Authenticator protects against counterfeiting with ECDSA and 1-Wire interface

To detect and protect products from counterfeiting or misuse, Analog Devices has introduced the DS28E30, a 1-Wire ECDSA secure authenticator. 

The authenticator combines a fixed-function cryptographic toolbox based on the industry standard FIPS 186 elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) with secure storage of keys and application data and the single-contact 1-Wire interface for minimal interconnect requirement. Authentication is based on challenge/response sequences. Analog Devices said that the authenticator is easy to integrate into new or existing designs.

The DS28E30 provides secure features to enable the use of limited life tools, sensors, and other peripherals. Features include a monotonic, non-resettable, decrement-only counter and 1kbit of general-purpose EEPROM. It can optionally be ECDSA protected to store application data including end-product life cycle information.

The DE28E30 has a wide operating range of 1.62 to 5.25V and a temperature range of  -40 to +85 degrees C.

The authenticator is supplied in a four-ball WLP with a 0.5mm pitch and measuring 1.2mm x 1.4mm. It is in full production and available now.

Analog Devices offers a suite of analogue and mixed signal, power management, radio frequency (RF), and digital and sensor technologies with more than 75,000 products in the industrial, communications, automotive, and consumer markets. ADI is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA.

http://www.analog.com

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Transmitter controller IC is Qi v1.3.2-certified for wireless charging

At Computex in Taipei, Taiwan this week, Infineon has introduced the WLC integrated and scalable wireless charging platform. 

The WLC1115 transmitter controller IC is the first product of the WLC family of controllers for inductive wireless charging. Infineon has also introduced an accompany Qi v1.3.2 certified MP A11 power transmitter reference design. The IC can be used for wireless charging in a variety of consumer devices, such as smartphones, smart speakers, docking stations and monitor stands, as well as industrial or healthcare accessories.

The WLC1115 transmitter controller IC and companion reference design for wireless charging can be used for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications that demand state-of-the-art Qi-standard compliance, explained Ajay Srikrishna, senior vice president and general manager of the Wired Connectivity Solutions product line at Infineon. “As inductive wireless charging standards evolve, our programmable solution will offer the flexibility to scale higher power levels and allow OEMs to materialise differentiated features while remaining Qi-compatible,” he added.

Infineon’s WLC1115 integrated, Qi-compliant, configurable 15W transmitter controller IC includes a USB-PD/PPS sink, DC/DC controller, gate drivers for DC/DC, a full-bridge inverter, sensing peripherals and configurable flash memory. It supports a wide input voltage range (4.5 to 24V), multi-path voltage- and current-based ASK (amplitude shift keying) demodulation. It also features an integrated, programmable, high-side current-sense amplifier and adaptive foreign object detection (FOD) via Q-factor, resonant frequency and power loss.Protection features for under-voltage lockout (UVLO), over-voltage protection (OVP), over-current protection (OCP) and over-temperature protection (OTP) are programmable.

The WLC1115-based Extended Power Profile (EPP) transmitter uses Optiga Trust Charge to meet the authentication requirements specified in the Qi v1.3.2 standard.

Infineon also provides software tools that support Qi v1.3.2 and proprietary charging protocols.

The Infineon WLC1115 transmitter controller IC is available now. 

Infineon is presenting at Computex (24 to 27 May 2022) in Taipei, Taiwan. Visit Infineon at Computex, Hall 1 – 412.

http://www.infineon.com

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Three-phase sensorless BLDC gate drivers cool data centres

Additions to Allegro Microsystems’ three-phase sensorless brushless DC (BLDC) gate drivers, the A89332 and A89332-1 improve thermal efficiency, reduce energy use and data centre costs, claims the company.

The A89332 and A89332-1 are designed for cooling systems in today’s data centres. The A89332 is available with integrated power loss brake while the A89332-1 has AC-loss features. Both drivers enable compact, high airflow fan designs, said Allegro Microsystems.

When server fans malfunction or break, backflow causes them to go into reverse rotation. Other fans have to work harder to compensate, which increases power consumption. Conventional solutions to prevent reverse rotation involve adding external circuitry and components to function as the power loss brake. The components however do not fit into 1U fans and require software coding. This approach also increases bill of material (BoM) costs and increases time to market, said Allegro.

Its solution is the A89332’s integrated power loss brake (PLB) function which applies a brake to fans that are not working properly and stops them from spinning. The result is braking performance that is four times better than discrete implementations. This eliminates unnecessary power consumption and increases thermal efficiency, said Allegro, ultimately reducing data centre costs. When combined with the A89332-1’s AC loss logic, the gate drivers in a 4.0 x 4.0mm QFN package are suitable for the high-end server market and in a form factor that is 36 per cent smaller than comparable options and “perfect for “donut” circuit boards” said the company.

Allegro said it offers the industry’s only code-free solutions for server cooling fans. Its embedded algorithms and graphical user interface (GUI) eliminate the need for an additional Hall-effect position sensor and motor control unit with no additional software development required. 

“The need to build data centres that operate more sustainably and consume less power is accelerating,” says Andy Wang, product line director for Motors (Industrial) at Allegro. “It’s not just about building low-maintenance ‘lights-out’ facilities; server and component designers are looking for new and novel ways to reduce heat and power consumption, and fans play a big role,” he continued.

The A89332 and A89332-1 offer developers improved control over their cooling systems for maximum efficiency, said Wang.

Both devices are available in a 26-contact 4.0 x 4.0mm QFN package with exposed thermal pad (suffix EX). The packages are lead (Pb) -free, with 100 per cent matt-tin leadframe plating

Allegro MicroSystems provides sensing and power technologies for green energy to advanced mobility and motion control systems. The company offers global engineering, manufacturing and support.

http://www.allegromicro.com

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Microchip creates single core microprocessor with MIPI CSI-2 interface 

Based on the Arm Cortex-A7 processor, the SAMA7G54 is Microchip’s latest microprocessor. It runs at up to 1GHz and includes both a MIPI CSI-2 camera interface and traditional parallel camera interface. This enables developers to design low-power stereo vision applications with more accurate depth perception, said Microchip. 

It is expected to find a role in low power artificial intelligence (AI) installations which require advanced imaging and audio capabilities. According to Microchip these are typically found only on higher performing multi-core microprocessors that consume much more power. The Arm Cortex-A7-based SAMA7G54 brings low power operation into the 1GHz performance class of Linux-capable microprocessors by providing flexible low-power modes, as well as voltage and frequency scaling. When coupled with Microchip’s new MCP16502 power management IC (PMIC), the SAMA7G54 enables embedded designers to fine-tune the end application for the overall best power consumption vs. performance, while also optimizing for the lowest overall system cost, said the company. The MCP16502 is supported by Microchip’s mainline Linux distribution for the SAMA7G54, allowing for easy entry and exit from available low-power modes, as well as support for dynamic voltage and frequency scaling.  

For audio applications, the microprocessor integrates enhanced audio features such as four I2S digital audio ports, an eight-microphone array interface, an S/PDIF transmitter and receiver, as well as a four stereo channel audio sample rate converter. It is also equipped with multiple microphone inputs for improved source localization to enhance smart speaker or video conferencing system performance.  

It also integrates Arm TrustZone technology with secure boot, secure key storage and cryptography with acceleration. Customers can work with Microchip’s security experts to evaluate their security needs and implement the level of protection that’s right for their design.

“The SAMA7G54 provides a low-risk path for designers to develop power and performance optimised AI solutions for deployment at the edge,” said Rod Drake, vice president of Microchip’s 32-bit MPU business unit. “Designers can now create high-performing imaging and audio-centric AI applications without having to use multi-core MPUs with much higher power consumption.”

Microchip provides both hardware and software development support for the SAMA7G54. The SAMA7G54-EK evaluation kit features connectors and expansion headers for customisation. The device is supported by Microchip’s mainline Linux distribution. Bare-metal framework and RTOS support is provided within MPLAB Harmony v3.

Microchip provides a broad family of Ethernet PHYs, switches and hubs, wireless products, as well as CAN FD transceivers that are supported by the SAMA7G54. 

The SAMA7G54 is available now in a BGA343 package.

http://www.microchip.com

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