ICs & Semiconductors

Microchip releases 20 Wi-Fi products for industrial and commercial applications

Tue, Oct 15, 2024

With Industry 4.0, the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), digitised manufacturing and the age of IoT everything, the demand for wireless connectivity in commercial and industrial applications is growing at an exceptional pace. These applications typically require reliable connectivity that can withstand extreme environments that are exposed to high temperatures, background noise and obstructions. To help meet this need, Microchip Technology has added 20 products to its Wi-Fi® portfolio.

The company’s Wi-Fi solutions are designed to support various application needs and developer skill levels. The selection ranges from modules that are regulatory certified in several countries that require no Radio Frequency (RF) expertise and little programming to robust Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) with industrial-level features.

Microchip’s Wi-Fi portfolio includes:
• Wi-Fi MCUs: all-in-one solution designed to combine the functionality of an MCU with reliable wireless connectivity
• Link Controllers: an SDIO interface enables the addition of Wi-Fi to Linux MPUs
• Network Controllers: an SPI interface allows the addition of wireless connectivity to an MCU
• Plug-and-Play Modules: simplify wireless-to-cloud connectivity by sending simple text commands from an MCU over a UART interface

The latest PIC32MZ-W1 Wi-Fi MCUs build on Microchip’s trusted 32-bit MCU line and feature advanced analog peripherals—including CAN, Ethernet, capacitive touch and ADC—to offer exceptional versatility. Additionally, the new devices feature some of the highest General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) capabilities on the market.

Also included in the lineup are next-generation WINCS02 network controllers and WILCS02 link controllers. Updates to the popular WINC and WILC solutions include improved radio performance and enhanced security features. The new wireless modules are pin-to-pin compatible with previous generations to ease migration from legacy devices.

To simplify Wi-Fi to cloud connectivity, Microchip has also expanded its plug-and-play product line with new RNWF02 modules. These modules connect MCUs to a cloud platform using simple ASCII commands sent over a UART interface.

Secure connections, which are critical for Wi-Fi applications that send or receive data from the cloud, can be challenging to implement depending on the developer’s skill level. To ease this process, Microchip has integrated its Trust Platform into many of its Wi-Fi products. Trust&GO module variants are pre-provisioned for secure authentication with popular cloud services, including AWS® and Azure®, to streamline the process of network authentication.

Millions of Microchip Wi-Fi products are already powering industrial applications around the world, offering seamless integration, enhanced security, robust connectivity and long-term performance and reliability throughout their lifecycle.

Microchip’s Wi-Fi portfolio is supported by a comprehensive suite of development tools, application demos, evaluation boards and services. Additional services include free design checks to give developers the support they need to create high-quality products efficiently.

https://www.microchip.com

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Infineon’s EiceDRIVER 125 V high-side gate driver protects battery-driven applications

Thu, Oct 10, 2024

In battery-powered applications such as motor drives and switched-mode power supplies (SMPS), the power supply architecture often requires that a module can be disconnected from the main supply rail when a fault occurs in that module. To achieve this functionality, it is common to use high-side disconnect switches (e.g. MOSFETs) to prevent a load short circuit from affecting the battery. Infineon has now introduced the EiceDRIVER 1EDL8011, a high-side gate driver designed to protect battery-powered applications such as cordless power tools, robotics, e-bikes, and vacuum cleaners in the event of a fault.
The device provides fast turn-on and turn-off of high-side N-channel MOSFETs with its high gate current capabilities. It consists of an integrated charge pump with an external capacitor to provide strong start-up. The internal charge pump provides the MOSFET gate voltage when the operating input voltage is low. The gate driver IC manages inrush current and provides fault protection. Under-voltage Lockout (UVLO) protection at input voltage prevents the device from operating under hazardous conditions. The driver is available in a DSO-8 package, making it ideal for space-constrained designs. It includes overcurrent protection (OCP), adjustable current setting threshold, time delay and a safe start-up mechanism with flexible blanking during MOSFET turn-on transitions.
The 1EDL8011 has a wide operating voltage range of 8 V to 125 V and a high gate sinking current of up to 1 A, allowing for efficient switching. Additionally, the product has an extremely low off-mode quiescent current of 1 µA, helping to minimise power consumption in sleep mode. The device also includes a V DS sense feature that is used to trigger an overcurrent shutdown by monitoring the drain-to-source voltage of the disconnect MOSFET.

Infineon will be showcasing a demo featuring the 1EDL8011 at its global technology forum OktoberTech 2024 in Silicon Valley on 17 October.

Availability
The 1EDL8011 is available now. Further information can be found at https://www.infineon.com/1edl8011.

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Infineon launches ultra-high current density power modules to enable high-performance AI computing

Wed, Oct 09, 2024

Data centres are currently responsible for more than two percent of global energy consumption. Fuelled by AI, this number is expected to grow to up to around seven percent in 2030, matching the current energy consumption of India. Enabling efficient power conversion from grid-to-core is vital to enable superior power densities and thereby advance compute performance while reducing total cost of ownership (TCO). Infineon is therefore launching the TDM2354xD and TDM2354xT dual-phase power modules with best-in-class power density for high-performance AI data centres. These modules enable true vertical power delivery (VPD) and offer industry’s best current density of 1.6 A/mm 2. They follow the TDM2254xD dual-phase power modules introduced by Infineon earlier this year.

“We are proud to enable high-performance AI data centres with our TDM2354xT and TDM2354xD VPD modules. These devices will maximize system performance with Infineon’s trademark quality and robustness, thereby enabling best TCO for data centres,” said Rakesh Renganathan, Vice President Power ICs at Infineon Technologies. “Our industry-leading power devices and packaging technologies, combined with our extensive systems expertise, will further advance high-performance and green computing as part of our mission to drive digitalisation and decarbonisation.”
The TDM2354xD and TDM2354xT modules combine Infineon’s robust OptiMOS 6 trench technology, a chip-embedded package that enables superior power density through enhanced electrical and thermal efficiencies, and a new inductor technology to enable lower profile and therefore, true vertical power delivery. As a result, the modules set new standards in power density and quality to maximize the compute performance and efficiency of AI data centres. The TDM2354xT modules support up to 160 A and are the industry’s first Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator (TLVR) modules in a small 8 x 8 mm² form factor. Combined with Infineon’s XDP™ controllers, they offer extremely fast transient response and minimise on-board output capacitance by up to 50 percent, further increasing system power density.
The new modules will be showcased at Infineon’s global technology forum OktoberTech 2024 in Silicon Valley on 17 October and at electronica 2024 in Munich from November 12 to 14 (hall C3, booth 502).

https://www.infineon.com/aipowermodules

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Imagimob’s Edge AI solutions are now available for the AURIX product family

Tue, Oct 08, 2024

Autonomous and automated driving is a megatrend in the automotive industry, along with electrification. AI plays a critical role in this trend, enabling vehicles to detect pedestrians, analyse driver behaviour, recognise traffic signs, and control trajectories, among many other use cases. A key enabler of this is Edge AI, as autonomous and automated driving is highly dependent on the need for AI systems with machine learning capabilities and processors that can handle large amounts of data in parallel, safely, secured, and in real time. To address this challenge, Imagimob, an Infineon company, has enhanced its automotive machine learning portfolio by integrating machine learning capabilities into Infineon’s Automotive ASIL-D complaint MCUs like AURIX TC3x and AURIX TC4x.

“The integration of secured and dependable AI capabilities into microcontroller families is crucial for advancing autonomous driving applications in the automotive industry,” said Thomas Boehm, Senior Vice President Microcontroller at Infineon. “We are proud that our AURIX microcontrollers are now supported by Imagimob Studio, making them accessible to developers worldwide. This highlights our role as a leading innovator in the industry.”

“With the integration of AURIX into our Imagimob Studio, we are bringing full machine learning (ML) compatibility and capabilities to the automotive sector,” said Alexander Samuelsson, CTO of Imagimob. “This means that all the use cases we support with our platform are now also available for Infineon’s AURIX microcontrollers.”

With Imagimob Studio, developers can now create robust ML models for the Edge and deploy them onto Infineon’s proven AURIX MCUs. The process starts with creating machine learning models in Imagimob Studio. Once the AI model is complete, users can select to deploy on the MCUs directly within the platform. They are then guided through steps on how to deploy the code seamlessly, simplifying the implementation of machine learning on MCUs and enabling the creation of sophisticated ML models. In addition, Imagimob Studio offers a sample project for siren detection, demonstrating model creation and deployment. By using the code example, users can also learn how to create acoustic models with AURIX MCUs and a microphone shield. Furthermore, Imagimob has developed new regression models that can be used to calculate remaining battery power, health status, and usage time.

The AURIX TC4x scalable MCU family offers a seamless upgrade path from the AURIX TC3x family of ASIL-D compliant automotive MCUs. This enhanced performance is powered by the next-generation TriCore 1.8. In addition, the AURIX TC4x features a scalable accelerator suite that includes a parallel processing unit (PPU) and multiple intelligent accelerators to support cost-effective AI integration. For the AURIX TC4x family, these advancements translate into enhanced machine learning capabilities, enabling developers to deploy multiple models simultaneously or more complex ones. For instance, while the AURIX TC3x can handle basic siren detection, the AURIX TC4x enables both siren detection and voice interaction simultaneously.

https://www.imagimob.com/studio

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