Smart Cities

Infineon’s EiceDRIVER 125 V high-side gate driver protects battery-driven applications

Thu, Oct 10, 2024

In battery-powered applications such as motor drives and switched-mode power supplies (SMPS), the power supply architecture often requires that a module can be disconnected from the main supply rail when a fault occurs in that module. To achieve this functionality, it is common to use high-side disconnect switches (e.g. MOSFETs) to prevent a load short circuit from affecting the battery. Infineon has now introduced the EiceDRIVER 1EDL8011, a high-side gate driver designed to protect battery-powered applications such as cordless power tools, robotics, e-bikes, and vacuum cleaners in the event of a fault.
The device provides fast turn-on and turn-off of high-side N-channel MOSFETs with its high gate current capabilities. It consists of an integrated charge pump with an external capacitor to provide strong start-up. The internal charge pump provides the MOSFET gate voltage when the operating input voltage is low. The gate driver IC manages inrush current and provides fault protection. Under-voltage Lockout (UVLO) protection at input voltage prevents the device from operating under hazardous conditions. The driver is available in a DSO-8 package, making it ideal for space-constrained designs. It includes overcurrent protection (OCP), adjustable current setting threshold, time delay and a safe start-up mechanism with flexible blanking during MOSFET turn-on transitions.
The 1EDL8011 has a wide operating voltage range of 8 V to 125 V and a high gate sinking current of up to 1 A, allowing for efficient switching. Additionally, the product has an extremely low off-mode quiescent current of 1 µA, helping to minimise power consumption in sleep mode. The device also includes a V DS sense feature that is used to trigger an overcurrent shutdown by monitoring the drain-to-source voltage of the disconnect MOSFET.

Infineon will be showcasing a demo featuring the 1EDL8011 at its global technology forum OktoberTech 2024 in Silicon Valley on 17 October.

Availability
The 1EDL8011 is available now. Further information can be found at https://www.infineon.com/1edl8011.

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Infineon launches ultra-high current density power modules to enable high-performance AI computing

Wed, Oct 09, 2024

Data centres are currently responsible for more than two percent of global energy consumption. Fuelled by AI, this number is expected to grow to up to around seven percent in 2030, matching the current energy consumption of India. Enabling efficient power conversion from grid-to-core is vital to enable superior power densities and thereby advance compute performance while reducing total cost of ownership (TCO). Infineon is therefore launching the TDM2354xD and TDM2354xT dual-phase power modules with best-in-class power density for high-performance AI data centres. These modules enable true vertical power delivery (VPD) and offer industry’s best current density of 1.6 A/mm 2. They follow the TDM2254xD dual-phase power modules introduced by Infineon earlier this year.

“We are proud to enable high-performance AI data centres with our TDM2354xT and TDM2354xD VPD modules. These devices will maximize system performance with Infineon’s trademark quality and robustness, thereby enabling best TCO for data centres,” said Rakesh Renganathan, Vice President Power ICs at Infineon Technologies. “Our industry-leading power devices and packaging technologies, combined with our extensive systems expertise, will further advance high-performance and green computing as part of our mission to drive digitalisation and decarbonisation.”
The TDM2354xD and TDM2354xT modules combine Infineon’s robust OptiMOS 6 trench technology, a chip-embedded package that enables superior power density through enhanced electrical and thermal efficiencies, and a new inductor technology to enable lower profile and therefore, true vertical power delivery. As a result, the modules set new standards in power density and quality to maximize the compute performance and efficiency of AI data centres. The TDM2354xT modules support up to 160 A and are the industry’s first Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator (TLVR) modules in a small 8 x 8 mm² form factor. Combined with Infineon’s XDP™ controllers, they offer extremely fast transient response and minimise on-board output capacitance by up to 50 percent, further increasing system power density.
The new modules will be showcased at Infineon’s global technology forum OktoberTech 2024 in Silicon Valley on 17 October and at electronica 2024 in Munich from November 12 to 14 (hall C3, booth 502).

https://www.infineon.com/aipowermodules

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Imagimob’s Edge AI solutions are now available for the AURIX product family

Tue, Oct 08, 2024

Autonomous and automated driving is a megatrend in the automotive industry, along with electrification. AI plays a critical role in this trend, enabling vehicles to detect pedestrians, analyse driver behaviour, recognise traffic signs, and control trajectories, among many other use cases. A key enabler of this is Edge AI, as autonomous and automated driving is highly dependent on the need for AI systems with machine learning capabilities and processors that can handle large amounts of data in parallel, safely, secured, and in real time. To address this challenge, Imagimob, an Infineon company, has enhanced its automotive machine learning portfolio by integrating machine learning capabilities into Infineon’s Automotive ASIL-D complaint MCUs like AURIX TC3x and AURIX TC4x.

“The integration of secured and dependable AI capabilities into microcontroller families is crucial for advancing autonomous driving applications in the automotive industry,” said Thomas Boehm, Senior Vice President Microcontroller at Infineon. “We are proud that our AURIX microcontrollers are now supported by Imagimob Studio, making them accessible to developers worldwide. This highlights our role as a leading innovator in the industry.”

“With the integration of AURIX into our Imagimob Studio, we are bringing full machine learning (ML) compatibility and capabilities to the automotive sector,” said Alexander Samuelsson, CTO of Imagimob. “This means that all the use cases we support with our platform are now also available for Infineon’s AURIX microcontrollers.”

With Imagimob Studio, developers can now create robust ML models for the Edge and deploy them onto Infineon’s proven AURIX MCUs. The process starts with creating machine learning models in Imagimob Studio. Once the AI model is complete, users can select to deploy on the MCUs directly within the platform. They are then guided through steps on how to deploy the code seamlessly, simplifying the implementation of machine learning on MCUs and enabling the creation of sophisticated ML models. In addition, Imagimob Studio offers a sample project for siren detection, demonstrating model creation and deployment. By using the code example, users can also learn how to create acoustic models with AURIX MCUs and a microphone shield. Furthermore, Imagimob has developed new regression models that can be used to calculate remaining battery power, health status, and usage time.

The AURIX TC4x scalable MCU family offers a seamless upgrade path from the AURIX TC3x family of ASIL-D compliant automotive MCUs. This enhanced performance is powered by the next-generation TriCore 1.8. In addition, the AURIX TC4x features a scalable accelerator suite that includes a parallel processing unit (PPU) and multiple intelligent accelerators to support cost-effective AI integration. For the AURIX TC4x family, these advancements translate into enhanced machine learning capabilities, enabling developers to deploy multiple models simultaneously or more complex ones. For instance, while the AURIX TC3x can handle basic siren detection, the AURIX TC4x enables both siren detection and voice interaction simultaneously.

https://www.imagimob.com/studio

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u-blox extends reach of PointPerfect GNSS correction service via RTCM RTK data format

Tue, Oct 08, 2024

u-blox extends the reach of its PointPerfect GNSS correction service by adding the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) data format standard, opening the service to use with all GNSS and real- time kinematics (RTK) receiver hardware.

PointPerfect has until now exclusively delivered the correction data using the SPARTN data format. Designed for increased flexibility, the addition of RTCM now lowers barriers to adoption and expands the addressable market of scaled-up high-precision positioning solutions. The high-precision service works seamlessly with any GNSS RTK receiver module, u-blox or non u-blox, and even with mixed device fleets without a need for integration expertise.

This expansion introduces RTCM users to PointPerfect’s uniquely flexible usage-based pricing plans as an affordable alternative to the rigid high annual service fees of conventional RTK suppliers. The pay-as-you-go plans allow users to pay only for the hours that they use. Pooled plans make it simple to optimise costs by sharing service hours across the whole device fleet.

This expansion of the PointPerfect GNSS correction service will address a broader range of devices in segments that utilise the RTCM data standard, such as robotic lawnmowers, service delivery robots, UAVs and precision agriculture.

The PointPerfect RTCM service expansion provides centimetre-level accuracy in seconds, is simple to use, cost effective, offers seamless coverage over entire continents, countries, and regions, and with 99.9% uptime availability for reliable performance.

https://www.u-blox.com

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