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New Renesas MCUs with high-resolution analog and Over-the-Air update support

Fri, Mar 22, 2024

Renesas has introduced the RA2A2 microcontroller (MCU) Group based on the Arm Cortex-M23 processor. The new, low-power devices offer a 24-bit Sigma-Delta analog-to-digital converter (SDADC), and an innovative dual-bank code flash and bank swap function that make it easy to implement firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates for smart energy management, building automation, medical devices, consumer electronics and other IoT applications that can benefit from firmware updates.

The RA2A2 devices offer multiple power structures and voltage detection hardware to realize energy-efficient, ultra-low power operation as low as 100 µA/MHz in active mode and 0.40µA in software standby mode. An independent power supply real-time clock extends battery life for applications requiring long lifetime management in extreme conditions. The new MCUs also offer AES hardware acceleration, a high-precision (±1.0%), high-speed on-chip oscillator, a temperature sensor, and a wide operating voltage range from 1.6V to 5.5V.

RA2A2 MCUs contribute to the digitalization of conventional systems with key features including high-level analog sensing, FOTA support, 8KHz/4KHz hybrid sampling, and AES hardware accelerator functions. When the end-systems are digitalized, it is possible to analyse individual systems status seamlessly for further energy-efficient, streamlining system operation. For example, next generation smart electricity meters with Non-Intrusive Load Management (NILM) technology enable energy consumption monitoring based on detailed analysis of the current and voltage of the total load. The adoption of smart meters with NILM is the most cost-effective and scalable solution for increasing energy efficiency and lowering energy consumption.

The new RA2A2 Group MCUs are supported by Renesas’ Flexible Software Package (FSP). The FSP enables faster application development by providing all the infrastructure software needed, including multiple RTOS, BSP, peripheral drivers, middleware, connectivity, networking, and security stacks as well as reference software to build complex AI, motor control and cloud solutions. It allows customers to integrate their own legacy code and choice of RTOS with FSP, thus providing full flexibility in application development. Using the FSP will ease migration of RA2A2 designs to larger RA devices if customers wish to do so.

https://www.renesas.com/RA2A2

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The new µATX server carrier board offers scalability across the entire Intel Ice Lake D processor range

Thu, Mar 21, 2024

congatec has expanded its ecosystem for modular edge servers. New products include a server carrier board in µATX form factor and COM-HPC Server-on-Modules based on the latest Intel Xeon D processors (Ice Lake). The new µATX server board for COM-HPC modules was developed for compact real-time servers that are used in edge applications and critical infrastructures. The board can be flexibly scaled with the latest high-end COM-HPC Server modules from congatec. Together with the updated modules, which are equipped with the latest Intel Xeon D-1800 and D-2800 processors, customers receive a ready-to-use µATX platform for applications with high performance requirements in a space-saving, robust design.

The ecosystem of COM-HPC modules and µATX carrier board offers OEMs a wide range of customisation options at module, board and system level from which developers can freely choose according to their needs. The ecosystem package is tailored to the stringent requirements of edge computing and offers powerful, reliable and ready-to-use building blocks for industrial environments. The modular approach shortens the time to market for new designs and also makes them future-proof.

The new µATX carrier board conga-HPC/uATX server offers maximum I/O and expansion options in a compact standard form factor. This makes the board an ideal solution for numerous applications, such as consolidating servers for virtual machines (VM) or edge servers for energy microgrids, video processing, facial recognition, security applications, smart city infrastructures and many other applications. The conga-HPC/uATX server offers multiple features to drive such applications, including robust communication options with up to 100 GbE and bandwidth, x8 and x16 PCIe expansion for processing AI-intensive workloads via GPGPUs or other compute accelerators, 2x M.2 Key M slots for NVMe SSDs and a M.2 Key B slot for compact AI accelerators or communication modules for WiFi or LTE/5G.

The new conga-HPC/sILL and conga-HPC/sILH Server-on-Modules take advantage of the latest Intel Ice Lake D-1800 LCC and D-2800 HCC processor series, which offers up to 15% more performance at the same TDP compared to the previous D-1700/D-2700 series 8. The improved performance per watt of the COM-HPC modules is ideal for high-performance applications that were previously limited by their thermal budget. They also benefit from Intel Speed Select technology, which makes it easier to balance the computing performance and maximum TDP of the system design. The latest processors have up to 22 cores with higher clock speeds to support next-generation edge applications with more performance per watt for more energy-efficient and therefore more reliable designs. Scalable edge performance and the modular approach increase the flexibility and future-proofing of designs, reduce total cost of ownership and shorten time to market.

The new COM-HPC server modules with their firmware-integrated hypervisor makes the evaluation of consolidating servers with virtual machines particularly easy. Also with full real-time capability, which is provided by TCC, TCN and optional SyncE support. This is particularly ideal for all networked 5G solutions that require very low latencies and strict frequency/clock synchronisation.

For the new COM-HPC Server-on-Modules based µATX solution platform, congatec also offers various cooling solutions, including passive cooling for small chassis. In addition to customising the conga-HPC/uATX server carrier board, the service package also includes customer-specific BIOS/UEFI and real-time hypervisor implementations as well as expansion with additional IIoT functionalities for digitisation purposes.

https://www.congatec.com

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Harwin launches floating connectors to support high-speed automated manufacture and reliability

Wed, Mar 20, 2024

Harwin has launched a range of board-to-board connectors that address the data and power transfer demands of high-performance applications while accommodating small movements in multiple axes to support high-speed automated assembly and enhance resistance to shock and vibration during operational life.

Offering up to 160 contacts in a symmetrical double row layout, the new Flecto floating connector family is available with three choices of miniature pitches: 0.5mm (.0197”), 0.635mm (.025”) and 0.8mm (0.0315”). By accommodating movement of up to ±0.5 mm in both the X and Y axes, Flecto allows for accurate placement of multiple connectors between the same two PCBs where the sum of misalignments might, otherwise, present challenges for high-speed, high-precision mating.

The positional tolerance flexibility of Flecto connectors also enhances system reliability by maintaining connection integrity during shock and vibration events and reducing the possibility of degradation or failure from ‘fretting’ – a situation that occurs when long-term vibration causes plating to wear from rigid mating pins, exposing the underlying alloy to potential oxidation.

Flecto connectors support board-to-board mating heights as low as 7.2mm and data rates as high as 12Gbit/s. Additional power pins available with the 0.5mm pitch options are rated for currents up to 3A. Vertical and horizontal female connectors allow boards to be connected in parallel or at right angles to each other, while Flecto signal-only connectors feature either location pegs or posts to eliminate movement during solder reflow. On the mixed signal and power connectors, through-board solderable posts are provided for location accuracy and enhanced mechanical strength. A number of the connectors feature shrouded contacts to prevent accidental damage when no mating connector is present, while others offer polarisation within the shroud to ensure uni-directional mating.

Target applications for the new range include factory automation, electric vehicles, LED displays, security cameras, IoT devices, data communications and a wide variety of embedded systems.

https://www.harwin.com/flecto

Written by Annie Shinn

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u-blox launches new GNSS platform for enhanced positioning accuracy in urban environments

Wed, Mar 20, 2024

u-blox, has announced F10, the company’s first dual-band GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) platform combining L1 and L5 bands to offer enhanced multipath resistance and meter-level positioning accuracy. The platform caters to urban mobility applications, such as aftermarket telematics and micromobility.

Applications that use GNSS receivers for accurate positioning are on the rise. Yet, current receivers do not fully perform in urban areas. Accurate and reliable positioning in dense urban environments, where buildings or tree foliage can reflect satellite signals, requires GNSS receivers to mitigate multipath effects. The L5 band’s resilience to these effects significantly improves positioning accuracy. Combined with the well-established L1 band, an L1/L5 dual-band GNSS receiver can deliver < 2 m positioning accuracy (CEP50), against about 4 m with the L1 band only. The u-blox team has conducted driving tests in several urban areas, confirming a significant improvement over GNSS L1 receivers.

The F10’s firmware algorithm prioritises L5 band signals in weak signal environments, ensuring reliable positioning accuracy even when paired with small antennas. The platform is also equipped with protection-level technology that provides a real-time trustworthy positioning accuracy estimate.

When a cellular modem is extremely close to a GNSS receiver, it can interfere with the receiver’s reception. Some F10 module models (NEO-F10N, MAX-F10S, and MIA-F10Q) are equipped with a robust RF circuit that allows the GNSS and the cellular modem to operate without interference.

The u-blox F10 platform is pin-to-pin compatible with the previous u-blox M10 generation for easy migration. It also supports u-blox AssistNow, which offers real-time online A-GNSS service with global availability to reduce GNSS time-to-first-fix and power consumption.

https://www.u-blox.com

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New Renesas MCUs with high-resolution analog and Over-the-Air update support

The new µATX server carrier board offers scalability across the entire Intel Ice Lake D processor range

Harwin launches floating connectors to support high-speed automated manufacture and reliability

u-blox launches new GNSS platform for enhanced positioning accuracy in urban environments

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