Page 415 – Electronics-Lab.com

New TQ module based on ARM® Cortex®-A53 with i.MX8M Mini and Nano technology

Posted on 7 May, 20207 May, 2020 by mixos

The technology company TQ is expanding its i.MX8 product range with the new embedded module TQMa8MxML based on the i.MX8M Mini and Nano CPU family. It supports all nine CPU derivatives of the two families on the small LGA module and all signal pins are available in every configuration.

The i.MX8M Mini and Nano CPUs from NXP stand out within the i.MX8M family in that they are less expensive due to optimized features. TQ has decided to provide users with 100 percent of the signal pins in the form of an LGA module for the module design of the TQMa8MxML. In doing so, TQ has managed to combine the requirements of both CPUs in a common design. This allows users to choose the optimal variant for their needs and project. The module was equipped with an LPDDR4 with up to 4 GB on the i.MX8M Mini and 2 GB on the i.MX8M Nano. In addition, a QSPI NOR flash with up to 256 MB is available as an option to the included eMMC flash memory.

The i.MX8M Mini differs from the i.MX8 Nano in particular by its 32-bit wide memory interface compared to the 16-bit of the Nano. The Mini uses GC Nano Ultra as GPU, while the GC7000 Lite runs on the Nano. In addition, to reduce costs, the Nano does not have hardware support for video decoding and encoding

Both pin-compatible product families offer nine CPU variants (Dual Core, Quad Lite and Quad Core) with different expansion stages. The CPU-integrated Cortex-M4 processor supports numerous security functions.

The new ARM® Module TQMa8MxML from TQ offers an ideal core for applications from a wide range of areas thanks to its interface variety, scalable computing power with a small size of only 38 x 38 mm and low power consumption. These range from human-machine interfaces to camera and audio applications. In addition, there are many other possible applications in the industrial environment.

With these designs, TQ is not only expanding its i.MX8 product range, but is also expanding its LGA module series with an ARM Cortex-A53-based CPU architecture. TQ now supports all CPU families (i.MX8X, i.MX8, i.MX8M, i.MX8M Mini, i.MX8M Nano) from the i.MX8 series. Based on the i.MX8 CPU series, TQ is also planning operating system support for Android.

TQ is already working on a new design based on the newly announced i.MX8M Plus. In addition to TSN support, this derivative promises support for projects in which machine learning, machine vision, artificial intelligence and industrial IoT are relevant.

Prototypes will be available from mid-May.

New series of Surface Mount Li-ion Battery Protector IC for Overcurrent and Overcharging Protection

Posted on 7 May, 2020 by mixos

Littelfuse, Inc. introduced the ITV Series, a three-terminal surface-mount Li-ion battery protector for protection against damages caused by overcurrent and overcharging. The ITV series consists of five compact surface-mount packages and are available in the current rating of 12A, 15A, 30A, and 45A. These protectors can provide fast response and reliable performance to interrupt the charging or discharging circuit before the battery pack becomes overcharged or overheated.

The Surface mountable form factor of the ITV series improves assembly efficiency and it’s low internal resistance minimizes the power loss. The protectors are certified by UL and TUV to comply with industrial standards and they are environmentally friendly. The ITV series is best suitable for Li-ion battery packs used in power tools, Robotic appliances, E-bikes and e-scooters, uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), emergency radio, and eCall.

Features:

Protection for both overcurrent and overvoltage
Low internal resistance
UL and TUV certification
Surface mount footprint
RoHS compliant and Halogen free

The ITV series has 5 different protectors namely ITV4030 12A series, ITV4030 15A series, ITV5432 30A series, ITV9550 30A series, and ITV9550 45A series, visit the respective product pages to know more.

Odroid-C4 runs Android or Linux on a quad Cortex-A55 Amlogic S905X3 @ 2GBz

Posted on 6 May, 20206 May, 2020 by Emmanuel Odunlade

Built around a CPU with a multi-core performance faster by 40% and a system DRAM 50% faster, the Odroid-C4 might just be the Odroid you are looking for

Four years ago, Hardkernel released what was introduced as the world’s first affordable ARM 64-bit computer, the Odroid-C2, one of the most popular rivals to the Raspberry 3. This year, Hardkernel goes steps ahead to launch Odroid-C4, a great rival to the Raspberry 4 and one of the very first community-backed SBC to integrate the new S905X3 SoC from Amlogic.

The new single-board computer, compared with the C2, performs faster and is more energy-efficient; the main CPU is built with a quad-core Cortex -A55 cluster that runs at 2.0GHz without thermal throttling, allowing a robust and quiet computer. The C4 is also said to have some advantages over the Raspberry Pi 4. Asides its fast speed, the Odroid-C4 has a wider memory bandwidth as well as a lower power consumption rate than the RPi 4. You will also get an open eMMC socket and 4 USB 3.0 host ports instead of the USB 3.0 and 2.0 mix that you get in the Pi 4.

Most likely, the Odroid-C4 might just be one of the major hacker boards introduced this year, considering the flow of SBCs that showed up in early 2020.

Features and specifications include:

CPU: Quad-cortex A55 Anlogix S905X3 running at up to 2GHz
System Memory: 4GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage: 8GB to 64GB eMMC, MicroSD slot
Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet port with 2x LEDs and a WiFi UG dongle (optional)
Audio header with SPDIF, 12S and DC 5V
40-pin GPIO header
4x USB 3.0 ports, serial debug console and Micro-USB 2.0 OTG port
IR receiver and heat sink
Power: 5.5 – 17v DC input with LEDs and optional adapters
Dimension: 85 x 56 x 1.0 mm
Weight (with heat sink): 59 g
Operating System: Runs CoreELEC, Ubuntu 20.04, Android 9 and LineageOS very well

The Odroid-C4 is being sold for $50 on Hardkernel’s shopping page. More details including hardware and user guide can be found on its wiki page here.

Single-Ended, 2-Channel GaN Class D Amplifier – Evaluation Board

Posted on 6 May, 20206 May, 2020 by mixos

The EVAL_AUDAMP24 e-mode GaN HEMT-based evaluation board from Infineon Technologies is a 2-channel, 225W/ch (4Ω at ±43V) or 250 W/ch (8Ω at ±63V) half-bridge class D audio power amplifier for high-end Hi-Fi audio systems. This evaluation board demonstrates how to use the IGT40R070D1 E8220 CoolGaN™ gallium nitride transistor together with the MERUS™ IRS20957SPBF controller IC, implement protection circuits, and design an optimum PCB layout.

Potential applications include Hi-Fi amplifiers, AV receivers, Home theater systems, Powered speakers, Musical instrument amplifiers, and other premium audio designs.

The reference design provides all the required housekeeping power supplies for ease of use. The 2-channel design is scalable for power and the number of channels.

The EVAL_AUDAMP24 features a two-channels self-oscillating type pwm modulator for the lowest component count, highest performance and robust design. This topology represents an analog version of a second-order sigma-delta modulation, having a class D switching stage inside the loop.

The benefit of the sigma-delta modulation, in comparison to the carrier-signal based modulation, is that all the error in the audible frequency range is shifted to the inaudible upper-frequency range by nature of its operation. Also, sigma-delta modulation enables the designer to apply sufficient error correction.

Summary of Features

Output power:
- 225W x 2 channels (1% THD+N, 4Ω at ±43V)
- 250W x 2 channels (1% THD+N, 8Ω at ±63V)
Multiple protection features:
- Overcurrent protection (OCP), high- and low-side e-mode GaN transistors
- Overvoltage protection (OVP)
- Undervoltage protection (UVP), high- and low-side e-mode GaN transistors
- Overtemperature protection (OTP)
PWM modulator:
- Self-oscillating half-bridge topology with optional clock synchronization

Benefits

Clean switching performance
Narrow deadtime for better THD
Easy to use: compatible with the MERUS™ IRS20957SPBF class D controller
Outstanding audio quality
High reliability

more information: Infineon Technologies AG

BMR464 DC/DC PoL Regulator

Posted on 6 May, 2020 by mixos

Flex Power Modules’ 50 A digital point of load (PoL) regulator has horizontal and vertical mount options available

Flex Power Modules’ BMR464 regulator can be configured and monitored via PMBus® and measures 30.85 mm x 20.0 mm x 8.2 mm. It accepts input voltages from 4.5 V to 14 V and has an output voltage range of 0.6 V to 3.3 V with typical efficiency of 97.2% at 5 V_IN 3.3 V_OUT and 50% load. There is a synchronization function that allows several regulators to be locked to a common switching frequency to eliminate beat frequencies that can be reflected back to the input. The result is less EMI filtering and fewer external components.

Features

Configuration and monitoring via PMBus; voltage setting via PMBus or pin-strap
Dynamic loop compensation (DLC) and fast loop transient response
MTBF up to 14 Mhrs
Voltage tracking and voltage margining
Supporting tools: evaluation board ROA 1285068 for SiP modules and ROA 1283836 for horizontal mount
Supporting tools: Flex Power designer tool

Phase spreading reduces input capacitance requirements and, hence, losses because the peak current drawn from the input supply is spread over the whole switching cycle. A current sharing rail can be configured that enables 100% utilization of the output of each device and, during periods of light loading, it is possible to disable one or more phases to eliminate the current drain and switching losses associated with those phases.

Aurora Mb E-Paper is an intelligent monochrome e-paper display

Posted on 6 May, 20206 May, 2020 by mixos

Pervasive Displays’ intelligent monochrome e-paper with integrated timing controller, SPI, and 140 dpi glare-free display

Pervasive Displays’ e-paper technology offers a high level of readability under a wide range of lighting conditions. This Aurora Mb 1.54 inch monochrome display has an outline of 37.32 mm x 31.80 mm and is 1.10 mm thick, providing a square active area of 27.51 mm x 27.51 mm. It is suitable for dynamic labeling in medical, logistics, asset tracking, metering devices, and home automation applications. The display offers a high pixel density of 140 dots-per-inch (dpi) and can also be used with a broad range of scanning technology in conjunction with both 1D and 2D barcode technology.

The energy required to update an electronic paper display (EPD) is sufficiently low to enable it to refresh the screen solely using harvested energy, such as from a nearby RFID reader. The active matrix TFT EPD features an integrated timing controller (TCon) that updates the bistable matrix of pixels. The TCon is interfaced using a serial peripheral interface (SPI) protocol that can be implemented on any common microcontroller. Only a few passive components are required to complete the implementation in the final application. A flexible printed cable (FPC) 7.3 mm in length provides the connection between a microcontroller and the EPD.

Features

TFT active matrix EPD
Integrated TCon UC8451
Display color: black or white
152 x 152 resolution
140 dpi or 0.181 mm x 0.181 mm pixel pitch
Low weight: 3.0 g max.
Ultra-low power consumption
Super wide viewing angle
Anti-glare surface treatment
1.1 mm thick and extremely light
SPI
24-pin FPC with 0.5 mm pitch
Low external BOM count
37.32 mm x 31.80 mm x 1.10 mm outer dimensions (excluding FPC)
27.51 mm x 27.51 mm active area
2.3 V to 3.6 V supply
0°C to +50°C operational temperature range
30% RH to 90% RH operational ambient humidity

EPDs are noted for their legibility under sunlight, providing a glare-free natural reading experience like reading a newspaper or book, even at wide viewing angles. This makes them ideal as the display of energy meters, intelligent displays for meeting rooms as part of a smart building implementation, or time tables at bus stops. Any application that demands ultra-low power consumption with a display that is updated irregularly or only on demand can be considered an EPD. These types of devices can also operate over the 0°C to +50°C range in ambient humidity of 30% RH to 90% RH. The required operating voltage is 3.0 V typical (2.3 V minimum to 3.6 V maximum) with a typical current draw of 10 mA during the image update cycle.

more information: www.pervasivedisplays.com

New DC/DC Converters Offer 50 Percent Smaller Footprint

Posted on 6 May, 2020 by mixos

Murata unveiled the MYWGC series from the MonoBK™ DC/DC converter family. The new point-of-load (POL) modules offer a 50-percent smaller footprint than competing solutions and set new standards in size, efficiency and performance. The highly integrated, multi-output DC/DC converters leverage Murata’s core technology advantages in power module development, advanced 3D integrated packaging and passive component expertise.

The MonoBK™ MYWGC series are 4-channel DC/DC converters that integrate all passive components, including inductors, into a tiny form factor of 9.3 mm × 9.0 mm × 2.9 mm (L × W × H). The products feature an input voltage range of 2.8–5.5 V and programmable outputs of 0.4–3.58 V up to 3.0 amps. Most applications will require few external components.

Due to the unique packaging process, the module has an outstanding thermal performance that can support a wide temperature range of –40 to +105 °C. Based on a fixed-frequency synchronous buck converter switching topology, this high-efficiency POL module features on/off control and power-good signal out.

The first product in the series, the MYWGC3R53FFW92RAE, features protections for over-current (OCP), over-voltage (OVP), under-voltage (UVP) and over-temperature (OTP). Target power applications include FPGAs, CPUs and datacom/telecom systems. The product is sampling now, and mass production is scheduled for Q2 2020.

more information: www.murata.com

OKdo E1 Development Board

Posted on 5 May, 20205 May, 2020 by mixos

OKdo, part of the Electrocomponents Group, introduced its first own-branded single board computer (SBC), the E1.

The OKdo E1 is an ultra-low-cost Development Board based on the NXP LPC55S69JBD100 dual-core Arm Cortex® M33 microcontroller. The E1 board is perfect for Industrial IoT, building control and automation, consumer electronics, general embedded and secure applications.

Key Features

Processor with Arm TrustZone, Floating Point Unit (FPU) and Memory Protection Unit (MPU)
CASPER Crypto co-processor to enable hardware acceleration for certain asymmetric cryptographic algorithms
PowerQuad Hardware Accelerator for fixed and floating point DSP functions
SRAM Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) for key generation, storage and reconstruction
PRINCE module for real-time encryption and decryption of flash data
AES-256 and SHA2 engines
Up to Nine Flexcomm interfaces. Each Flexcomm interface can be selected by software to be a USART, SPI, I2C, and I2S interface
USB 2.0 High-Speed Host/Device controller with on-chip PHY
USB 2.0 Full-Speed Host/Device controller with on-chip PHY
Up to 64 GPIOs
Secure digital input/output (SD/MMC and SDIO) card interface

Specifications:

LPC55S69JBD100 640kbyte flash microcontroller
In-built CMSIS-DAP v1.0.7 debugger based on LPC11U35
Internal PLL support up to 100MHz operation, 16MHz can be mounted for full 150MHz operation.
SRAM 320kB
32kHz crystal for real-time clock
4 user switches
3-colour LED
User USB connector
2-off 16-way expansion connectors
UART over USB virtual COM port

more information: www.okdo.com

COM Express Type 10 CPU Module Features Extended Temperature and ECC Support

Posted on 5 May, 2020 by mixos

IBASE has announced the new ET876 COM Express Type 10 CPU Module (R3.0) supporting Intel’s energy-efficient Atom™ Processor E3900 series, Intel® Celeron® Processor N3350 and Intel® Pentium® Processor N4200. It utilizes multi-core processor technology for high-performance computing and flexible programmable graphics, making it ideal for today’s mission-critical IoT, transportation, medical, military, and industrial automation applications.

The highly integrated ET876 comes in a compact form factor (84 x 55mm) and matches the performance requirements of cost-effective, small footprint embedded systems. It benefits from the Intel Gen9 graphics engine featuring DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.3 and OpenCL 2.0 to deliver stunning graphics and 4K resolution output, as well as simultaneous display combinations of DDI and LVDS or eDP. Connectivity options on the carrier board can include 8x USB 3.0, 2x USB 3.0, and 2x SATA III. All models support Gigabit connectivity, 4GB DDR3L with ECC standard, TPM hardware security and up to 32GB of eMMC storage.

ET876 FEATURES:

Onboard Intel® Atom™ x7-E3950, 2.0GHz or x5-E3940, 1.8GHz or x5-E3930, 1.8GHz [i-Temp support]
Onboard DDR3L memory with ECC support
1x Intel® I210IT PCI-E Gigabit LAN
Supports TPM (2.0), eMMC5.0 (optional)
Wide-range operating temperature from -40°C to 85°C

The ET876 operates with an extended temperature range of -40°C to 85°C for remote outdoor deployments depending on the processor used and runs both Linux and Windows 10 operating systems. For more information on IBASE’s COM Express products offerings, visit www.ibase.com.tw.

0-6V @ 1.5A Adjustable Power Supply With Current Limit using LT3081

Posted on 4 May, 20204 May, 2020 by mixos

This is a simple power supply that provides an adjustable output voltage with an adjustable current limit. In such a small package, both these features make the power supply unique. The output voltage is adjustable range 1.2V to 6V DC and current limit range adjustable up to 1.5A, Input Supply is 12V-30V DC.

The LT3081 is a 1.5A low dropout linear regulator designed for rugged industrial applications. Key features of the IC are the extended safe operating area (SOA), output current monitor, temperature monitor, and programmable current limit. The LT3081 can be paralleled for higher output current or heat spreading. The device withstands reverse input and reverses output-to-input voltages without reverse current flow. The LT3081’s precision 50μA reference current source allows a single resistor to program output voltage to any level between zero and 34.5V. The current reference architecture makes load regulation independent of the output voltage. The LT3081 is stable with or without input and output capacitors. The output current monitor (IOUT/5000) and die junction temperature output (1μA/°C) provide system monitoring and debug capability. In addition, a single resistor programs current limit.

0-6V @ 1.5A Adjustable Power Supply With Current Limit using LT3081 – [Link]