ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 56 of 230

Drive stack expands Lattice Semiconductor’s software portfolio

Mon, Jul 24, 2023

A software stack to accelerate automotive application development is available from Lattice Semiconductor. According to the company, it enables infotainment connectivity and processing, flexible ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), sensor bridging and processing and low power zonal bridging applications for driver, cabin, and vehicle monitoring.

“The automotive industry is rapidly evolving and cars are getting smarter than ever with new technological advancements, notably with zonal architectures requiring varied sensors and displays across vehicle models. Now more than ever, manufacturers need solutions that enable them to innovate while maintaining flexibility for future updates,” said Bob O’Donnell, president and chief analyst, TECHnalysis Research.

“Combining comprehensive software solutions from the start in [an] application design process is critical for time-to-market acceleration,” said Esam Elashmawi, chief strategy and marketing officer at Lattice Semiconductor. This is the company’s sixth software application-specific solution stack to deliver advanced automotive application features based on its low power FPGAs.

The initial release of Lattice Drive offers advanced display connectivity and processing and enables multi-resolution scaling and supports display sizes up to 4K and supports DisplayPort up to HBR 3 at 8.1Gbits per second per lane. It also provides image/video enhancement with a scalable full array local dimming and multiple display connectivity. The stack allows for bridging multiple displays, providing up to 1.5X faster DisplayPort interface than competitive devices in similar class.

It also offers efficient data processing and enables the ability to process or co-process data to offload the CPU with up to 75 per cent lower power than competitive devices in a similar class

The Lattice Drive solution stack provides comprehensive application-specific solutions that combine reference platforms and designs, demos, IP building blocks, and FPGA design tools to accelerate customer application development and time-to-market.

This is the latest stack in the Lattice solution stacks portfolio which includes Lattice sensAI (for AI applications), Lattice mVision (for embedded vision) Lattice Automate (for factory automation) and Lattice Sentry with platform firmware resiliency root of trust and Lattice ORAN for 5G ORAN deployment.

Lattice Semiconductor specialises is low power programmable devices. It works with customers working in networks, from the edge to the cloud, as well as in communications, computing, industrial, automotive and consumer markets.

http://www.latticesemi.com

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8Mbit serial flash memory has small form factor for IoT devices

Fri, Jul 21, 2023

The first of a series of 3V RV flash memories has been announced by Winbond Electronics. The W25Q80RV is an 8Mbit flash device capable of high performance, low power, and available in a small form factor for connected IoT edge devices used in industrial and consumer segments.

It can support fast software updates for products deployed in industrial factory automation and smart home control applications combining processing, connectivity, and sensor technologies, explained Winbond.

The W25Q80RV is manufactured in Winbond’s 12-inch wafer foundry utilising the latest generation of its 58nm technology. The die area is reduced by 40 per cent compared to its predecessor which was built with 90nm technology. The flash memory is suitable for space-constrained applications where the flash KGD or WLCSP is combined with the SoC in a system in package.

Read speed has also improved from 104MHz to 133MHz, with page programming time reduced by 50 per cent and active read current reduced by up to 20 per cent. All combine to “significantly optimise” system functions. XIP (eXecute-In-Place) of code is accomplished at a high frequency, enabling greater system response while consuming less energy.

Faster programming accelerates factory throughput and lowers manufacturing costs. The short time it takes to conduct an over the air (OTA) firmware update means greater system availability and less downtime, added the company.

The W25Q80RV supports all common single/dual/quad/QPI commands and read modes for XIP and code shadowing to RAM. This device operates on a single 2.7V to 3.6V power supply with a power-down current down to 1microA. Active read current is optimised from 12mA down to 10mA at 104MHz.

The 8Mbit (1Mbyte) flash is sectioned into 64kbyte or 32kbyte blocks and is further subdivided into small 4kbyte sectors for flexibility and storage efficiency in applications that require code, data, and parameter storage in the same device, said Winbond. It is also capable of 66MHz DDR (double data rate) operation enabling the system to achieve the same high speed (133MHz single data rate) read throughput at a lower clock frequency. The read command bypass mode supports faster memory access for true XIP operation by eliminating the command input cycle.

W25Q80RV is available now. This 8Mbit flash memory device is the first in a series, Winbond said it will release other members and densities of the RV series in coming months, enabling migration from existing W25QxxCV and W25QxxDV series to the W25QxxRV counterparts.

http://www.winbond.com

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Renesas develops power management reference design for Versal adaptive SoC

Thu, Jul 20, 2023

A space-ready reference design for the AMD Versal adaptive SoC, XQRVC1902, has been developed by Renesas in collaboration with AMD.

The ISLVERSALDEMO2Z reference design integrates key radiation-hardened (rad-hard) components for power management in a compact design. It includes four new and recently released Intersil ICs, specifically designed to support a range of power rails for space avionics systems that demand tight voltage tolerances, high current, and efficient power conversion in addition to the capability to withstand the harsh environment of space.

The Versal Adaptive SoC is a space-grade compute platform that delivers full radiation tolerance, accelerated AI inference and high bandwidth signal processing, said Renesas. The ISLVERSALDEMO2Z generates each of the power rails used by the Versal platform, including a low 0.80V core voltage supply that can source up to 140A of current.

As core voltages decrease and currents increase for FPGAs and ASICs, it has become more difficult to meet the stringent power requirements of these devices to ensure that they operate error-free, explained Renesas. This is especially critical in space missions where power availability is limited and systems are exposed to extreme temperatures and radiation for an extended period of time.

The reference design “has been meticulously engineered to meet the rigorous demands of operations in space, while integrating all of the essential components into a very small footprint. It is an ideal turnkey solution for Versal Adaptive SoC power management,” commented Chris Stephens, vice president and general manager of the HiRel business division at Renesas.

The reference design comes with an array of power management devices that have been tested and verified to withstand exposure to high levels of radiation.

It includes the ISL73847SEH rad-hard dual output PWM controller, ISL73041SEH and ISL71441M, believed to be the industry’s first dedicated Gan FET half bridge drivers for space applications and the ISL73007SEH rad-hard PoL regulator.

The devices used are in packages with small footprints resulting in the core power rail components taking up just 104 square cm of board area, or approximately the size of two business cards.

The ISLVERSALDEMO2Z comes with all of the design files that customers need for rapid integration into their systems, including schematics, bill of materials and PCB Gerber files.

All products are available today and the reference design is available upon request in limited quantities.

The reference design and the new products will be demonstrated at the Renesas booth (112/113) at the IEEE Nuclear & Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC), July 24-28, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

http://www.renesas.com

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Compact LTE-M / NB-IoT module by u-blox has 2G fallback capability

Wed, Jul 19, 2023

The LEXI-R4 is a compact module that has been customised for applications where space is limited. It has dimensions of 16 x 16mm and supports all LTE-M and NB-IoT bands with an RF output power of 23dBm. It also has the possibility to operate on a 2G network. Typical applications are small asset trackers, such as pet and personal trackers, micromobility devices and luggage tags. It is also able to encompass larger applications, such as alarm systems, vending machines and stolen vehicle recovery systems, advised u-blox.

The u-blox LEXI-R4’s compact dimensions are a 40 per cent footprint reduction compared to the company’s u-blox SARA-R4. The space gained can be used to host larger antennas, which can improve radio frequency (RF) performance, or to accommodate larger-size batteries.

It also has 2G fallback capability. Whenever LTE-M / NB-IoT coverage conditions are not optimal, it will keep functioning by falling back onto a 2G network. This is practical and convenient in countries where LTE-M / NB-IoT networks have yet to be fully deployed.

The module is natively designed to support GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) AT commands and is also ready for GNSS bundling. Its dedicated port enables easy integration with any u-blox M10-based GNSS module, for instance the u-blox MIA-M10, to improve performance and lower power consumption, said u-blox. The module can also connect to additional positioning services such as AssistNow and CellLocate.

“Since the module supports the u-blox M10 GNSS platform, customers save execution time and resources,” says Samuele Falcomer, senior product line manager, product centre cellular at u-blox.

The module’s AT commands and a dedicated I2C port can operate the GNSS core to eliminate the need to integrate additional code into the MCU. “In addition, the LEXI-R4 module offers a single SKU with global LPWA (low power wide area) coverage that simplifies logistics,” added Falcomer.

The first samples will be available by the end of Q3 2023.

u-blox provides positioning and wireless communication in automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Its services and products let people, vehicles and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. The company offers a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and secure data services and connectivity, to empower developers to introduce solutions for the IoT, quickly and cost-effectively. The company has headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland and offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

http://www.u-blox.com

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Drive stack expands Lattice Semiconductor’s software portfolio

8Mbit serial flash memory has small form factor for IoT devices

Renesas develops power management reference design for Versal adaptive SoC

Compact LTE-M / NB-IoT module by u-blox has 2G fallback capability

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