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Smart power stage controllers support GPUs and AI

Thu, May 20, 2021

Multi-phase, controller-agnostic control for high performance GPUs, servers, 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications is offered by the AOZ527xQI series of smart power stage device by Alpha and Omega Semiconductor.

The devices target multi-phase voltage regulators used to power high-performance GPUs and CPUs in desktop add-in graphics cards (AICs), gaming laptops, servers, data storage, AI and networking equipment.

The AOZ527xQI series uses Alpha and Omega Semiconductor’s latest generation of a flexible smart driver IC and Gen Alpha MOSFET technology to provide what it says is benchmark performance in an industry-standard 5.0 x 6.0mm QFN package.

There are three DC current levels for multi-phase voltage regulator optimisation in the series.

An SPS provides current monitoring (Imon) and temperature monitoring (Tmon) information. The Imon function is used to replace traditional DC resistance (DCR) sensing schemes with improved accuracy and to eliminate the external components needed for DCR sensing and tuning. The Tmon pin doubles as a fault pin, reporting the power stage temperature by outputting an analogue voltage of 8mV per degree C. The Tmon pin is an open-drain output that pulls high in the event of a fault.

The AOZ527xQI devices use a configurable driver IC to make the smart power stage compatible with many multi-phase controllers available in the market today. It includes over-current protection (OCP), over-temperature protection (OTP), high-side FET source detect (HSD) and pre-over-voltage protection (pre-OVP).

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor follows the industry standard 5.0 x 6.0mm common footprint for a smart power stage, but its smart power stage also features a dynamic control of OCP threshold settings and zero-cross detect (ZCD) light load operation. The company’s smart power stage series offers both performance and robustness to support high peak currents common in servers, high performance GPU and AI applications. All devices in the family feature high peak current capability, up to 150A for 10 micro seconds and 100A for 10 milliseconds.

The AOZ527xQI family of SPS supports both server, AI and GPU add-in card (12V input) as well as gaming laptop (20V input) input voltage operating range. Three performance levels (60A, 70A, and 90A) allow tradeoffs in the current/phase and number of phases.

The AOZ527xQI series, consisting of the AOZ5273QI, AOZ5276QI, AOZ5277QI and AOZ5279QI, is available now in production quantities with a lead-time of 12 weeks.

http://www.aosmd.com

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Infineon adds sound to ADAS systems

Wed, May 19, 2021

Adding the sense of hearing to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), Infineon Technologies has partnered with Reality AI to integrate its Xensiv MEMS microphones to vehicles’ sensor systems. It enables cars to “see” around the corner and to warn about moving objects hidden in the blind spot or approaching emergency vehicles that are still too distant to see. Typically ADAS is based on cameras, radar or lidar so target objects have to be within the line of sight to be recognised by the system, which has proved a weakness for emergency vehicles as these can be heard much earlier than they can be seen and are therefore “invisible” to ADAS for a period of time.

Infineon’s Xensiv MEMS microphones are combined with Aurix microcontrollers and Reality AI’s automotive see-with-sound (SWS) system. Using machine learning-based algorithms, the system is able to detect emergency vehicles, cars and other road vehicles, even if they cannot be seen by drivers or detected by the sensors incorporated in the vehicles’ ADAS. Machine learning also ensures that the country-specific sirens of emergency vehicles are recognised around the world.

The automotive-qualified Xensiv MEMS microphone IM67D130A has an increased operating temperature range from -40 to +105 degrees C for use in harsh automotive environments. The low distortions (THD) and the high acoustic overload point (AOP) of 130dB SPL enable the microphone to capture distortion-free audio signals in loud environments for a reliable classification, even if the siren sound is hidden in high background or wind noise, says Infineon. This sound-base sensing technology can also enable other applications in vehicles such as road condition monitoring, damage detection or even predictive maintenance.

For processing the audio signal, the Reality AI software uses Infineon’s Aurix TC3x family of microcontrollers. The scalable microcontroller family offers a range from one to six cores and up to 16Mbyte of flash with functional safety up to ASIL-D according to the ISO26262 2018 standard and EVITA full cybersecurity.

The Xensiv MEMS microphone IM67D130A can be ordered now in a PG-LLGA-5-4 package.

http://www.infineon.com

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Magnetic position sensor meets ASIL-D for ADAS applications

Wed, May 19, 2021

The latest addition to the 3DMAG family of rotary and linear magnetic position sensor ICs for automotive and industrial applications has been announced by Allegro Microsystems. The A31315 sensor delivers the accuracy and performance needed to meet stringent ASIL-D requirements of safety-critical automotive applications, says the company.

Allegro’s 3DMAG sensors combine its planar and vertical Hall-effect technologies to measure magnetic field components along three axes (X, Y, Z). This enables true 3D sensing capabilities with a wide magnetic dynamic range without saturation, says Allegro.

The A31315 sensor is claimed to address the functional safety challenges posed by advances in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving systems, by delivering the measurement accuracy necessary to meet the stringent requirements of safety-critical steering, braking, transmission and throttle systems.

The sensors’ flexible 3D Hall-effect front end and configurable signal processing architecture enable highly accurate, absolute linear position and rotary position measurements up to 360 degree. Existing Allegro 3DMAG devices, such as the ALS31300 and ALS31313 sensors, also support 3D magnetometer applications in which all three magnetic components (BX, BY, BZ) are required to track complex magnetic movements.

The A31315 is a highly accurate A31315 position sensor, says Allegro. It contains advanced on-chip diagnostic features to ensure reliable, safe operation and supports both rotary and linear position sensing with native angle error over temperature in any plane (less than 1.2 degrees over the operating temperature range). Following Safety Element out of Context (SEooC) functional safety guidelines, the A31315 supports ASIL-B (single die) and ASIL-D (dual die) system level integration in accordance with ISO 26262. It is also automotive-qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 0.

The A31315 sensor is available as a single die in a compact SOIC-8 package, and as a fully redundant stacked dual die in a TSSOP-14 package for applications requiring redundancy or higher levels of measurement. Allegro says its stacked die construction closely aligns the sensing elements of both die, ensuring the measurement of nearly identical magnetic fields. This design enables the dual-die A31315 sensor to offer superior channel matching performance and tighter channel comparison thresholds common in fully redundant safety systems.

The 3DMAG sensors have a wide range of programmable channel trim and linearisation options which can be adjusted to the magnetic circuitry to optimise the sensors for accuracy and manufacturing efficiency in end-of-line programming times for specific applications. The sensors also offer low power consumption and flexible power management options, enabling battery life optimisation in portable applications, says Allegro.

The 3DMAG sensors support flexible low-voltage programming through sensor outputs regardless of the interface (e.g. analogue, SAE J2716 SENT, PWM, I2C), allowing direct programming by a microcontroller in embedded designs and simplifying the interface for end-of-line system calibration. This low-voltage programming option also opens up new system architectures with remote field-replaceable sensor module designs that can be programmed by the electronic control unit (ECU).

http://www.allegromicro.com

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Multi-sensor module from Sfera Labs uses Raspberry Pi 4 computing

Wed, May 19, 2021

Edge-based hardware features in the Exo Sense Pi multi-sensor module from Sfera Labs. The compact wall-mount unit features a 64-bit quad core Arm Cortex-A72 processor running at up to 1.5GHz. According to Sfera Labs, this is “way beyond what other sensor modules on the market can deliver”.

The module is in four version and with up to 8Gbyte of RAM and 32Gbyte of embedded multimedia controller (eMMC) flash memory reserves. There are also different connectivity options, for example, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.0 and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless interfaces, an RS-485 serial bus and dedicated I/O lines. All of these options enable data transfer across standard protocols (like Modbus, I2C, 1-Wire, Wiegand) for system integration. There is a micro USB port for flashing the Raspberry Pi eMMC and a microSD card slot for attaching an external flash memory.

Sensors in the module include temperature, humidity, air quality and light intensity measurement, as well as PIR-based motion detection. A microphone is also incorporated for audio processing and voice control. Other custom sensors can be added as required, for example CO2 monitoring, seismic monitoring (earthquake detection) and vibration measurement.

The Exo Sense Pi are CE- and FCC-compliant and can be used for both residential and commercial use. Typical application are home or building automation, environmental monitoring, Bluetooth Low Energy positioning, people counting, room management, asset tracking, alarm reporting and access control. Other key functionality integrated into the module includes a Microchip ATECC608A secure element chip, a GPIO-controlled LED indicator, a piezoelectric buzzer and a real time clock (RTC) with replaceable back-up battery.

Internal temperature sensors allow heat compensation to be undertaken, there are also surge and reverse polarity protection mechanisms. The modules run from a standard 9.0 to 28V DC supply.

The Exo Sense Pi is supplied in an 80 x 80mm form factor for installation in space restricted locations.

Using the Raspberry Pi development ecosystem, engineers will be able to use Exo Sense Pi as the basis for creating sensor-driven edge computing applications, says Sfera Labs. Software libraries for this module are all open source and may be freely accessed via Github. To support OEM requirements, Sfera Labs can provide custom casing and logo printing services.

https://www.sferalabs.cc

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Smart power stage controllers support GPUs and AI

Infineon adds sound to ADAS systems

Magnetic position sensor meets ASIL-D for ADAS applications

Multi-sensor module from Sfera Labs uses Raspberry Pi 4 computing

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