ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 91 of 227

ToF module perceives 3D space in high resolution

Thu, Jun 30, 2022

Believed to be the industry’s first high resolution, industrial quality, indirect time-of-flight (iToF) module for 3D depth sensing and vision systems, the ADTF3175 has been announced by Analog Devices.

It enables cameras and sensors to perceive 3D space in 1Mpixel resolution for accurate (+/-3mm) iToF technology. It is suitable for use in a range of machine vision applications ranging from industrial automation to logistics, healthcare and augmented reality.

The ADTF3175 offers designers a scalable, fully engineered and calibrated depth system that can be integrated into 3D sensing and vision systems, eliminating the need to design specialised optics or address electromechanical integration challenges. It accelerates time to market by simplifying the complex sensor design process, said Analog Devices. The robust, high resolution module is specifically designed to perform in a range of environmental settings. It uses triple junction vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology from Lumentum Operations to enable sensing in a wide range of lighting conditions.

“We are thrilled to work with ADI on solutions for the industry’s most demanding and highest resolution 3D sensing applications, ranging from extended reality to industrial applications like robotics, intelligent buildings, and logistics systems,” said Téa Williams, senior vice president and general manager of 3D sensing at Lumentum. The company provides VCSEL arrays for light detection and ranging (lidar) and 3D sensing applications, to enable sensing in a range of lighting conditions. “Our 10W VCSEL arrays allow ADI to enable more capable sensing and vision systems that can operate under a wide range of lighting conditions and thereby removing environmental obstacles to broader and more rapid machine vision deployment,” Williams added.

The ADTF3175 features an infra red illumination source with optics, laser diode and driver, and a receiver path with a lens and an optical band-pass filter. The module also includes flash memory for calibration and firmware storage with power regulators to generate local supply voltages. It is supplied pre-programmed and offers operating modes optimised for long and short range, said Analog Devices.

“Machine vision needs to make the leap to perceiving smaller, more subtle objects faster in industrial environments that often include harsh conditions and multiple stimuli,” explained Tony Zarola, senior director for ToF at Analog Devices. “The ADTF3175’s . . . . resolution and accuracy allows vision and sensing systems – including industrial robots – to take on more precision-oriented tasks by enabling them to better understand the space they’re operating in and ultimately improve productivity“. The module is expected to accelerate the deployment of next generation automation and critical logistics systems, he added.

Analog Devices also offers an accompanying open source design for the ADTF3175 module. It includes all of the required drivers and access to ADI’s depth processing capabilities. ADI also offers guidance on how to achieve Class One eye safety certification for the end product.

The module measures 42 x 31 x 15.1mm.

http://www.analog.com

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Bluetooth soC pinpoints movement and location

Wed, Jun 29, 2022

Enhanced positioning capabilities in the BlueNRG-LPS SoC, claimed STMicroelectronics. This third-generation Bluetooth SoC has Bluetooth direction finding technology for location-tracking and real-time positioning applications.

By determining the direction of a Bluetooth Low Energy signal, the Bluetooth 5.3 certified BlueNRG-LPS SoC can precisely estimate movement and location with centimetre accuracy. It uses Bluetooth-specified technology including both angle-of-arrival (AoA) and angle-of-departure (AoD), as computed from signals captured by an antenna array. The SoC now enables a wide variety of applications that require indoor navigation, geo-fencing, and asset tracking, as well as real-time location finding for tools, assets, and goods.

With its streamlined architecture and I/O peripherals, and program and data memories (192kbyte eFlash and 24kbyte SRAM, respectively) sized for lightweight end products, the BlueNRG-LPS is intended for cost-sensitive and high volume applications, such as general purpose wireless sensors, medical appliances, keyless -entry systems, remote controls, and smart remote metering. The integrated high efficiency step-down converter and protection circuitry, also contribute to simplifying the SoC and reducing the required bill of materials (BoM) and allows for a much cheaper two-layer PCB design, said ST.

The architecture supports the latest Bluetooth LE Power Control specification, which enables fine-tuning of RF output power in 1dBm increments, and up to +8dBm, to permit longer battery runtime. Bluetooth Path-Loss Monitoring enhances radio link quality and prevents interference, ensuring robust connections for improved interaction between devices, even in crowded places, and faster response times. Support for Bluetooth 5.3 long range, 2Mbits per second high speed data rate, periodic advertising, simultaneous connection and multi-role specifications also ensure superior user experiences with equipment powered by BlueNRG-LPS. There are also dedicated hardware functions and cryptographic IPs to support enhanced security.

The STEVAL-IDB012V1 tool is available to support evaluation and development for the BlueNRG-LPS.

The BlueNRG-LPS SoC is in production now and available in a 5.0 x 5.0mm 32-pin QFN32 package.

http://www.st.com

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Power amplifier does not need DFD, CFR or ET, says Guerilla RF

Tue, Jun 28, 2022

Guerilla RF has developed its latest InGaP HBT power amplifier for wideband linear output power in 5G applications that cannot employ digital pre-distortion (DPD), crest factor reduction (CFR) or envelope tracking (ET). The GRF5317 power amplifier delivers 18dBm of wideband linear power and is the first of a series of 0.1W linear power amplifiers being developed by the company.

The InGaP HBT amplifiers were designed specifically for 5G wireless infrastructure applications requiring exceptional native linearity over large 500MHz bandwidths and temperature extremes of -40 to +85 degrees C.

Spanning a frequency range of 1.5 to 2.0GHz, the GRF5317 is tuned to operate within the n1, n2, n3, n25, n34, n39, n65, n66, n70, n80, n84, and n86 5G new radio (NR) bands. The devices typically deliver 18dBm of linear power over the entire operating temperature range while maintaining adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) levels of better than -45dBc and IMD3 levels less than -25dBm are achievable without the aid of supplemental linearisation schemes like DPD.

The ability to beat the -45dBc ACLR performance metric without DPD is critical for cellular applications like home and commercial repeaters / boosters, femto cells, and pico cells, as well as cable loss compensators which are used in conjunction with automotive ‘shark fin’ antennas. Typically, sensitivity to cost, power and size constraints prohibits the use of elaborate linearisation techniques, meaning designers must rely on the power amplifier’s native linearity to meet the stringent emissions mask requirements imposed by the latest 5G standards.

The GRF53xx series was developed by Guerrilla RF, blending power and linearity to maximise the effective range and throughput for cellular systems. It was also designed to be footprint-compatible, enabling customers to rapidly customise designs for many cellular frequencies.

Ryan Pratt, CEO and founder of Guerrilla RF, commented: “GRF now provides pin-pin compatible linear [power amplifiers] PAs that can cover the 0.1W, 0.25W and 0.5W power spectrum, giving customers the ability to simply swap in different devices to address a variety of output power scenarios. The GRF53xx series can also work in conjunction with its 0.5W cousins, serving as linear drivers for the higher power cores.”

The GRF5317 comes in a 3.0 x 3.0mm, 16-pin QFN package. The power amplifier is sampling now. Evaluation boards for the GRF5317 are also available.

https://guerrilla-rf.com/

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Allegro integrates TMR and vertical Hall elements in position sensors for ADAS

Tue, Jun 28, 2022

At this week’s Sensors Converge Conference in San Jose, California, USA, Allegro MicroSystems has launched the A33110 and A33115 magnetic position sensors.

Designed for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) applications that require high levels of accuracy and heterogeneous signal redundancy, the sensors combine the company’s vertical Hall technology (VHT) with tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) technology in a single sensor package. The angle sensors are claimed to be the first of their kind to feature this technology combination in a single package. VHT and TMR is a heterogeneous redundant sensor for automation in vehicles.

The A33110 and A33115 sensors provide magnetic angle sensing via both the primary (TMR) and secondary (vertical Hall) transducers, each of which are processed by two independent channels, each with independent regulators and temperature sensors. This configuration enables the high levels of safety and diagnostic coverage needed for automated driving, including on-chip channel-to-channel angle comparison and independent processing in digital signal paths, with no shared digital resources. Advanced algorithms in both sensors deliver the fast response time, independent gain/offset correction, angle calculation, and linearisation capabilities demanded by safety-critical ADAS applications.

The A33115 also includes a turns counter that tracks motion in 90 degree increments and a low power mode with a user-programmable duty cycle that reduces power consumption when the IC is in a key-off position.

Future automated and autonomous vehicles require advanced electric power steering (EPS) systems with precise motor control capabilities, as well as brake-by-wire or electromechanical braking systems with fast response time. Present day systems commonly use giant magnetoresistance (GMR) or Hall-effect sensors. Compared to the GMR equivalents, Allegro’s TMR on silicon technology offers improved resolution and accuracy, said the company, providing up to eight times greater sensitivity. Measured against traditional Hall-effect sensors, the improvement in resolution is even more pronounced, added the company.

The safe operation of a vehicle requires the highest level of diagnostic coverage in safety-critical systems. Allegro’s VHT enables accurate safety checks, including low-field and missing-magnet detection. The high-resolution sensors are ASIL D-compliant, with heterogeneous redundancy reducing the likelihood of dependent failures, claimed Allegro.

Car manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers are looking for position sensors that provide the greatest accuracy and safety while reducing system footprint and cost, said Scott Milne, business line director for position sensors at Allegro. Integrating both vertical Hall and TMR elements in a single package, enables the customers to meet those needs with a sensor that provides high resolution and heterogeneous redundancy along with integrated diagnostics, he added.

http://www.allegromicro.com

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ToF module perceives 3D space in high resolution

Bluetooth soC pinpoints movement and location

Power amplifier does not need DFD, CFR or ET, says Guerilla RF

Allegro integrates TMR and vertical Hall elements in position sensors for ADAS

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