Dual-core module supports Bluetooth 5.1’s angle of arrival

An RF module with dual-core processor uses Bluetooth technology in what is claimed to be the smallest package on the market. Insight SiP says the ISP2053-AX RF module supports sophisticated applications and removes the need for an additional host processor.

For advanced Bluetooth applications, it has a dual-core Arm processor, Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2 Long Range connectivity, the capability to support Bluetooth Low Energy Audio, and security features via Arm Trustzone. With extended temperature capability up to 105 degrees C, it can support every kind of advanced Bluetooth based solution including angle of arrival and low latency/streaming, says Insight SiP.

The standard 8.0 x 8.0 x 1.0mm package has an integrated RF matching and integrated antenna. There is also 32MHz and 32kHz crystals and DC/DC support for each processor, meaning it is a fully functioning Bluetooth node only requiring a power supply to operate.

This module is based on the nRF5340 Nordic Semiconductor SoC. The next generation architecture has a 2.4GHz transceiver, a 64MHz M33 network core with 256kbyte flash and 64kbyte RAM and a 128MHz M33 application core with 1Mbyte flash and 512kbyte RAM. The two cores can be operated independently to optimise performance for power consumption, throughput, and real time response.

Peripheral connections available to both cores include USB, QSPI, SPI and UART. As well as supporting Bluetooth Low Energy, the module can run Zigbee, Thread and other 802.15.4 based protocols, concurrently with Bluetooth Low Energy. Protocols stacks and applications run on the real time Zephyr operating system which provides a suite of drivers and services.

For security in the IoT, the ISP2053 has Arm Trustzone capability. This allows secure key storage, advanced encryption and root of trust verification, enabling devices to be securely authenticated, updated and data exchange protected end to end.

The ISP2053 RF module is designed to run on a coin cell battery if required. According to Insight SiP, the module’s low power consumption and advanced power management system enable the battery to “last up to several years”.

Initial samples are available now. Full production of the modules will start in 2022. Certification is pending.

Development kits together with sample software will be made available.

http://www.insightsip.com

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Green Hills Software adds RISC-V architecture support to Integrity

Safety and security-critical Integrity real-time operating system (RTOS) for RISC-V means that electronics manufacturers can build and deploy safety and security-critical RISC-V systems based on the Integrity software foundation already used in cars, aircraft, trains, secure phones, and surgical devices. Integrity is now integrated with RISC-V processor hardware reference boards from Microchip and SiFive and processor IP (intellectual property) from SiFive. According to Green Hills, this support will enable device manufacturers to reduce the time, cost and complexity of developing and deploying critical software for automotive, military, IoT and industrial solutions based on RISC-V processor architecture.

Integrity is based on a separation kernel architecture that provides resource guarantees, hard real-time determinism and was designed from the beginning to achieve maximum security and safety.

According to Green Hills, the Multi debugger has advanced C/C++ compilers and analysis tools to find even the most difficult bugs on complex RISC-V SoCs comprised of multiple heterogeneous cores where the RISC-V core is either the main general purpose CPU or a secondary special-purpose acceleration core alongside a CPU, such as an Arm core.

Integrity can also help designers develop production-ready systems on leading RISC-V reference boards to meet production requirements for performance, memory efficiency and functional safety (FuSa) through Integrity and Multi. Both have functional safety certifications for automotive (ISO 26262), industrial systems (IEC 61508) and railway (EN 50128).

“The integration of safety and security-critical RTOS, Integrity, into SiFive HiFive products is an exciting step forward for the RISC-V and SiFive ecosystem,” said Dr. Yunsup Lee, CTO, SiFive, and co-inventor of RISC-V.

“Having Green Hills Software bring its full safety and security portfolio to customer applications using PolarFire SoC is a significant milestone for the Mi-V RISC-V ecosystem and to the larger RISC-V ecosystem,” said Tim Morin, technical fellow and marketing at Microchip Technology. “The addition of safe and secure software tools will greatly enable the ability of our joint clients to innovate with a free and open ISA,” he added.

The new Integrity support adds to the range of Green Hills products that are optimised for RISC-V and already in use by customers, including Integrity RTOS for multi-core embedded systems, u-velOSity RTOS, Multi IDE, a C and C++ development environment for multi-core debugging,  Green Hills Probe v4, for multi-core hardware, low-level debugging, and trace-powered analysis tools.

The Integrity RTOS, Multi IDE and the Green Hills probe are available now to early-access customers for the Microchip PolarFire Icicle Kit and the SiFive HiFive Unmatched board.

https://www.ghs.com.

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V2X hardware security module is based on tamper-proof microcontroller

Trends such as electrification, autonomous driving and connected cars are leading to an increase in the number of communication interfaces in vehicles – wired or wireless. This presents new challenges because the numerous communication channels create new attack surfaces and increase the vulnerability of the systems, explains Infineon Technologies.

To provide the highest level of protection, it has launched the SLS37 V2X hardware security module (HSM) for vehicle to everything (V2X) communication. The SLS37 V2X HSM is based on a secured, tamper-resistant microcontroller tailored to the security needs in V2X applications within telematics control units. It protects the integrity and authenticity of messages, as well as the privacy of the sender. The HSM received the Common Criteria EAL4+ certification, which is expected to become mandatory in European V2X systems.

In a V2X host environment, the discrete HSM helps system integrators to solve the conflicting requirements of high performance and high security. The scope of the SLS37 V2X HSM is focused on high security tasks such as key storage and the generation of signatures for outgoing messages. This removes the burden of a Security Certification from the host processor, which runs the Linux OS (operating system), from the application software as well as the verification of incoming messages.

In addition to automotive telematics control units, the SLS37 V2X HSM can be used in roadside units or other infrastructure for V2X communication. It supports all major vehicle credential management systems including SCMS, CCMS and ESPS. It accepts a wide supply voltage range from 1.6 to 3.6V, comes with a high speed serial peripheral interface (SPI) with up to 10MHz and is qualified for harsh automotive applications according to AEC-Q100.

Infineon offers complementary host software package for immediate use. The personalisation concept leverages chip-unique and customer-individual certificates and keys to enable vendor verification, pairing and transport protection as well as secured-in-field-updates. As a discrete security controller, SLS37 also provides scalability for platform development covering different regions with different security-requirements, adds Infineon.

The SLS37 V2X HSM can be ordered now. .

http://www.infineon.com/SLS37-V2X

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75W high optical output laser diode supports long distances, says Rohm

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and service robots in industrial equipment can incorporate the LD90QZW3 for distance measurement and spatial recognition. The high optical output laser diode can also be used in lidar (light detection and ranging) systems in consumer products, such as robot vacuum cleaners, says Rohm.

As lidar becomes more commonly used, there is a need to improve the performance of laser diodes used as light sources to increase detection distance and accuracy while reducing power consumption. Rohm has patented technology to achieve narrower emission width, contributing to a longer range and higher accuracy in lidar applications.

The RLD90QZW3 75W infra red, high optical output laser diode is designed for lidar used in distance measurement and spatial recognition in 3D time of flight (ToF) systems. The company says its technology achieves an emission width of 225 micron at equivalent optical output. This is 22 per cent narrower than conventional products, says the company, to improve beam characteristics. Uniform emission intensity together with low temperature dependence of the laser wavelength ensure stable performance contribute to higher accuracy and longer distances in lidar applications. Power conversion efficiency (which is a trade-off between narrow emission width) of 21 per cent, which is the same as standard products at a forward current of 24A and 75W output, for use without increased power consumption.

Rohm also offers optical circuit simulation models and application notes on drive circuit design on its website to integrate and evaluate the diode.

The company introduced a 25W laser diode in 2019 for consumer electronics products and is working on developing higher output 120W laser diodes for the automotive sector (AEC-Q102 qualified).

The 75W diode is available now, via online distributors Digi-Key, Mouser and Farnell, initially, with other online distributors to be announced.

Rohm Semiconductor develops and manufactures a large product range from SiC diodes and MOSFETs, analogue ICs such as gate drivers and power management ICs (PMICs) to power transistors and diodes to passive components. Production is in manufacturing plants in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and China.

http://www.rohm.com/eu

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