Skyworks introduces front-end module, certified to AEC-Q104

For automotive vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X)applications, the SKYA21043 is the latest integrated, 5GH front-end module from Skyworks. It incorporates a 5GHz single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) transmit/receive switch, a 5GHz high gain, low noise amplifier (LNA) with bypass, and a 5GHz power amplifier (PA) intended for high-power 802.11p DSRC (5.85 to 5.925GHz) at +105 degrees C applications and systems.

It is qualified to AEC-Q104 (Grade 2) for operation at -40 to +105 degrees C. The SKYA21043’s is rugged for automotive applications including V2V and V2X covering smart antennae, compensators, and roadside units for automotive infrastructure, backhaul and cellular small cells. Its characteristics include 8kV ESD protection on antenna output port and integrated logarithmic detector with wide dynamic range and is sensitive, jammer-tolerant (above 10dBm IIP3.

The device boasts +29dBm output power, which makes it one of the highest power devices available today, claims Skyworks.

The compact, conformally-shielded land grid array (LGA) package size will reduce front end board space by more than 50 per cent. The product is supported by the automotive PPAP process.

The compact, conformally shielded 24-pin package measures 3.0 x 5.0mm and is certified to MSL3, 260 degrees C, per JEDEC J-STD-020.

http://www.skyworksinc.com

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Revision improves optics for lidar to LightTools design software

The latest version of LightTools illumination design software 9.1, includes new tools to model and analyse light detection and ranging (lidar), AR/VR and biomedical systems to enhance workflows, says Synopsys.

Version 9.1 introduces a distributed simulation module which increases the speed of computation-intensive ray tracing and improved opto-mechanical interoperability with Dassault Systèmes’ Solidworks 3D CAD software.

“The feature and workflow enhancements in LightTools are tailored to help engineers focus on solving complex design challenges and delivering innovative optical systems to market sooner,” said Stuart David, vice president of engineering in Synopsys’ optical solutions group. “Solidworks users working on optical designs can expect to speed up source characterisations,” he continued. “Engineers developing lidar systems can more easily perform time of flight analysis and development of advanced applications for AR/VR, displays, and medical devices is improved with LightTools’ comprehensive polarisation analysis,” he added.

Updates to LightTools v9.1 include efficiency enhancements to the LightTools Solidworks Link module to give illumination engineers more control and ease of use for optomechanical modelling. According to Synopsys, users will experience faster model setup and be able to control source placement and assign optical properties within Solidworks.

For lidar systems, AR/VR headsets, display technologies and biomedical instruments, users can design laser sources with Gaussian and Super Gaussian light distributions using spatial and angular apodisation, as well as model and analyse polarising elements with bi-axial bi-refringent materials.

The LightTools distributed simulation module can accelerate the simulation speed of large, computation-intensive ray trace processes over a network of computers. The module, is for boosting ray trace speeds for stray light and luminance analyses, and now supports forwards and backwards simulations.

LightTools v9.1 is available now. Customers with a current maintenance agreement can download this version from the Synopsys website using their SolvNetPlus account, or obtain the software from their local distributor.

The Synopsys Optical Solutions Group provides design tools that model all aspects of light propagation for high-accuracy optical product simulations and visualisations. The support team of optical engineers can help organisations deliver optics to market faster, says Synopsys.

http://www.synopsys.com

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Semtech and AWS Collaborate on AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN®

Semtech Corporation has announced that they have teamed up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to integrate the LoRaWAN® protocol on the Network Server with AWS IoT Core, AWS’s managed Cloud service that lets connected devices easily and securely interact with Cloud applications and other devices.

AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN is a fully managed service that enables enterprise IoT developers to easily connect low power wireless devices over long range, wide-area network (LoRaWAN) based networks to AWS without developing or operating their own LoRaWAN server. This simplifies the development of IoT solutions that leverage the long range, low power and security of Semtech’s LoRa chipsets and the LoRaWAN protocol.

To get started with AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN, IoT developers can source AWS qualified gateways operating the LoRaWAN protocol from the AWS Partner Device Catalog and select an array of LoRaWAN CertifiedCM devices from the LoRa Alliance website. From within the AWS Management Console, developers can rapidly register gateways with AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN by providing the service, its unique identifier, and selecting LoRaWAN as the radio frequency. To register devices with LoRa chipsets, developers simply input the device credentials, identifiers and security keys provided by the device vendor on the console and follow guided and easy instructions for specifying device configuration. In addition, AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN includes a variety of device management capabilities, including security and a plug-and-play for the AWS IoT Analytics.

“Based on our collaboration with Semtech, IoT developers will be able to leverage LoRaWAN to simplify the development process, as well as provide key features to their applications such as long range connectivity, the ability to build devices with low power consumption, and increased security,” said Dirk Didascalou, Vice President of IoT, Amazon Web Services, Inc. “We are delighted to be working with Semtech to accelerate our customers’ adoption of IoT and LoRaWAN allowing them to innovate faster and focus on the main job of creating business value.”

Developers will also be able to access Semtech’s LoRa Cloud, a simple API based service that can be easily integrated with AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN, providing developers with the ability to locate any LoRaWAN enabled device including devices using Semtech’s recently release low power geolocation platform LoRa Edge.

“AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN will speed IoT application development by providing a plug-and-play experience for developers,” said Mohan Maheswaran, Semtech’s President and CEO. “In addition, this collaboration with AWS enables enterprise customers using AWS to readily take advantage of the key benefits of LoRaWAN as the protocol continues to have massive adoption in the IoT industry in a variety of verticals ranging from smart home and communities to asset tracking.”

More was discussed at today’s AWS session at re:Invent.

To learn more about Semtech’s IoT solutions, visit the website.

About Semtech’s LoRa® Platform

Semtech’s LoRa device-to-Cloud platform is a globally adopted long range, low power solution for IoT applications, enabling the rapid development and deployment of ultra-low power, cost efficient and long range IoT networks, gateways, sensors, module products, and IoT services worldwide. Semtech’s LoRa devices provide the communication layer for the LoRaWAN® protocol, 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 100 countries. Semtech is a founding member of the LoRa Alliance. To learn more about how LoRa enables IoT, visit Semtech’s LoRa site.

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PICMG prepares the open COM-HPC specification for ratification

The latest open specification for high performance compute modules will be under review by members of the PICMG, a consortium for the development of open embedded computing specifications.

COM-HPC is the soon-to-be-released PICMG standard for high-performance computer-on-modules (COMs). COM-HPC defines five module sizes to deliver edge server performance for small, rugged data centres. The new specification will complement COM Express, which is expected to play a crucial role in the COM marketplace “for many years”.

PICMG developed the COM-HPC specification to address emerging requirements in the embedded and edge computing market. These have seen trends, including the substantial data growth and processing requirements of broadband and 5G as well as edge analytic including AI and situational awareness applications come to the fore. IoT devices, sensors, and actuators produce large amounts of data that require pre-processing at the edge for improved data processing efficiency and end to end security. Autonomous vehicles, smart factories, smart retail, medical robotics are among many applications that will benefit from increased edge server and edge client class processors processor modules or COMs available in standard modules that existing standards cannot meet.

The COM-HPC specification is based on two 400-pin, BGA mount, high-performance connectors and a system management interface. It is not limited to x86 processors and can be used with RISC processors, FPGAs and general purpose GPUs.

The COM-HPC client modules have up to 48 + 1 PCI Express Gen4/5 lanes, up to four USB4 ports and up to four video interfaces and one or two 25Gbit Ethernet interfaces.

Module sizes are 95 x 120mm (Size A), 120 x 120mm (Size B) and 160 x 120mm (Size C).

The COM-HPC server modules are characterised by up to 64 + 1 PCI Express Gen4/5 lanes, one or two USB4 ports, up to four graphic interfaces or are headless. There are up to eight 25Gbit Ethernet interfaces.

Module sizes are 160 x 160mm and 200 x 160mm (Sizes D and E respectively).

Founded in 1994, PICMG is a not-for-profit 501(c) consortium of companies and organisations that collaboratively develop open standards for high performance industrial, Industrial IoT, military and aerospace, telecommunications, test and measurement, medical, and general-purpose embedded computing applications. There are over 130 member companies that specialise in a wide range of technical disciplines, including mechanical and thermal design, single board computer design, high-speed signalling design and analysis, networking expertise, backplane, and packaging design, power management, high availability software and comprehensive system management.

Key standards families developed by PICMG include COM Express, CompactPCI, CompactPCI Serial, AdvancedTCA, MicroTCA, AdvancedMC, COM Express, SHB Express, MicroSAM, and HPM (Hardware Platform Management).

https://www.picmg.org

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