Hyperlux family claims to boost performance, speed and features of automotive image sensors

With a 2.1 Microm pixel size, 150dB high dynamic range (HDR) and LED flicker mitigation (LFM) across the full automotive temperature range, the onsemi Hyperlux family is claimed to provide high performance, speed and advanced features to propel the next generation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) forward. It also enables a smooth transition to Level 2+ driving automation, which requires the driver to take over only when alerted by the technology. 

The Hyperlux family spans products with resolutions from 3 megapixel (MP) to 8MP and higher, catering to both sensing and viewing camera applications. With an HDR of 150dB, it claims to capture high quality images under extreme lighting conditions without sacrificing lowlight sensitivity. The LFM capability of the platform ensures that pulsed light sources do not appear to flicker and thereby avoids flicker-induced machine vision issues. 

The simultaneous HDR and LFM capabilities ensure that the potential hazard can be identified in either very dark or bright scenes, critical to ADAS and in-cabin applications, said the intelligent driving sensor business unit at Desay SV. With the new Hyperlux technology, automotive OEMs and tier ones can expect proven high performance in all operating conditions to accelerate more advanced safety and convenience features, it added.

The Hyperlux product family claims to boast the industry’s lowest power consumption and smallest footprint. By using up to 30% less power and having an up to 28 per cent smaller footprint than competing devices, the automotive image sensors are claimed to deliver energy-efficient designs with the lowest system material cost. As more electronic content, including image sensors, is added to cars,  the content needs to be as small as possible to fit in existing designs while not disrupting the internal and external style of the vehicle.

As vehicles become more connected and move closer to autonomy, the importance of safety and security is more critical than ever, said onsemi. It claimed its knowledge of automotive applications and trends, along with its engineering expertise in image sensing, enables its customers to develop next-generation products that bring it closer to the Vision Zero initiative, a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries.

Hyperlux is designed to meet the safety requirements of Automotive Safety Integrity Level D (ASIL D) systems, while integrated security gives the highest coverage to cybersecurity threats. These sensors also offer a dual output stream at differing resolutions, allowing sensing and other functions to be performed simultaneously. Designers can benefit from the flexible architecture for the use of a single camera for multiple functions, reducing design time, risk and cost. 

The first two sensors of the Hyperlux product family, AR0823AT and AR0341AT, are now sampling. 

Onsemi will be exhibiting at AutoSens Detroit, 9-11 May 2023. 

https://www.onsemi.com

> Read More

Motor drive inverter supports 14V to 80V input DC voltage

EPC’s EPC9186 supports a wide input DC voltage ranging from 14V to 80V. The high-power capability of the EPC9186 supports applications such as electric scooters, small electric vehicles, agricultural machinery, forklifts and high-power drones.

The three-phase BLDC motor drive inverter uses the EPC2302 eGaN fet and four EPC2302 fets in parallel per switch position. It can deliver up to 200Apk maximum output current. 

The EPC9186 contains all the necessary critical function circuits to support a complete motor drive inverter, including gate drivers, regulated auxiliary power rails for housekeeping supplies, voltage, and temperature sense, accurate current sense, and protection functions. The boards can be configured for multiphase DC–DC conversion and support both phase and leg shunt current sensing.  

According to the company, the major benefits of a GaN-based motor drive are exhibited with this reference design, including lower distortion for lower acoustic noise, lower current ripple for reduced magnetic loss, lower torque ripple for improved precision and lower filtering for lower cost.  

EPC provides full demonstration kits, which include interface boards that connect the inverter board to the controller board development tool for fast prototyping that is claimed to reduce design cycle times.

GaN-based inverters increase motor efficiency and can increase power capability without increasing size, claimed EPC. This enables motor systems that are smaller, lighter, less noisy, have more torque, more range, and greater precision for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications, it added.

The EPC9186 reference design board is priced at $900.00 and is available from Digi-Key.

Designers interested in replacing their silicon mosfets with a GaN solution can use the EPC GaN Power Bench’s cross-reference tool to find a suggested replacement based on their operating conditions.

EPC claims to be the leader in enhancement mode gallium nitride (eGaN) based power management. eGaN fets and integrated circuits are claimed to provide performance many times greater than the best silicon power mosfets in applications such as DC-DC converters, remote sensing technology (lidar), motor drives for eMobility, robotics, drones and low-cost satellites.

https://www.epc-co.com

> Read More

SiC gate driver could help extend the driving range of electric vehicles

A highly integrated, functional safety-compliant, isolated gate driver has been released by Texas Instruments (TI). The company claimed that the driver could enable engineers to design more efficient traction inverters and maximise the driving range of electric vehicles (EVs). 

The UCC5880-Q1 reinforced isolated gate driver is claimed to offer features that enable EV powertrain engineers to increase power density and reduce system design complexity and cost. 

According to TI, semiconductor innovations in traction inverter systems are helping to overcome critical barriers to their widespread adoption. These innovations are said to enable automakers to build safer, more efficient and more reliable silicon carbide (SiC)- and insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based traction inverters by designing with UCC5880-Q1, featuring real-time variable gate-drive strength, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), advanced SiC monitoring and protection and diagnostics for functional safety.

The company said that the driver can be easily paired with other high-voltage power-conversion products, such as the UCC14141-Q1 isolated bias supply module, to improve power density and help engineers reach the high levels of traction inverter performance.

Achieving any increase in efficiency is difficult for designers, given that the majority of traction inverters already operate at 90 per cent efficiency or higher, according to TI. But by varying the gate-drive strength in real time, in steps between 20 A and 5 A, designers can improve system efficiency with the UCC5880-Q1 gate driver by as much as 2 per cent by minimising SiC switching power losses, resulting in up to seven more miles of EV driving range per battery charge, it claimed. For an EV user who charges their vehicle three times per week, that could mean more than 1,000 additional miles per year. 

It is claimed that engineers can reduce components and prototype a more efficient traction inverter system by using the SiC EV Traction Inverter Reference Design. This customisable, tested design includes the UCC5880-Q1, a bias-supply power module, real-time control MCUs and high-precision sensing.

Preproduction quantities of the automotive-grade, ISO26262-compliant UCC5880-Q1 are available in a 10.5mm x 7.5-mm, 32-pin shrink small-outline package (SSOP). Pricing starts at US$5.90 in 1,000-unit quantities. Designers can purchase a UCC5880-Q1 evaluation module for US$249. 

TI is exhibiting at the Power Conversion and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe conference, Nuremberg, (9-11 May) at Hall 7, Booth No. 459.

https://www.TI.com

> Read More

Integrated wireless power transmitter IC supports Qi extended power profile

Infineon Technologies has extended its portfolio of wireless charging controller ICs, adding the WLC1150 which supports up to 50W applications. 

The wireless charging controller ICs are designed for applications requiring higher wireless power transfer, for example industrial applications, healthcare equipment, robotics and drones, vacuum cleaners, power tools, docking stations, and smartphone chargers supporting the Qi Extended Power Profile (EPP).

The WLC1150 transmitter is designed to provide high efficiency, flexible thermal management options, low electromagnetic interference (EMI), integrated adaptive foreign object detection (FOD) and inverter control. It uses multiple methods to tune the adaptive FOD, including Q-factor, resonant frequency and power.

The transmitter supports 50W wireless power transfer using a high power proprietary charging protocol and a wide input voltage range of 4.5 to 24V. The integrated fan buck controller enables thermal management by cooling the interface surface during high power delivery. It also includes integrated gate drivers for the inverter, which is controlled by frequency, duty cycle and variable voltage.

It also integrates a USB type-C power delivery (PD) controller that supports the latest version of USB-PD 3.1 with programmable power supply (PPS) mode. The WLC1150 complies with the WPC Qi 1.3 with EPP, basic power profile (BPP), and proprietary power delivery extension (PPDE). It supports systems with input power supplied from either USB PD / PPS or fixed input from a DC power supply. With either input configuration, the transmitter does not require a front-end DC/DC converter. This helps to significantly improve system efficiency, confirmed Infineon.

Adjustable over-voltage protection (OVP), over-current protection (OCP), and over-temperature protection (OTP) are also supported. The WLC1150 transmitter IC can be paired with the upcoming WLC1250 receiver IC to realise end-to-end proprietary wireless power transfer solutions, Infineon advised.

The WLC1150 is based on a programmable 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0 processor equipped with 128kbyte flash, 16kbyte RAM and various peripherals such as ADC, PWMs and timers. Its full-stack firmware is configurable to allow customisation of application-specific FOD, in-band communication, sensing, protection and other system parameters. This is made possible by a GUI (graphical user interface) that eliminates the need for code debugging and streamlines the configuration process. Combined with Infineon’s ModusToolbox, the WLC1150’s programmable features enable users to develop scalable wireless charging for proprietary protocols as well as the latest Qi specification.

The IC WLC1150 integrated wireless charging transmitter for high power applications is available in a 68 pin 8.0 x 8.0mm² in tray, as well as tape and reel packages. It is available for order now.

The WLC1150 will be showcased at PCIM Europe 2023 (09 to 11 May) in Nuremberg, Germany, at Infineon’s stand in Hall 7 (7-412).

http://www.infineon.com

> Read More

About Smart Cities

This news story is brought to you by smartcitieselectronics.com, the specialist site dedicated to delivering information about what’s new in the Smart City Electronics industry, with daily news updates, new products and industry news. To stay up-to-date, register to receive our weekly newsletters and keep yourself informed on the latest technology news and new products from around the globe. Simply click this link to register here: Smart Cities Registration