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December 2008
PhaseLink Corporation Announces the Availability of Complete Line of Fanout and Zero-Delay Buffers
Fremont, California. - December 15, 2008
PhaseLink Corporation, a leader in frequency source generation and the inventor of the Analog Frequency Multiplier, PhasorV, and PicoPLL, today announced the availability of the PL123 family of buffers, the newest addition to PhaseLink's growing portfolio of clock and timing solutions. These new ICs support a wide range of end markets requiring high-speed and low-jitter clock distribution, including servers, switches, routers, set-top boxes, flat-panel displays, memory, and computing applications.
PhaseLink's new PL123 line of PLL and non-PLL based buffers includes devices unique to PhaseLink, as well as multi-sourced industry-standard devices. The unique PhaseLink products take advantage of PhaseLink's competencies in lowest power consumption and smallest footprint to extend support for power supplies from 3.3V down to 1.8V, operate from DC to 220 MHz, and feature the lowest power, package size, jitter, and output-to-output skew in the industry. The multi-sourced products complete the portfolio, and feature the lowest-power available anywhere. Altogether, the PL123 family provides new options for current and next-generation designs, and is competitively priced for market adoption.
"The addition of these nine new products demonstrates PhaseLink's commitment as a broad-based supplier of timing solutions for a variety of end markets," said Amir Naghavi, Vice President of Marketing. "With several new products offering improved performance while maintaining backward compatibility with existing sources, designers have more options for solving their most demanding clocking requirements."
For more info please call 01727 791000 or email: phaselink@broadband.uk.com
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November 2008
18 Nov 08 Vincotech supplies GPS antenna modules for Japanese compact camera
Vincotech, a leading manufacturer of GPS receiver modules, antenna modules and telematics platforms, is the supplier of a custom GPS antenna module for one of the first GPS enabled compact cameras. The antenna module of the A1035 series is based on a Vincotech standard product and was specifically adapted to the customer's needs in terms of mechanical dimensions, antenna characteristics and firmware.
"Geotagging" is the buzzword for new generations of applications in the consumer market. An ever growing number of these applications offer useful information by providing the coordinates of a position. Especially in the field of digital cameras, this feature is gaining increasing importance and popularity. Today, every user of a camera knows that date and time are stored with the picture.
The fact that position can also be detected and stored is only known to and used by professionals - so far. With the extensive spread of Internet applications that can turn positioning information into a graphical presentation on a map, the task of pinpointing where a picture was taken becomes trivial. For this task, all additional information for a given picture, e.g. the position, is stored in the so-called exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) part of the header of a normal JPEG or TIFF file. This information is then easily retrievable for
each single picture stored on a memory card (an 8Gbyte SDcard in the new 13 Megapixel high-resolution camera generation can store about 1,200 pictures in jpeg with exif meta data).
Vincotech is one of the first module manufacturers to be selected for such an application. Rainer Sendrowski, CEO of Vincotech, Germany, is proud of the success: "This was achieved thanks to the close cooperation between the Kanematsu Corporation, Vincotech's distributor in Japan, and the camera manufacturer. The key factor was a very close coordination between them and us during the course of this project." Only via this very close cooperation was it possible to quickly and effectively overcome all the challenges within the relatively short development period of less than 6 months.
The main focus during this process was on the seamless integration of the module into an already defined camera body, on the tuning of the antennas and of the receiver sensitivity within a challenging electro-magnetic environment,and in very low power consumption.
Using GPS in a camera body is a challenge that is not to be underestimated. Along with the
requirements for lowest current draw - GPS functionality is to have but a minimum impact on the lifetimeof the battery of the camera - the emphasis is on a fast availability of position. Based on a vast experiencein high frequency technology, Vincotech was able to achieve not only an optimized adaptation of the GPS building block and the antenna to the environment in the camera body, but also a perfect tuning of the GPS block and the antenna to each other.
When taking images users like to have information assigned immediately to the position on the captured data. Due to the characteristics of the GPS system, it can take quite a while to evaluate the coordinates; i.e. when the camera was turned off for a long period or after a
flight. Therefore, the camera offers a special help menu informing the user about the status of the evaluation of the coordinates and the current satellite data. The user can thus obtain real-time information as to the acquisition of the position and its storage along with other picture information.
In the future we will see more and more GPS functionality in digital cameras. Based on the experience in this project and with the cooperation with a well-known manufacturer, Vincotech sees itself in a strong position to face the upcoming challenges of new camera generations: fastest availability of a position anywhere on the globe with even further reduced power consumption.
For further information on Vincotech or their GPS modules please email us at: vincotech@broadband.uk.com
Vincotech is registered trade mark
October 2008
PhaseLink Corporation Announces the Newest in its PicoPLL Programmable PLL Clock Family
Fremont, California. - October 27th 2008
PhaseLink Corporation, a leader in frequency source generation and the inventor of the Analog Frequency Multiplier (industry's best performing clock IC), and PicoPLL (world's smallest and lowest power programmable clocks) today announced the availability of the newest member of PhaseLink's extensive PicoPLL clock family, PL613-XX.
PhaseLink's PL613 family is the world's lowest power, smallest footprint, and best performing 3-PLL programmable clock. This family offers up to 200MHz output from a reference or low-frequency crystal input, low period jitter, eight (8) unique clock outputs with optional individual OE or a Master OE, Power down option feature that consumes <10µA, when activated, and three (3) output buffer drives to select from to accommodate high frequency signal requirements. In addition, each IC can be pre-programmed to allow for cycling through four (4) user-defined programmed configurations or just switching the frequency on a single output pin only, to meet performance requirements of various system level industry standards. The PL613 family is housed in a 10-pin MSOP, 16-pin QFN, 8-pin SOP, or 16-pin (T)SSOP GREEN/RoHS compliant packages.
"PL613 family is specifically designed to save 70%-80% board space and reduce the implementation cost by 40%-60%, when compared to conventional clocking methods.", Said Amir Naghavi, VP of Marketing for PhaseLink Corporation. "The PL613 family of programmable clocks is ideal for designs that demand high performance while requiring low-power, small footprint, and the flexibility to meet the industry standards' system design requirements."
For more info please call 01727 79100 or email: phaselink@broadband.uk.com
Automatic input current limit, dead-battery charging and automatic power source detection meet latest battery charging specifications and reduce system cost.
October 6, 2008
Summit Introduces Industry's First Battery Charger to Enable True Universal USB Charging While Minimizing Solution Footprint
Summit Microelectronics has introduced its third-generation programmable battery charger integrated circuit (IC) for single-cell Li-Ion and Li-Polymer powered systems. The SMB339 integrates the largest feature set in the industry, including compatibility with all relevant industry standards: USB 2.0 Specification, USB "On-The-Go" Supplement, USB Battery Charging Specification 1.0, IEEE1725 Standard, Chinese USB Charging Specification, and others. This innovative charging solution automatically adapts to and delivers the fastest battery charging from any power source (USB host/hub, AC/DC, etc.) without the software required in typical implementations. Additionally, high integration reduces bill-of-material count/cost and solution size to levels comparable to inferior linear charging solutions, while cutting power dissipation by 80percent. Like all Summit's solutions, digital programmability is built-in, providing design and system flexibility at no additional cost.
Features
The SMB339, based on a high performance 3MHz switch-mode architecture, is the industry's most integrated single-cell Li-Ion charger. The device's high-efficiency operation, coupled with Summit's proprietary TurboChargeTM patent-pending technology, allows for highest charging current (up to 750mA from 500mA USB source) and lowest power dissipation. This allows for slim industrial designs and significantly faster charging times; two valuable differentiating factors for handset and other consumer products.
The SMB339 is industry's first solution that allows true universal USB and AC/DC battery charging. First, the Automatic Power Source Detection differentiates between a USB 2.0 port and a "USB" AC/DC adapter. This allows the charger to comply with the USB 2.0 100/500mA limits, but also to draw higher current levels from an AC/DC wall adapter. Subsequently, since AC/DC adapters can vary widely in current rating, Automatic Input Current Limit (patent pending) detects the maximum current capability of the AC/DC adapter (can be as low as 300mA for Chinese chargers to more than 1.5A per USB charging specification) and automatically programs the SMB339's input current limit accordingly. Unlike existing solutions, the SMB339 performs these functions independently, without the need for external components or system software operation. These two features ensure true USB compliance while providing the fastest safe charging from any source (including AC/DC adapters), giving end-users the best charging performance in any situation. The resulting improved user experience translates into fewer service calls, fewer merchandise returns and increased subscriber revenue for wireless carriers.
"Once again, Summit redefines state-of-the-art Li-Ion battery charging with the SMB339, by cost-effectively providing unmatched integration and valuable features to any portable device, stated George Paparrizos, Summit marketing director. "The SMB339 expands on Summit's portfolio of MobileGreenTM technologies, which maximize energy efficiency and minimize waste by reducing power dissipation and eliminating the need for proprietary AC/DC adapters for every portable device.
Like its predecessor, the SMB339 is also capable of providing USB On-The-Go (OTG) power support, without the need for additional external components. The device has the ability to reverse its power path when not charging, thereby supplying 5V and up to 500mA to VBUS, exceeding the USB OTG Supplement Specification. The chip's parameters are programmable in non-volatile and volatile memory for power-up configuration and in-system adjustments via the I2C host interface. This provides maximum design flexibility to address a variety of system and battery designs and allows the implementation of sophisticated embedded charging algorithms.
A wide variety of programmable safety features are also integrated to meet the strictest safety standards, including IEEE1725. These include dual redundant protection for input/output current and voltage, chip and battery thermal protection, hardware and software safety timers, battery missing detection and a variety of status and fault registers.
Applications
The SMB339 is ideal for a wide range of portable devices such as mobile phones, smartphones/PDAs, portable media/MP3 players (PMP), portable GPS navigation, portable game consoles, and digital cameras/camcorders (DSC/DCC). The features and integration of the SMB339 make it especially suited for devices that include a USB interface because it allows a tiny, low-cost industry-standard micro USB connector to be the primary data and power/charging interface.
The SMB339 operates with an input range from +3.5V to +6.2V input and safely withstands continuous input over-voltage up to +16V (non-operating), while protecting downstream circuitry. The SMB339 is offered in a tiny 2.3mm x 2.0mm, 20-ball, lead-free chip-scale (CSP) package with an operating temperature range of -30C to +85
September 2008
ANADIGICS Delivers 3G PA to LG Electronics for Newest Touch Screen Handset on AT&T Network
September 30, 2008
Warren, NJ, September 30, 2008- ANADIGICS, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANAD) today announced that the Company is delivering HELP2™ PAs to LG Electronics for its new 3G Vu™ mobile device currently available through AT&T.
The LG Vu™ is one of the first touch screen devices to support AT&T Mobile TV, allowing users to view live streaming TV shows right in the palm of their hand on a 3" display. The ultra slim design of the Vu™ offers a 2.0 megapixel camera with zoom, music player, messaging, mobile e-mail and web browsing abilities. This 3G handset brings mobile handsets to the next level by delivering significantly longer talk time by utilizing the power saving features of ANADIGICS HELP2™ technology
"ANADIGICS is pleased to share the excitement of next generation technology with LG Electronics as we continue to aid in their development of new products enabled by our PAs," said Dr. Ali Khatibzadeh, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of Wireless Business at ANADIGICS. "Our HELP2™ power amplifiers consume significantly less battery power, allowing users longer talk time on a feature rich mobile device like the Vu™."
ANADIGICS' HELP2™ family of power amplifiers deliver low quiescent current and significantly greater efficiencies at power levels where the phone operates most of the time and consumes up to 50% less battery power than conventional 2-state power amplifiers over the full range of powers in modern wireless networks. HELP2™ products include a built-in voltage regulator that eliminates the need for an external reference voltage and associated switches in the phone design.
Wi-Sys Launches The WS1551QF Lband +
Wi-Sys Communications Inc., a leading manufacturer of high performance Telematics antennas,
The WS1551QF is an active right hand circularly polarized quadrifilar helical antenna. It provides an omni-directional, cardoid radiation pattern, with peak gain optimized at elevation angles between 0° and 40°. The WS1551QF is a high performance wideband antenna, covering both the L-band downlink frequency band (1525 to 1560 MHz) and the
It features a precisely tuned quadrifilar antenna element, 15KV ESD circuit protection, a high gain two-stage low noise amplifier (LNA) and a ceramic filter. As well it is housed in a weather proof, industrial grade enclosure with a bulkhead TNC Jack connector. At high latitudes, where the elevation angle to satellites is 30° or less, the WS1551QF antenna provides a significant performance advantage over the more commonly used patch antennas.
For more information, please contact:
Broadband Technology on +44 (0) 1727 791000
Or email: wi-sys@broadband.uk.com
August 2008
Summit's Programmable Environmental Monitor Provides Real-time Power Information and Enables Green System Designs
Real-time output voltage and input current monitoring allows for sophisticated power control, while output voltage margining maximizes system reliability.
Read more about Summit Micro >>
The monitoring semiconductors are ideal for high-reliability environments requiring real-time power intelligence, high-accuracy monitoring and system protection to ensure high performance and zero downtime. Typical applications are in computing, data communications, and telecommunications.
"Real-time power monitoring enables "green" system operation and addresses the electronics industry's efforts to minimize power losses in high-power systems," stated George Paparrizos,
Features
The SMM151 and SMM152 devices provide output voltage margining with a range of 0.3V to VDD (up to 5V) or a wider range via an external resistor divider. The high-accuracy (1% or better) control of the output voltage ensures signal integrity of digital chips, even when low-accuracy DC/DC converters are utilized. Furthermore, margining during development or production enables worst-case testing of power supply tolerance combinations, thereby increasing overall system reliability for maximum product quality and minimum field failure rates (and associated costs). The SMM151 and SMM152 allow margining control via I2C commands or two dedicated pins.
All devices offer two general-purpose voltage comparators that can be used for detecting under- and over-voltage conditions. Furthermore, the SMM152 and SMM153 also integrate four general-purpose inputs/outputs, whose power-on state is determined by non-volatile memory settings. Two logic outputs are also available for notifying the system of error conditions and of margining status.
Programmability
The SMM151/2/3 family provides Digital Power Management via an I2C interface and non-volatile memory allowing the user to retrieve real-time parametric information (voltage/current) and configure power functions, such as: glitch filter duration for ignoring spurious noise signals, margin delay, margin high and low limits, GPIO power-up polarity, voltage monitoring mode (under-voltage or over-voltage) and device handling of fault conditions. Enhancing flexibility even further, the device can be programmed during development and then used in a "fixed" configuration, or it may be re-programmed in-system via the I2C interface. 256 bytes of general-purpose EEPROM memory are also available for system use, thereby eliminating the need for external EEPROM chips, frequently used for data logging.
The SMM151/2/3 family is supported by
Applications
The SMM151/2/3 family is ideal for a wide range of computing and datacom equipment such as computing servers, wireless and wireline routers, switches, storage servers, telecom equipment, as well as other "high-reliability" applications utilizing high-performance ASICs, CPUs, DSPs and FPGAs. The real-time power supply information is particularly useful in applications that focus on high-efficiency (Green) operation.
The SMM151/2/3 operate directly from +2.7V to +5.5V input, however their current sense input can accept voltages from +4.0V to +15V, making them ideal for monitoring +12V power input rails. The devices have an operating temperature range of +0oC to +70oC or -40oC to +85oC and are available in the space-saving 5mm x 5mm 28-pad QFN package that is lead-free and RoHS-standard compliant.
July 2008
INVENSENSE™
World's Leading Multi-axis MEMS Rate Gyroscope Enhances Performance of Latest "Wii MotionPlus" Accessory
InvenSense Inc., a leading provider of MEMS-based motion sensing solutions for image stabilization, dead reckoning navigation, 3D remote control, and gaming devices, today announced that its
Wi-Sys Raises the Standard by Introducing the WS5012 and WS5012-E, Very High Sensitivity Tracking & Timing
Wi-Sys are very pleased to launch the WS5012 and WS5012-E
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June 2008
June 24, 2008 Anadigics Launches family of active splitters designed for Set-Top Boxes with multiple Tuners
23 June 08 Anadigics Launches fully intergrated 1GHz Tuner. Read the article>>.
10, JUNE 2008
May 2008
27 May 08 Wi-sys Launches the WS3971 Permanent mount
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April 2008
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March 2008
January 2008
24 JAN 08 Invensense Introduces The World's Smallest Dual-Axis Gyroscope Read the article>>.