issue 1704 - my-boardclub.com · the stcmb1, an ac-dc converter ic with power factor correction...

I S S U E 1 7 0 4

Application Spotlight on:

Connectivity

Component Focus: Pages 3-13 IDT’s 5W-15W wireless power reference design kits, compliant with the standard Qi specification

Design Note: Pages 14-15 Cypress shows how to achieve long-range communication with the latest BLE 5.0 technology

Application Spotlight: Pages 16-24 ST’s STM32 LoRa® Discovery Kit: a ready-made platform for low-power wireless WAN technology

Board-of-the-Month: Page 27 Introducing Vicor’s Cool-Power® ZVS family of buck and buck-boost regulator modules

Technical View: Pages 25-27 Which technologies will become the standard method for charging handheld devices’ batteries?

S T A R P R O D U C T

S E E P R E V I O U S I S S U E S O F F T M AT W W W. M Y- F T M . C O M

New ultra low-power, dual-core MCU offers flexibility and hardware-based security capabilities for the IoT

Cypress Semiconductor has announced the PSoC® 6, a new microcontroller architecture which is purpose-built for the Internet of Things (IoT).

The PSoC 6 is based on Cypress’s ultra low-power 40nm process technology, and offers a power-efficient and flexible architecture, including the security features required for next-generation IoT devices.

The PSoC 6 architecture fills a gap in the market between power-hungry and higher-cost application processors and performance-challenged, single-core MCUs. The dual-core ARM® Cortex®-M4 and Cortex®-M0+ architecture lets designers optimise for power and performance simultaneously. The Cortex-M4 core draws 22µA/MHz of active power and the Cortex-M0+ core just 15µA/MHz. Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling further contribute to the device’s unmatched power efficiency.

CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTORThe dual-core architecture also enables designers to optimise system operation to take advantage of low-power states, using the auxiliary core as an offload engine while the main core sleeps.

Design flexibility is an advantage of the programmable PSoC architecture familiar to users of previous PSoC devices, and it is found also in the PSoC 6 MCU: software-defined peripherals can be used to create custom analogue front-ends or digital interfaces for innovative system components such as electronic-ink displays. Wired and wireless connectivity options are available, including a fully integrated Bluetooth® Low Energy 5.0-compatible radio, and Full-Speed USB.

In addition, the PSoC 6 MCU architecture features the latest generation of Cypress’s CapSense® capacitive-sensing technology, enabling designers to create robust, reliable touch- and gesture-based interfaces.

The security capabilities integrated in the PSoC 6 MCU architecture are a particularly attractive feature for designers of IoT nodes. It provides a hardware-based Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) with secure-boot capability,

PSoC 6: Integrated support for e-ink displays and capacitive sensing

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F T M T E C H N O L O G Y W A T C HN E W S I N B R I E F

F O L L O W U S N O W – S E A R C H F T M B O A R D C L U B O N

If customers of Future Electronics are representative of the electronics industry at large, then the Internet of Things (IoT) is at or very close to the tipping point at which mass adoption will begin. Everywhere I go, customers are looking for help with the challenges of making their products into connected devices with the capability to interact with cloud servers.

Amar Abid-Ali BEng., MSc.Vertical Segment Manager (EMEA)Future Connectivity Solutions

This is no accident: three big trends are pushing OEMs to embrace the demands of the IoT.

First, consumers want ever more convenience. We expect everything to be controlled and available at a glance from our wrists or mobile devices. Led by the examples of Apple’s Siri® and Amazon’s Alexa voice recognition software, consumers now expect to be able to talk naturally to their devices and to use the voice to, for instance, turn on the lights, play a music track or place an online shopping order. This call for natural-speech voice control requires cloud connectivity as well as an increased level of sensor content.

Second, OEMs are looking for ever greater efficiency and reliability. Product quality is one of the most important attributes of a trusted brand, and the key to quality is continual improvement. OEMs are looking for the numerous small enhancements which will extend mean time before failure and improve reliability.

This in turn is driving interest in predictive maintenance, the practice of monitoring the operation of devices remotely, analysing patterns across a large population and gaining insights into the warning signs of imminent failure, and the underlying causes of it. To acquire this information from products in the field, OEMs need them to be connected, and equipped with a plethora of sensors measuring every critical function.

Third, markets are looking at new ways to monetise manufactured products. When a device is smart and connected, there is increased scope for generating revenue from it. This can result from improved operational efficiency, from the addition of support for new applications, or from the analysis of business

Future Electronics presents seminars for designers of IoT devices

The specialist Future Connectivity Solutions division of Future Electronics is presenting a series of seminars on the theme of ‘From Sensor to Cloud’, addressing the most important issues that electronic product manufacturers face in adapting their products for the Internet of Things.

The seminars will take place in 20 cities in Europe during the months of May, June and July. A seminar information package, which includes information on the dates and venues of the seminars, is available from Future Connectivity Solutions by e-mailing [email protected]. Part of the Intelligence of Things.

New security MCU features hardware cryptography engineMicrochip has announced the CEC1702, a microcontroller with hardware cryptography capability which addresses the increasing need for security measures, such as secure boot, in Internet of Things applications.

The CEC1702 is a full-featured ARM® Cortex®-M4-based MCU which offers easy-to-use encryption and authentication functions, in addition to private and public key capabilities.

Launch of world’s smallest polymer aluminium capacitorMurata has developed the world’s first polymer aluminium electrolytic capacitor to be packaged in the 1411 B case, which measures 3.5mm × 2.8mm.

The tiny device, which offers a capacitance rating of 33µF, is suitable for use in mobile devices and other highly space-constrained applications. The new ECNSB41C336M040L has a rated voltage of 16V DC, and features minimum equivalent series resistance of 40mΩ.

intelligence about or from a large installed base of devices. For instance, smart connected streetlights equipped with environmental and other sensors can earn revenue from entities which are willing to pay for real-time, granular information about phenomena such as air quality, or density and flow of pedestrian traffic.

Put together, these three forces are creating a world marked by the ‘Intelligence of Things’, an emerging ecosystem in which data gathering, data analysis and other forms of machine intelligence proliferate everywhere.

Future Electronics, through its specialist Future Connectivity Solutions division, is able to help OEMs profit from this new Intelligence of Things. Through our partnerships with component and module vendors for wireless, sensor and security devices, with design houses and consultants, and with cloud service providers, we can help customers to commission a complete ecosystem to enable them to get to market quickly and with a minimum of risk.

Contact Future Connectivity Solutions through your local branch of Future Electronics to find out more.

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170401 For samples or pricing [email protected]

©Copyright 2017 Future Electronics Ltd. All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Applications for product samples, badge boards, demonstration boards, Future Electronics’ boards and other advertised materials from Future Electronics are offered subject to qualification. Images of product packages throughout this publication are for illustration purposes and not necessarily an exact representation of the advertised part.

FTM readers may register as a PSoC 6 early adopter online at: community.cypress.com/docs/DOC-4020

The IoT: the three reasons it is now at a tipping point

APPLICATIONS• IoT devices• Handheld products

FEATURES• 1Mbyte of Flash memory• Execute-in-place Quad-SPI Flash interface• 288kbytes of SRAM• 2.4GHz RF transceiver• BLE v5.0 link layer• Digital audio interfaces such as I2S and

pulse-density/pulse-code modulation


and integrated secure data storage to protect firmware, applications and secure assets such as cryptographic keys.

PSoC 6 implements a broad set of industry-standard symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic algorithms, including Elliptical-Curve Cryptography (ECC), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and Secure Hash Algorithms (SHA 1,2,3) in an integrated hardware co-processor designed to offload compute-intensive tasks. The architecture supports multiple, simultaneous secure environments without the need for external memories or secure elements, and offers scalable secure memory for multiple, independent user-defined security policies.

The architecture is designed and configured using Cypress’s PSoC Creator™ integrated design environment and the ARM ecosystem.

Learn how to build your application covering the sensor node, gateway, and cloud

Join our wireless connectivity experts across 20 European cities throughout May, June and July 2017. E-mail: [email protected]

Part of the Intelligence of Things

FUTURE ELECTRONICS PRESENTS

Pan-European Seminars for IoT Engineers (Hardware and Software)

170403 Further details available at:http://uk.futureelectronics.com/en/pages/index.aspx

Date – 2017 Location

9th May Helsinki

11th May Stockholm

16th May Egham

18th May Manchester

1st June Rennes

6th June Padova

8th June Bologna

13th June Frankfurt

15th June Breda

Date – 2017 Location

20th June Lyon

21st June Paris

22nd June Toulouse

27th June Stuttgart

28th June Milan

29th June Munich

4th July San Sebastian

11th July Barcelona

13th July Madrid

C O M P O N E N T F O C U S


I/O expander provides 16 channels of I2C or SMBus signals

The PCA9655E from ON Semiconductor is a 16-bit parallel I/O expander for systems using an I2C bus or SMBus.

The device includes two 8-bit configuration registers. At power-on, all 16 I/Os operate as inputs by default. Each I/O may be configured as either an input or an output by writing to its corresponding I/O configuration bit. The data for each input or output is kept in its corresponding input or output register. All registers can be read by the system master.

The PCA9655E provides an open-drain interrupt output which is activated when any input state differs from the register state of its corresponding input port. An Interrupt output may be used to indicate to the system master that an input state has changed.

ON SEMICONDUCTORThe chip’s power-on reset function sets the registers to their default values and initialises the device’s state machine.

Three hardware pins are used to configure the device’s I2C slave address. Up to 64 PCA9655E devices can share the same I2C bus or SMBus.

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Reference design kit demonstrates efficient 15W wireless power application

STMicroelectronics has introduced the STCMB1, an AC-DC converter IC with Power Factor Correction (PFC) capability built in. It provides an output voltage up to 19V and supports loads of up to 90W.

IDT has introduced two reference kits for wireless power charger applications supplying from 5W to 15W.

The STCMB1 consists of a transition-mode PFC stage, a high-voltage double-ended controller for an LLC resonant half-bridge, an 800V high-voltage power stage, and the glue logic which supervises the operation of these three blocks.

While supporting a wide mains-voltage input range from 90V to 264V AC, it offers very low power consumption at light loads to enable users to comply with the latest European Union Code of Conduct (CoC) regulations for external power adapters.

The PFC section uses a proprietary constant on-time control methodology which requires no sinusoidal input reference, thereby reducing system cost and external component count. The LLC section is based on a proprietary time-shift control method with simple

The IDT wireless power reference solution is comprised of a transmitter board, the P9242-R-EVK, and a receiver board, the P9221-R-EVK. Both comply with the Wireless Power Consortium’s WPC-1.2.2 standard, marketed to consumers under the Qi® brand. The IDT reference system achieves peak efficiency of 87% when supplying a 15W load.

The reference kit provides a comprehensive design template for immediate prototyping. An associated layout module may be directly copied to a system board, while an optimised and fully-tested bill-of-materials provides a ready-made component selection.

In addition, the extensive digital library of technical support

STMICROELECTRONICS

INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY

compensation, which improves dynamic behaviour and input-ripple rejection. This produces a cleaner output voltage.

The STCMB1 also embeds a high-voltage start-up generator, an x-capacitor discharge circuit and a complete set of protection functions: • cycle-by-cycle over-current protection• output over-voltage protection• latch-mode feedback-failure protection • AC brown-out protection• boost inductor-saturation and in-rush current

detection

The half-bridge section provides two complementary outputs which drive the high-side and low-side MOSFETs 180° out of phase. The dead time inserted between the turn-off of one switch and the turn-on of the other is automatically adjusted to maintain zero-voltage switching and high efficiency at both low and full loads.

materials provides answers to questions and problems raised by design engineers implementing the system.

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IDT wireless power kit: Comprehensive design template PCA9655E: Suitable for use in keyboards and keypads

R1SX: Industry-standard pin-out

1W DC-DC converter offers up to 3kV isolation

RECOM’s new R1SX is a series of low-cost, isolated DC-DC converter modules housed in an open-frame, surface-mount package measuring 12.8mm x 11.1mm. The modules provide a single unregulated 3.3V or 5V output to loads of up to 1W.

There is no minimum load requirement, and quiescent power consumption is less than 150mW.

RECOM supplies the R1SX converters in either of two isolation options, 1kV or 3kV DC, which makes them an ideal solution for applications using isolated industrial communication protocols such as CAN bus.

RECOMThe products are tested to withstand the rated over-voltage for 1 minute.

The converters can drive high capacitive loads of up to 2,200µF, some 40 times higher than that of comparable competing products. The R1SX converters can be used across an operating-temperature range of -40°C to 100°C without derating. The pin-out is an industry standard, and is compatible with RECOM’s R1S series. The new R1SX, however, is only half as high as the R1S devices, and has a profile some 20% lower than the industry standard.

The converters are fully certified to the IEC/UL/EN62368-1 and UL60950-1 standards. Class A EMC compliance can be achieved without the need for any inductors. Class B EMC compliance requires a single surface-mount inductor.

APPLICATIONS• AC-DC adapters• Switch-mode power supplies• LED street lighting

FEATURES• PFC controller includes optimiser for

harmonic distortion• Half-bridge operation at up to 750kHz • Synchronous burst-mode operation with

PFC enhances light-load efficiency

APPLICATIONS• Bus isolators• Earth-loop breakers• Noise and interference blockers• Multi-channel test and measurement

equipment• Motor control systems• Industrial automation equipment

FEATURES• 30mA quiescent current• Switching-frequency range: 20 to 100kHz• 100mV peak-to-peak maximum output

ripple and noise• ±5% maximum output tolerance• Three-year warranty

APPLICATIONS• Keyboards• Human-machine interface devices

FEATURES• Operating-voltage range: 1.65V to 5.5V• 5.5V-tolerant I/Os• Low stand-by current• Input noise filter • No glitch on power-up• Supports I2C in Standard mode, Fast

mode and Fast mode+

APPLICATIONS• Wireless power chargers• Medical devices• Portable consumer electronic devices

FEATURES• Programmable output voltage: 9V or 12V• Patented over-voltage protection clamp

eliminates need for external capacitors• Proprietary coil alignment guide• Embedded 32-bit ARM® Cortex®-M0

processor• Compact form factor for fast prototyping





Apply now at my-boardclub.comFast-track board request code: FTM74A

Orderable Part Numbers: P9242-R-EVK and P9221-R-EVK


The EVLCMB1-90WADP demonstration board is a 19V, 90W AC-DC converter matching the typical specifications of an AC-DC adapter for laptops and notebooks.

Orderable Part Number: EVLCMB1-90WADP

Integrated AC-DC converter IC with PFC achieves excellent light-load efficiency

Part Number Nominal Input Voltage (V DC)

Output Voltage(V DC)

Output Current (mA)

Typical Efficiency (%)

Maximum Capacitive Load (µF)

R1SX-3.33.3 3.3 3.3 303 74 2,200

R1SX-3.305 3.3 5 200 78 2,200

R1SX-0505 5 5 200 78 2,200



MCUs combine scalable, future-proof features with automotive-grade software development kit

NXP Semiconductors’ S32K1 is a family of AEC-Q100 qualified microcontrollers based on 32-bit ARM® Cortex®-M4F or Cortex-M0+ cores which are suitable for a wide range of automotive and high-reliability industrial applications.

The family consists of scalable MCU families which are hardware- and software-compatible, giving the user a choice of performance, memory and feature options, and easy migration from one device to another.

The features of the S32K1 MCUs include an interface to the high-speed CAN FD communication bus, a Secure Hardware Extension (SHE)-compliant Cryptographic Services Engine compressed (CSEc) hardware security module, and support for the ISO26262 functional safety standard to the ASIL-B grade. Multiple low-power operating modes are available, and the S32K1 also provides autonomous, low-power analogue, communication and timer peripherals.

Users of the MCU can take advantage of a pre-qualified, automotive-grade software development kit which includes low-level drivers for all MCU peripherals, and which is embedded in NXP’s free S32 Design Studio Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

NXP SEMICONDUCTORSThis Eclipse-based IDE supports the AUTOSAR software architecture and its Microcontroller Abstraction Layer (MCAL), and is compatible with third-party compilers and debuggers.

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Common-mode EMI filter for differential channels offers integrated ESD protection

New box-type film capacitors feature low loss and excellent frequency characteristics

The PCMFxUSB3S from Nexperia, which was formerly the standard products division of NXP Semiconductors, is a series of common-mode EMI filters with integrated ESD protection for one, two or three differential channels.

Panasonic Automotive and Industrial Systems Europe has introduced a new range of small film capacitors suitable for active filtering functions as well as high-frequency and high-current circuits.

Featuring low loss and excellent frequency characteristics, the new ECWFE capacitors have a non-inductive construction: it uses metallised polypropylene film, and has a flame-retardant plastic case and a built-in fuse. When the fuse is blown, the ECWFE capacitor fails open rather than short.

The ECWFE capacitors are supplied in one of two voltage ratings: parts with a 450V DC rating are available with capacitance in the range of 0.1µF to 4.7µF; 630V DC parts are available in capacitance values ranging from 0.1µF to 2.2µF.

The durable box-shape casing of the ECWFE capacitors provides for better tolerance of vibration than standard film capacitors.

NEXPERIA

PANASONIC

The devices generate low insertion losses on differential high-speed signals on each channel while attenuating unwanted common-mode signals. In differential mode, insertion loss at a frequency of 1MHz is just 0.3dB.

Each differential channel incorporates two signal lines that are coupled by integrated coils. Diodes provide protection to downstream components against ESD voltages for contact or air

discharges of up to ±15kV on each signal line. This ESD protection rating is consistent with the provisions of the IEC 61000-4-2 standard.

The PCMFxUSB3S devices offer superior RF performance when compared to that of other integrated filters or to discrete filters with external ESD protection.

Forward voltage is 0.8V at a forward current of 10mA.

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ON Semiconductor’s NCS36000 is a fully integrated controller IC intended for use in low-cost passive infrared (IR) sensor equipment.

The NCS36000 includes power circuitry to drive a sensor’s IR LED, and to interface to a pin of an external microcontroller.

The device integrates a two-stage amplifier circuit, consisting of two low-noise amplifiers and a low-dropout regulator which provides a low-noise power supply to drive the sensor.

ON SEMICONDUCTOR

The output of the amplifiers goes to a window comparator, which uses internal voltage references from the regulator.

An internal digital control circuit processes the output from the window comparator and provides the output to the Out pin, connected to an external MCU, and the LED pin.

APPLICATIONS• Mobile communications devices• Mobile internet devices • Devices with USB3.1, USB2.0, HDMI 2.0

or HDMI 1.4 interfaces• Devices with a Camera Serial Interface

(CSI) or Display Serial Interface (DSI)

FEATURES• Good common-mode suppression over a

wide frequency range• ±7A peak pulse current• Extremely high symmetry between line

pairs• Industry-standard wafer-level chip-scale

packages• Ambient-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C

APPLICATIONS• Lighting• Security equipment• Building-automation equipment• Motion-triggered devices

FEATURES• Internal oscillator • Single or dual pulse detection• Operating-voltage range: 3.0V to 5.75V• 170µA maximum stand-by current• Ambient-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C

APPLICATIONS• Body control• Climate control• Exhaust gas after-treatment• Motor control• Powertrain companion chip• Passive safety systems• Parking assistance• Immobilisers• Battery management• Pump and fan controllers• Airbags• Infotainment modules• Gateways• Industrial automation• Avionics• Medical equipment

FEATURES• Operating frequency: • ARM Cortex-M4F up to 112MHz • ARM Cortex-M0+ up to 48MHz• Up to 2Mbytes of Flash and 256kbytes

of RAM, both with Error Correcting Code (ECC)

• EEPROM FlexMemory• Support for AES-128 cryptography

algorithm• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 125°C• NXP’s product longevity programme

guarantees minimum 15 years’ assured supply

APPLICATIONS• Active filtering• High-frequency circuits• High-current circuits

FEATURES• ≤0.1% dissipation factor at 1kHz, 20°C• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 105°C• Low hum noise



170411 For samples or pricing [email protected] For samples or pricing e-mail

[email protected] now at my-boardclub.com

Fast-track board request code: FTM74A

This Arduino™-compatible board is suitable for evaluating the S32K144 and S32K142 MCUs.

Orderable Part Number: S32K144EVB-Q100X

IR sensor controller integrates power and digital-processing functions

PCMFxUSB3S from Nexperia: Superior RF performance

ECWFE: Excellent vibration tolerance

S32K1: Support for ISO26262 safety standard



Miniature 1W and 2W power supplies ideal for smart home and smart office applications

Intelligently networked smart homes and smart offices require mesh-networked control systems with many low-power nodes, actuators and sensors which are always on. For these devices, RECOM’s low-cost 1W and 2W AC-DC power supplies provide an ideal set of features, including a small PCB footprint, very low stand-by power consumption and a comprehensive set of safety and EMC certifications.

RECOM’s new RAC01-G and RAC02-G Class II power supplies are suitable for worldwide use, supporting a wide input-voltage range of 100V to 240V AC. The board-mount modules have 5V or 12V outputs with short-circuit protection, suitable for operating relays or powering gateways and building-automation nodes.

Integrated into their compact 33.7mm x 22.2mm x 19mm enclosure, the RAC0x-G modules have EN 55022 Class A (-SGA version) or Class B (-SGB version) filters which require no ground connection.

The power supplies offer isolation of 3kV AC for 1 minute, and operate reliably in ambient temperatures from 25°C to 70°C.

RECOM

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Highly integrated battery-monitoring IC ensures safe operation of li-ion cells

Programmable magnetic switches offer customisable operating thresholds

The ISL94202 from Intersil, now part of Renesas, is a lithium-ion battery-monitoring IC for use with between three and eight series-connected cells.

Melexis supplies an extensive range of magnetic, solid-state latches and switches which match or exceed the safety and power-consumption specifications of modern applications.

It provides a complete set of battery-monitoring and control functions, including voltage and current sensing. The ISL94202 also provides for automatic shut-down and recovery after the battery goes beyond its rated operating conditions, and automatically controls passive cell-balancing switches.

The configurable ISL94202 can operate as a stand-alone device, or with an external microcontroller, which communicates to the IC through an I2C interface. For operation in stand-alone mode, an internal EEPROM can be user-configured with dedicated protection settings.

The ISL94202 measures the voltage individually at each cell in the battery pack, and performs high-side current

Solid-state latch and switch devices rely on the principles of the Hall effect to determine the physical position of an object by sensing the position of a paired magnet. These on/off switching devices are very common in automotive applications such as brakes, gear shifters, door locks and seat belts.

While Melexis’ automotive-qualified devices are manufactured in the millions, their design offers the user flexibility to adapt them for use in various lower-volume industrial applications. An integrated EEPROM allows thresholds and compensation to be programmed into the device while on the production line, turning a standard part into a custom solution. By programming compensation curves, the devices can be used with low-cost magnets, thereby lowering the total cost of the sensing solution.

INTERSIL

MELEXIS

measurement. This provides for high accuracy, enabling users to make reliable state-of-charge calculations and to implement meaningful fuel gauging.

The IC can handle inputs from one or two temperature sensors. It can also control high-side nMOS protection switches in a series Charge/Discharge configuration.

The device draws 13µA in sleep mode and less than 1µA in power-down mode. This means that a battery pack can be stored for a long period without the risk of fully discharging the cells.

In addition, the highly flexible, high-accuracy second generation of Hall switches features an integrated capacitor for PCB-less installation in tight spaces.

Melexis’ newest device, the MLX92292, incorporates Triaxis® functionality, which offers a new way of sensing based on proprietary Integrated Magnetic Concentrator (IMC™) technology. The ability to sense lateral or orthogonal magnetic fields brings the potential to replace multiple devices with a single sensor, saving valuable space and reducing bill-of-materials costs.

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New evaluation kit with improved IR grid-array sensor enables fast prototyping of IoT applications

Panasonic Automotive and Industrial Systems has launched a new evaluation kit which features the second generation of its successful Grid-EYE infrared array sensor.

The new Grid-EYE 2nd Generation Evaluation Kit is based on the latest AMG8834 Grid-EYE sensor, which benefits from an improved noise equivalent temperature difference of 0.16°C at 10Hz and of 0.05°C at 1Hz. In addition, the new sensor can now detect IR radiation sources at a distance of 7m, up from 5m.

The innovative Grid-EYE sensor consists of an 8x8 array of IR pixels. It can be used for a wide variety of people-sensing and heat-detection applications.

In presence-detection applications, the Grid-EYE sensor is able to differentiate people from other heat sources such as displays or heaters. Moreover, as Grid-EYE is an IR sensor, it can detect people in almost any ambient light conditions. Another significant advantage of

PANASONICthe Grid-EYE sensor is that, unlike a camera, its use does not intrude on personal privacy.

The person-detection capability can be used, for instance, for the automatic activation of lighting or of heating and air-conditioning equipment. The Grid-EYE sensor can also be used in the detection of damaging hot-spots in machines, automatic detection of people or animals inside vehicles, and contactless temperature measurement in industrial applications.

In the new Grid-EYE evaluation kit, the improved sensor is supported by upgraded design software, which runs on a PC. Panasonic has also released a smartphone app for the Apple® iOS operating environment, which customers can download free to test the basic functionality of the sensor.

Also new in the latest evaluation kit is Panasonic’s PAN1740 Bluetooth® Smart RF module, backed by a microcontroller. This combination of IR sensing and short-range wireless connectivity enables users to rapidly develop prototypes and build new Internet of Things applications.

APPLICATIONS• Power tools • Battery back-up systems • Light electric vehicles • Portable equipment • Energy-storage systems • Solar farms • Medical equipment/hospital beds • Monitoring equipment • Ventilators

FEATURES• Supports LiCoO2, LiMn2O4 and LiFePO4

chemistries • Short-circuit detection and protection • Programmable detection/recovery times

for over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, and short-circuit conditions

• Detection of open battery connection

APPLICATIONS• Lighting• Air conditioners• Microwave ovens• Lifts• Automatic doors• Kiosks • Medical equipment • Industrial equipment

FEATURES (GRID-EYE SENSOR)• Frame rate: 1 or 10 frames/s• ±2.5°C temperature-measurement

accuracy• Temperature-measurement range:

-20°C to 100°C• 60° field of view• 11.6mm x 4.3mm x 8.0mm package

dimensions

APPLICATIONS• Internet gateways • Internet of Things devices• Smart home devices• Building-automation equipment• Industrial equipment• Factory-automation equipment• Smart office devices

FEATURES• UL60950-1, IEC/UL/EN62368-1 CB

certified• RAC01-SGA + RAC02-SGA are

EN 60335-1/EN 55014 certified • No earth connection required• Three-year warranty

APPLICATIONS• Brake and clutch sensors• Sunroof/tailgate opener• Steering-column lock• Open/close detection• Brake light switch• Window lifter• Door lock• Seatbelt buckle• Seat positioning• Transmission applications• Electrical power steering

FEATURES• Operating-voltage range: 2.7V to 24V• Accurate switching thresholds• Reverse supply-voltage protection• Output-current limit with automatic shut-

down• Under-voltage lockout protection• Thermal protection• Traceability with integrated unique

identifier• Integrated self-diagnostic functions

activating dedicated safe mode• Qualified to ISO26262-8:13 for use in

safety-critical systems




[email protected]


Orderable Part Number: AMG8832EK


Orderable Part Number: ISL94202EVKIT1Z

ISL94202: Controls cell-balancing operations

Melexis: MLX92292 uses Triaxis technology RAC0x-G: 5V or 12V output



Ultra low-power MCU combines class-leading performance and efficiency

STMicroelectronics’ new STM32L496, the latest member of the STM32L4™ family of ultra low-power microcontrollers, features enlarged memory capacity, enhanced graphics support and extra peripherals.

Like the other members of the STM32L4™ family, the new device combines the strong processing capability of the ARM® Cortex®-M4F core with ST’s proprietary ultra-low power technologies for an outstanding combination of performance and efficiency. Its CoreMark® score of 273 is better than that of other MCUs with an ultra-low power core, while the ULPBench™ score of 217 is evidence of its superior energy efficiency. Drawing active-mode current of just 37µA/MHz, the STM32L496 enables users to achieve longer run-time on small batteries, and extends the designer’s scope to create energy-neutral products powered by ambient sources.

The ST32L496 also offers a larger on-chip RAM of up to 320kbytes, which complements the newly added ST Chrom-ART Accelerator™ graphics engine, giving smoother display performance in energy-conscious applications.

The new MCU offers up to 1Mbyte of Flash, an extra CAN interface, a camera interface and a crystal-less Full-Speed USB OTG interface.

STMICROELECTRONICSA new 169-ball BGA package option gives extra flexibility to the system designer to take advantage of these new peripherals.

Like other members of the the STM32L4 family, the STM32L496 features the FlexPowerControl architecture, which includes a shut-down mode for additional energy savings, alongside multiple independent core and peripheral supplies, and a separate battery power domain with charging circuitry.

The STM32L496 also supports the seven main STM32L4 low-power modes.

Alongside the STM32L496, ST has introduced to the SMT32L4 family the STM32L4A6, which has a hardware cryptographic acceleration engine supporting the SHA-256 and AES-128, -192 and -256 algorithms.

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Complete secure element and services offering provides strong security for IoT devices

Upgraded tri-axis accelerometer offers extended measurement range

The STSAFE-A100 from STMicroelectronics is a secure solution which provides authentication and data-management services to a local or remote host.

The KXTJ3 from Kionix, part of the ROHM group, is a new and improved version of the company’s family of tri-axis MEMS accelerometers. Housed in a 2mm x 2mm x 0.9mm, 12-pin LGA package, it is pin-compatible with the earlier KXTJ2 series, and thus provides an easy upgrade path for users of the older device.

With the STSAFE-A100, ST offers a full turnkey solution including a secure operating system running on the latest generation of secure microcontrollers.

Based on a Common Criteria EAL5+ certified platform, the STSAFE-A100 has a command set which enables the user to:• implement strong authentication• establish a secure network channel within

the scope of a Transport Layer Security (TLS) session

• verify signatures• offer secure storage as well as decrement

counters for usage monitoring

It is particularly well suited to applications commonly exposed to fraud and counterfeiting, such as game controllers, phone accessories

In the new KXTJ3, the maximum full-scale measurement range has been extended to ±16g. The measurement range is user-configurable to ±2g, ±4g, ±8g or ±16g. In addition, the wake-up and interrupt circuitry has been refined, now providing a configurable threshold with a minimum value of 3.9mg.

The KXTJ3’s improved sensor element offers lower noise performance, rated at 150µg/√Hz. The accelerometer is also notable for its stable performance over temperature: its zero-g offset is ±25mg, and the temperature variation of the offset is just 0.2mg/°C.

Applications requiring high sensitivity can be catered for by the KXTJ3, which can measure at a resolution up to 1,024 counts/g in 14-bit or 12-bit mode. It is also suitable for battery-powered and power-constrained applications, drawing just 0.9µA in stand-by mode, and 10µA in low-power mode.

STMICROELECTRONICS

ROHM SEMICONDUCTOR

and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that host financial or other high-value services.

ST’s complete authentication solution includes: • the STSAFE-A100 turnkey security solution• a comprehensive set of software libraries• reference code examples • services for storing confidential customer

data in the secure MCU

Kionix also supplies the KX224, a tri-axis MEMS accelerometer with a configurable measurement range of ±8g, ±16g or ±32g.

10

Photodetector features improved sensitivity to visible light and fast response times

Vishay’s VEMD5080X01 is a high-speed photodiode which has enhanced sensitivity to visible light.

A compact surface-mount device with a low profile of 0.9mm, it has a sensing area of 7.5mm2, and can detect visible and near-infrared radiation with a wavelength ranging from 350nm to 1,100nm. Its relative spectral sensitivity peaks at 950nm.

Providing a fast response to incident light, its rise and fall times are just 100ns. The photodiode’s low capacitance allows for fast sampling rates and precise signal detection, while its sensitivity to green light has been increased by 30% compared to previous generations of the product.

VISHAY

APPLICATIONS• IoT devices• Smart home devices• Smart city applications• Industrial equipment • Consumer electronics devices• Consumables and accessories

FEATURES• Authentication of peripherals, IoT devices

and USB devices• Signature verification service• Usage monitoring with secure counters• Pairing of a secure channel with a host

application processor• Wrapping and unwrapping of local or

remote host envelopes • On-chip key-pair generation • Protection against logical and physical

attacks• Advanced asymmetric cryptography• Advanced symmetric cryptography

APPLICATIONS• Particle and dust sensors• Smoke detectors• Automotive sensors• Optical heart-rate monitoring

FEATURES• ±65° angle of half sensitivity• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 110°C• AEC-Q101 qualified

APPLICATIONS• Portable devices• IoT edge nodes• Wearable devices• Consumer electronics

FEATURES• 16 timers, including two 16-bit motor-

control timers• Real-time clock with calendar• LCD display driver• Up to 24 capacitive sensing channels• Four digital filters for sigma-delta

modulator• Three 12-bit ADCs• Two 12-bit DACs• Two serial audio interfaces• True random number generator

APPLICATIONS• Consumer electronics devices• Medical equipment• Industrial equipment

FEATURES• Supply-voltage range: 1.71V to 3.6V • User-configurable output data rates from

0.781Hz to 1,600Hz• Highly configurable interrupt control• Embedded low-pass filter• Self-test function• I2C interface






Orderable Part Number: EVAL-KXTJ3-1057


The STM32L496 Discovery Kit features on-board audio and graphics capabilities, and supports Arduino, Pmod and STMod+™ connectivity.

Orderable Part Number: STM32L496G-DISCO

This makes the VEMD5080X01 ideal for optical heart-rate monitoring in wearable devices when used in combination with Vishay’s VLMTG1400 green LED. Because of its broad spectral sensitivity, it is also able to provide pulse oximetry measurements when used with Vishay’s VSMD66694 dual-colour LED.

STSAFE-A100: Backed by software libraries and reference code

KXTJ3: Stable output over temperature range

VEMD5080X01: 7.5mm2 sensing area

C O M P O N E N T F O C U SC O M P O N E N T F O C U S


Industrial and medical short-range optical sensor module has high immunity to ambient light

TT Electronics’ OPB9000 is a versatile optical sensor module which can be used in a wide variety of non-contacting presence-detection and position-sensing applications.

It is a fully integrated device including an 850nm IR LED and driver, photodiode, signal-processing circuitry and two-wire interface providing a digital output, housed in an eight-lead surface-mount package measuring 4.0mm x 2.2mm x 1.46mm.

The OPB9000 can detect various types of media with as little as a 30% change in reflectivity, over a reflective sensing range of up to 50mm. It offers particularly good immunity to ambient light conditions, rejecting interference from ambient light up to 25klux – full daylight.

Factory-calibrated to a white card at a 12mm distance, the OPB9000 offers plug-and-play

TT ELECTRONICSoperation in many applications. But it can also be re-calibrated in a matter of milliseconds with a single command to meet the specific requirements of a particular application. Programmable output and sensitivity-level settings are stored in an on-board EEPROM.

The module features automatic temperature compensation of the LED driver circuit for consistent detection performance. In addition, automatic gain control avoids the need to constantly recalibrate the device as the LED ages.

13F O L L O W U S N O W – S E A R C H F T M B O A R D C L U B O N

Wire-to-board connectors for power supplies feature 1.2mm pitch

New thermocouple connector dramatically reduces termination time

Hirose’s DF58 is a series of space-saving, low-profile, wire-to-board connectors for miniature applications. It consists of crimp sockets and headers in a single row.

TE Connectivity (TE) has introduced a connector for K-type thermocouples with a spring-clamp contact design which dramatically reduces wire termination time compared to standard screw-type contact systems. In addition, the contact force of the TE connector remains stable over time.

The low mated height profile is just 1.0mm, and the depth is 4.97mm, reducing the space required on the board to accommodate power connections.

Although Hirose has kept the connector’s dimensions to a minimum, the power rating is not compromised. A high current rating of 3A, when using the two-contact version with 28 AWG cable, enables the DF58 to support power-supply applications.

Secure connection is guaranteed with the Vertical-insertion Swing-extraction (ViSe) double-locking mechanism. The crimp socket is mated to the header in a vertical

TE’s new K-type thermocouple connector in a thermoplastic housing provides easy connection to thermocouple wire. The spring terminal’s push-on lock allows for easy mating, while the unique shape of the metal locking mechanism prevents unintentional unmating. It is backed up by an audible click on mating.

HIROSE

TE CONNECTIVITY

direction; it is guided in at an angle, however, to engage with the positive lock. This ensures high retention force in the upper direction and prevents the cables from being easily disconnected.

A friction lock prevents incomplete locking and floating after mating.

Highly reliable two-point clipping contacts are used to keep the contact resistance stable and to reduce temperature rise.

12

TE Connectivity and TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks.


Industrial USB connectors offer rugged operation

Industrial USB connectors from TE Connectivity (TE) are ideal for all industrial USB applications in which a high locking force or a sealed design for use in harsh environments is required.

TE CONNECTIVITYTE’s broad range of industrial USB connectors includes the IP20 series, which features an integrated locking mechanism with audible and tactile feedback. This provides an excellent interconnect solution for internal USB cable routing, eliminating the risk of the plug coming loose during transit and use.

TE has also added a range of industrial ruggedised connectors to its USB connector family. The Circular Sealed USB connector

supports the Hi-Speed USB standard for outdoor factory-floor and harsh applications in which conventional USB connectors do not offer the required level of ruggedness.

The Circular Sealed USB connector has an IP67 rating and features an operating-temperature range of -40°C to 85°C.

APPLICATIONS• Wearable devices• Service robots• Drones• Medical devices• Point-of-sale equipment• Digital cameras • Portable devices

FEATURES• 2, 3, 4 or 6 contact positions:• 1.2mm contact pitch• 0.29mm effective mating length• 100V AC/DC voltage rating• 10 mating cycles• Cable size: AWG 28-30

APPLICATIONS• Factory-automation equipment • Industrial printers • Industrial PCs• Programmable logic controllers• Industrial networking systems• Industrial control cabinets and units• Robotics• Fieldbus systems

FEATURES• USB2.0 standard, USB type A and B

connection system• Integrated locking mechanism provides

excellent lock strength• Secondary locking with metal spring

enhances locking strength• Pass-through receptacle style is available • Bayonet locking function provides reliable

connections in harsh environments• Intermateable with existing USB Type A

receptacles• Bulkhead receptacle mounts to either

outside or inside panel cut-out

APPLICATIONS• Industrial printing and high-speed paper

detection • Manufacturing and automation • Automated banking machines • Hospital and laboratory equipment • Portable medical equipment • Automatic dispensing • Material handling and asset tracking

FEATURES• 6µs response time • Pulsed synchronous drive detection • Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C • Supply-voltage range: 2.7V to 5.5V

APPLICATIONS• Semiconductor manufacturing equipment• Injection moulding machines• Machine tools

FEATURES• Two positions for K-type thermocouples:

+ Chromel, - Alumel• Touch-proof design provides for IP20

rating • Supports free-hanging and panel-mount

assemblies• Wire size range: AWG 32 to AWG 20• Operating-temperature range:

-20°C to 220°C

170420 For samples or pricing [email protected] 170422 For samples or pricing e-mail

[email protected]


[email protected]

Product Type Part Number

Receptacle connector 1-2299959-1

Tab connector (free-hanging) 1-2299960-1

Tab connector (panel-mount) 2-2299960-1

Opener for spring terminal 2295226-1

Strain relief for cable 2295205-1

Grommet for cable 2295225-1

DF58 connectors: Secure double-locking mechanism Circular Sealed USB connector: IP67 rating

OPB9000: Includes LED, photo-detector and signal processingTE: Plastic housing provides easy connection to thermocouple wire

D E S I G N N O T E

S E E P R E V I O U S I S S U E S O F F T M AT W W W. M Y- F T M . C O M 15

Long-range connectivity needs for consumer/commercial IoT system designMany applications outside of the industrial space also require and benefit from long-range connectivity. Commercial applications like asset tracking in warehouses require long-range wireless communication to a central hub or smartphone. Home/electronic appliances may also require long-range capability simply because the obstacles in a typical home/office environment reduce the range of Bluetooth.

The presence of obstacles can result in multipath fading that reduces the range of a Bluetooth module with 0dBm output power from ~30 meters line-of-sight to ~10 meters. Using a long-range module enables 80 to 100 meters of range even in a home/office environment and ensures Bluetooth communication throughout the building.

EZ-BLE™ PRoC™ modules enable commercial and consumer IoTCypress’s EZ-BLE PRoC Module CYBLE-212006-01 is the perfect fit for commercial and consumer IoT applications that require long range. The module is fully-qualified to Bluetooth4.2, fully-certified to FCC, IC, TELEC, KCC and CE and integrates a PA for 7.5dBm o/p TX power and an LNA for up

to -93dBm receive sensitivity with an on-board PCB antenna. Bluetooth 4.2 as mentioned earlier ensures better security and higher throughput for IoT applications.

Every application is different, and Cypress’s new BLE modules cover a wide spectrum of design needs. Certain consumer and commercial applications require the Bluetooth module to be placed inside a metal enclosure and therefore require an antenna that can stick out of the enclosure for wireless communication access. Other applications may simply want an external antenna option for better gain to further improve range. The CYBLE-202007-01 provides an option to attach an external antenna via an on-board u.FL connector while the CYBLE-202013-11 enables an external antenna using a RF solder pad. Both of these can support external antennas with 50Ω impedance.

Bluetooth 5.0: new long range featuresThe new Bluetooth 5.0 specification provides a number of new optional features like the 2Mbps PHY for higher BLE throughput and advertisement extension for longer BLE advertisement packets. It also includes two features which promise to further improve the range of BLE:

1. LE Long Range: This feature uses Forward Error Correction (FEC) to improve the receive sensitivity. FEC however does not improve the TX power. FEC uses a coded PHY that encodes every bit of outgoing information using two or eight symbols. Effectively this reduces the PHY data rate from 1 Mbps to 125kbps, when using eight symbols per bit, or 500kbps, when using two symbols per bit. FEC only helps in long-range communication between two devices when both devices support the coded PHY. Existing smartphones/hubs will not be able to use this feature for long-range communication. Another concern with FEC is that applications will require more time to transfer the data, will use the spectrum for a longer period of time and may effectively burn more power. An external PA/LNA-based Bluetooth module, such as the Cypress modules discussed here, may actually offer more power efficiency. Finally, because this feature results in a BLE device occupying the spectrum for a longer time period, coexistence will be a major issue for IoT devices using both BLE and Wi-Fi.

2. Higher LE TX Power: The maximum TX power allowed for BLE is now 20dBm. This is expected to drive new BLE modules that can provide even longer range than the 400 meters line-of-sight, open-air range possible with today’s best-in-class modules. Note however, that certain regions of the world, such as Europe, do not allow a FHSS-based wireless technology like Bluetooth to transmit at power levels over 10dBm. All of Cypress’s long-range modules covered in this article are capable of transmitting at higher power levels using firmware/software settings. Designing with these modules therefore ensures a future-proof design that can leverage higher transmit power levels if and when allowed by regulatory bodies. FCC in the USA and IC in Canada already allow up to 20dBm power level for Bluetooth and customers in these countries can get even longer range with Cypress’s long-range modules.

Both Bluetooth 5.0 features provide longer range at the cost of an increase in power consumption depending on the application use case.

Cypress’s EZ-BLE PSoC Modules discussed here consume 26.3µA on average for a 1-second connection interval with long-range communication when transmitting at ~9.5dBm output power. It remains to be seen how the new Bluetooth 5.0 features affect power consumption numbers and whether they are broadly adopted for real-world IoT use-cases.


Cypress enables long-range connectivity in industrial and commercial IoT applications

Bluetooth low energy is enabling long-range IoTBluetooth has traditionally been viewed as a short-range technology for audio and personal area networks. Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) however is being adopted in a wide array of industrial and commercial/consumer IoT applications like sensor nodes due to its low power consumption. Several industrial/commercial applications are leveraging BLE for its ability to simply transmit data over a long range to a hub and/or a smartphone – without consuming large amounts of power. Cypress has several solutions to enable both low-power and long-range BLE connectivity. This Design Note focusses on Cypress’s new long range Bluetooth modules and how they allow for innovative industrial and consumer/commercial applications.

Long-range connectivity for industrial applications and lightingA simple application that needs long range connectivity is a beacon on a piece of industrial equipment in a factory/assembly line. The beacon transmits status data a few times a day to a hub. The hub receives such data from multiple pieces of equipment in the factory and therefore may be located at a distance of 100 meters or more from several of them. When an error is noticed in the status data from a particular piece of equipment, a technician is dispatched to that location who then uses a smartphone to get detailed data logs. A BLE device in this use case would be wall powered and should be able to transmit data over a long range using BLE advertisements with higher transmit power. The BLE device would also be used to connect to the technician’s smartphone for detailed data logs using a custom profile similar to Bluetooth Classic’s Serial Port Profile. Since the BLE device is being deployed in an industrial environment, it may also need to tolerate temperatures of 90°C to 100°C to match the operating ambient temperatures in the vicinity of the industrial equipment.

Another application that requires long-range connectivity is lighting. Industrial LEDs and even some commercial/consumer lights come with smartphone apps to turn the light on/off. In some cases the app provides options to set the colour and even the intensity of the light. In this use case a BLE device inside the light fixture would need to maintain a long-range connection with a smartphone to exchange relevant data. In addition, since the temperature of several of these light fixtures can go higher than ~90°C, the BLE device would need to tolerate higher temperatures and maintain functionality throughout any fluctuations.

CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR

EZ-BLE™ PSoC® modules enable the industrial IoT Cypress’s EZ-BLE PSoC Module, CYBLE-224110-00, is an ideal fit for industrial/lighting applications that need long range and high temperature tolerance. The module is fully-qualified to Bluetooth 4.1, fully-certified to FCC, IC, TELEC, KCC and CE, and integrates a PA and LNA to supportlong range and an extended industrial temperature grade of -40°C to 105°C. The PA enables an output power of 9.5dBm with the on-board chip antenna while the LNA enables best-in-class receive sensitivity of up to -95dBm. Together the PA/LNA enable a line-of-sight range of up to 400 meters in an open-air environment or ~100 meters in a typical home/office environment. For industrial/lighting applications that need better over-the-air security and/or higher throughput in addition to long range and high temperature tolerance, Cypress’s CYBLE-224116-01 provides all the optional Bluetooth 4.2 features. These include:• LE Secure Connections using

Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman algorithm for secure key exchange

• LE Extended Data Packet Length for 251byte over-the-air payload (compared to 27bytes in BT 4.1) that enables up to ~800kbps throughput (compared to ~300kbps with BT 4.1)

• LE Privacy 1.2 for power-efficient address resolution

D E S I G N N O T E

F O L L O W U S N O W – S E A R C H F T M B O A R D C L U B O N14


Orderable Part Numbers: CYBLE-224110-EVAL, CYBLE-224116-EVALCYBLE-212006-EVAL , CYBLE-202007-EVAL CYBLE-202013-EVAL

ByUtsav Ghosh, Product Marketing, Cypress SemiconductorMatthew Salmanpour, Distribution Marketing, Cypress Semiconductor

Module MPN Size BT Spec Antenna Type Application Evaluation Board

CYBLE-224110-00 9.5 x 15.4 x 1.80mm BT 4.1 Chip Antenna Industrial (-40°C to 105°C) Automation/Lighting CYBLE-224110-EVAL

CYBLE-224116-01 9.5 x 15.4 x 1.80mm BT 4.2 Chip Antenna Industrial (-40°C to 105°C) Automation/Lighting CYBLE-224116-EVAL

CYBLE-212006-01 15 x 23 x 2.00mm BT 4.2 PCB Antenna Consumer (-40°C to 85°C) and Commercial CYBLE-212006-EVAL

CYBLE-202007-01 15 x 23 x 2.05mm BT 4.2 External Antenna via u.FL Consumer (-40°C to 85°C) and Commercial CYBLE-202007-EVAL

CYBLE-202013-11 15 x 23 x 1.55mm BT 4.2 External Antenna via RF Pad Consumer (-40°C to 85°C) and Commercial CYBLE-202013-EVAL

A P P L I C A T I O N S P O T L I G H T – C O N N E C T I V I T Y




Bridge IC provides access to Ethernet, UART, I2C and GPIO from single Hi-Speed USB port

Exar Corporation’s XR2280x family of USB-to-Ethernet bridge ICs combines a Hi-Speed USB2.0 hub with 10/100 Ethernet and I2C controllers, Enhanced Dedicated GPIO Entity (EDGE) GPIO and up to four UARTs in a single chip.

This bridge solution provides interfaces to multiple standard communications channels from a single USB port, allowing many legacy product designs to be readily adapted for connection to the Internet of Things (IoT).

The XR22801 provides an upstream USB interface with an integrated USB2.0 PHY and device controller which supports operation at the maximum Hi-Speed USB2.0 data rate of 480Mbits/s, as well as the Full-Speed USB rate of 12Mbits/s.

EXARDownstream, an Ethernet controller with integrated 10/100 Ethernet media access controller and PHY complies with the IEEE 802.3 specification. The XR2280x also includes an enhanced UART with a fractional baud-rate generator operating at rates from 300bits/s to 15Mbits/s, an I2C controller capable of supporting multiple masters, and an EDGE controller.

The EDGE controller supports up to 16 GPIOs. Both the EDGE pins and the I2C interface can be used for controlling and monitoring other peripherals. Up to two EDGE pins can also be configured as a PWM generator.

In addition to the XR22801, which includes a single UART, Exar also offers the XR22800 with no UART, the XR22802 with two UARTS, and the XR22804 with four UARTs.

Compact place-and-play Bluetooth Smart module combines high-speed operation with ultra low-power consumption

New STM32 board enables evaluation of LoRaWAN for long-range IoT connectivity

The PAN1760 from Panasonic is a highly integrated Bluetooth® Low Energy module which provides for a much shorter development time and lower component count than implementations using discrete components.

STMicroelectronics has released a development board which gives developers a ready-made platform for evaluating the LoRaWAN™ Low-Power Wide-Area Networking (LPWAN) technology.

The 15.6mm x 8.7mm x 1.8mm surface-mount PAN1760, which is based on the Toshiba TC35667 system-on-chip, includes a full-featured Bluetooth Low Energy radio and controller, 512kbit EEPROM, filter, antenna, a 26MHz oscillator, and ten GPIOs. It is supplied with an embedded Bluetooth v4.1 software stack, Generic Attribute (GATT) profile and high-level application programming interface. It supports both the Bluetooth Central and Peripheral modes.

The module, which has the ordering code ENW89847A1KF, provides designers with an easy way to implement the very low-power Bluetooth Low Energy wireless technology,

The B-L072Z-LRWAN1 STM32 LoRa® Discovery kit is based on an open LoRa module from Murata which includes an STM32L072CZ microcontroller and Semtech SX1276 transceivers.

PANASONIC

STMICROELECTRONICS

which is becoming widely used in wireless sensor networks, health and fitness monitoring devices and many other applications.

Operating from a 1.8V to 3.6V power supply, the PAN1760 draws a peak current of just 5.4mA in Transmit and Receive modes. In Low-Power mode, the module draws a current of less than 1µA.

The PAN1760’s 512kbit EEPROM and 32kbyte RAM memories may be used to store application code, thus providing for autonomous operation without a host microcontroller. Applications using an MCU may connect to the PAN1760 via its UART interface.

The module is supplied with FCC, IC and CE approvals.

The module’s spread-spectrum LoRa modem provides very long range and high interference immunity, and draws very little Transmit and Receive current.

Since the module is open, developers have access to the STM32L072CZ MCU and its peripherals, such as an ADC, a 16-bit timer, and low-power UART, I2C, SPI and Full-Speed USB2.0 interfaces. Designers can use ST’s STM32L0 hardware abstraction layer and embedded software libraries, and can extend the board’s functionality with STM32 Nucleo or Arduino™ expansion boards.

The B-L072Z-LRWAN1 kit includes an on-board debugger, a 64-pin STM32 Nucleo morpho connector and an Arduino-compatible connector. It also comes with access to a free development ecosystem which includes the MDK-ARM integrated development environment, STM32CubeMX configurator and software tools, and ST’s I-CUBE-LRWAN LoRaWAN protocol stack.

The board is LoRaWAN-certified and fully compliant with wireless regulations in the US, EU, Russia, India, and other countries in which the 860-930MHz frequency bands are in use.

ESD protection diodes optimised for protection of NFC interfaces

The PESD18VF1BSF from Nexperia, formerly the standard products division of NXP Semiconductors, is an ultra-low capacitance, bi-directional ESD protection diode which safeguards devices containing an NFC interface from damage caused by ESD strikes and other transient voltage events. It has a maximum reverse stand-off voltage of 18V.

A related part, the PESD24VF1BSF, features a maximum reverse stand-off voltage of 24V.

These devices are intended for use in space-constrained designs, such as consumer mobile products, in which an NFC antenna is integrated into the host product’s battery or battery cover. This provides an entry point for ESD strikes which could damage the NFC controller IC.

Housed in a DSN0603-2 (SOD962-2) leadless surface-mount package measuring 0.3mm x 0.6mm, a PESDxxVF1BSF diode protects one signal line from an ESD contact discharge of up to ±10kV, a rating which is consistent with the provisions of the IEC 61000-4-2 standard.

NEXPERIAThe devices’ low capacitance helps to make it easy to design the NFC antenna-matching circuit. In the PESD18VF1BSF, diode capacitance is rated at 0.28pF. In the PESD24VF1BSF, this value is 0.25pF.

APPLICATIONS• Wearable devices• Medical diagnostic systems• Sports and leisure equipment• Mobile phone accessories• Wireless sensors• Consumer electronics • Industrial sensors and measurement

equipment

FEATURES• -91dBm receiver sensitivity at 500kbits/s • 0dBm maximum Transmit power• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C • Supports Bluetooth over-the-air update

feature• Supports Scatternet

APPLICATIONS• NFC antenna protection• Protection of high-speed and standard

data lines with high signal levels

FEATURES• 1A maximum peak pulse current• Junction-temperature range:

-45°C to 125°C• Maximum clamping voltage: 17V PESD24VF1BSF 16V PESD18VF1BSF• 1nA reverse leakage current

APPLICATIONS• USB-to-Ethernet dongles • Point-of-sale terminals • Test instruments • Networking equipment• Factory automation • Process control • Industrial equipment

FEATURES• Single 5.0V power supply • Regulated 3.3V output • Single 25MHz crystal• ±15kV ESD protection on the human body

model on USB data pins• ±8kV ESD protection on all other pins

APPLICATIONS• Smart meters• Alarm systems• Tracking devices• Positioning devices• Environmental sensors • Activity sensors

FEATURES• SMA and u.FL RF connectors • 50Ω SMA antenna • ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer

supporting USB re-enumeration capability • Holder for three AAA-type batteries for

stand-alone operation • Four general-purpose LEDs• 5V power LED• ST-LINK-communication LED• Fault LED






Orderable Part Number: ENW89847AVKF


Orderable Part Number: B-L072Z-LRWAN1

PAN1760: Supplied with Bluetooth 4.1 protocol stack PESD18VF1BSF: Low 0.28pF diode capacitance

Exar: XR2280x range gives choice over UART provisionLoRaWAN kit: On-board debugger





New software resources make design of NFC-enabled products easier and faster

NXP Semiconductors has introduced new development tools and resources to make it easier for design engineers to integrate the company’s NFC ICs into end-product designs.

The NFC Reader Library supports NXP’s NFC front-end ICs such as the PN5180 or CLRC663 and the PN7462. It gives developers a faster and simpler way to deliver NFC-enabled products. This multi-layer library, written in C, provides for interrupt-based event handling, supports the FreeRTOS operating system and is compliant with MISRA-C. The software may be easily ported to many different microcontrollers.

The NFC Cockpit is an intuitive GUI which lets the user configure and adapt an NFC IC’s settings without writing a single line of software code. The NFC Cockpit may be used to configure the PN5180 NFC front-end, and the PN7462 and PN736x series of NFC microcontrollers.

Capabilities available in the NFC Cockpit include direct register and EEPROM read/write access, RF field control, card operation, LPCD configuration, DPC configuration, start and stop of test applications such as EMVCo

NXP SEMICONDUCTORS

loopback, and automatic waveform control. Also from NXP, the application note AN11906: Starting a product development with PN5180 describes how to integrate the PN5180 NFC front-end IC into a design. It shows how to use the NFC Cockpit to properly configure the PN5180’s registers and EEPROM for the best reader performance.

For quite some time the semiconductor industry has focused on the needs of heightened market segments related to the IoT. ON Semiconductor offers power management and wireless connectivity, but sensors are what these systems require to interact with any physical elements. The boundaries of what a sensor can do or achieve is constantly being pushed due to a wide availability of devices.

Lower power usage, greater capabilities and improved sensitivity, are primary focal points. ON Semiconductor is breaking free from the common application focal points and constraints by introducing new range of Smart Passive Sensors (SPS) that are still designed to make stunning use of these focal areas, but also change how sensors are thought about and implemented.

Smart Passive Sensors (SPS) SPS achieve success by being wireless both in data and power transmission, paper thin in form factor, and entirely disposable. At its core, the Smart Passive Sensor utilises commonly used radio frequency (RF/RFID) technology and protocols. The SPS family works using innovative and proprietary technology that defines how data and power are collected – technology that has yet to be seen anywhere in the mass market.

Battery freeThe SPS family harvests power to function from the power and data transmission emitting from an RF system. There is no need to worry about standby power consumption, power management or an I/O control system. All that is required is to bring a SPS tag near to an RF reader.

ON SEMICONDUCTOR

Smart sensorThe SPS family is designed to sense the common and critical environmental factors such as moisture, temperature, pressure, and proximity. The SPS ‘tag’ contains a single, remarkably thin, chip. This device is able to manage power, RF connectivity, and sensing capabilities without the need for a microcontroller.

Scalable connectivityThe SPS family is inexpensive, small and utilises breakthrough technology. Ultimately tags can be placed and embedded into anything. What any sensor designer will realise is that ON Semiconductor unlocks the ability to collect multiple data points (multiple tags) in any hard to access or space-constrained application.

APPLICATIONS• Automotive products • Watches • Fitness and sports equipment• Consumer medical devices• Remote controls • Home and industrial automation • Assisted-living devices• Mobile phone peripherals • Lighting • PC peripherals

FEATURES• 1µA current in sleep mode with active

BLE stack • Certified to ETSI EN 300 328, EN 300

440, FCC CFR47 Part 15, ARIB STD-T66 • 14 or 15 GPIOs • Temperature sensor • Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 105°C

APPLICATIONS Healthcare• Place in hospital beds to determine

occupant presence• Place in wristband or patch to monitor

condition• Place in diaper to detect moisture

Farming/housing• Inject under flesh of animal to detect

illness and ovulation• Embed in soil for smart yard watering• Inset in wall to measure water damage or

foundation problems post-construction

Automotive• Place in vehicle to determine moisture

leaks (soak test)• Place in seat for occupant presence,

number, and weight detection• Place on tank for fluid level detection

Support tools• Plan your ecosystem• Determine project feasibility• Proof of concept testing• Evaluation and Developer’s Kits (complete

RFID system with GUI) Orderable part numbers:

SPS1M-EVK (Evaluation kit) SENSORRFGEVK (Development kit)

APPLICATIONS• Point-of-sale terminals• Smart meters• Smart home devices• Access control equipment• Smart toys• Home appliances• Logistics equipment

FEATURES• NFC Reader Library

www.nxp.com/pages/:NFC-READER-LIBRARY

• NFC Cockpit www.nxp.com/pages/:NFC-COCKPIT





Orderable Part Number: OM25180FDK

Bluetooth Low Energy RF SoC runs protocol stack and application code

The BlueNRG-1 from STMicroelectronics is a Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) single-mode radio System-on-Chip (SoC) intended for use in wearable devices and short-range applications.

The BlueNRG-1 is an improved version of the BlueNRG network processor. The new SoC includes an ARM® Cortex®-M0 processor core which can run user application code as well as ST’s BLE protocol stack. The stack supports operation in master and slave roles, and dual roles simultaneously.

The BlueNRG-1 features 160kbytes of Flash memory, 24kbytes of static RAM and standard serial peripheral, UART and I2C communication interfaces. It also features multi-function timers, a watchdog timer, a real-time clock and a DMA controller.

An ADC provides an interface to analogue sensors, and can read the measurements made by the integrated battery monitor. A digital filter is available for processing a stream of pulse density modulation signals.

STMICROELECTRONICS

The chip’s radio provides up to 8dBm of output power at the antenna connector, and an excellent link budget of up to 96dB. It also provides an accurate received signal strength indicator to enable dynamic power control.

An efficient, integrated DC-DC converter helps the new SoC to keep power consumption low, aided by a reduction in sleep-mode current in the BlueNRG-1 compared to the BlueNRG. When transmitting, the device draws a maximum 8.2mA at 0dBm.

The BlueNRG-1 is supported by the STSW-BLUENRG1-DK evaluation software package, which provides a BLE binary library with a complete set of application programming interfaces and related-event callbacks. The software package also provides a set of BLE demonstration applications which come with a complete set of header and source files.

Part Number Description Frequency Band Attach Material

SPS1M001A Quality-control water intrusion sensor tag

FCC 902MHz to 928MHz

Metal

SPS1M002A Moisture level detection sensor tag Non-metal

SPS1M003A High-sensitivity moisture level detection sensor tag Non-metal

SPS2T001A Temperature sensor tag Coming Q3 2017 Non-metal

SPS1M001B Quality-control water intrusion sensor tag

ETSI 866MHz to 868MHz

Metal

SPS1M002B Moisture level detection sensor tag Non-metal

SPS1M003B High-sensitivity moisture level detection sensor tag Non-metal

SPS2T001B Temperature sensor tag Coming Q3 2017 Non-metal

Redefining the sensors’ status quo

H E A L T H C A R E F A R M I N G A U T O M O T I V E

NXP: Complete NFC hardware and software offering



Industry’s smallest USB2.0 signal multiplexer is just 0.35mm high

The Pericom Semiconductor product line of Diodes Incorporated has announced the release of the industry’s smallest USB2.0 signal multiplexer, which is ideal for use in portable and space-constrained designs.

The PI3USB102J is a bi-directional 2-to-1 signal multiplexer switch with a single differential channel. It causes little attenuation of the high-speed signals it carries, and low bit-to-bit skew. Operating at a very low current of 30nA, it operates over a wide temperature range – a useful feature in thin portable products which have no fan for forced-air cooling.

DIODES INCORPORATEDThe device complies with the USB2.0 standard in its Low-Speed, Full-Speed and Hi-Speed versions. It is supplied in a ten-lead QFN package with a 1.2mm x 1.4mm footprint, and a height of just 0.35mm.

Featuring integrated over-voltage protection, the PI3USB102J can tolerate a short to the power-supply bus at the micro-USB or USB Type-C™ connector.

Dynamic NFC/RFID tag ICs combine long range with high-speed data transfer

STMicroelectronics has launched the ST25DV series of dynamic-tag ICs which have dual NFC/RFID and I2C bus interfaces, to provide for untethered interaction between an external NFC-capable smartphone or an RFID reader, and a host device’s microcontroller or applications processor.

The ST25DV IC supports data exchange over an extended wireless communication range at a frequency of 13.56MHz. This capability may be used, for instance, for in-the-box programming of electronic equipment at the point of production. Fast Transfer Mode operation, enabled by a large 256byte buffer, also enables software updates in the field via any NFC-enabled mobile device. The ST25DV dynamic tags are compatible with any existing ISO 15693 RFID infrastructure, with no additional investment required.

STMICROELECTRONICS

The ST25DV series complies with the NFC Type 5 and ISO 15693 RFID specifications, providing the strongest features of each. It also features a large EEPROM capacity of up to 64kbits, with multiple 64-bit passwords offering enhanced data-protection capabilities.

The ST25DV is suitable for use in industrial applications, offering high write-cycle endurance of 1 million cycles at 25°C, and 40 years’ data retention.

APPLICATIONS• Smart meters• IoT devices• Professional products• Consumer devices• Industrial equipment• Battery-powered products• Electronic shelf labels

FEATURES• Native NFC NDEF message support • <1µA current in stand-by mode• Supply-voltage range: 1.8V to 5.5V• Energy-harvesting capabilities• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C

APPLICATIONS• Handheld devices • Portable point-of-sale terminals• Consumer electronic devices

FEATURES• -29dB crosstalk at 480Mbits/s• 250ps propagation delay• 2.0Ω on-resistance at <1V input• 7pF maximum channel on-capacitance• Operating-temperature range:

-20°C to 100°C



170432 For more information [email protected]

ST25DV: Password capability offers enhanced data protection

PI3USB102J: Wide temperature range for use in small fanless enclosures





IR receiver modules in new side-view holder lower assembly costs and improve reliability

Vishay Intertechnology has extended its optoelectronics portfolio with the introduction of a new Pin-in-Paste (PiP) side-view metal holder for the company’s TSOP33xxx and TSOP53xxx series of Minimold infrared receiver modules.

As designers look to replace through-hole devices requiring wave soldering with higher-temperature equivalents, PiP technology has emerged as a cost-effective method for mounting components, together with surface-mount packages, using reflow soldering.

In the PiP process, after components are positioned on the PCB, the entire board is soldered at once using only the reflow oven, eliminating the wave-soldering step for through-hole devices. This results in a more reliable solder process flow at a lower cost.

Leg lengths of the holders are cut according to the thickness of the PCB. The Vishay devices are available with leg lengths adapted for the most common PCB thicknesses of 1.0mm and 1.6mm.

VISHAYThe new method of mounting the Minimold modules reduces the number of automatic insertion points, while improving co-linearity and grounding for better RF and EMI rejection. Clips securely hold the IR receiver module in place.

Dry-packed in stiff plastic trays for automatic pick-and-place assembly, the holders feature a large pick-and-place area, and clips to securely hold the IR receiver module.

Minimold is also available in a top-view surface-mount version.

New USB2.0 and USB3.0 connectors offer a range of mounting styles

Miniature balun ideal for use with Bluetooth radios

CUI’s Components Group has introduced a line of USB connectors which support the USB2.0 and USB3.0 standard specifications. They are available in Type A, Type B, Micro AB, Micro B, Mini AB and Mini B versions.

STMicroelectronics’ BALF-NRG-01D3 is a miniature balun which integrates a matching network and harmonics filter into its 1.4mm x 0.85mm package. The matching impedance has been set for use with ST’s BlueNRG-MS Bluetooth® Low Energy network processor.

The USB3.0 models are able to support data rates up to 5Gbits/s. The new product family is ideal for a variety of I/O applications in consumer and portable electronic devices.

The device uses ST’s Integrated Passive Device (IPD) technology on non-conductive glass substrate, a design which optimises RF performance. It supports operation at a frequency range of 2.4GHz to 2.5GHz.

ST also supplies the BAL-CC1101-01D3, a miniature balun for the CC1101 and CC1150 transceivers.

CUI INC

STMICROELECTRONICS

Offered in jack or plug connector types with horizontal or vertical orientations, the new USB connector line provides a number of mounting styles, including: • surface-mount• cable-mount• mid-mount surface mounting • through-hole

This means that a CUI connector may be used to provide a physical USB connection in almost any end-product design.

Insulator colour options of black, blue and white are offered.

Broad antenna range supports multiple frequency bands and RF technologies

TE Connectivity (TE) is a leading provider of embedded and external antenna solutions for connecting products with wireless technologies including Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi® and ZigBee® radio systems.

TE provides advanced antenna solutions for most wireless devices, with many combinations of the features that are required. The antenna designs support many frequency bands for operation on most networks, and in selected regions or globally.

The TE standard antenna offering includes four general categories of antennas: • surface-mount • tab-mount• cabled • external antennas

TE CONNECTIVITY

APPLICATIONS• Mobile computing equipment• Digital audio devices • Mass storage products

FEATURES• 30V AC voltage rating• Current ratings: 1A or 1.8A • Up to 10,000 mating cycles • Operating-temperature range:

-25°C to 85°C

APPLICATIONS• Wireless alarms and security systems• Wearable devices• Smart utility meters• Wireless printers and routers• Avionics and aircraft communications• User interface controls• Smart home lighting

APPLICATIONS• IR remote controls • Consumer electronics • Air conditioners• Toys

FEATURES• 3-point, surface-mount solderable tabs • Large pick-and-place area • Receiver offers high sensitivity to IR

radiation• Optional enhanced optical filter blocks

out-of-band optical noise

APPLICATIONS• Watches • Fitness, wellness and sports equipment • Consumer medical equipment• Security devices • Remote controls• Home and industrial automation • Assisted living • Mobile phone peripherals • PC peripherals

FEATURES• 50Ω nominal input/conjugate match to

BlueNRG-MS device • -1.1dB insertion loss • 0.5dB output-amplitude imbalance • 7° output-phase imbalance • Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 105°C• 2kV ESD tolerance on the human body

model

170435 For samples or pricing [email protected] 170437 For samples or pricing e-mail

[email protected]


[email protected]


Series Number TSOP33xxx TSOP53xxx

Irradiance @ 0° (mW/m2) 0.08 0.12

Supply Voltage (V) 2.5-5.5 2.5-5.5

Supply Current (mA) 0.35 0.7

Transmission Range (m) 45 45

Carrier Freq. (kHz) 30-56 30-56

Application Frequency Band

Connection Type

Mounting Style Bands Antenna

TypePack Type

Surface-mount (SMT) Antennas Bluetooth,

WLAN, ZigBee, Wi-Fi,

LTE, ISM, GSM, CDMA,

850, GSM 900, GSM

1800, CDMA 1900, UMTS,

IoT

169, 700, 868, 800, 850, 900,

914, 1575, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2300, 2400, 2700,

5000, 2,4GHz,

5GHz

SMT SMT

Single, Dual, Triple,

Quad, Penta, Allband

Stamped, PCB,

FPC, Chip, Enclosure

Tape and Reel

Tab-mount (Through-hole) Antennas

Tab Tab



PCB Bulk, Tray

Cabled Antennas

IPEX, MCIS, u.fl, MHF,

MHF4, MHF4L, SMA,

SMA-RP

Panel, Chassis, Adhesive,

Clip



Stamped, PCB, FPC, Enclosure

Bulk, Tray

External Antennas

Bluetooth, WLAN, ZigBee,

Wi-Fi, IoT

2400, 5000,

2,4GHz, 5GHz

IPEX, MCIS, u.fl, MHF,

MHF4, MHF4L, SMA,

SMA-RP

Panel, Chassis,

SMA, SMA-RP

Single, Dual Enclosure Bulk

CUI USB connectors: Choice of insulation colour options

TE: Various antenna mounting styles

Vishay: Clips hold IR module securely in place




Low-power RF transceiver provides link budget of more than 140dB

STMicroelectronics’ S2-LP is an ultra-low power RF transceiver intended for RF wireless applications operating at frequencies below 1GHz.

STMICROELECTRONICS APPLICATIONS• IoT devices• Smart metering • Home energy-management systems • Wireless alarm systems • Smart home systems• Building automation equipment• Industrial monitoring and control • Smart lighting systems

FEATURES• -130dBm receiver sensitivity• Excellent receiver blocking • Programmable RF output power up to

16dBm • Programmable digital filter at receiver• Battery indicator and low battery detector • Automatic packet acknowledgment and

retransmission • Antenna diversity algorithm • Flexible packet length with dynamic

payload length • Supports Wireless M-Bus protocol



Chargers for portable devices: what hope for standardisation?

The huge growth in the number of portable devices owned by the average consumer has led to a concomitant rise in the number of battery chargers and mains power adapters. In the absence of a widely accepted and robust standard, any user owning multiple devices has had to keep an array of charging devices and cables to hand.

By Colin WeavingEMEA Technology Director, Future Electronics READ THIS ARTICLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT:

• The political pressures driving the industry towards standardisation of charger design

• The range of charging functions and power levels supported by the USB Type-C standard

• How standard wireless power-charging circuits operate, and the semiconductor products available to implement wireless charging

This is frustrating and irritating for the user. It has also become an issue of public policy, since consumers’ habit of regularly replacing older portable devices with the latest models causes tens of millions of obsolete power supplies to be sent for disposal in landfill sites across Europe each year.

As a result, government agencies have begun pushing for the standardisation of power supplies, with the aim that a single charging unit should be able to charge all devices and never be thrown away. As is usual in the world of mobile technology, however, engineers have moved the goalposts before the regulators have even got started.

First, the technology industry recently introduced yet another new wired power and communications interface: USB Type-C™, which has many advantages over older USB charging devices.

And second, various wireless charging technologies have begun competing for consumers’ attention, although none has yet emerged as a winner. This too hampers official attempts to impose standardisation by regulation.

So how does this affect small and medium-sized manufacturers of portable and battery-powered devices? What is the best advice for designers who wish to future-proof their next battery power-system design?

A brief history of USBTo understand the full significance of the introduction of USB Type-C, it is important to put it in the context of previous attempts at standardisation through USB. In fact, standardisation was signalled in the technology’s name: the Universal Serial Bus was introduced by Microsoft in 1995 as a replacement for the ageing RS-232 standard, which was itself then thought of as a universal serial communications standard.

The problem with USB is that it quickly branched out, accruing variants both of the communications protocol and of the connector, as shown in Figure 1.

The diversity of connector types even within the USB standard is a cause of considerable frustration to users, since it requires them to use various cables and adapters in order to achieve interoperability between a charger and multiple devices. This is without taking into account the many proprietary modifications of USB technology.

The reason for the emergence of so many connector types was to satisfy the contrasting demands of different devices: in the desktop PC, in which Microsoft first intended USB to be used, power delivery and a robust connection are of prime importance, and space is not at all limited. The industry developed various mini and micro connectors to enable USB technology to be accommodated in smaller devices such as mobile phones, tablets and media players.

USB Type-C offers the potential to replace these many connector types with just one. That is because the USB Type-C technology offers for the first time a combination of small size and very high power capability. The standard provides for up to 100W to be sourced from the host equipment via a 24-pin double-sided connector measuring just 8.4mm x 2.6mm, which is small enough for use in the latest smartphones and wearable devices.

USB Type-C can thus provide a single power supply for a complete PC system: for instance, a monitor could supply a laptop, mouse and keyboard via a self-powered hub. In fact, almost any portable device may be powered by this one, low-profile connector. At a stroke, then, USB Type-C appears to solve the problems both of end-of-life waste reduction and standardisation of charging equipment for all portable devices.

Support for legacy USB equipmentUnfortunately, in reality it is not quite this simple. Within the USB Type-C specification there is provision for multiple power-delivery options. In addition, a USB Type-C cable is capable of supporting the various data rates and power levels laid down in previous specifications from USB 2.0 onwards.

To handle the legacy USB protocols, the host equipment (the Downstream Facing Port, or DFP) registers on connection the specification of the Upstream Facing Port (UFP) by means of various resistor pull-ups. These notify it of the power and voltage rating of the UFP. The power delivery specification in USB Type-C defines two pins called Configuration Channels 1 and 2 (or CC1 and CC2) which have two responsibilities: first, they detect the attachment of a cable to the port, register the type of device attached, and recognise the current limit for that device. Second, they allow the negotiation of non-default power modes. The nominal set-up for the CC circuits using a non-electronically marked cable is shown in Figure 2.

An integrated switching regulator provides for operation from a 1.8V to 3.6V input at a power-conversion efficiency of 90%, making it suitable for use in battery-powered devices.

The S2-LP supports a variety of signal modulation schemes: Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying (GFSK), On-Off Keying (OOK) and Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK). The data rate

of the device’s RF transmissions is programmable in

a range from 300bits/s to 500kbits/s.

The S2-LP can be used

in systems with channel spacing

of 12.5kHz/25kHz, supporting

narrowband operation.The S2-LP offers

an RF link budget of more than 140dB, providing for long-range communication in many applications. It meets the regulatory requirements applicable in territories worldwide, including Europe, Japan, China and the US.

It is suitable for use in the licence-free ISM and Short-Range Devices (SRD) frequency bands at 433MHz, 868MHz and 920MHz, but can also be programmed to operate at other frequencies in the 430-470MHz or 860-940MHz bands. Devices may use the S2-LP to connect to a SIGFOX™ network.

The S2-LP is ideal for use in power-constrained products such as wireless alarm systems: it draws just 7mA when receiving, and 10mA when transmitting at an output power of 10dBm. It also has a very efficient power-management circuit.

T E C H N I C A L V I E W

Fig. 1: While the older versions of USB have generated nine different connector designs, the new USB Type-C has just one. (Image credit: Microchip).

Fig. 2: Power connection over USB Type-C.

To apply for these free boards go to: www.my-boardclub.com/ftmTerms and conditions apply. Visit www.my-boardclub.com/about_us for details


F T M B O A R D C L U B

27

This is because many semiconductor suppliers now offer integrated chipsets which have built-in support for protocols and standards such as Qi.

For example, Semtech offers the TS80000, which supports both the Qi and Power Matters Alliance (PMA) standards and which is rated for up to 40W of output power. The MWCT1xxx wireless charger parts from NXP also support the Qi and PMA specifications.

A clear view into the future?This article began with the assertion that standardisation of charging infrastructure would be a good thing for consumers and for the environment. But of course it is ultimately for consumers to decide what is best for them – and this is generally a matter of convenience and ease of use.

This tends to tilt the balance in favour of wireless charging in many environments, such as inside a car or in public spaces such as hotels and restaurants. Here, it will be preferable for many to simply place a mobile phone on a charging mat rather than having to find the right cable and then plugging the device in.

So should manufacturers of portable equipment dispense with the wired connector completely? This seems unwise. First, USB gives the user a high degree of flexibility in terms of communications and interfacing that is not yet matched by wireless technology.

Fig. 3: The power-supply options specified for a USB Type-C DFP.

Second, there is still considerable uncertainty about which of the various competing standards for wireless charging will survive, and which will be competed out of existence. Hopes are high for emerging technologies such as Wattup®, but it is still too early to be sure which if any will catch on with users.

And third, wireless charging infrastructure will not be ubiquitous for many years, if ever, and so travellers who depend on their device’s battery will always need to carry their own charger. The wireless charging base unit or mat is itself a bulky piece of equipment; it’s far easier to carry a small USB Type-C cable and charge every device from a laptop or other USB Type-C port.

It is likely, then, that both wired and wireless charging will co-exist, supporting the use cases most appropriate to them. At least the wired charger, however, has a strong prospect of achieving universal adoption with the growing popularity of the high-speed, high-power USB Type-C standard.

Reference 1. WiTricity white paper, Highly resonant wireless power transfer: safe, efficient and over distance, by Dr Morris Kesler.

By monitoring the voltage at the cable termination, it is possible to determine the type of device connected to the system. It is of course possible for a piece of USB Type-C equipment to be both a power supplier and a power receiver, and to switch its behaviour during operation.

In default mode the DFP advertises, by means of the value of the resistor, Rp, the current that it is going to supply, and the UFP has to ensure that it conforms to this set-up. The DFP can as standard supply 0.9A, 1.5A or 3A, all at 5V. This default power-delivery set-up can be overwritten using a communication protocol superimposed over the DC levels of the CC pins, and monitored at the pins. This is based on Bi-phase Mark Coding (BMC), which allows adjustment of both the current and the voltage supplied by the DFP, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 shows that, to make the most of the capability of USB Type-C technology, both ends need to support the communications protocol. This has implications for the design of simple chargers: they cannot just provide the maximum current in all situations to all devices. A universal charger will need some intelligence embedded in it to be able to adjust to the needs of various attached systems.

Fortunately, an intelligent USB Type-C controller may be implemented with readily available off-the-shelf chipsets which take care of the complexity of legacy USB specifications and the various USB Type-C power options. For instance, the PTN5100 from NXP Semiconductors handles most configuration operations. The LIF-UC110-SG48I, an FPGA running Lattice Semiconductor’s USB Type-C solution for chargers, has a similar capability. In addition, Lattice’s LIF-UC110 is able to manage negotiation and link set-up with legacy USB equipment that uses the D+/D- pins to detect charging capability, as well as supporting communication over the CC1/CC2 pins in USB Type-C devices.

Wireless charging enters the mainstream?Just as wired chargers appear to have found, in USB Type-C, a universal standard that the industry can rally round, consumer demand has thrown up a new and different form of charging infrastructure for device OEMs to support: the wireless charger.

The concept of wireless charging first appeared 100 years ago, with the ill-fated experiments of Nikola Tesla in the early part of the 20th century, and has been used in electric toothbrushes for many years.

Recently, however, improved wireless charging technologies have come on to the market. Capacitive coupling is little used in chargers, although it is very efficient. The most popular approaches today use one of two methods for inductive charging:• Inductive coupling• Resonant coupling

The inductive coupling technique is similar to that used in electric toothbrush chargers. The source end is equipped with a coil, and a matching coil is fitted in the receiver end of the system. Power is magnetically coupled across the air gap using an AC waveform. In effect, the two coils form two windings of a transformer.

The amount of power transferred may be calculated as follows. First, the voltage generated in the secondary coil is given by Maxwell’s law of induction:

Where: E = emf, or voltage induced

N = number of turns in the coil

Phi b is the magnetic field strength at the secondary side coils, given by the equation:

The equations show that the voltage generated is proportional to the magnetic field strength (and hence the coil area cut by the field), and the number of coils. But the field strength in an electromagnetic system declines with distance as shown by:

that is, by the inverse cube of the separation of the coils.

In short therefore, the equations show that alignment of the coils maximises the field strength through the secondary coil, and the distance between the coils largely determines the system’s efficiency.

This inductive coupling method of charging is used in 5W charging systems conforming to the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi standard. For high-power transformers providing between 15W and 120W, the Qi standard uses resonant coupling.

The advantage of the system is its efficiency and simplicity, although the efficiency rapidly falls off if the coil alignment is less than perfect. Typically therefore the system is either equipped with multiple coils, or the mechanical design is configured in such a way that alignment is guaranteed. The optimum range for charging is 5mm; 40mm is likely to be the maximum range that can be supported in practice.

In a Qi charging system, the base frequency of the AC waveform is in the range 100 to 200kHz. The Qi specification also provides for communication between the receiver and the base station across the coupling transformers. The communication system, which uses a standard near-field backscattering technique, allows the device being charged to control the amount of power transferred, to either accelerate, retard or terminate charging. It is also used as part of the Foreign Object Detection (FOD) system in Qi chargers, which ensures metal objects on the charger are not heated to dangerous levels.

Resonant coupling: more efficient at distanceAlthough efficient at close range, the power transfer in inductive coupling systems drops away quickly with distance and poor alignment. Although these problems can be overcome, another solution exists: to use a resonant coupling circuit, as shown in Figure 4.

The theoretical efficiency of a resonant circuit is given by this equation1:

Where U is proportional to the coupling coefficient k of the circuit (which is a measure of the amount of flux that cuts the secondary field) and the Q of the primary and secondary circuits.

Although the k factor falls away with distance between the two coils – since the amount of flux cutting the secondary coil drops – it does not vary by the cube root, as is the case with closely-coupled inductive charging circuits. This means that power can be transmitted at longer range than in an ordinary inductively coupled circuit, albeit at the cost of a lower overall efficiency than the best that can be achieved from a non-resonant circuit.

Whether a wireless charging system must be optimised for efficiency (for which inductive coupling is appropriate) or range (for which resonant coupling is the right choice), the implementation of a wireless charging controller today is easier than it has ever been.



Mode of Operation

Nominal Voltage

Maximum Current Notes

USB2.0 5V 500mA Default current, based on definitions in the base specifications

USB3.1 5V 900mA Default current, based on definitions in the base specifications

USB BC 1.2 5V Up to 1.5A Legacy charging

USB Type-C, current at 1.5A 5V 1.5A Supports higher-power devices

USB Type-C, current at 3.0A 5V 3A Supports higher-power devices

USB PD Configurable up to 20V

Configurable up to 5A

Directional control and power-level management

Evaluation boards demonstrate high efficiency of zero-voltage switching topology

Vicor’s Cool-Power® ZVS family of buck and buck-boost regulator modules enable power-system designers to achieve very high power density and benefit from great flexibility in point-of-load DC-DC regulation.

The integration of a high performance Zero-Voltage Switching (ZVS) topology increases point-of-load performance, offering best-in-class power efficiency up to 98%. Cool-Power ZVS Regulators are highly integrated, combining control circuitry, power semiconductors and support components in a high-density LGA system-in-package.

The ZVS topology enables high-frequency operation at high efficiency: switching losses are far lower than those associated with conventional hard-switching buck regulators.

The high switching frequency of the Cool-Power ZVS regulators also reduces the size of the external filtering components, improving power density while enabling fast dynamic response to changes in line and load.

Future Electronics’ Board Club: supporting innovative electronics design

Europe’s electronics industry thrives on the application of innovation and creativity, and an essential innovator’s tool in design projects is the development board. The Board Club website is a Future Electronics resource for users of development boards. Here, and only here, Board Club members can gain access to exclusive free development boards and development board offers.If you would like to register for membership, please visit: www.my-boardclub.com/register.php

VICOR


Orderable Part Numbers: PI3740-00-EVAL1 and PI3525-00-EVAL1

Now Vicor has released evaluation boards to support the two latest members of the Cool-Power ZVS family: • the PI3740-00-EVAL1 board demonstrates

the PI3740 buck-boost regulator module’s ability to handle a wide input-voltage range of 8V to 60V, providing an output voltage over the range 10V to 50V. The maximum power rating is 140W.

• the PI3525-00-EVAL1 board enables evaluation of the PI3525 buck regulator. This module steps a 30V to 60V input down to a nominal 5V output, and has a maximum output-current rating of 20A.

APPLICATIONS• Wireless communications• LED displays and lighting• High-voltage battery systems• Computing equipment• Laser mapping and projection• Industrial products• Automotive systems

FEATURES• Integrated design is easy to use• High-accuracy pre-trimmed output voltage• Parallel-capable with single-wire current

sharing• Constant-current mode available for

lighting applications• LGA SiP package measures 10mm x

14mm x 2.56mm



Cool-Power ZVS: Very low switching losses

Fig. 4: Resonant coupling circuit.

issue 1704 - my-boardclub.com · the stcmb1, an ac-dc converter ic with power factor correction...

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