Clock buffers and multiplexers meet PCIe Gen6 specifications

Believed to be the first clock buffers and multiplexers on the market to meet stringent PCIe Gen6 specifications, the RC190xx clock buffers and RC192xx multiplexers have been released by Renesas. 

The release comprises 11 clock buffers and four multiplexers. The devices, which also support and provide extra margin for PCIe Gen5 implementations, complement Renesas’ low-jitter 9SQ440, 9FGV1002 and 9FGV1006 clock generators for PCIe Gen6 timing for data centre / cloud computing, networking and high-speed industrial applications.

The PCIe Gen6 standard supports extremely high data rates of 64Gtransfers per second while requiring very low clock jitter performance of less than 100fs RMS. The RC190xx clock buffers and RC192xx multiplexers have PCIe Gen6 additive jitter specs of only 4fs RMS, making them virtually noiseless, says Renesas. The company claims this means they future-proof designs for the next generation of industry standards.

“PCIe Gen6 timing will be at the heart of new equipment in data centers, high-speed networking and other applications,” said Zaher Baidas, vice president of the Timing Products division at Renesas. 

“It will be interesting to see the innovative implementations that result from this new capability, especially when considering how solutions for the emerging Chiplet market are starting to evolve, with the need for increasing speed and bandwidth as an underlying constant,” comments Rich Wawrzyniak, principal analyst for Semico Research.

The PCIe Gen6 clock buffers and multiplexers offer 1.4ns in-out delay, 35ps out-out skew and -80dB PSRR (power supply rejection ratio) at 100kHz in addition to low 4fs PCIe Gen6 additive jitter. 

Selectable SMBus addresses facilitate the use of multiple devices while SMBus write-protect feature enhances system security. 

The devices represent 30 per cent space-saving compared to earlier devices, adds Renesas.

Other features are loss-of-signal (LOS) output supports system monitoring and redundancy, a four-wire side-band interface to support high speed serial output enable / disable and device daisy-chaining. In addition, power down tolerant (PDT) and flexible start-up sequencing (FSS) features ensure good behaviour under abnormal system conditions, the company claims.

The RC190xx buffers are offered in 4-, 8-, 13-, 16-, 20- and 24-output configurations. The RC192xx multiplexers include 2-, 4-, 8- and 16-output versions. They are offered in packages as small as 3.0 x 3.0mm. 

All of the new devices are available now, and Renesas also offers an evaluation board schematic. 

http://www.renesas.com

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Wideband transceiver test reveals RF characteristics of mixed digital devices

To accelerate the design cycle, Keysight Technologies has introduced a digital wideband transceiver test system, which it claims unveils true radio frequency (RF) performance characteristics of mixed-digital RF devices.

Defense radars and satellite communications and 5G employ phased-array antennas (PAA) to meet performance and versatility requirements to millimeter wave frequencies. Digital signals are highly integrated into the RF front-end architecture of modern antennas used in defence radar, satellite communications and 5G. As a result, the antennas need a new measurement methodology for stimulus and response measurements, says Keysight.

Its digital wideband transceiver test comprises a vector network analyser, device measurement software and transceiver analysis software to compare digital and RF signals between device input and output and measures the transmitter and receiver responses independently from other test instrumentation. 

The test system uses Keysight’s N52xxB PNA/PNA-X vector network analyser. This is an integrated, flexible microwave test engine for measuring active devices, such as amplifiers, mixers and frequency converters. It also includes S94601B device measurement eXpert software, a configuration assistant that enables users to set up complex measurements for various types of devices. There is also S94610B digital wideband transceiver analysis software. This test waveform creator and configuration assistant enables users to set up mixed-digital RF devices.

Wideband stimulus waveforms are generated by Keysight’s VXG vector signal generator (M938xB) and the PNA-X device measurement eXpert software enables device characterisation and a control interface. The RF test equipment’s measurement and signal fidelity tests new mixed-digital RF devices, and is claimed to minimising errors to yield highest possible performance characteristics.

According to Dan Dunn, vice president of Keysight’s Aerospace & Defense Government Solutions: “Keysight’s digital wideband transceiver test solution enables true RF performance characterisation, while speeding measurements and data analysis that ultimately accelerate the entire design cycle.”

Keysight says the digital wideband transceiver test solution reduces weeks of in-house measurement and data analysis effort to a few minutes. It can be leveraged to component level, such as ADCs, DACs and transceiver ICs as well as sub-system level such as radar / electronic warfare transmit and receive modules, satellite communications transmitters / receivers. For system level, it addresses whole signal paths of 5G PAAs (phased array antennas) using massive multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) technology.

The system maintains high measurement accuracy of GHz bandwidth in mm wave frequencies and adapts to proprietary digital designs.

http://www.keysight.com

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LoRa Edge goes further to enable satellite networks

Semtech has added multi-band capabilities to its LoRa Edge device-to-cloud geolocation platform. The LoRa Edge LR1120 allows for direct satellite-connected IoT applications in supply chain management and logistics.

“With the launch of multi-band LoRa support, coupled with LoRa Cloud™ services, it has never been easier to expand ubiquitous IoT connectivity and geolocation globally,” says Marc Pégulu, vice president of IoT product marketing for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products group.

Intercontinental logistics companies can leverage highly integrated, low power trackers with enhanced interoperability, via the LoRa Edge LR1120. It offers versatile connectivity for a simpler operation and global mobility across multiple regulatory regions, says Semtech. It presents the possibility to offer a low power and low cost sensor with satellite connectivity for capital intensive applications, such as infrastructure monitoring, agriculture and environmental monitoring that require deployment in remote areas.

The LoRa Edge LR1120 offers multi-band LoRa capability (sub-GHz, 2.4GHz and licensed S-band for satellite). It also offers multi-technology geolocation using GNSS for outdoor and Wi-Fi for indoor, as well as areas where satellite coverage is poor.

The LoRa Cloud geolocation solver transfers the location processing workload from the device to the Cloud, making ‘deploy once’ battery life possible. 

The platform is supported by GPS and BeiDou constellations and includes a hardware crypto engine for increased security. 

According to Christopher Taylor, Director, RF & Wireless with Strategy Analytics, “Adding satellite communication capabilities in the S-band to LoRa can help replace aging SCADA monitoring and opens up new applications and markets, especially in remote regions”.

Semtech’s LoRa device-to-Cloud platform is a long range, low power technology for IoT applications. The company says it enables the rapid development and deployment of  low power, cost efficient and long range IoT networks, gateways, sensors, module products and IoT services worldwide. 

The LoRa technology provides the communication layer for the LoRaWAN standard, which is maintained by the LoRa Alliance, an open IoT alliance for Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) applications that has been used to deploy IoT networks in over 170 countries. 

Semtech is a founding member of the LoRa Alliance. 

Semtech supplies analogue and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms for infrastructure, consumer and industrial equipment. 

http://www.semtech.com

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Modular LeddarEngine software accelerates ADAS and AD sensor development

LeddarTech has revised its LCA3 SoC and modular software to reduce development time for ADAS (advanced driving assistance system) and autonomous driving sensing technology.

The LeddarEngine software sets a new standard for developing highly integrated and flexible solid state lidar solutions optimised for high-volume production, says LeddarTech. It comprises the LeddarCore LCA3 SoC and LeddarSP signal processing.

It introduces several new integration tiers for the LeddarEngine software and compatibility with new hardware platforms. LeddarTech introduces a separation of the control, signal processing and point-cloud processing, which can be used independently or in combination, for customers to maintain greater control over the final sensing systems.

Lidar developers that have signal processing toolchains implemented for their current products will benefit from using only the control kernel for easier and faster integration of the LeddarCore into products. The software is suitable for Tier 1-2s, system integrators and new lidar makers leveraging LeddarTech’s proprietary signal processing and expertise.

This version of the LeddarEngine is compatible with Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC, in and the Renesas R-Car SoC. The modular architecture improves the separation of hardware and software making it easier to port to other platforms and operating systems.

Founded in 2007, LeddarTech is a comprehensive end-to-end environmental sensing company that enables customers to solve critical sensing, fusion and perception challenges across the entire value chain. LeddarTech provides cost-effective perception solutions scalable from Level 2+ ADAS to Level 5 full autonomy with LeddarVision, a raw-data sensor fusion and perception platform that generates a comprehensive 3D environmental model from a variety of sensor types and configurations. 

LeddarTech also supports lidar manufacturers and Tier 1-2 automotive suppliers with  technology building blocks such as LeddarSteer digital beam steering and the lidar XLRator, a development solution for automotive-grade solid-state lidars based on the LeddarEngine and core components from global semiconductor partners. 

The company is responsible for several innovations in automotive and mobility remote-sensing applications, with over 100 patented technologies (granted or pending) enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities.

http://www.leddartech.com 

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