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Versatile automotive touchscreen controller includes functional safety support

Wed, Dec 01, 2021

Multiple communication options, ISO 26262 functional safety support and flexible RF emission control are offered in the maXTouch touchscreen controller, says Microchip Technology.

According to the company, it allows automotive designers to satisfy various aspect ratios for touch displays in cars and, in response to requests by OEMs, includes additional functional safety support.

The MXT1296M1T can reconfigure its driving and receiving touch channels to match the exact screen format, from 1:1 to 5:1 aspect ratio, i.e., including the popular 8:3 automotive aspect ratio. This allows the customer to efficiently use the number of touch channels available, without needing a larger, more expensive touch controller. Customers can save additional development and validation time, as well as resources, by reusing a common PCB design to support different touch sensor aspect ratios. The MXT1296M1T is believed to be an industry first in that it enables the sensor channel reconfiguration by parameters. Settings do not require firmware modification, which reduced the design risk and also the time to market.

Clayton Pillion director of the human machine interface (HMI) business unit at Microchip Technology, observed: “Products with enhanced diagnostic features are a significant advantage to customers who are designing with unique features and increasing ISO 26262 functional safety requirements in mind”.

The MXT1296M1T maXTouch touchscreen controller offers two communication interfaces operating simultaneously, which allow a bridgeless connection to the back channel of the LVDS video link for touch information and a connection to a local microcontroller. The bridgeless topology reduces touch latency to improve the user experience. It also guarantees compatibility with the maXTouch software driver, available for all major automotive operating systems, including Linux, Android and QNX.

When connected to an appropriate local microcontroller, the second interface offers a number of benefits. Firstly, it offers a redundancy link to the head unit through a CAN bus or 10BASE-T1S automotive Ethernet link for increased functional safety at the system level. There is also local access and control of the maXTouch touchscreen controller’s features, for example, capacitive keys report, live touch sensor diagnostics and raw data for external and custom post-processing.

Finally, there is over the air (OTA) and secure firmware update capability using Microchip’s TrustAnchor100 companion chip

The MXT1296M1T embeds various functional safety features to constantly check the integrity of the touch controller operation, as well as that of the connected touch sensors. The failure modes effects and diagnostic analysis (FMEDA) and functional safety manual support the customer in designing, building and certifying a system for Automotive Safety Integrity Level B (ASIL-B) applications to the ISO 26262 standard.

The MXT1296M1T allows for high resolution transmit waveform control to lower RF emissions and avoid interference with the car radio or RFID systems. As screen sizes increase in cars, RF emissions generated by the projected capacitive touch technology are growing. (Emission limits vary in amplitude, frequency and bandwidth for each major car manufacturer.) The MXT1296M1T uses a dedicated on-chip 64-level DAC to accurately shape the waveform of the transmitting lines. As a result, designers can precisely control the frequency response and optimise the harmonic emissions to meet specific OEM-defined limits.

The MXT1296M1T configuration and tuning is supported by the latest release of maXTouch Studio integrated development environment (IDE). Microchip also offers the

ATEVK-MXT1296M1T-A evaluation kit for order. This includes a development board with USB bridge, 12.3-inch / 8:3 format / 1.1mm OGS (one glass solution) touch panel, and touch key add-on boards for mutual and self-capacitance.

There is also the ATMXT1296M1T-I2C-PCB development board for connection to a customer’s touch sensor

The MXT1296M1T is now available in volume production. ISO 26262 FMEDA and Functional Safety Manual will be available for purchase Q1, 2022.

http://www.microchip.com

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Audio Precision releases APx 7.0 and Apx500 software subscriptions

Wed, Dec 01, 2021

Enhancements in the Apx500 audio measurement software, version 7.0, are suitable for analogue, digital or acoustic audio test applications.

The latest software version has been introduced by Audio Precision, part of Axiometrix Solutions. At the same time, the company has introduced APx500 software subscriptions, offering users an alternative way to license APx software, and access nearly any software version and option.

In the first collaborative effort by the GRAS and Audio Precision engineering teams, APx500 release version 7.0 enables an APx user, in conjunction with an APx517B, APx1701, or Gras 12Bx power module, to run SysCheck2 and receive a pass/fail indication for each connected SysCheck2-capable microphone, without the need of a calibrator or physical access to the microphone. SysCheck2 was developed by Gras Sound & Vibration, also part of Axiometrix Solutions. The SysCheck2 system is designed to actively verify whether the sensitivity of a microphone has drifted since its last calibration. This capability is being introduced with two new 0.5-inch microphone sets, the 246AE pre-polarised free field microphone, and the 246AO pre-polarised pressure field microphone. From a microphone in a production test fixture to an array of microphones in an anechoic chamber, the combination of SysCheck2 and APx allows the user to verify the accuracy of the entire signal chain without physical access or potential disruption of the test set up.

Earlier this year, Audio Precision introduced the fast sweep signal, which provides the ability to sweep from low-to-high or high-to-low frequencies, and in comparison to a logarithmically-swept sine (or chirp) signal. Release 7.0 now enables the use of fast sweep in open loop testing scenarios, such as the testing of smart speakers. Fast sweep is the primary stimulus signal used for high order harmonic distortion (HOHD) or rub and buzz loudness measurements.

Release v7.0 also brings several distinct improvements to the FFT (fast Fourier transform) analysis capabilities, for example arbitrary lengths, windowless analysis and level triggering. By allowing arbitrary FFT / DFT (discrete Fourier transform) lengths, users can find a combination of transform buffer and sample rate to arrive at a convenient frequency resolution. With windowless analysis, engineers can perform synchronous, windowless FFT analysis on non-synchronous signals.

Power users who prefer bench mode, and those performing real-time adjustments on the devices under test (DUTs), will benefit from the enabling of transfer function in bench mode. V7.0 now provides access to transfer function measurement in bench mode as well as to the complex frequency response function for a device, including the magnitude and phase (or real and imaginary components), using any broadband signal (e.g., speech, music, or noise).

New APx audio analysers will begin shipping with v7.0 software in December. Each new analyser includes one year of software maintenance, effectively licensing that instrument for APx version 8.0 when it is released (as well as any minor 7.x releases that occur prior to v8.0). Release v7.0 is available now for download from the company’s website.

Release 7.0 is compatible with all analysers in the APx500 Series. An APx KeyBox is required to run v7.0 on legacy APx analysers. APx KeyBoxes already installed on legacy analysers are compatible with v7.0 and only require an updated license file once an upgrade is purchased (unless they are pre-licensed for v7.0 via an existing software maintenance contract, for example SW-MAINT-3).

The software subscriptions have been introduced as an alternative to perpetual software licenses. A perpetual software license grants a permanent, non-exclusive and non-expiring right to use the software. The license will still ship with each new analyser, but software subscriptions provide another path for existing users to access the latest software release and associated enhancements. The subscriptions grant a time-limited license – for periods of one, three or five years – and provide access to all versions and all options (excluding PESQ and POLQA). When the subscription expires, the analyser reverts to the software version and options for which it was previously licensed.

For users and organizations that prefer to retain perpetual licenses, software upgrades (SW-UPG), software maintenance (SW-MAINT), and extensions (SW-EXT, sold with new analysers only) remain available, but only include software options purchased for a given analyser.

New hardware-based analysers are always sold with a perpetual license, however APx500 Flex can be purchased with either a perpetual license or a subscription.

http://www.ap.com

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Secure microcontroller harvest energy for biometric cards

Tue, Nov 30, 2021

Energy harvesting and biometric security technologies are integrated in the ST31N600, a secure microcontroller from STMicroelectronics. It is based on an Arm SecurCore processor and can be used in biometric system-on-card (BSoC) and dynamic card verification (dCVV) systems, says the company.

The microcontroller is launched at this week’s Trustech 2021 and is designed for security in contact and contactless payment cards, ID cards, and transport ticketing.

The ST31N600, based on ST’s 40nm eSTM technology, integrates circuitry for energy harvesting and additional connectivity used by biometric and dynamic card verification (dCVV) applications. It enables battery-free smartcards to provide enhanced user authentication in contactless and online transactions. Based on the latest-generation Arm SecurCore architecture for secure microcontrollers, the ST31N600 meets EMV ISO 7816, ISO 14443, and ISO 18092 standards for contact and contactless cards. Designers can use the microcontroller to securely connect various types of peripherals to introduce value-added card features.

At Trustech 2021, it will be used to demonstrate secure biometric payment based on STPay-Topaz-Bio and dCVV for safe online transactions.

STPay-Topaz-Bio is a payment system that combines the security of biometric cardholder authentication to the speed and convenience of contactless transactions. This BSoC is based on the ST31N600 with a low power STM32L4 microcontroller, both embedded in an EMV (Eurocard Mastercard Visa) module. The ST31N600 hosts payment applications, biometric-template matching and energy harvesting to power the system.

The ST31N600 is also suitable for ecommerce payment based on dCVV technology, which provides a dynamic code refresh on each EMV transaction without needing an external battery or clock timer.

ST is showing the BSoC based on Linxens’ EMV module and pre-laminated inlay combined with a FPC T-Shape 2 (T2) sensor module from Fingerprint Cards.

There is also the dCVV which has the Ellipse EVC All-in-One, the first EMV micromodule with an integrated screen to display a dynamic security code for eCommerce protection.

Samples of the ST31N600 are available now.

http://www.st.com

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Bluetooth Low Energy microcontroller sets record for power efficiency

Tue, Nov 30, 2021

Smart sensing is incorporated in the RSL15 wireless microcontroller. According to onsemi it provides the industry’s lowest power consumption. It has Bluetooth Low Energy wireless connectivity and is designed to address the growing demand of secure, connected industrial applications which do not sacrifice.

The RSL15 supports a number of new capabilities provided by the Bluetooth 5.2 specification, including longer range, higher data transmissions and localisation through angle of arrival (AoA) and angle of departure (AoD). onsemi has also developed an innovative smart sensing feature that allows the Arm Cortex-M33 processor to remain in a deep sleep mode while still monitoring sensor interfaces.

To validate energy efficiency, the RSL15 was certified by the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC). The organisation’s ULPMark-CoreMark benchmark programme measures the energy efficiency of microcontrollers used in embedded systems while active. Onsemi reports that the RSL15 leads its class by attaining a score of 60.5. The ULPMark- CoreProfile benchmark calculates the deep sleep efficiency of microcontrollers and places onsemi’s RSL10 and RSL15 in the top two spots.

“From beacons for contact tracing to trackable asset tags, there are millions of connected devices globally operating off of small batteries,” said Patrick Moorhead, CEO, founder and chief analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.

The RSL15 is designed with ArmTrustZone technology to establish device root of trust as well as Arm CryptoCell-312 technology to protect the authenticity, integrity and confidentiality of code and data. This PSA Level 1-certified design enhances the security measures which is already offered as part of the Bluetooth protocol, providing assurance at both the application and software levels.

“The ability to protect against cyber threats is an essential differentiator for manufacturers choosing a wireless microcontroller for industrial IoT applications,” said Michel De Mey, vice president of the industrial solutions division at onsemi.

Target applications for the RSL15 are integration in a variety of industrial automation applications including connected asset tracking, smart retail and IoT edge nodes.

The RSL15 is available now in a miniature 40-pin QFN package.

https://www.onsemi.com

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Versatile automotive touchscreen controller includes functional safety support

Audio Precision releases APx 7.0 and Apx500 software subscriptions

Secure microcontroller harvest energy for biometric cards

Bluetooth Low Energy microcontroller sets record for power efficiency

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