Maxim Integrated MAX20361 Single-Cell/Multi-Cell Solar Harvester

Maxim Integrated MAX20361 Single-Cell/Multi-Cell Solar Harvester is a fully integrated solution for harvesting energy from single-cell and multi-cell solar sources. The MAX20361 includes an ultra-low quiescent current (360nA) boost converter that is capable of starting from input voltages as low as 225mV. To maximize the power extracted from the source, the MAX20361 implements a proprietary maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique that allows efficient harvesting from 15μW to over 300mW of available input power.

The MAX20361 features an integrated charging and protection circuit that is optimized for Li-ion batteries. This device can also be used to charge supercapacitors, thin-film batteries, or traditional capacitors. The charger features a programmable charging cut-off voltage with thresholds programmable through an I2C interface as well as temperature shutoff.

The Maxim Integrated MAX20361 Solar Harvester is available in a 12-bump, 0.4mm pitch, 1.63mm x 1.23mm wafer-level package (WLP).

Application Circuit

Features

  • Single-Cell/Multi-Cell Solar Energy Harvester
    • 225mV to 2.5V (typical) input voltage range
    • Efficient harvesting from 15μW to over 300mW of available input power
      • 86% efficiency at VSYS = 3.8V, ISRC = 30mA
    • Small solution size
      • Utilizes small 2016 4.7μH Inductor
  • Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique using fractional VOC method
    • Programmable fractional VOC regulation point through I2C interface
  • Battery/supercapacitor charger
    • Programmable battery termination voltage through I2C interface
    • Programmable Power Good Wake-Up signal output threshold through I2C interface
  • -40°C to +85°C operating temperature range
  • 1.63mm x 1.23mm WLP12 package

more information: https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/products/power/battery-management/MAX20361.html

SafeBee – A GPS Tracker for Beehives

This is an original design of a GPS tracker designed on Elab and it is intended to be used as a security device for beehives, but it is not limited to this. It can be used everywhere a motion-activated GPS tracker is needed, like your car, bike, or even your boat. It is a GPS tracker controlled by simple SMS commands and designed for reliability, low power consumption, and ease of use. It features a MEMS accelerometer that is used to intelligently detect movement and once triggered it will power on the GPS module and will try to acquire the current coordinates. The location details will be transmitted to the owner’s smartphone via a simple SMS and then follow update the coordinates at predefined intervals.

Key Features:

  • Remote management via simple SMS commands
  • High reliability – no need to babysit the tracker due to crashes and resets
  • Long battery life – over 1 year standby on a single charge (2500mAh battery)
  • 3-axis high-sensitivity MEMS Accelerometer
  • Intelligent Triggering – it will not be triggered by accidental movement
  • Selectable Trigger Sensitivity Level

Description of Operation

The tracker has 3 main modes of operation, detailed below:

  1. Standby
  2. Ready
  3. Tracking

Standby mode

In standby mode, the GSM and GPS modules are powered down and the microcontroller is in sleep mode, resulting in a current draw of approximately 70uA, mainly by the accelerometer (MMA7660). The accelerometer is used to detect movement caused by a possible thief. If the accelerometer is triggered 1 or 2 or 3 times (depending on the sensitivity level) inside of a 60-second window then the device will enter tracking mode. While in standby mode the tracker will also enter ready mode approximately every 12 hours, triggered by the microcontroller’s internal RTC. This is to check for incoming commands and battery status etc.

Ready mode

The ready mode is entered by the microcontroller’s internal RTC and when the tracker is first powered on. In this mode, the tracker will power up the GSM module and wait for any SMSs to come in and process them. The tracker will stay in ready mode for 5 minutes before returning to standby mode unless an SMS command has instructed the device to enter tracking mode (BEE+TRIGGER).

Tracking mode

Tracking mode is entered when manually instructed to by the BEE+TRIGGER command or after the accelerometer triggers (1 or 2 or 3 movements detect depending on sensitivity level) within a 60-second window, from either standby or ready modes. In tracking mode, the tracker will power up both the GSM and GPS modules and begin to send tracking alert SMSs to the number configured by the BEE+NUMBER command. The device will continue to stay in tracking mode until the BEE+CLEAR command is received or while the accelerometer is detecting movement and/or the GPS module has a lock and the speed is greater than 10KPH. If neither of these conditions is met for 6 minutes then the tracker will send a tracking stopped SMS and return to standby mode, or ready mode if the RTC was triggered within the last 5 minutes.

Power up and Battery Status

In ready and tracking modes if the battery voltage falls below the threshold voltage (3650mV default) then a low battery alert SMS will be sent to the number configured by BEE+NUMBER. Approximately every 30 days (60 RTC triggers) an automated status SMS is also sent to the number configured by BEE+NUMBER.

When power is first applied to the device the tracker will be in ready mode and it will check for incoming SMS and then go to sleep. This is the ideal time to configure the tracker with the BEE+NUMBER number. This is the number that tracking messages, monthly status reports, and low battery alerts will be sent. The phone number is stored in the microcontroller’s FLASH memory and it will be permanently saved, even if battery power is removed. At power-up, the tracker will send a status SMS and also ignore any movement detected by the accelerometer for the first 60 seconds.

The Hardware

 

Hover images for details

Block Diagram

MCU

STM32F030K6

The tracker uses an ST STM32F030K6 microcontroller (ARM Cortex-M0, 32-bit RISC core), with 32KB of flash, and 4KB of RAM, and operates at up to 48MHz. The STM32F030K6 microcontroller operates in the -40 to +85 °C temperature range from a 2.4 to 3.6V power supply. A comprehensive set of power-saving modes allows the design of low-power applications. Currently, the firmware is taking roughly 24KB of flash (with debugging output enabled) and 1.7KB of RAM. The microcontroller is running at 8MHz and is supplied with 3V.

GSM module

SIMCom SIM800C
SIMCom SIM800C

The GSM module is a SIMCom SIM800C and uses the UART bus to communicate with the MCU. The GSM module is power-gated with a P-MOSFET, controlled by the MCU, as its own low-power modes are not sufficient for this project. SIM800C supports Quad-band 850/900/1800/1900MHz, it can transmit Voice, SMS and data information with low power consumption. With a tiny size of 17.6*15.7*2.3mm, it can smoothly fit into our small board. The module is controlled via AT commands and has a supply voltage range 3.4 ~ 4.4V.

GPS module

u-blox NEO-6M

The GPS module is a u-blox NEO-6M and uses the I2C bus to communicate with the MCU. There is also a UART connection to the microcontroller as a fallback if the I2C interface does not work (usually the case with Chinese fakes). So, the tracker will work with the original NEO-6M as well as Chinese fake modules. The microcontroller implements the UART interface in software (via timer interrupts), operating at 9600 baud. The GPS module is power-gated with a P-MOSFET, controlled by the MCU, as its own low-power modes are not sufficient. The NEO-6M is powered in the range of 2.7 – 3.6V and has a size of 12.2 x 16 x 2.4mm. More details and design considerations can be found in the Hardware Integration Manual of NEO-6 GPS Modules Series and u-blox 6Receiver Description.

Supported GPS modules:

  • U-blox NEO-5M
  • U-blox NEO-6M
  • U-blox NEO-7M
  • U-blox NEO-M8N
  • Various Chinese fakes using AT6558 and similar (if the PCB footprint is the same then it will probably work)

Accelerometer

MMA7660FC

The accelerometer IC is the MMA7660FC and uses the I2C bus to communicate with the MCU. The MMA7660FC is a ±1.5 g 3-Axis Accelerometer with Digital Output (I2C). It is a very low power, low profile capacitive MEMS sensor featuring a low pass filter, compensation for 0g offset and gain errors, and conversion to 6-bit digital values at a user-configurable sample per second. In OFF Mode it consumes 0.4 μA, in Standby Mode: 2 μA, in Active mode 47 μA and is powered in the range 2.4 V – 3.6 V. The accelerometer is always active, set up to create an interrupt whenever a shake or orientation change is detected, and is configured with a sampling rate of 8Hz (higher sampling rates improve detection, but also increase power consumption). The interrupt will wake up the microcontroller, where it will run through the main loop. In this loop it checks the interrupt status, and if set it will clear the interrupt and increment a counter at a maximum of once per second. The counter is reset every minute. If the counter reaches 3 the tracker is activated.

Battery Charger

MCP73832

The Li-Ion battery charging IC is MCP73832, which has a user-programmable charge current and the battery charge rate is set to 450mA. It includes an integrated pass transistor, integrated current sensing, and reverse discharge protection. It is usually recommended to charge Lithium batteries at no more than 0.5C, so the recommended minimum battery capacity to use with the tracker is 900mAh.

Schematic

Parts List

ItemRef.MPNLCSC.comQuantity
1R1, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R160805W8J0472T5EC260228
2R2CR0805J80222GC1019701
3R3, R4, R11, R12, R15, R17, R18, R22, R23RC0805JR-0710KLC1000479
4R13RTT0510R0FTPC1039251
5R140805W8J0102T5EC256231
6R19, R20, R21RC0805JR-0722RLC1084063
7C1, C2, C21CL21A475KAQNNNEC17793
8C3, C4CC0805KKX7R8BB105C911862
9C5, C6, C7, C9, C10, C11, C13, C15, C17, C19TCC0805X7R104K500DTC28273210
10C8CC0805KRX7R9BB472C1071531
11C12SS-101M1ASA-0605C3116761
12C16DON’T PLACEDON’T PLACE0
13C180805CG101J500NTC820281
14C200805CG220J500NTC246581
15Q1, Q2DMP2035U-7C1104992
16Q3PUMD13,115C1931711
17U1STM32F030K6T6C468301
18U2MCP1700T-3002E/TTC622441
19U3DON’T PLACEDON’T PLACE0
20U4MCP73832T-2ACI/OTC380661
21U5PESD5V0L5UYC3300931
22U6SIM800C 24MbitC691191
23U7MMA7660FCR1 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834701234.html1
24LED1, LED2, LED3, LED4FC-DA1608HRK-620DC842634
25D1BZT52H-B5V1,115C1793751
26L1AISC-0805-R056J-TC1869561
27GPS/GSM Antenna connectorU.FL-R-SMT-1(80)C883742
28SIM1Micro SIM Slothttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/32786308183.html1
29USBmicro USB socket 5pinhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/32768317385.html1
30P1JST 2PIN CONNECTORhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/5-SETS-Mini-Micro-JST-2-0-PH-2-Pin-Connector-plug-with-Wires-Cables-120MM/32711927418.html1

Battery Life

With a 2500mAh battery, standby current of 70uA, and waking up every 12 hours for 5 minutes with an estimated average current of 15mA the battery life should be approximately 1.5 years. A poor GSM signal can reduce battery life.

Status LEDs

LEDDescriptionStates
LED1Battery charging stateOFF: Battery not charging (no USB power or battery fully charged)
ON: Charging
LED2GSM stateOFF: GSM is powered off
FAST BLINK: GSM is not connected to a network (usually no signal or no SIM)
SLOW BLINK: GSM is connected to the network
LED3MCU Operating modeOFF: Standby mode
ON: Ready or tracking mode
LED4GPS stateOFF: GPS is powered off
FAST BLINK: GPS is acquiring a lock
SLOW BLINK: GPS has a lock

SMS Commands

CommandDescription
BEE+STATUSReturns battery voltage - temperature - GSM signal strength - tracking enabled - is tracking - last GPS coordinates -sensitivity level.
BEE+CLEARIf the tracker has been triggered this will clear it and stop tracking until the next trigger.
BEE+TRIGGERManually trigger tracking (will trigger even if disabled with BEE+DISABLE). Tracking will stay enabled until BEE+CLEAR is received.
BEE+ENABLEEnable tracking triggers
BEE+DISABLEDisable tracking triggers.
BEE+NUMBER=0123499988This sets the mobile number to send tracking - low battery warning and monthly status SMSs to. Other command replies are sent to the number that the command was sent from.
BEE+NUMBER=+441234999888International numbers must start with + then the country code.
BEE+SENSE=1/2/3This is the sensitivity level - 1 high sensitivity - 2 medium sensitivity - 3 low sensitivity.

SMS SENT BY THE TRACKER

SMSFormatExample
Status (BEE+STATUS and automated status)BAT: (batt level)% (batt voltage)mV (low batt thres mV)
TMP: (temperature)C
TRK: (is tracking) ()
SIG: (signal)/31
GPS: (status) (lon,lat - speed KPH - time date)
NUM: (SMS number)
SEN: (Sensitivity Level)
BAT: 90% 4020mV (3650mV)
TMP: 23C
TRK: Y (Y)
SIG: 18/31
GPS: LOCKED (11.12345,8.05234 - 64 KPH - 23:10:09 18-09-21)
NUM: 01234567890
SEN: 1
TrackingTRK: (status: LOCKED | NO LOCK | STOP) https://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:lon,lat - speed KPH - time dateTRK: (LOCKED) https://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:11.12345,8.05234 - 64 KPH - 23:10:09 18-09-21
Low BatteryLOW BATTERY: (battery voltage)mV (threshold voltage mV)LOW BATTERY: 3400mV (3650mV)

Programming

The device firmware can be programmed via the SWD interface, which is the 4-pin programming header on the PCB marked RST (reset), SWD (SWDIO), SWC (SWCLK) and GND (ground). An ST-LINK/V2 USB adapter is needed to program the device, which is available from ebay, aliexpress, and other places for less than £3.

3D Render

3D Render of the board on KeyShot 11 Pro

Debugging

Debugging data is sent out of the UART interface through the TX pin of the debugging header on the PCB, at 115200 baud. This pin is also shared with the SWD interface (SWC). The RX pin is unused but made available for possible use in the future.

Format

(<time>)(<module>)<message>
“time” is in milliseconds and only increments while the microcontroller is not in standby mode. “module” is either “DBG” (general messages), “TRK” (tracker), “GSM”, “GPS”, “SMS”, “MGR” (MGR is the SMS manager which controls when queued SMSs are sent, retried etc.)

START
SafeBee Tracker
http://zakkemble.co.uk
FW: 1.0.0 180407 (Built: Apr 7 2018 16:38:32)
(1634)(TRK)CONFIG
(1636)(TRK)Number: (Type: 129) "0000000000"
(1640)(TRK)Track interval: 180
(1643)(TRK)Wake duration: 300
(1647)(TRK)Trig idle: 360
(1649)(TRK)Low batt thres: 3650
(1654)(TRK)TRIG SECS: 1
(1657)(GSM)** ON **
(4000)(GSM)** POWERON **
(4502)(GSM)** CMDDELAY **
(4505)(GSM)CMD DELAY
(4507)(GSM)PWR SAVE OFF (5007)(GSM)CMD SEND

Enclosure

A 3D model of the enclosure is designed using Solidworks with overall dimensions of 60 x 20 x 112 mm. The enclosure has two holes, one for the charging micro USB connector and one to fit a mini rocker power switch. The provided design files (download .STEP and .STL files below) can be used to print your own enclosure in your desired color and material. The screws used to secure the enclosure are M3 x 10mm countersunk screws. Design is made by professional engineer janangachandima and you can find his services on the Fiverr page.


3D Enclosure View

Code

The source code and .hex file are available as a download below. Also, the Eagle design files are available.

Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect Hit Market for Just $24.50

Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect

One of the most widely used development boards in the maker community is the Arduino manufactured boards. However, following the release of the $4 Raspberry Pi Pico that came with the onboard in-house silicon tape out RP2040 chip, sparking excitement in the designer world. Continuing the growth of RP2040-based development boards, we saw Adafruit QT Py RP2040 and many more. Today, after four months of introduction, we have Arduino release the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect to the market at just $24.50 without taxes.

This might sound crazy to have Raspberry Pi manufacturer SOC on an Arduino development board, but this is what makes it unique yet powerful. Giving a quick recap on the integrated SOC RP2040 is a dual-core Arm Cortex M0+ processor running at 133 MHz clock frequency. Justifying the cost of the development board, the manufacturer has provided a u-blox NINA-W102 radio module that allows you to take advantage of Arduino Cloud compatibility. The module gets two Harvard Architecture Xtensa LX6 CPUs operating at a maximum 240 MHz internal clock frequency.

Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect Development Board

As always Arduino doesn’t stop to surprise us with the number of capabilities provided onboard at a very low cost. The board gets a built-in mic for AI voice recognition and a six-axis smart IMU that detects motion by adding fall sensing and double-tap activation. Adding more of the hardware, we have RGB LEDs and multi-function GPIO pins.

It was an easy choice for Arduino to put an RP2040 at the core of a new board. We felt so strongly about the excellence of this new chip that we knew it deserved a powerful, premium Nano board that is unrivalled in terms of features.

As stated previously, the hardware can be connected to the Arduino Cloud, which makes it much more powerful than all other mini development boards in the market. If you plan to get a development board that can be accessed remotely even after deploying it into projects, you can now do it with the Arduino Cloud access. If the hardware is connected to Wi-Fi, it can do everything as if it was connected through USB. To add more to this, you can also control the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect through the Arduino IoT Remote app.

For more details on Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect, please visit the official product page.

Arduboy Nano: The Arduboy game shrunk to less than an inch!

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on user-friendly hardware and software. Arduino boards are popular among beginners in electronics as well as professionals who use them for easy prototyping. For making an Arduino-based project, all that is needed to be done is interfacing the peripherals, code your commands and you are ready to go. Arduino boards can read analog and digital inputs like temperature data, the light intensity on a light sensor, finger on a button, IR detection, etc. and they can turn it into an output like turning on an LED, starting motor, display on LCD, etc. Over the years, Arduino has been the brain of thousands of projects, from everyday objects to complex scientific instruments. Some very well-known Arduino-based projects are ArduPilot (drone software and hardware), ArduSat (a CubeSat based on Arduino hardware and software), Arduinome (a MIDI controller device), and many others.

About Arduboy

Among all of the Arduino projects, Arduboy is one of the most popular devices. It is a handheld game console based on the Arduino environment. The original version of the Arduboy was 1.6mm thick, with the height and width of a credit card, and was initially designed by Kevin Bates as an electronic business card. Later the touch-sensitive buttons were replaced by physical buttons and included a plastic case for protection. This also raised the thickness of the gamepad. The current version of Arduboy comes with over 200 pre-installed games and can be reprogrammed. Additionally, it is open-source which means you can also create your games and play in them.

Source: https://community.arduboy.com/t/introducing-arduboy-nano/9575

Arduboy Nano

A far more compact version of the Arduboy console is Arduboy Nano which is smaller than an inch tall. It is 26mm tall and features a 0.49″ OLED display with 64×32 pixels. The console is built around the same microcontroller that the original Arduboy used which is ATmega23u4. It is a low-power 8-bit AVR microcontroller. It is also featured in Arduino Pro Micro. The OLED unlike the original Arduboy uses the i2c protocol and fewer pixels. The 0.49 inch OLED display consumes very little power as no backlight is required. As this OLED display makes its light on its own, it has high contrast and wide viewing angle despite consuming less amount of power. All of the pinouts remain the same as the original one and all of the existing games are code compatible. In a nutshell, it has all the features of the original Arduboy but it has just shrunk.

Source: https://community.arduboy.com/t/introducing-arduboy-nano/9575

It also has a small 15mm piezo speaker which is very quiet and all of this is powered by a 25mAh Li-Po battery. The game consumes somewhat less than 25mA and so the battery lasts around 1 hour.

The case consists of 3 pieces of sliding enclosure which are 3D printed. The buttons were also painstakingly printed at 2mm/s to retain their delicate shape while printing.

Kevin said this regarding the design inspiration:

“This design is entirely based on something that Ben Rose made and showed me at Maker Faire 5 years ago. I’ve been waiting for them to do something with it, but I couldn’t hold back any longer! The people must know!”. He also added, “Currently there are no plans to produce this but if it goes bananas online, I’ll consider finding someone to help me turn this into a real product. Keychain anyone?”

Website: https://community.arduboy.com/t/introducing-arduboy-nano/9575

Programming TPI AVRs using USBASP Programmer

AVR microcontrollers are RISC architecture-based microcontroller series that have on-chip flash memory for data storage. The popularity of ARM microcontrollers can be seen by the range of applications it has. They are used in home automation, touch screen, automobiles, medical devices, and defense. They are also quite popular among hobbyists and makers. Most AVR microcontrollers use the In-System Programming (ISP) feature. ISP is a feature of microcontrollers that allows uploading of a program while the chip is on the system. This aids the end-users as they can program the hardware device according to their needs. Three pins are dedicated for the programming which are Serial Clock (SCK), Master-In-Slave-Out (MISO), and Master-Out-Slave-In (MOSI). All types of memory on the micro-controller can be accessed using the SCK, MISO, and MOSI pins while holding the RESET pin LOW.

USBASP is an open-source ISP (In-System Programming) programmer for AVR devices. If someone wants to develop programs that use the UART of Atmega32, you need to upload code using ISP. USBASP can be used for programming other AVR micro-controllers also. It can be used for burning the boot loader. The LED on the board indicates power. It goes off while uploading code, giving an additional indication. Newer AVRs use much faster programming techniques like TPI and UPDI. But someone may want to flash newer TPI-based AVR microcontrollers with an old USBASP board. Kevin Cuzner documented how to program TPI-only AVR microcontrollers using a USBASP device.

TPI Programming: A summary

Before going into the steps involved in the programming process, let’s first get an overview of TPI programming. The Tiny Programming Interface (TPI) is the only programming interface available in some newer AVR microcontrollers. TPI interface method consists of two layers Physical layer and the Access layer. The physical layer consists of two operations: transmit and receive. The TPI Access layer controls the mode of operation. TPI interface method needs only 3 pins for usage which are Reset, TPIDATA, and TPICLK. TPIDATA is a bidirectional data line unlike in the SPI method, where 2 data lines are used for transmission and reception of data.

Steps to program TPI based AVR MCUs using USBASP programmer

Kevin listed the following steps that are involved in programming TPI-only AVR MCUs using USBASP:

  1. Buy another USBASP programmer as one of them will be the programmer and another one would be the target that is going to become TPI capable.
  2. Download the latest firmware from Thomas Fischl’s website: https://www.fischl.de/usbasp/
  3. Switch the programming jumper on the target by shorting the appropriate header (sometimes labeled JP1, sometimes labeled JP2). It’s a two-pin jumper and is NOT the target voltage jumper, nor the “slow clock” jumper.
  4. Connect the programmer USB to the PC. Don’t connect the target to the PC.
  5. Connect the two USBASPs using the 10-pin ISP ribbon cable.
  6. Use avrdude to program the downloaded firmware (be sure to choose the correct hex file for the ATmega used on the target programmer).

For interfacing, connect the TPIDATA pin of the TPI header to the MOSI pin of MCU, TPICLK to ISP CLK, and RESET to the corresponding RESET pin. Further, it is necessary to ensure that the AVR is running at 5V.

Source: http://kevincuzner.com/2020/11/08/avr-tpi-programming-with-usbasp-for-dummies/

Complete documentation can be found at http://kevincuzner.com/2020/11/08/avr-tpi-programming-with-usbasp-for-dummies/

MAX17227A is a 2 A nanoPower boost converter

Maxim’s MAX17227A is a 400 mV to 5.5 V input, 2 A nanoPower boost converter with short-circuit protection and True Shutdown™

Maxim’s MAX17227A is a nanoPower boost converter, capable of delivering a load up to 2 A peak inductor current and providing True Shutdown, cycle-by-cycle inductor current limit, short-circuit, and thermal protection. During shutdown, current drawn from the input pin is 1 nA. The MAX17227A offers ultra-low quiescent current, small total solution size, and high efficiency throughout the load and line range. These features make it ideal for battery-powered applications where extended battery life is required and high efficiency is necessary at all power levels.

Features

  • 350 nA quiescent supply current from output
  • Output short-circuit protection
  • True shutdown mode: 1 nA shutdown current
  • 96% peak efficiency, 90% or higher at 500 µA

more information: https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/products/power/switching-regulators/MAX17227A.html

MP6540H/MP6540HA are three-phase brushless DC motor drivers

MPS’ 50 V, 5 A and 6 A, three-phase power stage drivers offer PWM and enable inputs

The MP6540H and MP6540HA from Monolithic Power Systems are three-phase brushless DC motor drivers. These devices integrate three half-bridges consisting of six N-channel power MOSFETs, pre-drivers, gate drive power supplies, and current-sense amplifiers. The MP6540H has enable (EN) and PWM inputs for each half-bridge, while the MP6540HA has separate high-side (HS) and low-side (LS) inputs, otherwise they are identical. The MP6540H can deliver up to 6 A of peak current and 5 A of continuous output current, based on thermal and PCB conditions. The MP6540H uses an internal charge pump to generate the gate drive supply voltage for the high-side MOSFETs, and a trickle charge circuit that maintains sufficient gate drive voltage to operate at 100% duty cycle. Internal safety features include thermal shutdown, undervoltage lockout (UVLO), and overcurrent protection (OCP). The device is available in a QFN-26 (5 mm x 5 mm) package.

Features:

  • 5.5 V to 50 V operating supply voltage
  • Three integrated half-bridge drivers
  • Maximum 5 A output current, 6 A peak current
  • MOSFET ON resistance: HS + LS 45 mΩ
  • MP6540H: PWM and EN inputs; MP6540HA: HS and LS inputs
  • Internal charge pump supports 100% duty cycle operation
  • Automatic synchronous rectification
  • UVLO and thermal shutdown protection
  • OCP
  • Integrated bidirectional current-sense amplifiers
  • Available in a QFN-26 (5 mm x 5 mm) package

more information: https://www.monolithicpower.com/en/mp6540h.html

Vishay VEML6031X00 high accuracy ambient light sensor supports I2C BUS

The Vishay Semiconductors’ VEML6031X00 high accuracy ambient light sensor supports an easy-to-use I2C bus communication interface

The Vishay Semiconductors’ VEML6031X00 high accuracy ambient light sensor supports an easy-to-use I2C bus communication interface and additional interrupt feature. The ambient light result is available as digital value. The VEML6031X00 is ideal for automotive applications, including display backlight controls, infotainment systems, rearview mirror dimming, interior lighting control systems, and head-up displays.

Key features

  • High accuracy ambient light sensor supports an easy-to-use I2C bus communication interface
  • 16-bit resolution sensor in a small opaque 2.67 mm x 2.45 mm package
  • Incorporates a high sensitive photodiode, a low noise amplifier and a 16-bit A/D converter
  • Surface-mount package type

Additional features

  • Ambient light sensor (ALS) integrated modules
  • 2.5 V to 3.6 V supply voltage range (VDD)
  • Communication via I2C interface
  • Multiple I2C Slave address options available:
    • VEML6031X00: 7-bit I2C Slave address 0x29
    • VEML60311X00: 7-bit I2C Slave address 0x10
  • 1.7 V to 3.6 V I2C bus H-level range
  • Floor life of 4 weeks, MSL 2a, according to J-STD-020
  • Low shut down current consumption of typ. 0.5 μA
  • Compact dimensions (L x W x H):
    • 2.67 mm x 2.45 mm x 0.6 mm
  • AEC-Q100 qualified

more information: https://www.vishay.com/ppg?80007&designtools-ppg

Fibocom to Accelerate Digital Transformation in IIoT with 5G Connectivity

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) takes place on May 17th every year, to connect the world and promote digital technologies. This year, the theme is to Accelerate Digital Transformation in challenging times. As time goes by, people started to realize the inconvenience of conservative manufacturing as well as the urgency of digital transformation, especially after the COVID-19 crisis. Thus, both governments and the private industrial sectors have turned to IIoT as a better solution for smart manufacturing in this changing time.

How Can IIoT Help?

IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) offers innovative ways to boost operational efficiency and introduce a new wave of industrial services. IIoT, also known as Industry 4.0, brings together Connectivity, Data & Computational Power, Analytics & Intelligence, and Human-Machine Interaction. It is the network of a variety of industrial devices connected by telecommunication technologies, enabling the systems to monitor, collect, exchange, analyze as well as deliver data.

Connectivity, Data & Computational Power

Connectivity is the foundation of Industry 4.0 and part of the foundational technologies applied along the value chain. This is achievable with the help of the high capacity, high speed, low latency and reliable 5G network. 5G ensures the delivery of IIoT technologies and helps keep all machines and robots perfectly in sync in real-time.

Analytics & Intelligence

IIoT achieves incredible levels of efficiency, productivity, and performance by integrating machine-to-machine communication with industrial data analytics. For example, industrial AI inside a refinery pipe can detect corrosion to provide real-time production data, allowing a factory to reveal extra capacity. Another example of IIoT intelligence is digital twin. It allows computers to “tell” operators how to maximize productivity or predict a malfunction before it happens, potentially saving billions of costs.

Human-Machine Interaction

To transform form traditional, labor-intensive manufacturing processes to modern, autonomous ones, the adoption of smart manufacturing fits in the future roadmaps of hyperautomation. For instance, AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) is indispensable for smart warehousing and smart factories, fully utilizing space and labor resources. When human operates at the ordering systems, AGVs will receive signals and carry required items to the picking workstations. HD video of the factory floor from a camera attached to an AGV can also be streamed with the help of 5G. AGV helps to realizes human-machine interaction and is the best choice for manufacturers to save energy, reduce costs, and increase productivities.

Fibocom Wireless Solutions

IIoT requires stable wireless communication network coverage and fast inter-AP roaming switching to ensure efficiency and stability in various industrial scenarios. Fibocom has been an active player in the sector of IIoT, helping to accelerate digital transformation around the world. Fibocom provides one-stop IoT (Internet of Things) services including wireless communication modules and IoT application solutions. Whether it is to improve production efficiency or to reduce management costs, Fibocom is capable for offering 5G connectivity with faster transmission speed, better carrying capacity, and lower network latency, demonstrating the huge application potential of 5G in IIoT.

Fibocom’s 5G wireless communication modules are designed to offer eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband), URLLC (Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications), as well as mMTC (massive Machine Type Communications). Supporting 5G standalone network (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) network architectures, Fibocom 5G wireless module series supports the Sub-6GHz and mmwave bands, and is compatible with 5G NR, LTE and WCDMA standards. It eliminates customers’ investment concerns at the initial stage of 5G construction, responding to the commercial demand for rapid landing. Meanwhile, Fibocom 5G modules come with a rich set of interfaces including USB3.1 (3.0), USB2.0, PCIe3.0 (2.0), SPI, SDIO, GPIO, UART, etc. It has been certified by various regional operators, industry associations and local regulation, satisfying different deployment requirements for customers worldwide.

Industrial digital inputs with the MAX22191

App note from Maxim Integrated on their parasitically powered digital input interface chip which is used favorably on industrial applications. [via]

A digital input (DI) is a circuit designed to receive a binary signal transmitted from an industrial sensor and translate that input into a reliable logic signal for a programmable logic controller (PLC) or industrial controller. Common examples of industrial binary signals are pushbuttons and/or temperature or proximity threshold indicators. The MAX22191 parasitically powered DI circuit can monitor Type 1 and Type 3 sink and source binary input signals for PLC and industrial circuits.

Industrial digital inputs with the MAX22191 – [Link]

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