SMSC reduces power consumption of automotive infotainment

HAUPPAUGE, USA: SMSC, a leading semiconductor company that provides Smart Mixed-signal Connectivity solutions, announced the MPM85000, a low-cost, single-chip solution for power management of Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) devices.

Seeing the need to eliminate several discrete electronic components, SMSC’s MPM85000 combines all necessary peripheral functions to implement a MOST network interface such as diagnostics, status monitoring and power supply.

The MPM85000 offers a small footprint 4x4mm², 24-pin QFN package and can be used for all MOST speed grades and physical interfaces whether an Electrical Physical Layer (ePHY) or Optical Physical Layer (oPHY). The internal 3.3V regulator supplies power to the fiber-optical receiver (FOR) for the plastic-fiber-based oPHY interfaces.

While in sleep-mode, the MPM85000’s current can be reduced to 30uA, which fulfills today’s requirement to lower overall power consumption within a car. Additionally, the monitoring logic detects switch-to-power and wake-up events, and observes temperature and up to three configurable voltage levels. All operational states are reported to the MOST Intelligent Network Interface Controller (INIC) and to an external host controller (EHC).

SMSC’s MPM85000 includes an integrated diagnostic LIN transceiver that supports ring-break diagnosis, wake-up and diagnostics communication according to the Electrical Control Line specification (ECL).

The internal power-on-reset generator allows a save power up for the INIC, the EHC and, if used in MOST25 and MOST150 networks, also for the fiber optic transmitter (FOT). Implemented in MOST50 devices, the MPM85000 supports network activity detection on the ePHY interface for wake-up via the MOST network.

The MPM85000 focuses on the MOST-specific power management and does not include specific application power supply functionality. This makes it generically useable across all kinds of devices, independent from their specific power supply requirements regarding voltage and power.

Therefore, the IC can be used in all types of devices from small node setups such as amplifiers to complex head units.

“The MPM85000 offers a highly integrated power management solution for the infotainment network within the car,” said Stefan Lux, Product Manager for SMSC’s Automotive Information Systems product line. “Through a single-chip solution, designers of infotainment systems benefit from board space savings, shorter development times and lower cost regardless of the MOST device configuration. The end result provides designers’ an efficient, yet more robust system compared to a solution built solely on discrete components.”

Samples of the MPM85000 are available today.

ST's Cartesio+ processor for automotive infotainment and PNS

SINGAPORE: STMicroelectronics has introduced Cartesio+, a new application processor with embedded GPS for next-generation in-car and portable navigation systems.

Combining superior processing power and positioning accuracy with a rich set of integrated peripherals, ST’s Cartesio+ enables cost- and space-efficient navigation and infotainment applications with enhanced user experience.

“Capitalizing on the success of the first-generation Cartesio application processor, which made ST into one of the leading suppliers for GPS- enabled System-on-Chip ICs, the next-generation Cartesio+ offers high integration and high-performance features, while meeting the constraints of cost-sensitive applications,” said Domenico Rossi, General Manager of ST’s Car Radio and Multimedia Division.

“It is a cutting-edge System-on-Chip device that offers high-sensitivity embedded positioning capabilities and meets the power requirements of portable applications, while satisfying the most stringent automotive quality constraints.”

The Cartesio+ System-on-Chip is manufactured in ST’s 55nm process technology and integrates a powerful ARM1176 processor with a GPS/Galileo positioning subsystem enhanced with indoor sensitivity, an advanced 3D graphics engine, and a large set of connectivity peripherals, including multiple SD/MMC, CAN and USB with integrated physical layers.

The device’s embedded graphics acceleration engine is optimized for 3D map content rendering using ST’s patented anti-aliasing technique, which smoothes jagged edges in digital images improving map readability, without impacting on processor performance.

Cartesio+ also integrates a video input port for connecting auxiliary devices, such as a rear-view camera for safe parking, and a hardware JPEG decoder for fast picture browsing without taxing the chip’s main processing resources.

Cartesio+ also offers advanced power management capabilities, based on ‘power island’ technology, which allows areas of the chip to operate at different voltage levels. The device also supports dynamic scaling of the core frequency to improve battery life for portable applications.

To support customer designs, ST offers a complete cost-optimized kit for portable navigation devices, built around Cartesio+, which couples the application processor with ST’s STA5630 advanced GPS RF chip with integrated Low-Noise Amplifier, and three other key components from the Company’s rich portfolio: the STW4210 power management chip, an audio processing amplifier/LED display driver, and the STA2500D Bluetooth controller.

Building on ST’s world-class abilities in automotive technologies and applications, the new Cartesio+ processor has been designed to meet the specific and rigorous demands for quality and reliability in the automotive market.

Cartesio+ is a scalable device available with two different feature sets: the STA2064 and STA2065, which have been optimized for BOM-sensitive and performance-demanding applications, respectively.

Samples are available now to lead customers, with volume production scheduled for December 2009.