ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 92 of 230

Infineon offers the key to smart locks with programmable MCU with NFC

Mon, Jul 25, 2022

The NAC1080 is a programmable 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0 microcontroller (MCU) with embedded near field communication (NFC). The single chip from Infineon has an integrated H-bridge and is intended to support engineers in the development of smart actuators, such as passive locks.

Using the NFC interface, the NAC1080 MCU enables devices to be controlled directly by smartphones. Advanced local and cloud functions can be extended within the mobile app offered by regional marketing partners. This reduces the bill of material and supports miniaturised product design, advised Infineon. NAC1080 supports various operation modes and can be powered either in passive mode by the NFC field with the energy harvested from the mobile phone, or through a battery supply in active mode.

NAC1080 also provides an integrated AES128 accelerator and a true random number generator to enable data encryption/de-encryption in a low power environment.

The NAC1080 can also be used as an emergency back up power supply. Typical active lock systems depend on battery power but using the NAC1080, if the battery is discharged, the NFC interface IC for electronic devices can power the door lock. It should be noted that because electric power is transmitted via NFC, this use case may take longer than it does in passive mode, Infineon pointed out.

The company is already working with IH Tech and FIoT-Open Lab to offer complete smart NFC locks based on the NAC1080 combining IC products, application development, IoT device testing, certification and standardisation. This collaboration enables the three companies to support local customers to accelerate the system development cycle and foster the ecosystem development together.

IH Technology is a subsidiary of Contel Technology based in Hong Kong. It provides ICs and services to support customers on mass production level designs. This includes NFC antenna, circuit hardware, application software and APPs in handheld devices for both embedded module or stand-alone system.

FIoT-Open Lab is based in Fuzhou China, enabling new “Smart+” technologies, especially for IoT, big data and artificial intelligence. It offers full suite expertise in technology development, total solution from chip design/packaging to end-application, IoT devices testing certification and setting industry standards.

http://www.infineon.com

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STMicroelectronics offers two reference designs to simplify motor drive designs

Tue, Jul 19, 2022

Two reference designs from STMicroelectronics have been developed to simplify building complete industrial or home appliance motor drives for compressors with its STSPIN32 motor control system in package (SiP).

Each integrates the motor controller with a three-phase inverter to power the motor, and an offline converter and auxiliary circuitry. A production-ready PCB design and motor-control firmware are also included.

The STEVAL-CTM011V1 targets general industrial compressors up to 250W and the STEVAL-CTM012V1 meets the stringent eco-design regulations for use in home appliances.

The two reference designs combine with a host system to start driving a motor and allow customers to fine tune settings for optimal performance. Both ensure average efficiency greater than 96.5 per cent, said ST.

Each is based on ST’s STSPIN32F0601Q motor-control SiP which contains an STM32F031 Arm Cortex-M0 microcontroller to customise the motor control to specific end application needs and a rugged 600V three-phase gate driver for the inverter. The firmware provided includes high-efficiency sensorless field oriented control (FOC). The SiP is a compact and thermally efficient quad flat no-lead (QFN) device that meets high creepage requirements for safety and reliability.

The offline AC/DC converter is a VIPER122 analogue converter that integrates control logic with an 800V avalanche rugged power section. Frequency jittering prevents interference with other equipment, while inherently low power consumption and support for burst-mode operation at light load help comply with energy-saving regulations.

The inverter stage of the 250W STEVAL-CTM011V1 reference design for industrial and general-purpose applications comprises six rugged STGD5H60DF insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). They are engineered to maximise efficiency at high switching frequencies, allowing smaller capacitive and magnetic components. The low package thermal resistance is claimed to enhance reliability while tight parameter distribution assists safe paralleling in high power applications.

For home appliances, the STEVAL-CTM012V1 reference design contains six STPOWER STD8N60DM2 600V N-channel MDmesh DM2 power MOSFETs. These are suitable for high-efficiency converters, including zero voltage switching (ZVS) phase -shift converters, and combine high speed, low loss switching performance and low on state losses.

The production-ready circuit-board design saves significant development time, advised ST, because it avoids complex layout and signal routing challenges. The compact 112 x 75mm board outline helps meet industrial and consumer-appliance form factors.

Both reference designs are available now and the STSPIN32, VIPER122, IGBTs, and MOSFETs are in production now.

http://www.st.com

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Low power multi-GNSS module has built-in antenna

Fri, Jul 08, 2022

Low power global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology can be integrated into end devices using the SAM-M10Q antenna module, said u-blox.

The antenna module is claimed to have best-in-class low-power positioning. It features an integrated antenna and is intended to integrate u-blox M10 GNSS technology into devices used for industrial tracking and telematics, automation and monitoring or small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for example.

The low power u-blox M10 GNSS positioning engine in the module offers maximum position availability with concurrent reception of all four GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou), said u-blox, for higher positioning accuracy and a faster position fix, even in weak signal environments such as urban canyons.

The module’s integrated wide-band antenna, SAW filter and low noise amplifier (LNA) architecture deliver out-of-band jamming immunity. This is particularly helpful for asset tracking and telematic devices located near a cellular modem, advised u-box.

No external components or radio frequency (RF) expertise are required for use with the SAM-M10Q, claimed u-blox. It is pin-to-pin compatible with the company’s previous antenna module (the SAM-M8Q).

The SAM-M10Q is a surface mount device, suitable for automated manufacturing processes. It measures 15.5 x 15.5 x 6.3mm.

Engineering samples of the SAM-M10Q antenna module will be available in August 2022.

u‑blox specialises in 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 chips, modules, and secure data services and connectivity used by customers to develop innovative and reliable solutions for the IoT.

The company’s headquarters are in Thalwil, Switzerland and u-blox has offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

http://www.u-blox.com

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Multi-zone ToF sensor detects gesture recognition and human presence detection

Thu, Jul 07, 2022

User presence and gesture recognition enhance security for PC users. The VL53L5CP FlightSense time of flight (ToF) multi-zone sensor by STMicroelectronics is being embedded in select Lenovo PCs.

The FlightSense ToF multi-zone sensor is delivered with a suite of software algorithms to provide a turnkey solution for user detection, gesture recognition, and intruder alert, specially designed for the PC market, said ST.

The FlightSense multi-zone sensors continuously scan their field of view to map the scene and gather intelligence without using a camera or recording images. By using ToF technology, the sensors can detect and track multiple targets, calculating at high speed their X/Y/Z co-ordinates and motion.

The VL53L5CP FlightSense multi-zone sensor can detect multiple targets in 64 (8×8) zones within a wide 61 degree field of view. The sensor comes with Presence Premium Plus, ST’s proprietary third generation of algorithms dedicated to PC applications. Interacting with native aspects of the PC hardware and OS, the FlightSense and algorithms are certified at the highest level by Intel, confirmed ST.

The VL53L5CP and Presence Premium Plus software are optimised for PC applications and supported in Windows 11. PC designers can implement innovative features including smart power management, enhanced security, and touchless user interaction. ST said it has pioneered ‘wake on approach’ and ‘walk away lock’ presence technology which enables a seamless always-on user experience while maximising battery-energy savings. Automatic and immediate walk-away lock also prevents unauthorised access and data protection while the user is away.

In addition, multi-human detection (MHD) senses other people in the field of view and analyses their position and movements to assess security risks such as ‘shoulder surfing’. In relevant situations, the system alerts the user.

Another breakthrough innovation in the VL53L5CP, said ST, is robust touchless gesture sensing, which allows the user to control PC applications without touching the screen, keyboard, or mouse. The sensor can detect directional swipes and taps, as well as level adjustments. With access to such information, developers can easily implement instructions such as next or previous slide/song/video, play/pause, and volume control.

ST’s Presence Premium Plus software also enables PC designers to develop custom AI applications in Windows, leveraging the VL53L5CP sensor’s 8×8 multi-zone data to sense user intent, with continuous presence detection. In addition, dynamic programming of the VL53L5CP’s key parameters from Windows allows the end user to personalise parameters such as timing and lock/wake distances.

By enabling these features using non-vision-based ToF technology rather than the PC’s webcam, the VL53L5CP enables superior differentiation in several respects. With no image, it eliminates any privacy concerns. The sensor is always on, hidden behind the bezel, thereby removing dependence on the webcam shutter position. In addition, the sensor integrates a 940nm VCSEL infrared light emitter, invisible to human eyes, which ensures full performance in the dark or low-light conditions. In contrast, cameras need a dedicated power-hungry LED to illuminate the scene.

ST said its FlightSense technology outperforms several other techniques for human detection. Traditional infrared sensors do not measure distance and are affected by the colour and reflectance of detected objects, for example. Ultrasound is sensitive to noisy environments and may affect pets’ hearing, while radar requires very complex software development on top of power-hungry signal processing, said the company.

The VL53L5CP FlightSense multi-zone ToF sensor is in volume production and available now with the Presence Premium Plus algorithms.

http://www.st.com

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Infineon offers the key to smart locks with programmable MCU with NFC

STMicroelectronics offers two reference designs to simplify motor drive designs

Low power multi-GNSS module has built-in antenna

Multi-zone ToF sensor detects gesture recognition and human presence detection

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