IoT

Single chip controller integrates infotainment devices

Wed, Feb 10, 2021

Microchip Technology’s LAN9360 audio endpoint controller, a single chip Ethernet controller with embedded controllers, interconnects vehicles’ infotainment devices including speakers, amplifiers, microphones, navigation systems, radio tuners and smart headrests with Ethernet audio video bridging (AVB).

The LAN9360 bridges audio between Ethernet AVB and Inter-IC Sound, time division multiplexing and pulse density modulation local audio interfaces. It supports audio transmission over Ethernet AVB, including generalised precision time protocol, timestamping, transport protocols and content protection with high-bandwidth digital content protection.

It also supports secure boot and secure remote updates over eEthernet. Unlike other Ethernet bridging networking solutions requiring System-on-Chip, microcontrollers plus third-party software stacks, the LAN9360 endpoint device requires no software integration, which helps designers to configure the device simply and quickly to manufacturers’ individual audio and networking requirements.

This controller has been validated to industry standards for ethernet interoperability for AVB protocols. The device is validated to the IEEE 802.1BA-2011, IEEE 802.1AS, IEEE1722 and IEEE1733 specifications for ethernet networks and is certified to the standards for AVB interoperability and reliability established by the Avnu Alliance consortium.

Microchip’s LAN9360 endpoint device is available for volume orders in a 100-thin profile fine pitch ball package option.

The LAN9360 expands Microchip’s Ethernet product portfolio and total system solution for automotive developers. Other Microchip Ethernet devices for automotive applications include the LAN8770 100BASE-T1 PHY, a single-port physical layer transceiver compliant with the IEEE 802.3bw-2015 specification. The device provides 100 Mbps transmit and receive capability over a single unshielded twisted pair cable.

In addition, the Trust Anchor (TA100), a secure element from Microchip’s portfolio of CryptoAutomotive security ICs for automotive security applications, provides support for code authentication, secure boot and audio content protection with high-bandwidth digital content protection.

http://www.microchip.com

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RSL10 Smart Shot Camera brings snappy automatic image recognition to IoT

Tue, Feb 09, 2021

The RSL10 Smart Shot Camera from ON Semiconductor combines cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) with ultra-low-power image capture and recognition, to enable a new generation of Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints such as surveillance cameras, restricted areas, factory automation, smart agriculture and smart homes. A companion smartphone application provides a user interface for the platform and acts as the gateway to cloud-based, AI-enabled object recognition services.

The platform brings together ON Semiconductor’s RSL10 SIP, which provides ultra-low-power Bluetooth low energy technology, and the ARX3A0 Mono 65 degree DFOV IAS module. The module is a compact prototype used for developing compact cameras with 360 fps mono imaging based on the ARX3A0 CMOS image sensor. Complemented by motion and environment sensors and power and battery management, these technologies are aimed at providing a complete solution that can be used to capture images autonomously and identify objects within them.

Using ON Semiconductor’s RSL10 Smart Shot Camera, developers can create an endpoint that automatically sends an image to the cloud for analysis when triggered by various elements including time or an environmental change, such as light or temperature. Equally, the camera platform can operate in low power mode while monitoring a specific part of its field of view, automatically taking an image when the scene’s contents change. The image is then sent to the cloud for processing, using AI to determine the contents of the image before taking the appropriate action.

The image data is transferred to the cloud through a gateway, connected over Bluetooth low energy, using the RSL10 SIP. The low power credentials of the components used in the platform mean it can operate for extended periods of time from a single primary or secondary cell. The triggers are configured using the companion app, also over Bluetooth low energy.

Typical applications may include adding smart cameras to wearable safety equipment such as hard hats, monitoring the contents of a shopping cart to support automated checkout, monitoring occupants in vehicles to provide early warning of any safety issues, and at home scanning the contents of cupboards to build shopping lists.

http://www.onsemi.com

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Renesas RF microcontrollers are supported by Segger

Mon, Feb 08, 2021

Development tools, embedded software and production tools for the entire Renesas RE microcontroller family are available from Segger Microcontroller.

According to the company, the support makes firmware development for the Arm-based Renesas RE microcontrollers fast and easy.

Segger’s Embedded Studio integrated development environment (IDE) includes an optimised run-time library and the company’s own compiler and linker to generate small and efficient application code.

The J-Link debug probe offers the fastest flash download, including an unlimited number of breakpoints in flash memory, claims the company.

Application software includes an RTOS and communication, security, GUI and IoT software designed in-house, specifically for embedded systems. Segger’s system verification tool, SystemView, reveals the true runtime behaviour of the application. On completion of development, Segger’s Flasher series of production programmers can be used for mass production.

Trial versions of the software are available. Segger’s technical team and ecosystem offer support throughout the development process.

The power efficient Renesas RE family microcontrollers, combined with the low resource usage of Segger software, minimises – and sometimes even removes  – the need to recharge or replace batteries. This efficiency is particularly useful for home and building automation, smart farming and factory applications as well as for a range of medical devices and wearable applications.

Segger Microcontroller has over 25 years’ experience in embedded computer systems, and produces software libraries, and offers software tools and hardware tools for development and production.

Its software libraries include communication, security, data compression and storage and user interface software.

The company’s range of software libraries and tools for embedded system development are optimised for the requirements imposed by resource-constrained embedded systems.

The company was founded by Rolf Segger in 1992. It is privately held and has a US office in the Boston area, branch operations in Silicon Valley and the UK, and distributors on most continents.

Segger software is not covered by an open-source or required-attribution license and can be integrated in any commercial or proprietary product, without the obligation to disclose the combined source.

http://www.segger.com

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DRAM modules for FPGAs are first industrial grade versions

Mon, Feb 08, 2021

Innodisk claims that its industrial-grade DRAM modules are the first available in the industry. The rugged modules are for FPGAs and provide wide temperature support for artificial intelligence and IoT applications.

FPGAs can be used for inference in embedded, edge computing, AI, and IoT applications. Customisable FPGAs offer greater performance with lower power consumption than general purpose graphics processing units (GPUs) and are more flexible for adjustment in the field than ASICs, explains Innodisk.

“We expect this to be a game-changer that can roll with the tide of AI,” said Samson Chang, global DRAM vice president of Innodisk. “Industrial-grade DRAM is key to the integration of FPGAs in applications like AI and [industrial IoT] IIoT,” he added.

The $5.9 billion FPGA market is expected to see a 7.6 per cent average annual growth rate over the next five years, fuelled primarily by increased AI and IoT adoption, Innodisk reports.

Chang said the Innodisk‘s DRAM modules provide “large capacity, low-latency memory access for FPGAs”. The industrial-grade DRAM modules for FPGAs include single or dual rank formats for high capacity applications. The DRAM modules has a -40 to +85 degrees C temperature tolerance, to surpass JEDEC standards. They also feature anti-sulphuration to guard silver alloys against sulphur corrosion and HumiSeal conformal coating to protect from dust, dirt, and corrosion. They also have side fill technology to bolster chip-to-PCB solder joints.

Innodisk provides flash memory, DRAM modules, and embedded peripheral products for industrial and enterprise applications.

https://www.innodisk.com

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