs.
The new products have a voltage tolerance of 600 V and use an SiC diode based on low-leakage SiC-SBD technology developed jointly by Hitachi Ltd and Renesas. They combine low loss and compactness and are available in a fully molded TO-3P package with a 5-pin configuration and pin assignments optimized for specific applications, making it easy to configure a circuit unit incorporating them.
These are the second series of power semiconductor products from Renesas to employ SiC, a new material effective in reducing loss, and they are intended for use in home appliances such as air conditioners, PC servers, and power electronics products such as solar power generation systems.
Recently, efforts to reduce the power consumption of electric devices have progressed to address considerations such as environmental protection, and demand has increased for higher efficiency in a variety of electrical products. In particular, a strong trend can be seen toward boosting power conversion efficiency and operating efficiency to reduce power consumption in power switching circuits for products such as air conditioners, communication base stations, PC servers, and solar power generation systems, and in inverter circuits for applications such as motors and industrial equipment.
This has spurred demand for power devices with improved efficiency and lower loss characteristics. Renesas responded by introducing SiC Schottky barrier diode (SiC-SBD) products employing SiC to achieve reduced loss. This is now followed by a series of SiC compound power devices that implement a circuit (switching, power conversion, etc.) in a single package by combining an SiC-SBD and high-power MOSFETs or IGBTs.
The new products have a voltage tolerance of 600 V and use an SiC diode based on low-leakage SiC-SBD technology developed jointly by Hitachi Ltd and Renesas. They combine low loss and compactness and are available in a fully molded TO-3P package with a 5-pin configuration and pin assignments optimized for specific applications, making it easy to configure a circuit unit incorporating them.
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