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Upgrades to MT8870A cuts LTE development time

Fri, Feb 14, 2020

Two software options for Anritsu’s Universal Wireless Test Set MT8870A measure RF characteristics of 3GPP-compliant LTE-V2X (PC5) devices.

The LTE-V2X Tx Measurement MX887068A and LTE-V2X Waveforms MV887068A software options are claimed to offer the industry’s fastest, fully automatic, non-signalling-based LTE-V2X TRx tests.

Customers can extend the MT8870A’s functionality by installing the software, with no need to invest in new equipment, says Anritsu.

With four TRX measurement modules installed in the MT8870A, four devices under test (DUT) can be connected and measured simultaneously. Different wireless systems can also be measured in parallel, cutting measurement time and the space taken up by test equipment.

The software expands the capabilities of the Universal Wireless Test Set MT8870A, which is designed for mass-production test of multi-standard wireless systems. In addition to LTE-V2X and IEEE 802.11p(DSRC) for automotive solutions, the test set also supports the latest 5G sub-6GHz, LTE, NB-IoT, Cat-M, WLAN and Bluetooth standards.

Anritsu developed the MT8870A to increase the mass-production efficiency of V2X devices and chipsets and help to accelerate the launch of commercial C-V2X services.

Anritsu has provided communications test and measurement products for 120 years. Anritsu engages customers as true partners to help develop wireless, optical, microwave/RF, and digital solutions for R&D, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance applications, as well as multi-dimensional services for network monitoring and optimisation. Anritsu also provides precision microwave/RF components, optical devices, and high-speed electrical devices for communication products and systems. The company develops 5G, M2M, IoT, as well as emerging and legacy wireline and wireless communication markets.

http://www.anritsu.com

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Microchip offloads tasks to hardware to accelerate design

Thu, Feb 13, 2020

More Core Independent Peripherals are combined in the latest PIC microcontroller family from Microchip. The PIC18-Q43 family moves software tasks to hardware for a faster system response. Microchip has also introduced a development tool ecosystem for real-time control and connectivity design projects.

Microchip’s PIC18-Q43 family’s peripherals are configurable and to allow near-zero latency sharing of data, logic inputs or analogue signals without additional code for improved system response. The PIC microcontroller family can be used to create custom hardware-based functions in real-time control and connected applications, including home appliances, security systems, motor and industrial control, lighting and the IoT. According to Microchip, the PIC18-Q43 family helps reduce board space, bill of materials (BoM), overall costs and time to market.

Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) are designed with additional capabilities to handle a variety of tasks without the need for intervention from the central processing unit (CPU). CIPs include timers, simplified pulse width modulation (PWM) output, configurable logic cells (CLCs), ADCs with computation (ADCC) and multiple serial communications, designed for developers to customise a specific design configuration. The CLC provides programmable logic that operates outside the speed limitations of software execution, so that customers can tailor functions such as waveform generation or timing measurements. CLCs connect on-chip peripherals for hardware customisation and allow developers to customise a device with core-independent communication interfaces, including UART, SPI and I2C. Multiple DMA channels and interrupt management have been added to accelerate real-time control with simplified software loops.

The PIC18-Q43 family operates up to 5.0V which increases noise immunity and enables customers to interface to a wide range of sensors.

Microchip’s development tool suite has been created to offer users the means to quickly and easily generate application code and customise combinations of CIPs in a graphical user interface (GUI) environment.

The PIC18-Q43 family is supported by Microchip’s MPLAB X IDE and MPLAB Xpress IDE development environments, and MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) a free software plug-in that provides a graphical interface to configure peripherals and functions specific to an application. There is also the PIC18F57Q43 Curiosity Nano development board which has programming and debugging capabilities.

http://www.microchip.com

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Skyworks to support Wi-Fi 6E

Thu, Feb 13, 2020

Working with the Wi-Fi Alliance, Skyworks Solutions is developing future-proof connectivity and supporting the Alliance’s next-generation wireless technologies.

Skyworks addresses all existing Wi-Fi standards and is working within the Wi-Fi Alliance to develop its Wi-Fi 6E products that operate in the 5.925 to 7.125GHz frequency range.

Demand for high data applications such as streaming media/TV/audio, social media and smart home devices, has led to calls to open up additional frequency bands to complement the existing 2.4 and 5GHz bands. This new spectrum is expected to be made available by regulators around the world and it represents an opportunity to deliver the benefits of Wi-Fi 6 coupled with increased bandwidth available in the new 6GHz band.

“The 6GHz band addresses the growing need for Wi-Fi spectrum capacity to ensure users continue to experience reliable and seamless connectivity,” said Kevin Robinson, senior vice president of Marketing, at the Wi-Fi Alliance. “We are glad to see Wi-Fi Alliance members working closely in Wi-Fi Alliance to ensure that new products meet high standards for interoperability and security.”

Dave Stasey, vice president and general manager of diversified analogue solutions for Skyworks, added: “We look forward to . . .  providing the highest performance solutions for our OEM customers which deliver maximum Wi-Fi range and speeds.”

Skyworks’ powerful modules facilitate Wi-Fi functionality with best-in-class linearity and performance in the smallest footprint available, explains the company. By incorporating the required functionality to deliver maximum performance, products reduce time to market in this sensitive arena. They contain a logarithmic power detector to support wide dynamic ranges, low power consumption and improved thermal management.

Skyworks Solutions specialises in analogue semiconductors for a wireless networking revolution. Its semiconductors connect people, places and things within the aerospace, automotive, broadband, cellular infrastructure, connected home, industrial, medical, military, smartphone, tablet and wearable markets.

Skyworks has engineering, marketing, operations, sales and support facilities located throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

http://www.skyworksinc.com

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Analog Devices and Jungo monitor vehicle safety

Thu, Feb 13, 2020

Analog Devices will develop a time-of-flight (ToF) and 2D infra red (IR) –based camera, using Jungo’s Co-driver software to enable driver and in-cabin monitoring in vehicles.

The system will monitor vehicle occupants for levels of drowsiness and distraction by observing head and body position as well as eye gaze. It is also expected to enable smart vehicle interaction based on face, body, and hand gestures and offer a facial recognition capability that identifies individuals and gives them access to features such as infotainment personalisation, personalised services, and ridesharing payments.

3D ToF is a type of scannerless light detection and ranging (lidar) that uses high power optical pulses in durations of nanoseconds to capture depth information (typically over short distances) from a scene of interest. Analog Devices specialises in products and solutions that enhance the capabilities of 3D ToF systems, including processing, laser drivers and power management, development boards and software/firmware to implement 3D ToF solutions.

Jungo’s Co-driver software uses deep learning, machine learning, and computer vision algorithms to detect, in real-time, the head and body position of the driver from cameras.  It also supports in-vehicle full detection technology with functions such as counting of the number of occupants, detection of seat belt wearing or detection or observing of critical medical conditions.

“Jungo’s Co-driver monitoring algorithms are used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to keep their drivers and passengers safe and develop innovative use cases that understand an occupant’s state while in the vehicle,” said Ophir Herbst, CEO, Jungo. “We are delighted to collaborate with Analog Devices to make vehicles smarter and enable OEMs to comply with regulations and innovate in their next-generation vehicles by using our algorithms and ADI’s leading ToF technology.”

Jungo Connectivity was founded in 2013 as an automotive software divestiture from Cisco Systems. The company focuses on in-cabin driver monitoring.

http://www.analog.com

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