IoT & Smart Cities

October 2016
To read the November issue of PSDE, simply click here
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Date:
10/31/2016
The quest for energy efficiency has focused attention on those components of the power electronics that can connect hundreds of volts and amps in inverters with exceptional efficiency. We are talking about modern power switches – IGBTs and SIC-FETs – and how the voltage supplied to the respective gate drivers is
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Date:
10/30/2016
Recently there have been efforts to lower below 1V the core voltage of various chipsets used for wearable devices and GPS/communication modules. This is due to the fact that holding down the core operating voltage enables a significant reduction of power consumption. Here we’ll go over a new ultra-low power DC-
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Date:
10/30/2016
When designing portable battery powered systems, size and battery life constraints are often the most severe challenges to overcome. One traditional way to pack a lot of functionality into a small size and power budget is to use a low power microcontroller such as TI’s popular MSP430. These types of ultra-low po
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Date:
10/30/2016
People like to move around, and they like to take their things with them when they do. This is especially true of things we need to maintain our health and fitness. This is not only the case for electronic devices, people have been carrying around pills and pillows for years to feel better on the road. Hotels ha
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Date:
10/30/2016
With fuel economy regulations tightening and autonomous-driving capability with connectivity proliferating, the old-fashioned 12-volt automotive electrical system has reached its usable power limit. Furthermore, a vast increase in automotive electronic systems, coupled with related demands on power, has created an
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Date:
10/30/2016
Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) in chipscale surface-mount packages are widely used in electronics for consumer, medical, industrial, automotive, and other applications. Their combination of affordability, compatibility with high-volume assembly, high capacitance values within small dimensions, and high re
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Date:
10/29/2016
High-voltage IGBT-modules usually consist of two types of IC, an IGBT for the transistor and a diode for the freewheeling functionality. A device that combines both functions in a single die is known as a reverse conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT). These modules exhibit a lower thermal resistance when compared to an IG
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Date:
10/29/2016
JJPlus and EPC join forces for wireless charging

EPC and JJPlus Corporation Partnership

In an effort to aggressively address the rapidly emerging wireless charging applications, JJPlus and Efficient Power Conversion announced their collaboration to design GaN-based wireless power solutions. JJPlus Corporation is a designer and manufacturer of industrial grade and high power WIFI solutions. It is a 2
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Date:
10/28/2016
People don’t think about engineers much, and in general engineers are looked upon in a positive light. Unless something goes wrong with something. In the marketplace, engineering is usually the first direction people point fingers when problems occur in a product. Unsafe and/or malfunctioning products are proble
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Date:
10/28/2016
On health and medical electronics

Kevin Parmenter, PSD Contributor

The world of medical electronics is changing in new and exciting ways – the wearable’s market opens up the ability of consumers being able to take some of the monitoring and analysis which you used to have to have a physician order tests for. Individuals can use wireless connectivity to monitor their own
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Date:
10/28/2016
Here we’ll look at how a rugged and flexible control can be rapidly implemented using an 8-bit microcontroller with analog blocks. For many custom power supplies, this provides an optimum combination of noise immunity, high performance, short development time, and digital flexibility. Analog PWM control circu
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Date:
10/28/2016
Equipment designs increasingly utilize advanced MCU, DSP and FPGA devices to deliver the functionality and performance demanded of them. With this sophistication comes the challenge of providing the multiple power rails these devices require. The use of carefully chosen power modules can significantly ease this ta
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Date:
10/28/2016
Sub-GHz wireless comm LSI optimized for applications requiring low power consumption

Sub-GHz wireless communication LSI

ROHM Group company LAPIS Semiconductor recently announced the availability of a sub-GHz wireless communication LSI optimized for applications requiring low power consumption over relatively long distances, such as smart-agriculture, gas/fire alarms, smart meters, and home/building security systems. In recent y
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Date:
10/27/2016
Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors announced a definitive agreement, unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, under which Qualcomm will acquire NXP. Pursuant to the agreement, a subsidiary of Qualcomm will commence a tender offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of
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Date:
10/27/2016
AVX's latest multilayer organic low-pass filters claim best-in-class performance

LP Series MLO low pass filters

AVX, a leading manufacturer and supplier of passive components and interconnect solutions, has released a new series of low profile, low pass filters with best-in-class performance. Based on AVX’s patented and proven multilayer organic (MLO®) high density interconnect technology, the new LP Series MLO low pa
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Date:
10/26/2016
ADI and Dell EMC make IoT solution for real-time first-responder body monitoring

Analog Devices and Dell EMC unveiled a proof of concept (POC) for an Internet of Things (IoT) solution that tracks the health and location of first responders.

Analog Devices and Dell EMC unveiled a proof of concept (POC) for an Internet of Things (IoT) solution that tracks the health and location of first responders. The POC IoT solution is designed to improve the safety and effectiveness of first responders when involved in an emergency situation, especially those in
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Date:
10/26/2016
Pulse' FluidWRITER printers put electronics on 3D surfaces

FluidWRITER IV

Pulse Electronics Corporation introduces a new generation of FluidWRITER printers that create printed electronics directly on 3D surfaces. FluidWRITERS incorporate innovative FluidANT print technology which enables the use of conductive ink to produce high-performance antennas, sensors, and electrical circuits on
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Date:
10/25/2016
Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente and Samsung SDI have concluded a franchise agreement for the EMEA region. The agreement covers Samsung SDI's battery product portfolio, with the focus on cylindrical lithium-ion batteries. This means that Rutronik can offer a comprehensive product portfolio for battery management sys
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Date:
10/25/2016
PSDcast - Mike Holt of gridComm on smart city development

Mike Holt of gridComm

In this PSDcast Mike Holt of gridComm talks to Alix Paultre of Power Systems Design about creating smart cities. Like most municipal infrastructures, any technology used must be accessable and scalable. gridComm transforms urban streetlights into dynamic, resource-efficient platforms by using proprietary se
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Date:
10/24/2016
ROHM Semi's latest PMIC optimized for Intel's next-gen Apollo Lake

BD2670MWV PMIC

ROHM has recently announced the availability of a power management IC (PMIC) developed for the latest announced Intel processor (code named Apollo Lake) designed for 2-in-1 tablets and cloud books where reduced power consumption and a thinner, smaller form factor are increasingly demanded. The BD2670MWV provides
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Date:
10/21/2016
At electronica 2016, Rohde & Schwarz will showcase test solutions for advanced technologies, including those for fifth-generation mobile radio (5G) and wireless gigabit, along with state-of-the-art test systems for embedded designs and automotive systems. The electronica trade fair will be held from November 8
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Date:
10/21/2016
Exactly what constitutes Industry Revolution 4.0 is little confusing. This revolution will include smart, au- tomated factories where machines will be communicating with each other. In addition, there will be role for Internet of Things, cloud computing and many other emerging new technologies. Will this revolution be
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Date:
10/19/2016
PSDcast - Mike Noonen of Silego on advanced mixed-signal ICs

Mike Noonen, VP Sales and Business Development

In this PSDcast Mike Noonen, Silego's VP Sales and Business Development, talks to Alix Paultre of Power Systems Design about the state of the marketplace in advanced mixed-signal devices. Silego has an intgeresting perspective on the space, as they recently shipped two billion units since the introduction of
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Date:
10/17/2016
PSDcast - Jorg Hantschel of Wuerth Elektronik eiSos on wireless power

Jörg Hantschel of Würth Elektronik eiSos

In this PSDcast Jörg Hantschel of Wuerth Elektronik eiSos talks to Alix Paultre of Power Systems Design about the state of wireless power development. Long ignored due to complexity, cost, and efficiency, wireless power transmission is starting to take off. Important for applications beyond the field of sm
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Date:
10/14/2016
Linear's latest LDO powers noise-sensitive apps

The LT3045 20VIN, 500mA 0.8μVRMS Ultralow Noise, Ultrahigh PSRR LDO

Linear Technology announced the LT3045, an ultralow noise, ultrahigh power supply ripple rejection (PSRR) low dropout voltage linear regulator, a higher output current version of the widely accepted 200mA LT3042 ultralow noise LDO. The LT3045’s unique design features ultralow spot noise of only 2nV/√Hz at 10k
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Date:
10/12/2016
PSDcast - Karl Fleischmann of TI on USB Type-C development

Karl Fleischmann of TI

In this PSDcast Karl Fleischmann of TI talks to Alix Paultre of Power Systems Design about USB Type-C development. Texas Instruments recently introduced a multiport USB Type-C and Power Delivery (PD) minidock reference design that provides audio, USB data, power and video support. This new TI Designs reference de
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Date:
10/12/2016
Oftentimes, designers of digital cameras, mobile devices and other consumer electronics choose to power their device from two, series-stacked, Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, yet still desire the capability to charge from a 5-V universal serial bus (USB) port. Boosting a 5-V USB input to charge two series-stacked Li
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Date:
10/12/2016
A key consideration for wireless sensor nodes that will populate the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is battery lifetime. The sensor nodes, in many applications, will need to be installed in locations that are difficult to reach and, consequently, service. Because it is too costly and difficult to run power li
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Date:
10/12/2016
Continuing the old story-telling tone which began the issue, I would like to point your attention to the centuries-old proverb “For want of a nail” which describes a chain of events and their consequences from a small error snowballing into catastrophe. There are many lessons to draw from this, from the im
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Date:
10/11/2016
LGA package technology can deliver important advantages for the high-performance Point-Of-Load converters needed to feed power-hungry, fast-reacting data centers and network infrastructure. As the power demands of high-performance Cloud and telecom computing systems continue to increase, converter modules that of
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Date:
10/11/2016
Having a good grasp of how measurement tools actually operate can provide valuable insight into how test methods can be improved. Setups can subsequently be made simpler and more effective, plus test performance parameters can be significantly raised. This is true for any sphere of technology that requires the ca
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Date:
10/11/2016
STMicroelectronics addresses board space with tiny micropower rail-to-rail comparator

TS985 comparator

Squeezed in a footprint smaller than 1mm2, STMicroelectronics’ new TS985 comparator combines battery-friendly micropower performance with enhanced dynamic range and high speed. The 0.8mm x 1.2mm x 0.52mm Chip-Scale Package (CSP) makes the device ideal for space-constrained applications such as smartphones, sm
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Date:
10/10/2016
Silicon Labs, a leading provider of silicon, software and solutions for a more connected world, will demonstrate its latest embedded and wireless sensing innovations for the Internet of Things (IoT) at electronica in Munich, Nov. 8-11, at Booth A4.212. The leading provider of mesh networking silicon and software, Si
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Date:
10/10/2016
Many of our readers know my references to the Internet of Things (IoT) using the old parable of the “Blind men and an elephant” from the Indian Subcontinent. The parable talks about a group of blind men who have encountered an elephant and are trying to determine what it is by grabbing the closest body part to
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Date:
10/10/2016
Here we’ll explore the analytical transfer function for the tightly-coupled Sepic converter. It is shown that the control-to-output function is just second-order, not fourth-order like the conventional Sepic converter [1]. The coupling capacitor of the converter has no effect on the control, and it can be ma
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Date:
10/10/2016
The Many Sides of the Industrial Market

Kevin Parmenter, PSD Contributor

The “industrial market” is a sort of catch-all term for applications in the electronics industry that marketing people can’t categorize into any other category.   When we think of the traditional market for industrial process control, SCADA systems, PLCs, conveyer belt controllers, HMI – Human ma
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Date:
10/10/2016
To read the October issue of PSDE, simply click here
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Date:
10/08/2016
To read the October issue of PSDNA, simply   click here  
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Date:
10/08/2016
Automated factories employ sensors and I/O modules to control their industrial processes. As they increase in sophistication and shrink in size, they are enabling the fourth industrial revolution, dubbed Industry 4.0. A single module (see Figure 1) can have up to 64 channels, and a typical factory floor may uti
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Date:
10/07/2016
Using EMC filters
EMC problems in frequency converters occur not only at the input, but also at the output. To ensure reliable elimination of any kind of interference at the output as well, companies like TDK, for example, offer a wide range of EPCOS filters and reactors. Frequency converters are used for regulating the speed
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Date:
10/07/2016
The role of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is simple in concept: provide a temporary power bridge to support the load between the loss of the utility and the transfer to diesel generators. Even though the task is easy to define, the best way to achieve the goal is often clouded in obscurity as the benefits be
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Date:
10/07/2016
PSDcast - Arrow's Anderson on Indiegogo, makers, and entrepreneurs

Matt Anderson of Arrow

In this PSDcast, Arrow's Chief Digital Officer Matt Anderson talks to Alix Paultre of Power Systems Design about their collaboration with Indiegogo, and the impact the maker movement and community collaboration have on design and development. Entrepreneurs can apply for certification on the Indiegogo platform, whe
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Date:
10/05/2016
Low ohmic value current-sensing resistors from TT reduce design footprint

LCS series thin-film resistors

TT Electronics, a leading provider of engineered electronics for performance critical applications, launched the LCS series of thin-film resistors. For sensing and measurement of DC and AC currents in the sub-3A range, the resistors bring precision thin film resistor performance into the field of low ohmic values fo
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Date:
10/05/2016
AVX releases updated interconnect sample kit

AVX interconnect sample kit

AVX, a leading manufacturer of passive components and interconnect solutions, has released an innovative new sample kit that showcases a broad range of connectors ideal for use in consumer, medical, industrial, and IoT applications in which small size and high-reliability performance are mission critical. Available as
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Date:
10/05/2016
Ampleon's 1kW 2.4GHz compact RF energy reference system targets industrial heating market

M2 RF Energy reference system

Ampleon, a recent spin-off from NXP Semiconductors, announced the modular M2 RF Energy reference system. In the industrial heating market, companies are looking for innovations from solid state RF power suppliers to replace magnetron components in their products. This technology replacement is driven by the ne
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Date:
10/04/2016
TULIPP project to target next-gen energy-efficient embedded image processing

The Tulipp (Towards Ubiquitous Low-power Image Processing Platforms) project

The Tulipp (Towards Ubiquitous Low-power Image Processing Platforms) project, a new initiative targeting the development of high performance, energy-efficient embedded systems for the growing range of increasingly complex image processing applications, has been announced. The Tulipp project is being funded with ne
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Date:
10/04/2016
TI claims first fully-integrated DDR memory power solution

TPS54116-Q1 DC/DC buck converter

Texas Instruments introduced the industry’s first fully integrated power management solution for double date rate (DDR)2, DDR3 and DDR3L memory subsystems in automotive and industrial applications. The TPS54116-Q1 DC/DC buck converter is a 2.95-V to 6-V input, 4-A synchronous step-down converter with a 1-A pea
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Date:
10/04/2016
Using e-paper in IoT devices can extend battery life by decades

The energy consumption profile of an e-paper display as it updates

You’ve carefully selected your sensor, found the lowest power MCU for your battery-powered IoT application, optimized your code to minimize energy consumption and chosen the lowest power wireless solution to send packets of data where they need to go. Now you want to figure out how to add a display to your ap
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Date:
10/04/2016
Industry 4.0, the latest industrial revolution, is changing the way manufacturing organizations think about production. The aim of Industry 4.0 is to make manufacturing more flexible and responsive to customer needs, providing the ability to make small batches that are tailored to individual customers. The quantity
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Date:
10/04/2016
Mentor Graphics announced that it has joined the Wide Band Gap integration (WBGi) power electronics consortium to participate in thermal management and power cycling initiatives. The WBGi Consortium, established in 2013 by Professors Katsuaki Suganuma and Tsuyoshi Fuaki of Osaka University in Japan, assembles ac
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Date:
10/03/2016
Silicon Labs announced the acquisition of Micrium, a leading supplier of real-time operating system (RTOS) software for the Internet of Things (IoT). This strategic acquisition helps simplify IoT design for all developers by combining a leading, commercial-grade embedded RTOS with Silicon Labs’ IoT expertise an
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Date:
10/03/2016
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