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Automatic direction-finding antenna pinpoints rogue transmissions

Tue, Mar 05, 2019

Now available from Link Microtek is an automatic direction-finding (DF) antenna that allows the source of unauthorised or interfering transmissions to be located rapidly and accurately, even in urban areas where signal reflections can make this a challenging task.

Recent drone activity at Gatwick and Heathrow airports has served to highlight the disruption that can be caused when illicit transmissions continue unchecked, and the new ADFA 1 antenna could be used as part of a solution to help security and communications professionals deal with such situations as quickly as possible.

The device is also suits telecommunication or defence applications.

Manufactured by Narda Safety Test Solutions, the ADFA 1 antenna covers the frequency range 200MHz to 2.7GHz and is designed for use with the company’s SignalShark portable real-time spectrum analyser.

There is no need for a laptop computer. By means of a strong magnetic mount, the antenna can be attached to the roof of any normal vehicle to enable a series of random bearings to be taken in the suspected area.

Each bearing cycle achieves a typical accuracy of 1 degree and takes 1.2 milliseconds, thereby ensuring reliable measurements even for pulsed signals or transmissions of very short duration.

The results can be displayed by SignalShark numerically or with live visualisation of the transmitter location in the form of a heat map. In addition, the ADFA 1 determines the elevation angle of the signal bearing, allowing the location of the source to be narrowed down to an individual floor level.

Users of the new antenna can also observe the broadband spectrum at the same time as determining the signal bearing, which enables them to continue tracking a source that suddenly changes channel.

At the heart of the ADFA 1 is an array of nine antenna elements around an omnidirectional reference element, optimally arranged to achieve reliable measurement results.

The antenna works on the principle of measuring the phase difference between the nine elements and the central reference.

As well as the vehicle mounting kit, there is an optional tripod with quick-release coupling and level indicators, which allows easy set-up of the antenna for DF measurements to trace interference from a semi-fixed location, as is commonly required in military applications.

Housed in a radome measuring 480 (D) x 219 (H) mm, the ADFA 1 antenna weighs 5.6kg and is sealed to IP55 standard to prevent the ingress of moisture and dust.

It has an operating temperature range of -40 to +65 degrees C and when mounted on a vehicle roof can withstand wind speeds of up to 130km/h.

http://www.linkmicrotek.com

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Image recognition SoC includes deep neural network accelerator

Fri, Mar 01, 2019

An image recognition SoC for automotive applications has been announced by Toshiba Electronics Europe. It implements a deep learning accelerator at 10 times the speed and four times the power efficiency of Toshiba’s earlier heterogeneous multi-core SoC for image recognition which was introduced at the 2015 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC).

It is designed for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as autonomous emergency braking, which require increasingly advanced capabilities. Implementing them requires an image recognition SoC that can recognise road traffic signs and road situations at high speed with low power consumption.

Deep neural networks (DNN), algorithms modelled after the neural networks of the brain, perform recognition processing more accurately than conventional pattern recognition and machine learning, and is widely expected to be used in automotive applications. However, DNN-based image recognition with conventional processors takes time, as it relies on a huge number of multiply-accumulate (MAC) calculations. DNN with conventional high-speed processors also consumes too much power, adds Toshiba.

To overcome this, it has developed a DNN accelerator that implements deep learning in hardware. It is defined by three features: parallel MAC units, reduced DRAM access and reduced SRAM access.

The ViscontiTM5 SoC has four processers, each with 256 MAC units to boost DNN processing speed. Conventional SoCs have no local memory to keep temporal data close to the DNN execution unit, they also consume a lot of power accessing local memory and when loading the weight data used for the MAC calculations. In Toshiba’s SoC, SRAM is implemented close to the DNN execution unit, and DNN processing is divided into sub-processing blocks to keep temporal data in the SRAM, reducing DRAM access. Additionally, Toshiba has added a decompression unit to the accelerator. Weight data, compressed and stored in DRAM in advance, are loaded through the decompression unit. This reduces the power consumption involved in loading weight data from DRAM, explains Toshiba.

Finally, conventional deep learning needs to access SRAM after processing each layer of DNN, which consumes too much power. The accelerator has a pipelined layer structure in the DNN execution unit of DNN, allowing a series of DNN calculations to be executed by one SRAM access.

The ViscontiTM5 SoC complies with ISO26262, the global standard for functional safety for automotive applications.

Sample shipments of Toshiba’s image-recognition processor will begin in September 2019.

http://www.toshiba.semicon-storage.com

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STMicroelectronics and Virscient partner for vehicle connectivity

Thu, Feb 28, 2019

Wireless connectivity skills from Virscient are used in STMicroelectronics’ Telemaco3P automotive application processors for connected vehicles.

Virscient offers support to ST customers in the development and delivery of advanced automotive applications based on the ST Modular Telematics Platform (MTP). MTP is a development and demonstration platform incorporating ST’s Telemaco3P telematics and connectivity microprocessor. MTP enables the rapid prototyping and development of smart driving applications, including vehicle connectivity to back-end servers, road infrastructure, and other vehicles, explains ST. Virscient brings wireless connectivity technologies and protocols for architecting connected car systems that rely on technologies such as GNSS (precise positioning), LTE/cellular modems, V2X technologies, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and Bluetooth Low Energy.

The Telemaco3P incorporates dual Arm Cortex-A7 processors with an embedded hardware security module (HSM), an independent Arm Cortex-M3 subsystem, and a set of connectivity interfaces.

Telemaco3P SoC ensures a secure connection between the vehicle and the Cloud, explains ST. Its asymmetric multi-core architecture provides powerful application processors as well as an independent CAN control subsystem with optimised power management. Its ISO 26262 silicon design, its embedded Hardware Security Module, and automotive-grade qualification up to 105 degrees C ambient temperature allow for the implementation of a range of secure telematics applications supporting high-throughput wireless connectivity and over the air (OTA) firmware upgrades.

ST and Virscient will be exhibiting the Modular Telematics Platform within the ST Automotive Telematics Ecosystem at Embedded World. Visit ST in Hall 4A, stand 4A-138.

Semiconductor supplier, ST provides intelligent and energy-efficient products enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the next generation of mobile and IoT devices.

Virscient helps the world’s leading semiconductor and product companies get to market faster with quality wireless connectivity solutions for automotive, audio, IoT, and industrial markets. With deep expertise in secure wireless and connected systems, Virscient provides engineering services and intellectual property spanning a range of technologies such as Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, 5G, GNSS, LoRa, Sigfox and IEEE 802.15.4.

http://www.st.com

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Software provides open source API to run on embedded computing platforms

Mon, Feb 25, 2019

An updated version of Xsens’ MT software suite provides enhanced support for the NMEA interface for marine electronics, which is claimed to make calibration easier for end users, and improve the developer graphical user (GUI) interface, says the company.

The open source applications programming interface (API) enables users to develop applications to run on many embedded computing platforms. The software suite is an upgraded version of the existing software package for Xsens’ MTi-series of industrial motion trackers. An updated GUI for the MT Software development kit has improved signposting of functions.

The open source API is called XDA (Xsens Device API) and is intended for use on any computing platform that runs a Windows or Linux operating system. While many developers will continue to create applications to run on a PC or laptop, increasing numbers are developing prototypes and finished products on third party embedded computing platforms such as Raspberry Pi or Beagleboard.

The XDA in MT software suite 2019 gives developers access to the code for the first time to enable them to compile it for these platforms, for other third-party boards, or for proprietary embedded computing platforms. They can also modify or extend the XDA to support the particular requirements of their development project.

The XDA is also claimed to greatly facilitate debugging and application problem-solving, as users can now see in detail the message flow between an MTi-series module and the host application.

Users can now choose from hundreds of commercial hardware development platforms that support the Windows or Linux environments, says the company. There are also enhancements to the user experience and extended message support for working with Xsens motion tracking modules.

Enhancements to the MT software suite 2019 release include extended National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) message support, helping developers integrate an MTi module more easily with third-party equipment. There is also a uniform set of application examples across all supported programming languages, for greater consistency of user experience and an upgraded magnetic field mapping function which makes it easier for the end user to perform a calibration routine for any MTi-series module.

The MT Software Suite 2019 is now available for download from the Xsens website. It supports all current MTi-series products. Xsens is also providing updated firmware for all MTi modules, compatible with the new MT Software Suite 2019.

https://www.xsens.com

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Automatic direction-finding antenna pinpoints rogue transmissions

Image recognition SoC includes deep neural network accelerator

STMicroelectronics and Virscient partner for vehicle connectivity

Software provides open source API to run on embedded computing platforms

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