http://www.electronics-eetimes.com/en/Learning-center/white-papers-full.html  Embedded Systems are increasingly subject to threats of intrusion and theft of the design and the IP associated with the design. The design implementation choice, if it includes advanced Design Security features, can protect the design and its IP from even the most aggressive intrusion or tampering. Microsemi's SmartFusion2 SoC FPGAs have best-in-class Design Security features that protect the system. This white paper will demonstrate how SmartFusion2 SoC FPGAs and the associated design environment make it easy to protect your IP without the need to become a security 'expert'.]]>  With the ever changing requirements in the audio market, there have been many advancements in audio amplifier topologies. Knowing the types of audio amplifiers available and the characteristics associated with them is essential in selecting the best audio amp IC for your application. This tutorial examines the most important characteristics of each class of audio amp available today.]]>  Today, engineers need reliable data fast, and to ensure compliance with regulations for electromagnetic compatibility in the most economical way, appropriate measures must be taken early in the design phase. This paper provides a brief introduction to embedded EMI troubleshooting challenges and how to use a digital oscilloscope to debug the two key culprits of EMI-switching power supplies and power amplifiers.]]>  This white paper describes the influence of device scaling on NBTI, the physical mechanisms involved, kinetic models, and explains its impact on device characteristics. In addition, the paper presents information on how recovery occurs under pulsed operation. Recovery is good news, because the lifetime of a device is longer under pulsed conditions, which is the case for most device and circuit applications.]]>  LEDs are being rolled out as replacements for incandescent lighting throughout the world. The Chinese government has a very strong commitment to LEDs, especially in street lighting. In the U.S. and Canada, the LED market share of lighting is estimated at around 7 percent. LEDs offer many advantages that are compounded by the length of time they are used. Greg Quirk from Mouser Electronics gives an overview of this process in the different countries and introduces the role of OLEDs.]]>  : Traditional overvoltage protection schemes involving a fuse are not suitable for protecting modern FPGAs, ASICs and microprocessors, particularly when the upstream voltage rail is 24V or 28V nominal. A new solution has been created, combining a 38V-rated, 10A DC/DC switching regulator with circuitry to defend against many faults, including output overvoltage. Power and protection for today's most advanced digital logic devices are now available in one compact device.]]>  This white paper discusses the implementation of Intel's new generation Core Processor Platform in its series of Embedded boards available in most popular form factors and bus technologies. Benefits include lower power, higher speed, much better graphics, 6Gb/s SATA ports, as well as I/O flexibility allowing to set ports to USB 2.0 or 3.0]]>  The LT®3791 is a 4-switch synchronous buck-boost DC/DC converter that regulates both constant-current and constant-voltage at up to 98.5% efficiency with a single inductor. It can deliver hundreds of watts and features a 60V input and output rating, making it ideal for driving high power LED strings and charging high voltage batteries when both step-up and step-down conversion is needed.]]>  It may sound trite, but it is definitely true: the smart grid has the potential to completely transform the energy industry. However, smart meters and grid management alone will not ensure the success of the smart grid. Unlike traditional IT networks, smart grids require consideration of energy measurement and security. ]]>  Europe needs unrestricted access to sustainable solutions for its societal challenges; it needs industrial drive for wealth creation and global competitiveness; and it needs to step up research and innovation. The nanoelectronics industry is key to solving Europe's societal challenges; its products and innovations are essential in all market segments where Europe is a recognized global leader; and the intensity of its industrial research and innovation is among the highest in the world.]]>  Innovation is the cornerstone of the semiconductor industry and has been responsible for massive changes in all parts of the industry, from design through fabrication, assembly and test. The foundational requirements of innovation in design are changing; they are expanding in scope. Point solutions that locally optimize a single design process by some metric, such as power, are more often than not proving to be a net disruption to design closure, rather than a benefit.]]>  It is sometimes assumed, erroneously, that basing a product on open standards and delivering a distinct user experience are mutually exclusive options. Quite the opposite. HTML5, for example, offers all the benefits of a widely supported standard, including a large community of developers and the ability to integrate in-car infotainment systems with virtually all smartphones and tablets. But it also allows automakers to control look-and-feel, modality of control, and end-user personalization.]]>  The continuing growth of portable handheld devices has spawned a healthy selection of aftermarket battery pack suppliers. Both the OEM and end user pay a price when counterfeit battery replacements are chosen. The quantifiable impact of imitation battery packs to the OEM includes increased safety risks for their ustomers, greater product returns due to non-performing batteries, reduced customer satisfaction, and reduced revenue for batteries supplied by the original manufacturer. This paper details some of the safety issues observed in counterfeit battery packs and presents options to implement a prevention program to control the aftermarket ecosystem.]]>  This white paper compares FPGAs and GPUs floating-point performance and design flows. In the last few years, GPUs have moved beyond graphics become powerful floating-point processing platforms, known as GP-GPUs, that offer high rates of peak FLOPs. FPGAs, traditionally used for fixed-point digital signal processing (DSP), now offer competing levels of floating-point processing, making them candidates for backend radar processing acceleration.]]>  Development teams are facing a gargantuan task: creating the 50-billion devices that will transform life, as we know it on the Internet of Things. Every single one of those devices requires software, with increasing complexity and expectations. The best efforts to measure and enhance programmer productivity and developer processes fall short in the face of an exponential rise in the demand for robust software. The only solution: more reuse.]]>  This whitepaper details Congatec AG's new COM Express product range based on 3rd generation Intel Core processors and Mobile Intel® QM77 Express Chipset.The 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors set the standard today for embedded processors. Shrinking the manufacturing process from 32nm to 22nm and introducing a new technology with 3D Tri-Gate transistors results in smaller die sizes that reduce the cost of manufacturing and increase power efficiency as much as 25%]]>  The circuit is a complete thermocouple signal conditioning circuit with cold junction compensation followed by a 16-bit sigma-delta (Σ-Δ) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The circuit provides a compact low cost solution for thermocouple signal conditioning and high resolution analog-to-digital conversion.]]>  In automotive, industrial and avionic applications, high voltage power supply spikes with durations ranging from a few microseconds to hundreds of milliseconds are commonly encountered. The electronics within these systems must not only survive transient voltage spikes, but in many cases also operate reliably throughout the event. In systems where power is distributed over long wires, severe transients are generated by load steps (abrupt changes in load current).]]>  In today's world of high-speed A/D converters operating in the gigahertz range, real-time signal recording has become a challenging task. When designing a real-time recorder capable of streaming sustained data to disk at rates of up to 4 GB/sec and beyond, the developer has to consider the limitations presented by the operating and file systems, disk drive technology, the hardware interfaces, and the RAID controller technology. ]]>  Field-Oriented Control has become the preferred option for many of the motor drives used in industrial and consumer applications. However, despite an abundance of suitable IP being available to developers, delivering true solutions requires a high degree of support - including intuitive tools to help visualise the motor's behaviour. This paper describes a method that enables fast set up and tuning of motor control systems.]]>  Why should you use Design Rules when considering Robotic Conformal Coating Processing? The Rules for Selective Conformal Coating are straightforward. Follow them and you can save money and time in your application process. However, if the Rules are not followed, the resultant circuit board design can challenge even the most sophisticated conformal coating system and its operator to achieve the finish desired.]]>  System level simulations are not easy. Adding individual integrated or discrete component's foundry/supplier kits to the system simulation adds complexity. Through Skyworks' BlackBox model for the low noise figure SKY67151-396LF LNA, which does not include any extra modeling kits, customers can accurately simulate and predict small and large signal performance.]]>  Wireless interconnects at low to medium speeds (below 1 Gbps) allow efficient state exchange (power states, thermal throttling states, performance states, component profile deviation), system process control (power states, tuning optimization, emergency triggers for power delivery, and so on), platform test and debug in an isolated environment, on-board component testing, and cooperative tuning and control. ]]>  The AR FA7000 series of patent pending Field Analyzers provide significant advantages over conventional RF and Thermocouple based field probes. The sample rate of these breakthrough products is significantly faster than conventional probes with a rate of 1,5 million samples per second, allowing for accurate measurement of modulated and pulsed electric fields in the microsecond range. ]]>  This application note describes a 16-bit, 100 kSPS successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system that has a drive amplifier that is optimized for a low system power dissipation of 7.35 mW for input signals up to 1 kHz and sampling rates of 100 kSPS.This approach is highly useful in portable battery powered or multichannel applications, or where power dissipation is critical.]]>  Two compact, efficient bulb-replacement design ideas. By moving to a buck boost topology, PI is able to achieve a combination of performance that has not been possible up to now. Previously if a design was required to deliver very high efficiency, a high output voltage was required. However, this concession to efficiency resulted in unacceptably low power factor and total harmonic distortion that made such solutions unusable for worldwide lighting applications. ]]>  Positioning systems in processing machines, precision measuring instruments, and handling robots require fast logging of position data and also quick recognition of any changes. High resolution encoders and linear scales feed position data to the central control through an encoder interface. This interface must be selected so that it satisfies the timing requirements of the control unit. This White Paper describes the requirements, alternatives, and possible solutions to select the best interface.]]>  Utilizing embedded microcontrollers for industrial applications requires special attention given the harsh and noisy environment. Going from a supply voltage as low as +1.5V or +3.3V to the +24V industrial world requires careful design decisions and dedicated solutions to achieve safe and reliable operation. The following white paper describes the different challenges and design considerations to be made, as well as potential solutions to maximize functional safety and ease of serviceability. ]]>  Power Factor Corrected AC rectification has been addressed in a variety of ways over the past three decades; however, the wide variation of worldwide AC line has imposed significant design trade-offs. This paper explains how the Vicor PFM converter represents a breakthrough by analyzing the converter structure at three different levels of detail: in a classic bottom-up approach, three different “magnification factors” will be applied to the same structure.]]>  This white paper discusses the surprisingly complex hardware and software design considerations that engineers must take into account when designing M2M products. Specific topics include; environment, mechanical form factor, power source (AC, DC, solar, battery), network communications , interface to sensors , and embedded computer board requirements (CPU type, processor speed, operating system, data storage)]]>  Flyback converters are widely used in isolated DC/DC applications because of their relative simplicity and low cost compared to alternative isolated topologies. Even so, designing a traditional flyback is not easy - the transformer requires careful design, and loop compensation is complicated by the well known right-half plane (RHP) zero and the propagation delay of the opto-coupler.]]>  Diodes quick response time and low voltage consumption make them ideal and it is assumed that they perform this function. We will look primarily at the effects of temperature on forward bias voltage drop, capacitance, and reverse current leakage ]]>  In this white paper, DfR worked to optimize an extruded aluminum heat sink for an IGBT module in a low-cost, high-volume design. Reliability requirements , harsh environments , limited ability to perform maintenance , and cost constraints eliminated forced air cooling as a practical solution ]]>  Current lighting technology is long overdue for an overhaul. The light bulb as we know it is inefficient, fades over time, requires a high degree of maintenance, is fragile, and has a short lifetime]]>  This article considers a number of inductive sensing applications to give an appreciation for the technology and how these systems work. It concludes by highlighting the importance of energy efficient solutions using microcontrollers that have been optimized for ultra low power sensing applications, such as the Energy Micro EFM32 Gecko series MCUs that can monitor sensor inputs autonomously without needing to continually wake the processor from a low-energy sleep mode.]]>  Given that schematic design is complicated and mistakes are costly, the more systematic the design and test process the more reliably products will be delivered to schedule. This paper highlights three key practices: circuit reuse, design reviews and thorough testing that will develop a robust design and validation plan and will minimize schematic issues to insure a faster product delivery]]>  This paper explores using an electronic load (eLOAD) as an HBLED load simulator. It details how to use a simple standard feature of the AMREL load functionality, V(on), to simulate the forward voltage turn on of the HBLED string. The constant resistance control mode is then used to set the nominal operating point. In addition, it briefly explores the use of multiple loads to simulate more complex parallel string and matrix configurations.]]>  Dealing with noise is an important aspect of any real-world electronic system, including a touchscreen in a cell phone or tablet. While there are many sources of noise that can interfere with capacitive touch sensing, the most prominent ones originate in displays and battery chargers. This white paper explores considerations for dealing with noise issues in touchscreen design.]]>  Since the invention of the laser by Theodore H Maiman 50 years ago, lasers have found widespread applications in various technological fields, such as telecommunications, industrial production, and sensor and measurement equipment. This White Paper describes the design of fast driver circuits, PCB layouts and optical measurement considerations, as well as a solution to achieve an ideal design for pulses as short as 2.5 ns. ]]>  The need for higher power density in today's electronic systems combined with higher overall efficiency has driven many changes in the Non-isolated Point-of-Load Regulator (niPOL). While the solutions developed work well over a narrow voltage range, the efficiency and throughput power tend to drop dramatically when they are subjected to a wide input range. This paper looks at a new ZVS buck regulator topology and explains how it is able to achieve very high power density, efficiency, throughput power capability and a wide dynamic range.]]>  The electronics in a (hybrid) electric vehicle battery are the key to performance and safety. New advances in integrated circuit design are allowing battery pack designers to derive more performance from Li-ion batteries. Better measurement accuracy, more robust data links, and the active balancing of cells results in lower cost, longer drive cycles, and quicker charging.]]>  FPGAs have become an increasingly important resource for software radio systems. Programmable logic technology now offers significant advantages for implementing software radio functions such as DDCs (Digital Downconverters). For many applications, this implementation shift brings advantages that include higher precision processing, higher channel density, lower power, and lower cost.]]>  The world is flat, because it becomes increasingly mobile, fast, connected, and secure. People expect to move around easily with their mobile devices, keeping close communications with their partners and family, enjoying the versatile usage models and infinite contents, and without worrying about the device and data management. These all put requirements on the mobile devices, of which the mobile OS is the soul. ]]>  Guideline to decide the proper test method for boards and systems in an assembly line of an EMS provider or in the field. Questions relevant for the operator as well as the test engineer who decides about the deployment of the Boundary Scan System M1. Specials regarding the benefits of Boundary Scan acc. to IEEE 1149.1 are also touched.]]>  PROFIBUS is the digital fieldbus technology with the highest distribution worldwide, providing advantages for all types of applications. The centerpiece of these applications is the PROFIBUS DP Master which controls the communication via this fieldbus. This White Paper gives an overview of the implementation aspects of a PROFIBUS DP Master based on FPGA technology and discusses the advantages of using this solution in comparison to conventional approaches.]]>  The Texas Instruments High Reliability (HiRel) group offers a wide range of semiconductors for use in harsh environments. Many applications need electronics that operate outside the typical industrial operating temperature range and even beyond the standard military temperature range of -55°C to +125°C.]]>  Why should you worry about implementing temperature sensing? Can't you just put the sensor near your inductor and lay out your circuit any way you want? Unfortunately, poor routing can sacrifice temperature measurement performance and compensation. The purpose of this ap- plication note is to allow you the opportunity to get it right the first time, so you don't have to change the layout after your board is fabricated.]]>  The new Bluetooth Low-Energy (LE) technology has been specified by the Bluetooth® SIG(Special Interest Group) within the latest Bluetooth® 4.0 standard to provide an effective platform for a new generation of smart, networked applications. The path to easy access to this technology is possible via enhanced full system LSI devices and embedded software integration. This paper looks at the background to the technology and describes an implementation that simplifies the adoption of Bluetooth in a wide range of embedded applications.]]>  What You Need to Know Before Getting Aboard the Cloud. Everybody is speaking about the cloud. Perhaps you've been told one hundred reasons why you should be on the cloud, the huge good it will do for your bottom-line, the ability to save on IT staff and hardware, better efficiency and so on. This papers tells what the real facts are like. ]]>  The global regulatory environment surrounding the legislation of external power supply efficiency and no-load power draw has rapidly evolved over the past decade since the California Energy Commission (CEC) implemented the first mandatory standard in 2004. Mandating higher average efficiencies in external power supplies has undoubtedly had a real impact on global power consumption. ]]>  Multiple thermal energy harvesting evaluation kits exist nowadays. Are they good ? Most are simply created by connecting two existing evaluation systems and put them in a new box: the power management one and microcontroller. ]]>  During the last few years the mobile platforms industry has aggressively introduced multiprocessing in response to the ever increasing performance demanded by the market. ]]>  PROFIBUS PA is the digital fieldbus technology with the highest distribution worldwide, which, in comparison to legacy analog communication, provides advantages for use in process automation applications and thus is supported in an increasing number of field devices. This White Paper discusses the individual hardware and software aspects of implementing a PROFIBUS PA field device.]]>  When looking at color correction or control solutions in LED lighting systems - these are often regarded as an expensive add-on. But actually it is possible to reduce the overall costs and future maintenance costs of a lighting system by using direct feedback solutions. This article demonstrates how to resolve various issues LED engineers have to cope with. ]]>  Description: This paper looks at the trend in control electronics for high power stepper motors, used particularly in CNC machines, and describes a modern solution that delivers power, processing and cost efficiency.]]>  MTF Testing Shows Optos are More Reliable. This investigative report includes repeatable, mean-time-to-failure testing of the three most popular isolation barrier solutions: optocouplers, capacitive and magnetic isolators; in SOIC packages. This whitepaper is a must read for designers, specifiers and technicians that include safety isolation barriers in their designs.]]>  The document describes a non-isolated, high efficiency, high power factor (PF) LED driver designed to drive a nominal LED string voltage of 85 V at 240 mA from an input voltage range of 195 VAC to 265 VAC (47 Hz – 63 Hz). The LED driver utilizes the LNK460KG from the LinkSwitch-PL family of ICs. ]]>  Demonstration circuit 1774A-C features the LTC®6431-15 gain block amplifier. The demo board DC1774A-C is optimized for a frequency range from 100MHz to 1200MHz. It incorporates a minimum of passive support components to configure the amplifier for various applications. The LTC6431-15 provides 50Ω single-ended input and output impedance so that it can be easily evaluated with most RF test equipment]]>   The Ethernet AVB Protocol (IEEE1722+IEEE1588 or 802.1AS) is a standard that formally brings a QoS and synchronization implementation to Ethernet. By providing global time synchronization mechanism combined with a protocol of prioritization of streams as they pass through switches, Ethernet AVB offers an Isochronous environment similar to that of the MOST bus. Ethernet AVB protocol allows widespread proliferation of Ethernet standard in Automotive, Pro-AV and Pro-Audio systems. ]]>  This note discusses the potential issues that can arise when making Digital Audio measurements on devices that have incompatible logic levels. Focus is on the test of low voltage devices and the unique flexibility of the Agilent U8903A Audio Analyzer.]]>  In the circuit, the ADuCM360 is connected to a Type T thermocouple and a 100 Ω platinum resistance temperature detector (RTD). The RTD is used for cold junction compensation. The low power Cortex-M3 core converts the ADC readings to a real temperature value. The Type T temperature range supported is −200°C to +350°C, and this temperature range is converted to an output current range of 4 mA to 20 mA.]]>  Improving power management for PCs and devices offers value in three important areas: user experience (UX), operational expenses (OpEx), and responsibility. For any mobile device effective power management is key to providing long battery life and facilitating an instant-on, always-connected experience. In Windows 7*, Microsoft made significant improvements in efficiency and power management. Windows 8 builds on Windows 7 in three key areas: OS platform efficiency (idle hygiene), runtime device power management, and a Metro style application model. ]]>  To best understand the current opportunities found in the rapid adoption of cloud computing technology, you must visit the past so you can adapt to the future. Author Reuven Cohen takes us on a guided journey through the cloud like no other person can. So sit back and enjoy the ride into the future of computing.]]>  In consumer electronics devices, adding a software-programmable SIMD solution in the CPU can add flexibility for emerging codecs and functions not covered by dedicated hardware. The MIPS SIMD Architecture (MSA) module adds new instructions to the MIPS architecture that enable efficient parallel processing of vector operations. The MSA is designed specifically to accelerate compute-intensive applications with generic compiler support.]]>  This paper describes and illustrates some of the applications for which the GE Intelligent Platforms ICS-8580 rugged video processor is an ideal solution. It has the flexibility and features to greatly ease the system integration burden by providing one platform that can be used in many different ways. The ICS-8580 and the standalone daq8580 are truly unique products in the rugged COTS market.]]>  Superjunction MOSFETs are able to deliver a combination of high conduction and switching efficiency, small die area and high breakdown voltage that conventional devices cannot achieve. This article explains how superjunction technology delivers these benefits for designers, and examines the latest developments that will enable performance to be further extended in the future.]]>  This article looks at how different types of resistive sensors operate and the measurement processes involved. In particular, the article considers measurement methods pertinent to microcontroller-based systems where dedicated on-chip peripheral circuits allow sensors to be monitored autonomously, without waking the processor from a sleep mode.]]>  This white paper describes how the high peak but short duration pulsed loads typical of ultra low power wireless applications affect Energizer® CR2032 coin cell batteries. The white paper leads on to describe how to design circuits to maximize coin cell battery life in ultra low power wireless applications]]>  Each generation of high end processors, FPGAs and ASICs demands more power, but even as power supplies are expected to carry significantly heavier loads, they are given less board space to do so. It is now common for POL (point-of-load) supplies to produce multiple voltage rails at tens of amps to over a hundred amps at low, ≤1V, output voltages, and in less space than the generation before.]]>  Networked cameras are seeing rapid adoption in several large and growing segments such as Automotive for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and Digital Home & Industrial for surveillance and infotainment applications. These applications are characterized by the need for energy efficient, size and cost effective products with acceptable levels of Quality of Service (QoS) and emissions.]]>  The growth of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, wireless financial transactions, and multimedia applications is attracting the attention of thieves and creating new avenues for attack. Data-at-rest protection protocols are a crucial tool for keeping connected systems safe. This paper discusses how to apply modern data-at-rest protection protocols to intelligent systems.]]>  Although it was initially designed for office and IT environments, USB was quickly adopted by industry as well. Its simplicity and interoperability made it too useful to ignore. But USB has built-in vulnerabilities that can cause trouble when it is used in real-world applications. For example, its ability to carry 5 VDC power to peripherals means that USB devices are very susceptible to ground loops, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electrostatic discharges (ESD).]]>  The power consumption of WirelessHART field devices is substantially influenced by the configuration. Based on experimental measurements and theoretical examinations, the White Paper explains the components of WirelessHART field devices, discusses their power consumption by way of an example scenario, and provides an important basis for decision-making on the use of WirelessHART technology. In addition, the document gives tips on how to configure a WirelessHART network and field devices.]]>  The advancements in video wall technology are opening up more windows on the world, from digital signage in sports, entertainment, shopping and other public venues, to mission-critical control rooms for military operations, power and energy, factory automation, transportation management, security and surveillance. ]]>  The retail industry is experiencing a revolution on a par with the introduction of plastic payments in the 1950s or the launch of the internet and e-commerce in the early 1990s. The mobile device, a gadget we check more than 200 times every day, is changing the way we discover and buy products and services. This white paper looks in details at this revolution and the strategies that retailers can devise to make the most of this wave.]]>  Nowadays a lot of networking products needs time-bound job completion in addition to high throughput-performance. E.g., an LTE Home eNode-B (HeNB) has to provide high LTE traffic handling capability and an upper bound on latency in processing of LTE sub-frame. It has always been a challenge for Linux kernel, to support these two requirements simultaneously; reduced latencies and high throughput. ]]>  Description: As NAND Flash memory moves towards more advanced process nodes, the cost of devices is reduced but the cells become more vulnerable to program/erase stresses. The new technology requires more Error Correction Code (ECC). Unfortunately, many chipsets or controllers are unable to perform more than 1-bit or 4-bit ECC. BENAND™, an SLC-NAND with internal ECC, takes this challenge from the controller. This paper describes how BENAND can be smoothly integrated into industrial and other applications.]]>  This white paper looks at a number of capacitive sensing applications to understand how they operate and the benefits they offer over alternative solutions. It then goes on to consider how concerns regarding energy consumption can be mitigated using a microcontroller (MCU) that can remain in an ultra-low power, deep-sleep mode while still being able to detect and respond to sensor inputs quickly and reliably.]]>  As IT moves into the era of “new IT”, cloud and related technologies are moving quickly. Many factors including cost constraints and consumerization of IT are driving these changes. Open source is leading the innovation tide and playing an indispensible role in shaping the future of new IT. ]]>  For a majority of applications implemented today, the Intermediate Bus Architecture (IBA) has become the preferred power architecture. This power architecture has led to the development of the isolated, semi-regulated DC-DC converter known as the Intermediate Bus Converter (IBC). IBCs are an improvement to the standard regulated “Brick” DC-DC module, yet system requirements continue to evolve and are pushing the limits of these power devices. A new generation of IBC products, called Bus Converter Modules (BCMs), has been developed to address these challenges.]]>  Low-Energy (LE) technology in the latest Bluetooth® 4.0 standard is providing an effective platform for a new generation of smart, networked applications. Smart metering, personal wellness and sport monitoring, home automation and other emerging applications can all benefit from Bluetooth's ability to exchange or collect information from a variety of sources for control, sensing and measurement purposes. This paper looks at the background to the technology and describes an implementation that simplifies the adoption of Bluetooth in a wide range of embedded applications]]>  Zero-IF receivers are not new; they have been around for some time and are prominently used in cell phone handsets. However their use in high performance wireless base stations has had limited success. This is due primarily to their limited dynamic range and that they are less well understood. A new wide bandwidth zero-IF IQ demodulator helps relieve the dynamic range and bandwidth shortcomings for main as well as DPD (digital predistortion) receivers, and enables 4G base stations to cost effectively address the ever-increasing bandwidth needs of mobile access. ]]>  Internet traffic has increased eightfold since 2007 and there is no indication that it will slow down. One of the greatest technological challenges we face is how to build a global wireless and wireline infrastructure capable of supporting this rapidly increasing traffic volume. The boom in IP traffic is due, in part, to the escalating demand for rich media and HD content, which can now be accessed more readily through smart phone devices. ]]>  This paper describes a non-isolated, high efficiency, high power factor (PF) LED driver designed to drive a nominal LED string voltage of 85 V at 240 mA from an input voltage range of 195 VAC to 265 VAC (47 Hz – 63 Hz). The LED driver utilizes the LNK460KG from the LinkSwitch-PL family of ICs. The topology used is a single-stage non-isolated buck that meets the stringent space and efficiency requirements for this design. LinkSwitch-PL based designs provide high power factor (>0.9) meeting international requirements.]]>  The abundance of connected devices has created a paradox: The data generated by these devices offers virtually unlimited opportunities, but the volume of data can be overwhelming. How we can design systems with the intelligence to gather and analyze data as fast as we create it? The tools are available now, and the only limit is the creativity and imagination of developers around the world.]]>  A new era of pervasive computing is upon us, weaving data into every aspect of daily life. From cars that protect and entertain us to retail stores that tailor the experience to each shopper, this new era will be rich with intelligent systems that are responsive and connected like never before.]]>  Today's challenge is to make electronic applications smaller, cheaper and more accurate. PCBMotor builds accurate and high resolution, motors directly onto the PCB itself. In addition to a world of new design opportunities, this new motor technology significantly reduces the size, building height and cost of applications while maintaining a high torque motor without slack.]]>  This white paper discusses the issues with transferring video and other high bandwidth data to a smartphone, iPhone, iPad or other tablet device in embedded applications. An example application using a specialty USB camera and an embedded wireless network processor board is shown. Just as the PC did in the 1980's and early 1990's, smartphones and tablets are finding increased use in embedded applications such as medical and industrial automation due to their low price and wide availability.]]>  TTEthernet – A Powerful Network Solution for All Purposes. Ethernet is still gaining ground although it has been around for more than 30 years. With Ethernet being sed as a universal network solution in office and web applications, production facilities, safety-critical systems, airplanes and automobiles, it has a big potential for cost savings in all areas. Engineering, maintenance and training costs are considerably lower than those for many proprietary bus systems.]]>  Given that traditional commercial 4G networks will comprise the fixed-tower portion of FirstNet, there remains a capability shortfall of delivering on-the-move mobile broadband to augment the fixed network, and provide coverage when the fixed FirstNet network is either overwhelmed, destroyed or non-existent in a specific area of operation. SwarmNetworking™, the ability to dynamically build self-organizing mobile broadband networks, overcomes this capabilities cap. ]]>  As demands to reduce the energy consumed by the world's electrical equipment become ever more urgent, power supply designers must use the latest MOSFET technologies in order to minimise silicon losses and use the latest power-saving design techniques to best advantage. This paper describes how one of the newest generations of MOSFETs enables designers to deliver improvements in switching performance at the same time as reducing on-resistance.]]>  The Picor PI33XX Cool-Power® ZVS Buck Regulator Series delivers maximum power density and high efficiency point of load DC-DC regulation. This unique, high density, buck regulator integrates a high performance Zero-Voltage switching (ZVS) topology along with power and support components all within a surface mount package. This paper provides a brief description of the performance and value of the ZVS topology within the PI33XX series.]]>  Matthias Diephaus, Senior Manager Opto Semiconductors, Toshiba Electronics Europe, discusses how the latest generations of photocouplers are meeting the increasing demands of industrial, energy and consumer applications.]]>  ARM® Cortex™-M processors have changed the way microcontroller manufacturers conceive new products, placing greater emphasis on the performance and capabilities of peripherals. Roland Gehrmann, Marketing Manager for Consumer and Industrial IC Marketing, Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH, discusses how versatile connectivity has become a key demand among embedded developers.]]>  This circuit is a flexible, frequency agile IF-to-baseband receiver. Variable gain at both IF and baseband is used to adjust the signal level. The ADRF6510 baseband ADC driver also includes a programmable low-pass filter that eliminates out-of-channel blockers and noise.]]>  LT8610 and LT8611 are 42V, 2.5A synchronous step- down regulators that offer 2.5μA quiescent current, high efficiency, fault robustness and constant current (LT8611 only), constant voltage operation in small packages. This combination of features makes them ideal for the harsh environment commonly found in automotive and industrial applications.]]>  Taking full advantage of the performances of the 7 Series FPGAs can be done by using the high speed memory controller from Barco Silex, which has been reworked to achieve the highest frequency and efficiency. This White Paper focuses on the measurement methodology put in place to validate and evaluate various scenarios, as well as the flexibility of the controller configuration to optimize timing, logic, user ports and therefore the overall performances.]]>  This article proposes a “Smart City Architecture” that employs a multitude of modular, sensor-based devices that fit seamlessly into the existing infrastructure. We describe the design principles of the sensor modules, aggregators, backend services, analytics, and data management. We then propose a variety of smart city sensor applications including microclimate sensing, pollution and structural monitoring, home management, traffic control, and water quality monitoring.]]>  As the demand for fast computation and information transmission has increased dramatically in recent years, many designs have boards with signals operating in the multiple-Gbps range. With the signal speed changes come the new challenges of solving design issues never seen before. The electrical components of signal paths on boards and interconnects present problems, such as significant dielectric loss or impedance discontinuity from non-trace portion, which used to be ignored at lower signal speed.]]>  Moore's law, applied to data rates, has pushed PCB circuits so fast that the layout becomes part of the circuit. In designs such as DDR3 and PCIe, the fastest memory and high-speed serial performance comes with very specific physical layout requirements that are not obvious. Unless you are thinking like an RF designer, there are many unexpected challenges to a successful high-speed layout. A point-to-point differential pair doesn't mean the layout is dirt easy; it means the design challenges have transformed. Keeping in mind that the board is part of the electrical design, we will outline the important high-speed considerations and efficient ways to account for them in high-speed PCB layouts.]]>  Our customers increase the number of filters and duplexers sold to network carriers by being able to improve how filter frequencies are adjusted in the field. They're deploying filters that can be remotely reconfigured via a small, high precision motor so network carriers can more easily and cheaply maintain their networks, lower their operational costs and offer more flexible services.]]>  Prefabricated isolated DC/DC converters and modules offer a simple but relatively expensive solution to efficiently convert distribution bus voltages to isolated low voltages. However, off-theshelf designs may not have all the required features, so a custom design is needed in many applications. Build-your-own solutions using discrete PWM controllers are much less expensive and provide the flexibility to meet demanding requirements such as special form factors or nonstandard input and output voltages.]]>  The new Westcor MicroPAC takes has a factory selectable “power shedding” mode for managing parallel arrays of power modules in an intermediate bus power-distribution system. This mode optimizes efficiency across loads better than conventional approaches commonly used to boost power supply efficiency, such as pulse skipping or low-power “standby supplies.”]]>  The embedded world is transforming at an astonishing rate. What were once isolated, fixed-function devices are rapidly evolving into smart, cloud-connected systems. This new breed of electronics-known as Intelligent Systems-is bringing together everything from enterprise IT to consumer electronics in a continuum of connected, interacting devices.]]>  Anonymous viewer analytics (AVA) lets signs see their audience, meaning advertisers can customize their messages and measure the results. What¹s more, new features in the 3rd generation Intel® Core processor family can cut signage operators' costs.]]>  The circuit shown in Figure 1 is a flexible signal conditioning circuit for processing signals of wide dynamic range, varying from several mV p-p to 20 V p-p. The circuit provides the necessary conditioning and level shifting and achieves the dynamic range using the internal programmable gain amplifier (PGA) of the high resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC).]]>  The circuit shown in Figure 1 uses the AD5700, the industry's lowest power and smallest footprint HART®1-compliant IC modem, and the AD5422, a 16-bit current output and voltage output DAC, to form a complete HART-compatible 4 mA to 20 mA solution. The use of the OP184 in the circuit allows the IOUT and VOUT pins to be shorted together, thus reducing the number of screw connections required in programmable logic control (PLC) module applications. For additional space savings, the AD5700-1 offers a 0.5% precision nternal oscillator.]]>  PCI Express Hot Plug is a feature that can help embedded devices improve serviceability, flexibility, and the user experience. This article discusses several design considerations to address these constraints while at the same time providing practical and reliable solutions for PCI Express Hot Plug in embedded systems. The successful handling of PCI Express Hot Plug is a system-level topic that involves proper configurations of BIOS settings, interrupts, as well as work partitioning among BIOS, OS, and driver. Incorrect implementation of PCI Express Hot Plug may compromise the safety and reliability of the products and may also induce all kinds of error conditions.]]>  This article explains the information needed to understand the hardware components that make up the chipset-based audio subsystem in a modern PC. Starting from the Audio Codec 97 (AC97), Intel introduced the Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio) solution in 2004. This article explains the three key types of physical components in an Intel® HD Audio solution are the Audio Controller, Audio Link, and Audio Codec, focusing on the audio function group (AFG) and the widgets used to access their functionality. An example of the widgets that are used in a real-world codec is shown. ]]>   Manufacturers of audio hardware such as laptop and desktop computers or USB-connected sound cards and headphones often need to obtain Microsoft Windows Logo Certification for their product to be viable in the marketplace. This article explains the certification process consisting of running a series tests on the hardware defined by Microsoft to ensure that the hardware meets a defined audio quality standard and compatibility with Windows requirements. ]]>  An A/D converter accepts an analog input signal and produces a digital representation of it  called a “sample”. The two primary characteristics of A/Ds are the rate of conversion or sampling rate, expressed in samples per second, and the accuracy of each digital sample expressed as the number of binary bits or decimal digits per sample. ]]>  This Application Note describes the differences in intermodulation distortion measurements between traditional spectrum analyzers with analog narrowband IF signal path and modern spectrum analyzers using a wide-band IF signal path and digital RBW filters. Application Note ]]>  As clock speeds and communication channels run at ever higher frequencies, engineers who have previously had little need to consider clock jitter and phase noise are finding that they need to increase their knowledge of these subjects. Part two of this jitter tutorial explores the phase-locked loop (PLL) characteristics that must be considered for PLL applications involving clock jitter, as well as the impact of clock buffers (fan-out buffers) on jitter.]]>  Inteliquent announces the launch of its newest white paper, “Why Enterprises Should Future-Proof Their WAN Investment with Carrier Ethernet.” The executive summary, in collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, discusses the key trends shaping the Carrier Ethernet services market, including factors driving adoption and the challenges associated with implementation. It concludes with a comprehensive review of Inteliquent's EtherCloudSM offering, and how the service helps enterprises effectively address these challenges. ]]>  To support the demanding nature of space applications TI and National have combined product lines to create a strong and united offering for space applications. Customers can expect no disruption of service as a result of this merger and that TI/National products will continue to be available. By combining our portfolios we provide a complete signal chain solution for space.]]>  When talking about audio, we usually think about a speaker stereo system or a set of stereo headsets. In these cases, music is playing in a single room or close to the device hosting the music. Using the WiSmart platform from eConais and extending its capabilities with the necessary audio codec subsystem, it is possible to have WiFi Audio Link System called eC-WiSound.]]>  As clock speeds and communication channels run at ever higher frequencies, engineers who have previously had little need to consider clock jitter and phase noise are finding that they need to increase their knowledge of these subjects. Divided into two parts, the first part of this tutorial provides an overview of jitter and offers practical assistance in making jitter measurements.]]>  Texas Instruments offers a wide range of qualification options for industrial customers whose application must work in harsh environments. Qualification and reliability reports are available on line for every Enhanced Product. Industry standard packaging options are supported with Nickel-palladium lead finishes and SnPb solder balls for BGAs which eliminates "tin whisker" reliability issues.]]>  The LTC®2379-18 is an 18-bit, 1.6Msps SAR ADC with an extremely high SNR of 101dB and THD of –120dB. It also features a unique digital-gain compression function, which eliminates the need for a negative supply in the ADC driver circuit.]]>  When evaluating a specific source measurement unit instrument for a specific application, it's essential to consider some key characteristics including system-level speed and throughput; source resolution vs. stability; measurement settling time, offset error, noise; as well as cabling and connections. In this White Paper, Mark A. Cejer and Lishan Weng of Keithley Instruments examine each of these characteristics in depth and share tips on how to choose the best SMU instrument for your T&M application.]]>  The rapid advancement of open-source software has pointed out the need for open-source hardware. Open-source hardware platforms, such as those offered by BeagleBoard.org, give developers and hobbyists the robust open-source resources they need to deliver new products to the marketplace quickly and, at the same time, reduce their risks. As a flexible and extensible open hardware development platform, BeagleBone from BeagleBoard.org can effectively facilitate a development team's transition into the open-source world.]]>  In most systems, there are tradeoffs between performance and low power. The focus of this circuit design is to explore a few of these tradeoffs and still achieve low power (8 mW typical) and high performance in a 16-bit, 100 kSPS data acquisition system. ]]>  The business and technology challenges associated with RF and microwave measurements in automated test environments are significant if traditional box instruments are the only tools you use. The redefined RF approach proposed by National Instruments uses open software and modular hardware with four key elements to address the flexibility and scalability demand for future high-frequency test and measurement applications.]]>  This application note describes how a Constant Current Regulator, CCR, can be used in a low cost charging circuit for rechargeable batteries, providing a simple controller to terminate charging.]]>  When designing motion control systems with integrated position feedback, existing rotary and linear encoder solutions may not provide all of the required design targets in terms of size, flexibility, configuration, and performance. An alternative and application oriented approach is to utilize higher integration and smart sensor technology found within a Single-chip encoder based design. ]]>  New to Signal Integrity analysis, or just need to brush up on the fundamentals? If so, this white paper is aimed at you. This white paper starts at the very basic, actually before the fundamentals, answering the question "What do I need to know?" The paper begins by identifying and analyzing critical nets. Next, it discusses transmission lines and the problems that arise from the high-frequency noise generated by rapid edge-rate signals. Finally, impedance is reviewed and discussed in the context of impedance and signal integrity]]>  As PCB designers get creative to continually amaze, the new techniques are disruptive to traditional PCB design and fabrication unless done well. Design centers that succeed with the newest techniques have more options, more ways to solve a problem, and put out products that achieve the previously impossible. This extra effort to make ever faster or thinner electronics is rewarded in dollars, as Apple has shown in a series of amazing designs. ]]>  Virtualization is commonly used in embedded applications to consolidate workloads. Industrial systems may consolidate a general purpose operating system (GPOS) with a real-time operating system (RTOS) onto the same physical hardware. Communications equipment manufacturers may consolidate many single threaded applications and operating systems onto a multi-core architecture, utilizing a virtual machine as a container for each legacy application or operating system. ]]>  This article examines visual metrics taken from images which comprise the basis for machine vision and data mining across a variety of application domains. The material includes a survey of the fundamental metrics used to describe features of images, a survey of the sensors and optical systems used to capture images, and a survey of the image processing methods. ]]>  PCI Express Hot Plug is a feature that can help embedded devices improve serviceability, flexibility, and the user experience. Using this feature, a PCI Express endpoint may be replaced in a running system without having to turn the system off. A classic PCI Express implementation requires an extensive list of components including hardware, BIOS, OS, and drivers. ]]>  There is a huge variety of complex challenges that face product developers as they strive to create new systems that are faster, more power efficient and more innovative. Some embedded developers have the additional challenge of delivering a product that also complies with real-time, deterministic time constraints. ]]>  Power line communications (PLC) is a global technology with worldwide interest in its development. In its simplest terms, PLC modulates communication signals over existing power lines. This paper highlights specifications for several PLC alliances and specifications and discusses new proprietary PLC technologies.]]>  For many years different industries have been using different bus systems, which lead to a large number of specialized solutions. This plurality has to be reduced by reducing wiring needs and decreasing the number of sensors and control units and optimizing the costs for electronics platforms. A 40-year-old network promises help – Ethernet.]]>  In the digitally simplified world everything seems to be either 0 or 1. Non linear waveforms are judged and transformed by digital engineers. Every calculation and variation is modeled in to some mathematical equation. ]]>  The 3rd generation of Intel® Core™ processors not only shrinks the manufacturing process from 32 to 22nm but also uses a new technology with 3D tri-gate transistors. This allows for smaller die sizes reducing the cost of manufacturing and increasing power efficiency by up to 25%. The new integrated Intel® HD4000 graphics, which features 16 instead of 12 parallel processing cores, offers about 40% more processing power and supports up to three independent high-definition displays. ]]>  The circuit, shown in Figure 1, is a 20-bit, linear, low noise, precision, unipolar (+10 V) voltage source with a minimum amount of external components. The AD5790 DAC is a 20-bit, unbuffered voltage output DAC that operates from a bipolar supply of up to 33 V. The AD5790 accepts a positive reference input range of 5 V to VDD − 2.5 V, and a negative reference input range of VSS + 2.5 V to 0 V. Both reference inputs are buffered on the chip, and external buffers are not required. The AD5790 offers a relative accuracy specification of ±2 LSB maximum, and operation is guaranteed monotonic with a −1 to +2 LSB maximum DNL specification. ]]>  The circuit shown in Figure 1 allows up to two digital MEMS microphones to be interfaced to a DSP on a single data line. The ADMP441 consists of a MEMS microphone element and an I2S output. This allows stereo microphones to be used in an audio system without the need for a codec between the microphones and the processor. Analog Devices, Inc., MEMS microphones have a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a flat wideband frequency response, making them an excellent choice for high performance, low power applications. ]]>  Some ideal op amp configurations assume that the feedback resistors exhibit perfect matching. In practice, resistor non-idealities can affect various circuit param- eters such as common mode rejection ratio (CMRR), harmonic distortion and stability.]]>  The Toshiba Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI®) Display Serial Interface (DSI) to Display Port converter chipset enables Application Processors to support high-resolution Display Port panels that require bandwidth above 4 Gbps.]]>  CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) technology has made huge progress in the past decade. Not only have the imagers seen drastic performance improvements, but their commercial success also boomed after the introduction of the mobile phone with camera module. While the phone camera has led the dramatic growth of imaging markets overall, digital still camera manufacturers are adopting CIS to support Full HD video capture. Digital camera technology is highly focused on image quality, and manufacturers previously have been reluctant to use CIS rather than CCD. This paper describes the current status of CIS, as well as future perspectives.]]>  As digital signage projects become ever more ambitious, equipment designers must rely on LED-driver ICs capable of satisfying the unique demands of this application space]]>  As appliance energy ratings have become increasingly important selection criteria for appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and air conditioners, intelligent motor controls offering increased efficiency have evolved from high-end signal-processing applications to adopt a more hardware-centric architecture based on general-purpose microcontrollers.]]>  The ARM Cortex™-M3 processor has played a key role enabling embedded applications to deliver more sophisticated user experiences. The latest microcontrollers for domestic and industrial appliances make best use of the extra processing capability on offer by also implementing powerful application-optimised peripherals]]>  Low-Energy (LE) technology in the latest Bluetooth® 4.0 standard provides an effective platform for a new generation of smart, networked applications.]]>  Information about HTML5 ranges from the W3C documents themselves to business cases, evangelists' musing, and seemingly innumerable how-to articles and tutorials chock full of code samples. This white paper attempts to bridge the gap between the musings and the tutorials, and present an overview of HTML5 that will be useful to people who are not HTML5 experts, but who are technical enough to understand what we mean by, say, a chromeless browser.]]>  Many manufacturers of LCD modules are moving to LED-backlit units, responding to increasing customer demand for LED-backlit modules. LED backlights offer several advantages over CCFTs, with the primary reason being power savings, followed by the absence of mercury and superior low temperature operation. This paper covers key design considerations an engineer needs to understand to make the switch.]]>  Advances in fabrication technology, die processing and packaging are contributing to the rapid development of high-density Flash memory targeting advanced consumer and industrial applications]]>  The ARM Cortex™-M3 processor has played a key role enabling embedded applications to deliver more sophisticated user experiences. The latest microcontrollers for domestic and industrial appliances make best use of the extra processing capability on offer by also implementing powerful application-optimised peripherals]]>  Not long ago, designing a 1,000 W power supply for operation on worldwide AC lines was a task for the most experienced power design engineers. Besides dealing with the design of autoranging front-end rectification circuitry and isolated power conversion stages, the designer faced a myriad of other complex technical and design issues: inrush current limiting, sizing and selection of holdup capacitors, transient protection, thermal design, and worldwide safety agency and conducted noise requirements.]]>  UAV-mounted surveillance equipment, maritime microwave receivers, and vehicle-mounted infrared imaging sensors are examples of instrumentation that require stable platforms for best performance, but are often used in applications that experience vibration and other, undesirable motion. ]]>  The effective number of bits (ENOB) is a way of quantifying the quality of an analog to digital conversion. A higher ENOB means that voltage levels recorded in an analog to digital conversion are more accurate. In an oscilloscope the ENOB is not just determined by the quality of the analog to digital converter but by the instrument as a whole. This application note explains how to measure the oscilloscope ENOB and shows results for the R&S RTO for different settings.]]>  If one makes long-term observations of end-user demands across a number of products, one can see a similar evolution. At first, consumers seek only to possess a product, then they demand performance; once the technology has matured to a certain level, they begin to pay attention to the details. The IT industry is a perfect example. When the PC first came out, promotion was the primary goal; after the PC became popular, its specifications and performance quickly began to improve. ]]>  This technical paper proposes and studies the effects of a dual-stage compensation technique for achieving greater than 100kHz crossover frequency of a single pole system converting from 48 V to 1.2V.  By placing a separate non-inverting gain stage after the error amplifier, the necessary gain-bandwidth of the op amp can be significantly reduced allowing for high crossover frequency and good transient response.]]>  Understanding mechanical tolerances, coaxial design details and connector materials used in cable assemblies helps produce communications equipment with the lowest levels of passive intermodulation (PIM).]]>  Machine-to-Machine (M2M) operation, or any “smart device” in general, is characterized by allowing any device that has a network connection to be accessible on the Internet. ]]>  MIPS Technologies' microAptiv core family combines real-time performance and DSP functionality to provide a feature-rich, application-specific solution for microcontrollers and a wide range of embedded applications requiring more signal processing performance. This paper provides an introduction to the key features of the microAptiv cores, including a discussion on the technical advantages of the MIPS architecture and DSP extensions that benefit the development of real-time embedded system designs. The paper concludes with a look at the results microAptiv achieves when executing DSP algorithms and functions most commonly used in Digital Signal Controllers.]]>  First published in 1977, the internationally accepted IEC 60601_1 standard has been continuously developed to help alleviate safety issues relating to all manner of medical equipment. The 3rd edition of this medical safety standard was first published by the IEC in 2005 (IEC60601_1:2005) and was adopted by the European Union in 2006 and published as EN60601_1:2006.]]>  Key USB software and systems providers are now shipping high volumes of products with USB 3.0-it's no longer just for cutting-edge applications. This paper highlights features and enhancements in the USB 3.0 protocol, and outlines technical complexities and the resulting design challenges of implementation. You will learn how a USB 3.0 IP core's reconfigurability can broaden your design's potential applications. Finally, you'll understand selection and integration considerations for USB 3.0 IP.]]>  This 120 pages guide details Texas Instruments' (TI) complete power solutions with a full line of high performance products. These products, which range from standard linear regulators to highly efficient DC/DC converters and battery management, are tailored to meet your design challenges. And, TI makes designing easier by providing leading-edge support tools such as training, a broad selection of evaluation modules (EVMs), application notes, comprehensive technical documentation and more. ]]>  Insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) require full protection to avoid damage and failures resulting from conditions such as short circuits, overloads and overvoltages. The protection is key to ensuring safe and stable power-converter operations in applications such as motor drives and solar and wind power generation systems. To detect over-current and overload conditions, isolation amplifiers featuring fast response or fast fault feedback can be used on the output phases and the DC bus.]]>  Power management electronics perform more than just basic safety functionality; they can maximize the performance of a design from several perspectives. This white paper will cover typical battery consideration requirements including basic cell protection to advanced fuel gauging, communication options, cell balancing, diagnostics and warranty data, and using super capacitors and batteries together. ]]>  DC-DC converters, point of load converters, EMI filters and other power modules are offered by various manufacturers, all claiming high reliability. The question is, how you know what level of quality and reliability you are getting, and how do you select the correct level for your application? Read this white paper to learn the definitions and standards of hi-rel COTS, avionics/military, and space grade power converters, plus the critical reliability issues to consider when choosing modules for your next power system.]]>  Lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery stacks contain a large number of individual cells that must be monitored correctly in order to enhance the battery efficiency, prolong the battery life, and ensure safety. This application note explain how to achieve it using the Analog Devices circuits AD7280A Lithium Ion Battery Monitoring System, the AD8280 Lithium Ion Battery Safety Monitor, the ADuM5404 Quad-Channel Isolators with Integrated DC-to-DC Converter and the ADuM1400 Quad-Channel Digital Isolators.]]>  In recent years, RISC computing-based products such as smart phones and consumer tablet PCs keep launching in the market. So the companies dealing with RISC computing solutions are reaping the full benefits of today's trend. What is the current status of Advantech's efforts in RISC-based computing development?According to statistics, starting from the 1960s, the electronic technology and market core products show significant trend variations every ten years. ]]>  The LTC3600 is a high efficiency, monolithic synchronous buck regulator whose output is programmed with just one external resistor. The accurate internally generated 50μA current source on the ISET pin allows the use of a single external resistor to program an output voltage that ranges from 0V to 0.5V below VIN. The VOUT voltage feeds directly back to the error amplifier in unity gain fashion and equals the ISET voltage. The operating supply voltage range is 4V to 15V, making it suitable for dual lithium-ion battery and 5V or 12V input point-of-load power supply applications.]]>  The LT3029 integrates two independent 500mA monolithic LDOs in a tiny 16-lead MSOP or 4mm × 3mm × 0.75mm DFN package. Both regulators have a wide 1.8V to 20V input voltage range with a 300mV dropout voltage at full load. The output voltage is adjustable down to the 1.215V reference voltage. With an external bypass capacitor, the output voltage noise is less than 20μVRMS. A complete power supply requires only a minimum 3.3μF ceramic output capacitor for each channel to be stable.]]>  In today's world of high-speed A/D converters operating in the gigahertz range, real-time signal recording has become a challenging task. When designing a real-time recorder capable of streaming sustained data to disk at rates of up to 2 GB/sec and higher, the developer has to consider the limitations presented by the operating and file systems, disk drive technology, the hardware interfaces, and the RAID controller technology. This handbook describes some of the features that are widely desired, including the use of a non-proprietary file system, the use of a client-server architecture, and the presence of a user-friendly API.]]>  Choosing the right USB communications option depends on several factors, and each solution has different requirements and degrees of flexibility for both the developer and end-user. Is development of USB firmware or drivers required? Does the end-user need to install a driver? Is a PCB redesign required? How much PCB space is available for additional components? This white paper discusses the easiest, most cost-effective way to add USB to new designs or a legacy system.]]>  This white paper describes how intelligent device manufacturers can use electronic licensing to protect and enhance intelligent devices as well as how to distribute updates and upgrades to already deployed devices. Increasingly, the value of an intelligent device is based on the software or firmware delivered with the device. The flexibility of software allows intelligent device manufacturers to sell many differentiated products while streamlining manufacturing processes. In addition, protecting your software R&D investment is critical to monetizing your platforms and ensuring a steady revenue stream. But the fact is paper- and trust-based licensing programs are no longer adequate. Moving to electronic licensing allows high-tech manufacturers to protect and grow revenue, without complex changes to manufacturing processes.]]>  For many applications, there are times when greater DAC resolution can save a design. Rather than have to increase system cost by introducing an external DAC with higher resolution or moving to a new microcontroller, developers can use one of four methods to extend an 8-bit DAC up to 12-bits of resolution. This paper will discuss these methods in detail, as well as describe ways to implement these methods that have no impact on CPU utilization. Code examples optimized for Cypress' PSoC 3 and PSoC 5 families of microcontrollers with integrated PWM and DMA capabilities are provided as well.]]>  Direct Memory Access (DMA) technology is a powerful tool for developers that enables the movement of larges amount of data without involving and loading the CPU. This white paper is intended for developers new to DMA. It outlines the various ways that DMA can be used to accelerate application processing, as well as describes how to configure and utilize a DMA controller in an optimal manner. Specific examples illustrate different ways DMA can be used. Application code is available for use with PSoC 3 and PSoC 5 SoCs to provide a template for users to build upon in their own designs.]]>  Configurable logic tiles are the fundamental building blocks of all programmable digital electronic systems. Ever since Xilinx invented the FPGA in the 1980s, configurable logic, in the form of look-up tables and registers, has been an essential component of digital electronics systems across all markets and applications. This white paper describes the features of the configurable logic block in the 28 nm Xilinx 7 series FPGAs, highlighting advantages over previous Xilinx FPGAs and the benefits that these changes bring to the digital design engineer.]]>  The need for security in embedded application is continuously rising. Public Key cryptography is one of the ways to secure data communication. But Public Key processing requires large computation capability. Processors are commonly used to perform complex operations. However, the processing load generated by Public Key cannot be addressed by CPUs without significantly degrading system performances. Smart Engine provides the optimal combination of hardware and software (micro-code): the efficiency of hardware and the flexibility of software. ]]>  Latency is the delay generated by the processing of data. For video compression, it is measured as the delay between the time the first pixel is fed to the encoder and the time it is generated at the output of the decoder. Considering the complete transmission line, latency results from the various operations performed to transmit the video. Acquisition, compression, transport, buffering, decompression, filtering and synchronization are as many sources for latency. The purpose of this paper is to cover the most common ways of reducing the latency related to the video compression based on JPEG 2000.]]>  High reliability is an expectation of customers of all systems, and some of the toughest requirements are those demanded by networking customers. Networking systems as a whole are expected to be operational 99.999% of the time or better. This paper looks at high availability systems (as they are known) and presents techniques to increase system reliability. Learn how the application of the right technology can add fault mitigation and fault tolerance to a high availability system.]]>  The high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) has fully captured the consumer market. The interface transmits audio and video data and status and control data on a single cable. The HDMI ports of all onsumer electronics equipment must be tested. Measurements are performed during development, quality assurance and end-of-line production testing. However, measurements are also needed during the development and testing of HDMI integrated circuits. The R&S UPP audio analyzer with integrated HDMI option covers all these requirements.]]>  The TPS92310 EVM-8W evaluation module is a constant current output LED driver supporting 5W to 8W applications. The design focuses on applications that require small form factor and minimal number of external components. The module can work with AC line input from 90 to 132VRMS or 180 to 264VRMS and supplying 350mA current into a single string of LEDs, typically 6-7 LEDs in series.]]>  Gone are the early days of embedded design when a few kilobytes of static RAM was all that was needed. Today's applications reap the benefits of integration and functionality, but leave challenges once reserved for high-performance computing such as soft errors. As the memory in embedded systems grows, you will need to pay more attention to soft errors. Discover why mitigating soft errors through error correction code (ECC) can improve your embedded designs. Understand the potential sources and implications of soft errors and learn how Altera designed its SoC FPGA products to greatly improve resilience of systems against soft errors.]]>  Selecting the right 32-bit ARM microcontroller shouldn't mean you have to compromise on your requirements. In addition to meeting your specific memory and I/O needs, it should also offer the integration, peripherals and power budget that gives you the most options and the best cost profile for your system. Learn about the latest innovations in 32-bit MCUs and get tips on how to select the best MCU for your design.]]>  Texas Instruments (TI) leading power line communications (PLC) technology has enabled Cygnus Electronics to create a PLC hardware and software platform designed for automotive qualification in electric vehicles. Auto-rem implements the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) J2931-3 specification, which is a narrowband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) proposal for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) to electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) communications during PEV battery charging[1]. J2931-3 is based on the upcoming IEEE P1901.2 international narrowband OFDM standard. The auto-rem system uses a TI PLC chipset comprised of an optimized OFDM C2000™ Piccolo™ microcontroller (TMS320F28069)[2] and an integrated analog front end AFE031[3], which integrates more than 100 discrete devices.]]>  This paper compares the power consumption and quality of the generated bitstream between two Ocean Logic H.264 encoder cores: OL_H264E that uses external DRAM to store the reference frame store and OL_H264E_CFS that uses a Compressed Frame Store (CFS) technology that does not need external DRAM.]]>  Is it better to build your own software licensing and entitlement management system or purchase a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution? The ROI and benefits will vary from customer to customer, based upon business needs and market conditions. Historically, many software vendors and intelligent device companies attempted to build their own licensing and entitlement management systems, when at some point they realized that it was a losing proposition. In-house developed software licensing and entitlement management solutions become inflexible and not scalable, and required too many resources that should be applied to other areas of core-competency. Ultimately, they decided that a COTS solution was best. This white paper explores some of the top reasons to consider a COTS software licensing and entitlement management solution.]]>  Implementing advanced audio functionality in a system-on-chip (SoC) involves integrating a range of hardware and software components, including an audio processor, audio peripherals, software drivers and audio processing software. This white paper discusses the requirements for audio solutions for processing of high-definition (HD) multi-channel audio and detail the challenges involved in building such solutions,]]>  NOR flash remains the preferred non-volatile technology for discrete memories in embedded systems. Today's NOR based SPI memories have reached 108MHz clock rates with a QuadIO (x4) interface to achieve a 54MB/s sustained read throughput while remaining compatible with the original interface specified nearly 25 years ago. The legacy SPI interface and bus protocol is reaching fundamental timing limits that will make difficult further increases to the SPI bus clock rate. This paper will describe both system level and memory device strategies that deal with these timing limitations allowing higher SPI bus throughputs.]]>  The ARM Cortex-M0+ processor is the most energy efficient ARM processor available. It builds on the Cortex-M0 processor, retaining full instruction set and tool compatibility, while further reducing energy consumption and increasing performance. Along with the Cortex-M0 processor, the exceptionally small silicon area, low power and minimal code footprint of these processors enable developers to achieve 32-bit performance at an 8-bit price point, bypassing the step to 16-bit devices. Read this paper to learn more.]]>  The paper covers the basic architecture of linear and switching mode regulators, block diagram level descriptions of the PMU, the important electrical parameters for PMU characterization, characterization methodology, instruments used for characterization, some best practices for characterization in terms of the board guidelines, test points, and debugging the issues. This will help any characterization novice trying to understand post-Si characterization and hobby readers, especially undergraduate college students, looking to make a career in Post-Si characterization.]]>  POLQA® (Perceptual Objective Listening Quality Assessment) is the nextgeneration mobile voice quality testing standard according to recommendation ITU-T P.863 and has been especially developed for the super wideband requirements of HD Voice, 3G, VoLTE (4G), VoHSPA and VoIP. This white paper describes the POLQA® algorithm of and shows an example hardware setup for standard independent audio measurements.]]>  MCUs give developers the flexibility to implement new system features easily and efficiently through firmware updates and I/O changes. However, even minor I/O changes can cause headaches when performing PCB design, especially in cost- and space-constrained systems. Learn how to minimize design headaches with a highly flexible 32-bit USB MCU architecture.]]>  Linear Technology Corporation announces the LT3799, an isolated flyback controller with single stage active power factor correction (PFC). A power factor of greater than 0.97 is accomplished by actively modulating the input current, eliminating the need for an extra switching power stage and associated components. In addition, no opto-isolator or signal transformer is required for feedback since the output voltage is sensed from the primary-side flyback signal.]]>  This paper describes the technical and business challenges of implementing designs at the 32/28-nm node. Topics include low-power design, crosstalk effects, process variability, and the dramatic increase in the number of operating modes and corners. Also discussed are the related issues regarding engineering resources, hardware resources and difficulty meeting ever-more-aggressive development schedules. Finally, this paper describes how the capacity and performance capabilities of Talus Vortex can be dramatically boosted through Magma's innovative Talus Vortex FX with Distributed Smart Sync technology that delivers the first and only solution for distributed place and route.]]>  Next-generation Industrial Automation Systems are increasingly being architected around distributed, high-performance networks that blend low-messaging latencies, flexible topologies, and integrated timing. Several so-called Industrial Ethernet frameworks are emerging based on standard Ethernet communications tightly coupled with IEEE 1588v2 (also known as IEEE 1588-2008) distributed synchronization. Micrel's EtherSynch™ product family provides systems designers with the most highly integrated IEEE 1588v2 network attachment device available, significantly reducing the physical form factor, power consumption, as well as overall BOM costs. This paper examines the implications of integrating Ethernet and IEEE 1588v2 for Industrial Automation, the Micrel's EtherSynch™ product architecture and benefits for Industrial Ethernet networks.]]>  The folks at Pentek, who wrote the book on software radio, are pleased to announce their recently expanded Software Defined Radio Handbook. Updated recently to its 9th Edition, the handbook has proved to be a useful technical reference for engineers. It's yours free, just click on the link below to download it! Included are: Technical methodologies for sampling and undersampling; Principles of SDR and FPGAs' role in software radio; SDR board-level products and real-time recording and playback instruments; Factory- installed FPGA IP cores for software radio including a 256-channel narrowband DDC; Software radio example applications Including Beamforming and L-Band signal processing.]]>  The LTC4000 is a high voltage, high current battery charging controller and PowerPath manager that forms a powerful battery charging and power management solution when combined with any externally compensated (ITH/VC pin) DC-DC converter. Virtually any topology switcher is compatible, including (but not limited to) buck, boost, buck-boost, SEPIC, and flyback.]]>  The demand for performance from portable computing devices, such as tablet computers and smartphones, has been steadily rising. One of the proposed solutions to increase battery life in such devices is to use CPUs with a different, power-efficient architecture. This paper introduces the "big.LITTLE" architecture launched by ARM, and its adoption for the Exynos line of processors by Samsung. The paper also discusses several key advantages of this architecture, compares it to other competing architectures, and demonstrates its efficiency and superiority over other architectures, especially in extending battery life in portable, handheld computing and communications devices.]]>  Home energy systems based on renewable sources such as solar and wind power are becoming more popular among consumers and gaining increasing support from governmental bodies. Such systems, however, need fault protection in order to achieve the product lifetime that consumers demand as well as isolation to ensure consumer safety. Integrating the two capabilities can help simplify system design as well as lower cost.]]>  Vincotech produces power modules with various housings designed for a wide range of power and other applications. This paper describes the underlying design concepts for Vincotech's flow 0, flow 1 and flow 2 families, as well as flowSCREW 2s and the new flowSCREW w housings. It also discusses the pros and cons of Press-fit pins, DBC substrates, and stress-relief zones. ]]>  Current-sense amplifiers can monitor battery or solar cell currents, and are useful to estimate power capacity and remaining life. However, if the battery or solar source is a single cell, it's difficult to find a low voltage solution that works below 1V and draws just microamps. A new class of nanopower analog ICs, namely Touchstone Semiconductor's TS1001 0.8V/0.6µA op amp, makes a sub-1V supply current sense amplifier possible. With its extremely low power, the circuit can simply remain "always on", providing a continuously monitored, averaged indication of current which can be read by a microcontroller without too much current drain.]]>  The Analog Signal Chain Guide offers selection tables and featured product overviews of signal chain devices, which target a wide variety of applications from industrial, medical, communications, audio, consumer and computing. Whether you need faster speed, higher precision, lower power or smaller package size, TI has the analog signal chain ICs to differentiate your design. Products include amplifiers, data converters, interface, clocks, timing and wireless connectivity.]]>  This circuit uses the ADuC7060/ADuC7061 precision analog microcontroller in an accurate thermocouple temperature monitoring application. The ADuC7060/ADuC7061 integrates dual 24-bit Σ-Δ ADCs, dual programmable current sources, a 14-bit DAC, and a 1.2 V internal reference, as well as an ARM7 core, 32 kB flash, 4 kB SRAM, and various digital peripherals such as UART, timers, SPI, and I2C interfaces.]]>