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TI redefines microcontroller with x10 higher processing capability

Tue, Jul 13, 2021

For real-time control, networking and analytics applications at the edge, Sitara AM2x microcontrollers can help engineers can achieve 10 times the computing capability of traditional, flash-based microcontrollers, says Texas Instruments (TI). The microcontrollers can be used in factory automation, robotics, automotive systems and sustainable energy management where fast, accurate microcontrollers at the edge deliver more power-efficient processing to distributed systems for industry 4.0.

The Sitara AM2x microcontrollers are built around Arm cores. TI offers single and multi-core devices running at speeds up to 1.0GHz with integrated peripherals and accelerators.

The AM243x microcontrollers are the first family of devices available in the AM2x portfolio. They have up to four Arm Cortex-R5F cores, each running up to 800MHz, which meets the high processing speed critical in factory equipment such as robotics. Fast computations coupled with the microcontroller’s internal memory enhance a robot’s precision of motion and speed of movement, translating to higher productivity, says TI. The additional processing capability enables designers to add analytics for functions such as predictive maintenance, reducing downtime on factory floors. In typical applications, AM243x devices consume less than 1.0W of active power, enabling factory operators to extend their power resources, lowering operating costs and the site’s energy footprint.

Sitara AM243x microcontrollers integrate sensing and actuation peripherals to enable low-latency real-time processing and control for factory automation as well as communications accelerators to simplify industrial networking. Engineers can leverage certified protocol stacks available directly from TI to support, for example, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, ProfiNet, and IO-Link Master to meet evolving industrial communication standards. On-chip security and integrated functional safety mechanisms, diagnostics and collateral help enable system integrators to target up to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 of the IEC 61508 standard.

TI has also created the Sitara AM243x LaunchPad development kit. The evaluation tool, combined with the Sitara MCU+ software framework can be used by developers to assess the precision real-time control and networking capabilities in the AM243x. Developers also have access to application-specific reference examples, a strong ecosystem of tools and software, and the MCU+ Academy training portal to help them streamline designs and accelerate time to market.

Pre-production versions of the AM2431, AM2432 and AM2434 in a 17 x 17 or 11 x 11mm package are now available. The AM243x LaunchPad Development Kit is also available.

http://www.ti.com

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Rohde & Schwarz and Quectel cooperate on cellular-V2X for automotive 3GPP

Mon, Jul 12, 2021

Selected 3GPP test cases based on Rohde & Schwarz’s R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester for a Quectel AG15 C-V2X module have been verified by the two companies.

Cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X) connectivity technology is expected to improve road safety and accelerate autonomous driving. The C-V2X PC5 interface operates in the 5.9GHz frequency to enable direct, reliable, low latency communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and infrastructure (V2I) and vehicles and pedestrians (V2P). According to Rohde & Schwarz, in order for the automotive industry to deploy this technology in a timely manner will require cooperation between suppliers.

The test cases performed by Rohde & Schwarz and Quectel can be used by automotive companies looking to pre-validate 3GPP system performance before entering OMNIAIR or CATARC certification processes. The test system provides a high degree of automation and flexible instrument configuration, which meets the requirements of the automotive industry for C-V2X testing, say the companies. Importantly, this can be done leveraging existing investments in Rohde & Schwarz equipment.

The Quectel AG15 is an automotive grade C-V2X module which has been designed and manufactured according to IATF 16949:2016 standards. It is intended for use in harsh environments and provides superior ESD/EMI protection performance, claims the company.

Manfred Lindacher, vice president of global sales automotive international, Quectel Wireless Solutions, commented: “We’re delighted to have collaborated with Rohde & Schwarz to validate these test cases and are looking forward to helping our customers on the road to build a smarter world with our automotive grade C-V2X modules.”

Rohde & Schwarz supplies test and measurement software, instruments and systems. Its expertise can be applied through the entire automotive lifecycle from pre-development to production. OEMs, Tier 1s and chip suppliers around the world use the company’s products for automotive radar, connectivity, infotainment, high performance computing and EMC. It develops, integrates and production tests radar for ADAS and autonomous driving systems. It also has expertise in wireless technology for robust connectivity in all standards from 5G and C-V2X to UWB, WiFi6 and GNSS. In-vehicle networks support the latest bus speeds and engine control units (ECUs).

With decades of experience in EMC testing, Rohde & Schwarz offers test and measurement equipment and customisable turnkey test systems for performing EMI and EMS measurements on vehicles and components in line with all major CISPR and OEM specific EMC standards. It supports full vehicle antenna testing and also wireless co-existence testing with using own systems and instruments. The company also offers solutions for board level tests (ICT/FCT/BS) during ECU production. Partners and customers around the world use these test solutions to ensure automotive components and systems function correctly, co-exist successfully and communicate with the outside world without errors.

http://www.rohde-schwarz.com

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Hands-free ECU detection assists autonomous driving

Mon, Jul 12, 2021

To support autonomous driving systems by distinguishing between variations in a driver’s grip on the steering wheel, an electronic control unit (ECU) developed by Alps Alpine will contribute to safe, comfortable mobility, says the company.

In the field of autonomous driving, there is growing deployment of systems that enable a vehicle, under certain conditions, to automatically follow the car in front while keeping to the lane, reports Alps Alpine.

Such vehicles need to be able to detect and assess a driver’s driving status to allow safe and smooth switching between automated and manual driving. One aspect is to determine the driver’s grip on the steering wheel to enable safe switching between driver-controlled and system-controlled modes. Determining the right time to switch between autonomous driving assistance and manual driving requires constant monitoring of the vehicle’s drive status and the driver’s driving posture to ensure safety. If autonomous driving assistance is not appropriate, the driver needs to be quickly warned that the assistance is to be disengaged and will need to immediately revert to manual driving.

Capacitive sensing is the dominant technology used for steering wheel touch detection due to its cost and functional performance. The ECU uses data obtained via a special-purpose capacitive sensor, wrapped around the steering wheel, to determine if the driver is touching it and conveys the assessment to an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Existing hands-off detection systems are mono-zone set ups, with a single electrode, Alps Alpine has developed a multi-zone configuration with four electrodes. Dividing the steering wheel and grip patterns into smaller sections enables efficient system switching and enhanced touch assessment reliability, says the company. This allows a more detailed assessment of driving status than a basic touching/not touching determination reached using an existing single-electrode sensor, Alps explains.

The ECU has been designed for use with a special-purpose steering wheel capacitive sensor to maintain resistance to environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and electromagnetic noise.

Alps Alpine has also developed an original capacitive control ASIC with improved durability and versatility for conformance to strict automotive standards.

Varying conditions may lead to a variance in the data obtained via the capacitive sensor. To accommodate the separate circumstances, Alps Alpine can supply an originally developed algorithm to accommodate the parameter changes.

Reliability is enhanced by an original failure determination feature and the ECU sensor conforms to ISO 26262, the international standard on the functional safety of electrical and electronic systems in automobiles.

Alps Alpine will also put forward product proposals, representing examples of applied capacitive technology, for a wide range of human-machine interfaces (HMI) both inside and outside the vehicle cabin, not just hands-off detection.

The ECU is in mass production. It measures 40 x 45 x 12mm and uses a LIN 2.1 or LIN 2.2 interface. It operates at 8.0 to 16V and up to 100mA.

http://www.alpsalpine.com

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M.2 cards let i.MX users try wireless connectivity options

Fri, Jul 09, 2021

A set of Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth expansion cards which plug into NXP Semiconductors’ i.MX processor evaluation kits allow users to try connectivity options, says u-blox. The cards conform to the M.2 form factor and integrate u-blox modules powered by wireless SoCs from NXP.

The cards use NXP’s integrated 88W8987 and 88Q9098 Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth chipsets and easily plug into the M.2 sockets to evaluate i.MX and development kits are claimed to make it significantly easier for developers to explore the many wireless connectivity possibilities enabled by their modules.

u-blox has launched two wireless connectivity cards based on its JODY modules. The cards are built to the M.2 Type 2230 Key E form factor, for which sockets are provided on the latest range of NXP i.MX evaluation boards.

The M2-JODY-W3 card comprises a u-blox JODY-W3 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 module. The module’s NXP 88Q9098 chipset supports IEEE 802.11ax and dual mode Bluetooth 5.1. It runs concurrent dual band Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks using dual MACs, and 2×2 MIMO antenna set-up in each band.

Bluetooth support in the M2-JODY-W3 includes dual-mode Bluetooth 5.1 Classic and LE, as well as the standard’s long-range operation option. The M2-JODY-M3 card supports simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Its Wi-Fi functionality includes simultaneous access point, station, or Wi-Fi Direct modes.

The M2-JODY-W2 card features a u-blox JODY-W2 Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5 module, which uses the NXP 88W8987 chipset to support IEEE 802.11ac and Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy 5. The card supports dual-band Wi-Fi to the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards.

The card also supports dual-mode Bluetooth 5 operation and is capable of dual port simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and its Wi-Fi functionality also includes simultaneous access point, station, or Wi-Fi direct modes.

The cards can be used as a way of evaluating wireless connectivity options in the context of both NXP i.MX evaluation kits and embedded systems boards built by NXP partners. The cards can be used in industrial automation, vehicle navigation and telematics, in-vehicle infotainment and hands-free audio, remote diagnostics and patient monitoring, security cameras, payment terminals, and other applications requiring high data rates, says u-blox.

The M2-JODY-W3 and M2-JODY-W2 cards can be used with legacy evaluation boards that do not feature an M.2 socket as a convenient microSD-to-M.2 adapter that connects to a standard microSD socket, or a microSD-to-SD adapter for boards with a standard SD socket.

http://www.u-blox.com

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TI redefines microcontroller with x10 higher processing capability

Rohde & Schwarz and Quectel cooperate on cellular-V2X for automotive 3GPP

Hands-free ECU detection assists autonomous driving

M.2 cards let i.MX users try wireless connectivity options

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