ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 86 of 235

Renesas unveils family of automotive radar transceivers with high accuracy and low power consumption

Fri, Nov 18, 2022

Renesas Electronics Corporation is entering the automotive radar market with the introduction of a 4×4-channel, 76-81GHz transceiver designed to meet the requirements of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) and Level 3 and higher autonomous driving applications.

Renesas will incorporate the new RAA270205 high-definition radar transceiver into its growing sensor fusion portfolio, which combines radar, vision systems, and other sensing modalities.

Designed in co-operation with Steradian Semiconductors Private Limited, which Renesas acquired earlier this year, the new transceiver MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) is especially suited for imaging radar, long-range forward-looking radar and 4D radar, but can also be used for corner and central-processing radar architectures, the so-called ‘satellite’ automotive radar systems, said the company. Equipped with 4Tx and 4Rx channels, the RAA270205 supports up to 16 MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) channels. It can be cascaded to enable higher channel count and better radar resolution.

The RAA270205 features up to 5GHz of bandwidth and a 112.5MSPS ADC (analog-to-digital converter) sampling rate that it claims is nearly three times faster than those of competing devices. Power consumption of 1.2W is 50 per cent lower than that of comparable transceivers and it delivers a noise figure of 9dB, which is 3dB less than other radar transceivers, it says. Its chirp rate of up to 300MHz/microAs improves radar resolution and object detection.

“Today’s radar transceiver MMICs must achieve higher definition to support the high-accuracy requirements of ADAS and autonomous driving safety platforms,” said Vivek Bhan, senior vice-president and deputy general manager of Renesas’ automotive solution business unit. “Working in close collaboration with Steradian, which brings deep radar design expertise, we are expanding our sensor fusion offerings with a focus on functional safety and low power consumption to help our customers lower their development costs and improve time to market.”

Renesas plans to combine the RAA270205 transceiver with other compatible devices from its portfolio to support automotive radar systems. These combinations will include the satellite radar system for AD/ADAS, which will be available in Q2/2023.

The RAA270205 will be available in 1Q/2023 in sample quantities, with commercial production planned for 2024. The transceiver is available in a small, easy-to-integrate eWLB (embedded wafer-level ball-grid array) package, measuring 7.6×5.6mm. It will be fully compliant with automotive industry requirements such as IATF 16949, AEC-Q100 Grade2 and ASIL B.

Visit Renesas at electronica 2022, Hall B4, 179

https://renesas.com

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Industrial GbE transceivers optimise process automation, says Microchip

Fri, Nov 11, 2022

As developers of industrial automation systems gravitate from proprietary solutions for process synchronisation to standard-based one that offer broader compatibility and reduce design costs, Microchip has developed the LAN8840 and LAN8841 Gigabit Ethernet transceiver devices for critical process synchronisation.

The transceivers meet IEEE 1588v2 standards for Precision Timing Protocol. The LAN8840 and LAN8841 are enabled with Linux drivers and deliver flexible Ethernet speed options including 10BASE-T, 10BASE-Te, 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T.

They can facilitate critical packet prioritisation by providing high speed time stamping that is relayed between components to determine network latencies, accommodate for those latencies, and synchronise time amongst all connected devices.

This timing is key for process automation applications that require precise control production systems such as robotics, distributed sensors and cooling and mixing systems. The LAN8840 and LAN8841 can withstand extended industrial temperatures ranging from -40 to +105 degrees C.

To help companies achieve sustainability, the LAN8840 / LAN8841 features wake-on-LAN (WoL) and energy-detect power-down mode. The energy-efficient Ethernet (EEE) mode delivers low power idle and clock stoppage modes for optimal power performance.

The LAN8840 / LAN8841 are suitable for applications requiring accurate and precise time stamping, such as gas and chemical processing, electrical distribution, and currency trade systems which must be proven to be in sync with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) within one millisecond or finer increments.

The LAN8841 Ethernet Development System (EDS) daughter card is a modular addition to compatible Microchip host boards. When paired with the PCIe networking adapter, it enables evaluation of the LAN8841 through any host supporting the PCIe interface. Linux drivers supporting Precision Timing Protocol (PTP4L) are available for the LAN8841 on Microchip’s GitHub repository.

The LAN8840 (48 QFN) and LAN8841 (64 WQFN) are now available in high-volume production.

Microchip Technology serves more than 120,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defence, communications and computing markets.

The company is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, USA.

http://www.microchip.com

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Mercury Systems launches DDR4 memory for edge processing in space missions

Thu, Nov 10, 2022

A radiation-tolerant version of Mercury Systems’ 8Gbyte DDR4 memory has been announced. According to the company, it “sets a new bar for performance in data-intensive processing applications in space”.

Today, military satellites enable critical national security missions such as missile warning, communications and Earth observation. Commercial satellites provide in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity, TV and radio services as well as global infrastructure and asset monitoring. These space systems require ever-increasing amounts of processing power to manage enormous volumes of data.

The increased complexity of these space systems, as capabilities and requirements are added, need high density memory capabilities to complement greater processing power. As space systems are increasingly developed with smaller form factors, Mercury’s 8GB DDR4 components offer 75 per cent space savings compared to alternative memory options, claimed the company.

“Mercury memory modules are designed to operate in the most demanding environments and are employed on critical missions in the air, land, and sea domains,” said Tom Smelker, vice president and general manager of custom microelectronics solutions at Mercury. These radiation-tolerant 8Gbyte DDR4 modules will unlock even more capability and performance for next-generation government and commercial space missions, he added.

Mercury’s 8Gbyte DDR4 memory components feature data transfer speeds of up to 2,666Mbits per second in a form factor that is 13 x 20 x 2.36mm. The memory package has eutectic solder balls for board-level reliability and the memory components undergo 100 per cent burn-in and electrical test for quality assurance.

The memory components are manufactured in a DMEA-trusted facility.

Mercury delivers commercial innovation to the global aerospace and defence industry, providing products, services and technologies and from data to decision, silicon to systems.

http://mrcy.com

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Compact Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE modules have enhanced security

Wed, Nov 09, 2022

The Nora-W3 series has been added to u-blox’s Wi-Fi standalone module portfolio. The modules make dual-band capability available for the first time in this compact form factor, said u-blox. The modules are suitable for healthcare, HVAC, energy management, EV charging, professional grade power tools and industrial sensing or monitoring applications.

Saturation of Wi-Fi channels in the 2.4GHz band, size constraints, need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) to work in conjunction in order to connect to infrastructure, back-end systems, sensors and mobile devices. There is a balance that needs to be struck between cost and functionality. The Nora-W3 modules comprise dual band Wi-Fi 4 (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth LE 5 based upon a Realtek Ameba chipset.

The modules feature u-connectXpress to simplify the task of integration for designers. This only requires the use of high-level AT commands. The compact modules integrate two microcontrollers, the Arm Cortex-M33-compatible, operating at 200MHz as the main MCU. The second is an Arm Cortex-M23-compatible, operating at 20MHz for low power operation. This system allows the complete communication firmware to run on the module. To ease integration, Nora-W3 comes with the option to use an embedded antenna, said u-blox.

By offering dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, the u-blox Nora-W3 modules ensure a robust Wi-Fi connection in the field, partly due to the ability to operate in the less congested 5GHz band. The inclusion of u‑connectXpress significantly reduces software effort by removing the need for competence in embedded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, claimed u-blox, allowing designs to be delivered to the market quicker.

The modules offer a wide range of security features including secure boot, encryption, trusted execution environment, authentication and storage that protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access.

The Nora-W3 modules measure just 14.3 x 10.4 x 1.9mm, making them suitable for space-constrained designs and includes an embedded antenna within this envelope.

Nora-W3 is an upgrade, from single to dual band, for customers using u-blox’s Nina-W15 and a smooth transition for those using Odin-W2, said u-blox. The common form factor and pin-out allows simple migration for customers already using, for instance the Nora-W1 and Nora-B1 modules.

There are two variant, the u-blox Nora-W36 with the u-connectXpress software simplifying the integration into the end-product and the u-blox Nora-W30 with an open CPU architecture, allowing customers to run their own applications on the modules.

The Nora-W3 series will be globally certified for use with the internal antenna or a range of external antennas, reducing time, cost and effort for customers integrating Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE in their designs.

http://www.u-blox.com

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Renesas unveils family of automotive radar transceivers with high accuracy and low power consumption

Industrial GbE transceivers optimise process automation, says Microchip

Mercury Systems launches DDR4 memory for edge processing in space missions

Compact Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE modules have enhanced security

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