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Mercury Systems launches DDR4 memory for edge processing in space missions

Thu, Nov 10, 2022

A radiation-tolerant version of Mercury Systems’ 8Gbyte DDR4 memory has been announced. According to the company, it “sets a new bar for performance in data-intensive processing applications in space”.

Today, military satellites enable critical national security missions such as missile warning, communications and Earth observation. Commercial satellites provide in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity, TV and radio services as well as global infrastructure and asset monitoring. These space systems require ever-increasing amounts of processing power to manage enormous volumes of data.

The increased complexity of these space systems, as capabilities and requirements are added, need high density memory capabilities to complement greater processing power. As space systems are increasingly developed with smaller form factors, Mercury’s 8GB DDR4 components offer 75 per cent space savings compared to alternative memory options, claimed the company.

“Mercury memory modules are designed to operate in the most demanding environments and are employed on critical missions in the air, land, and sea domains,” said Tom Smelker, vice president and general manager of custom microelectronics solutions at Mercury. These radiation-tolerant 8Gbyte DDR4 modules will unlock even more capability and performance for next-generation government and commercial space missions, he added.

Mercury’s 8Gbyte DDR4 memory components feature data transfer speeds of up to 2,666Mbits per second in a form factor that is 13 x 20 x 2.36mm. The memory package has eutectic solder balls for board-level reliability and the memory components undergo 100 per cent burn-in and electrical test for quality assurance.

The memory components are manufactured in a DMEA-trusted facility.

Mercury delivers commercial innovation to the global aerospace and defence industry, providing products, services and technologies and from data to decision, silicon to systems.

http://mrcy.com

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Slim IP67 Wirepas Mesh tag can track in high density networks

Thu, Nov 10, 2022

Asset tracking in hospitals, offices, warehouses and factories can be achieved using a mesh unit, or tag, with built-in Wirepas Mesh 2.4GHz network connectivity by Fujitsu Components America. When used with Fujitsu’s IoT connectivity anchors, sensor nodes, or USB dongle products, the FWM8BLZ14T mesh tag enables the creation of large, high density networks which operate autonomous rerouting in the event of device failure or changes in the network environment.

The IP67-rated tag is water resistant, so stains, particles, and liquids (such as chemicals, medications, and blood) may be washed off without risk of damage. The battery housing (patent-pending) is designed to facilitate easy battery replacement by end-users. It also contributes to environmentally friendly, sustainable use, said Fujitsu Components.

The tag is only 5.8mm thick, so it can be placed between stacked equipment. Two screw holes allow for three mounting options. The tag can be directly mounted, or mounted using an optional bracket to securely attach the tag to the desired location, or the hole in the tag can be used to attach the tag with a strap or lanyard. If screws are not used, the screw holes may be sealed with fitted white or coloured plugs for identification purposes.

The FWM8BLZ14T also includes an embedded pattern antenna, a carrier frequency of 2,400 to 2,483.5MHz, a modulation/symbol rate of GFSK / 1Mbits per second and the ability to operate at temperature and humidity levels of -30 to +70 degrees C and 20 per cent RH to 80 per cent, respectively.

A push switch functionality allows the unit to be used to convey crisis messages, trigger alarms, or locate individuals in an emergency. The tag operates on 40 channels, with spacing of 2MHz and runs on a coin cell CR3032 lithium battery (not included). The tag measures 52.8 x 35.9 x 5.8mm.

Samples are available in December 2022, and orders will be accepted in January 2023.

Fujitsu Components America distributes electronic and system components and sub-systems throughout North and South America. Its product portfolio includes relays, touch panels, thermal printers, wireless modules and input and pointing devices.

The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA.

https://www.fcl.fujitsu.com/en/fcai-products/

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Compact Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE modules have enhanced security

Wed, Nov 09, 2022

The Nora-W3 series has been added to u-blox’s Wi-Fi standalone module portfolio. The modules make dual-band capability available for the first time in this compact form factor, said u-blox. The modules are suitable for healthcare, HVAC, energy management, EV charging, professional grade power tools and industrial sensing or monitoring applications.

Saturation of Wi-Fi channels in the 2.4GHz band, size constraints, need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) to work in conjunction in order to connect to infrastructure, back-end systems, sensors and mobile devices. There is a balance that needs to be struck between cost and functionality. The Nora-W3 modules comprise dual band Wi-Fi 4 (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth LE 5 based upon a Realtek Ameba chipset.

The modules feature u-connectXpress to simplify the task of integration for designers. This only requires the use of high-level AT commands. The compact modules integrate two microcontrollers, the Arm Cortex-M33-compatible, operating at 200MHz as the main MCU. The second is an Arm Cortex-M23-compatible, operating at 20MHz for low power operation. This system allows the complete communication firmware to run on the module. To ease integration, Nora-W3 comes with the option to use an embedded antenna, said u-blox.

By offering dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, the u-blox Nora-W3 modules ensure a robust Wi-Fi connection in the field, partly due to the ability to operate in the less congested 5GHz band. The inclusion of u‑connectXpress significantly reduces software effort by removing the need for competence in embedded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, claimed u-blox, allowing designs to be delivered to the market quicker.

The modules offer a wide range of security features including secure boot, encryption, trusted execution environment, authentication and storage that protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access.

The Nora-W3 modules measure just 14.3 x 10.4 x 1.9mm, making them suitable for space-constrained designs and includes an embedded antenna within this envelope.

Nora-W3 is an upgrade, from single to dual band, for customers using u-blox’s Nina-W15 and a smooth transition for those using Odin-W2, said u-blox. The common form factor and pin-out allows simple migration for customers already using, for instance the Nora-W1 and Nora-B1 modules.

There are two variant, the u-blox Nora-W36 with the u-connectXpress software simplifying the integration into the end-product and the u-blox Nora-W30 with an open CPU architecture, allowing customers to run their own applications on the modules.

The Nora-W3 series will be globally certified for use with the internal antenna or a range of external antennas, reducing time, cost and effort for customers integrating Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE in their designs.

http://www.u-blox.com

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3D magnetic sensor provides contactless position sensing for vehicles

Wed, Nov 09, 2022

The A31316 3D Hall-effect position sensor is the latest addition to Allegro MicroSystems’ 3DMAG line of 3D sensors.

The sensors are offered in what is claimed to be the industry’s smallest 4.0 x 4.0mm body PCB-less package. They are suitable for automotive safety and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) applications that require reliable performance in harsh conditions such as powertrain and chassis applications. They are also suitable for industrial applications that require linear or rotary sensing.

Powertrain and chassis applications, passenger restraint systems, and shifter systems, are subjected to environmental vibrations and contaminants that can degrade performance. The position sensors used in powertrain and chassis applications typically require support components, like PCBs and capacitors. When a position sensor is required in a dirty, high-vibration environment—the assembly of system components can become corrupted by debris and vibration, which can inhibit the performance of the assembly. The same is true for many industrial linear and rotary sensing applications.

The A31316 3D Hall sensor eliminates the need for a PCB or other external components. It integrates the die and capacitors in a single package and for vibration-robust designs, the A31316 pins can be welded or soldered directly to connector leadframes and can be over-moulded or potted for a tight seal.

Designed for both rotary and long-stroke linear applications, the A31316 maintains high angle accuracy across the full Grade 0 temperature range (–40 to +150 degrees C). Its flexible calibration table (33 fixed points or 22 freely placed points) enables options to reduce the time and complexity of end-of-line calibration and minimise errors due to mechanical misalignment.

The 3DMAG family of rotary and linear magnetic position sensor ICs for automotive and industrial applications combine Allegro’s proven planar and vertical Hall-effect technologies to measure magnetic field components along three axes (X, Y, Z). They enable true 3D sensing capabilities with a wide magnetic dynamic range without saturation, said the company. The A31316, is Allegro’s first magnetic position sensor to provide multi-direction measurement in a PCB-less SIP package. It provides designers with a configurable signal path and flexible linearisation for end-of-line calibration to optimise measurement accuracy. The IC can compensate for non-linear fields and static sensor-to-magnet misalignment errors. The high degree of configurability makes it easy for designers to optimise for accuracy and calibration time. This helps minimise processing in the electronic control unit (ECU) and maximises end-of-line yield for nonideal magnets and mechanical assembly tolerances. Multi-level output using binning can integrate the functions of multiple magnetic switch ICs into a single A31316.

The A31316 integrates a Manchester interface for programming the EEPROM through the output pin, which eliminates the need for a separate programming interface.

A high-voltage supply is not required for EEPROM programming, and the A31316 can be programmed directly with a 5V supply voltage enabling integration with microcontrollers or other low supply devices.

The IC includes the industry’s fastest SENT protocol with 0.5 to 10 microseconds tick times, and includes a pulse-width modulation (PWM) interface with 125Hz to 16kHz carrier for simple digital interface to microcontrollers.

Following Safety Element out of Context (SEooC) functional safety guidelines, the A31316 sensor supports ASIL B system-level integration in accordance with ISO 26262 and is automotive qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 0.

The A31316 is available in a three-pin PCB-less SIP package (UC suffix). Product pricing and samples are available now.

http://www.allegromicro.com.

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Mercury Systems launches DDR4 memory for edge processing in space missions

Slim IP67 Wirepas Mesh tag can track in high density networks

Compact Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE modules have enhanced security

3D magnetic sensor provides contactless position sensing for vehicles

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