e-Ismosys edition 6

e-Ismosys Issue 6: The newsletter for users and partners of Ismosys.com

Low-Power, Small 4-Mbit SPI Serial Flash Device Improves Performance, Reliability and Battery Life

SST (Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.) has released details of the latest addition to its widely adopted 1.8V 25WF Series SPI serial flash memory family. The 4-Mbit, small form factor SST25WF040 extends all the benefits of serial flash technology, including reductions in chipset pin counts, board space, power consumption and cost, to a wider range of battery-powered, small form factor wireless electronics.

The SST25WF040 has a full voltage range from 1.65V to 1.95V for read and write operations and a fast read speed of 40 MHz. The maximum active power consumption for both read and write operations is significantly less than that of the lowest power 3V products currently on the market. Active read currents are 4 mA (typical at 40 MHz), standby currents are only 2 µA (typical) and maximum write currents are 10 mA for both program and erase operations. With this performance, the 25WF Series offers the lowest voltage and lowest standby current consumption in the industry for SPI serial flash.  The SST25WF040 is offered in an 8-lead, 150 mils SOIC package.

The SST25WF040 is rated for industrial temperatures (-40°to +85° Celsius) and offers 100,000 read/write cycles minimum per memory block for high-endurance applications. The device is available in an industry-standard SOIC package with other smaller package options available later this year. In addition, the device is offered as Known Good Die (KGD).

Availability
The SST25WF040 is in volume production and samples can be requested from Ismosys.com. Like all products in SST’s 25WF Series the SST25WF040 is lead free (non Pb) and fully RoHS compliant.

High Performance Linux tools for the ADI Blackfin DSP Family are Available Now!

The MARBO 3EX is an advanced ADI Blackfin-based reference board developed by Macnica to extend rich functionality for ADI’s ADSP-BF533/537/561 EZ-Kit development boards.

Since 2004 Linux has been the most popular operating system among embedded systems engineers. Principal among the numerous reasons cited for its popularity are: Licensing cost advantages; flexibility of source-code access; the maturing ecosystem of applications and tools; and growing developer experience and familiarity.

The combination of the MARBO-3EX and the bundled uClinux SDK creates the optimum tool to assist developers of embedded software systems in implementing today’s most desirable I/O functionality such as: LCD Touch Screen; USB2.0 Device/Host; SD/CF card; Ethernet; HDTV/SDTV and IR TV remote control.
 
Compared to previously available Blackfin-based uClinux solutions, the MARBO 3EX offers significantly increased I/O support and portability thanks to Macnica’s tuning of the uClinux kernel.
 
All I/O software drivers and sample application software included in MARBO-3EX reference board are open-source and engineers can use them free of all license and royalty charges. Moreover, the free GNU tool chain enables users to quickly and easily set up sophisticated development environments.

  

MARBO-3EX Extension Board
 



Numonyx’ first Serial Flash family targets fast data transfer applications

Numonyx™ has introduced a new family of high capacity non-volatile Serial Flash memories that addresses the needs of designers for fast transfer of data and parameters.

Available in both E²Prom and Atmel pinout variations Numonyx M25/M45PE devices offer densities ranging from 1Mb to 16Mb and are ideal in any application that demands fast and light changes of program-code.

Differing only in their pin configuration the new M25PE (E²Prom pinout) and M45PE (Atmel pinout) memories feature a higher granularity than previously available Serial Flash devices. Offering densities ranging from 1Mb to 16Mb each 256 byte page of the new M25/M45PE devices can be individually erased and programmed, with a Write instruction providing users with the ability to update data at byte level.

M25/M45PE16
The first Numonyx 16-Mbit Page-Erasable Serial Flash with 4 Kbyte Sectors, the M25/M45PE16 is accessed via a high-speed SPI compatible bus. The memory can be written or programmed 1- to 256 bytes at a time using the page write or page program instruction. The memory is organized as 32 sectors, each containing 256 pages. Each page is 256-byte wide, so the entire memory comprises 8,192 pages or 2,097,152 bytes. The M25/M45PE16 provides a bulk erase function that enables a page, a subsector, a sector or the entire memory to be erased with a single instruction.
 
Featuring fine Erase and Program granularity the M25/M45PE16 device is ideal for storage of BIOS parameters and is the device of choice in any application that demands fast and light changes of program-code.

 

DC/DC buck converters extend battery life in portable applications

Semtech’s latest dual-output synchronous DC/DC buck converters feature eight VID programmable output voltage settings that enable designers of portable systems to lower processor voltages and extend the battery life of mobile/cordless phones, MP3 players and handheld game consoles. 

The SC198 and SC198A provide flexible options for powering core ICs in fixed 5-V, single Li-ion cell portable systems or 3-cell NiMH/NiCd systems. Typical applications include mobile/cordless phones, MP3 players and handheld game consoles.

Fig 1. Typical Application

 

The SC198 and SC198A operate with an input voltage range of 2.7V to 5.5V. Control pins enable users to digitally program the output voltage to eight different output pairs, ranging from 1.0V to 3.3V, eliminating the need for the four programming resistors that would otherwise be required.

Each of the two outputs from the SC198A is capable of supplying 800mA of current while the SC198 sources up to 600mA per converter.

Each channel from either converter operates with a fixed 1-MHz oscillator frequency, which maximizes the efficiency under normal loads. Under light loads, the regulators automatically transition to power save (PSAVE) mode to maintain high efficiency.

The oscillators on both channels operate 180° out-of-phase with each other to minimize the input ripple current. Both devices can be forced to fixed pulse-width modulation (PWM) mode to further reduce noise for sensitive applications. Device quiescent current in shutdown is less than 1µA.

The regulators provide short-circuit and thermal protection on the output to protect the devices under extreme operating conditions. The SC198 and SC198A are offered in thermally enhanced, RoHS- and WEEE-compliant 4 x 4-mm MLPQ-20 packages and are available in production quantities.

 

World’s Best Studio-Quality Audio DAC Delivers Unprecedented 134dB Dynamic Range

ESS Technology, has unveiled the world’s best studio-quality audio DAC. The Sabre Reference Digital to Analog Converter outperforms the hitherto best audiophile equipment by offering an unprecedented134dB dynamic range and -118dB total harmonic distortion for 44.1 to 192kHz sampling rate.

ESS Technology, a leading provider of high performance audio/video solutions, has unveiled the world’s best studio-quality audio DAC. The latest member of the ESS Vista™ family, the Sabre Reference Digital to Analog Converter outperforms the hitherto best audiophile equipment by offering an unprecedented 134dB dynamic range and -118dB total harmonic distortion for 44.1 to 192kHz sampling rate.

Bringing true studio quality audio to consumer digital home entertainment products including Blu-Ray/HD-DVD players, Universal DVD/DVD-Audio/SACD players and Home Theatre receivers, the Sabre Reference’s superior real-life performance is built upon a number of key ESS innovations: A patented multi-bit Hyperstream™ modulator with Dynamic Matching using 48-bit accumulator and 28-bit data path allows true reproduction of audio as it is mastered at the recording studio. Another patent-pending time-domain Jitter Eliminator enables unmatched audio clarity free from clock jitter common in digital audio systems.  

The Sabre Reference’s Hyperstream™ architecture supports mono, stereo, 4- and 8-channel output in current or voltage modes, featuring click-free soft mute and volume control, deemphasis, zero detect and programmable roll-off filter characteristics. In addition, the Sabre Reference integrates an all-digital SPDIF receiver and supports multi-channel digital audio in PCM or DSD formats. Despite its ultra high performance, the Sabre Reference operates with extremely low power, consuming only 100mW in 8-channel mode.

Housed in 64-LQFP package the Sabre Reference ES9008S Digital to Analog Converter is sampling now via Ismosys.com.

Also sampling via Ismosys.com is the Sabre Premier ES9006S Digital to Analog converter with 120dB dynamic range and - 102dB total harmonic distortion, housed in a 48-LQFP package.

Outsource your wireless product development to an internationally acclaimed engineering innovator

Founded in 1980 by Larry Schotz, one of the premier engineering innovators in the field of FM receivers, LS Research has grown into an internationally acclaimed wireless product development consultancy specialising in RF design, software development and in FCC / CE certification services.

LS Research offers a comprehensive portfolio of design services and is justifiably proud of the leadership position it maintains in the latest wireless technologies such as Wibree, Zigbee, Wireless USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, and UWB. Unusually for a wireless product design company LS Research sees its primary motivator as applying its technical innovation and engineering expertise to help clients take their business to the next level. With the experience of well over 300 customer radio designs, LS Research has contributed to the success of customers ranging from lowly startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Proven wireless product development experience
At the heart of LS Research's innovative talent is the core RF engineering group with over 28 years of proven wireless product development experience. The project scope ranges from turnkey, specific design service support, integration, to product testing and certification.

Capabilities include: Antenna Design & Test, Embedded Software and Firmware, Analog & Digital Design, DSP Development, PC Applications, CAD Design, Prototype Fabrication, Product Evaluation, Production Support, Pre-Certification Testing, ESD / Immunity Testing and FCC / CE Certification.

ESD/Interference protection chips suit high-frequency colour LCD interfaces

Semtech Corp. has released a new family of resistor-capacitor (R-C) protection devices that feature the low capacitance, high attenuation and low clamping voltage demands of high-frequency colour LCD interfaces used in GSM and CDMA-based 3G mobile phone handsets. 

The EClamp238xP series, part of Semtech’s EMIClamp protection portfolio, includes the four-line EClamp2384P, the six-line EClamp2386P and the eight-line EClamp2388P. The two-pole R-C filter network used in EClamp238xP devices has a 200-ohm resistor and two 12 pF capacitors, enabling the devices to offer minimal attenuation in the passband and 30 dB minimum attenuation from 800 MHz to 2.7 GHz.

Each device in the EClamp238xP family includes TVS diodes for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and a R-C network for electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) filtering and offers ESD protection to IEC 61000-4-2 Level 4 (±15 kV air; ±8 kV contact). High level integration enables EClamp238xP devices to replace up to 32 discrete passive devices in a typical handset design.

The EClamp238xP packages are narrow (1.6 mm) and low profile (0.58 mm) but vary in length depending on the number of lines supported. The flow-through design of the devices alleviates the need for signal routing for a faster and more convenient layout.

The EClamp238xP devices are available in the RoHS/WEEE-compliant Semtech Leadless Package (SLP), which offers the same small, low-profile design as "flip chip" alternatives, but with enhanced manufacturing durability.

 

RS-232 transceiver with integrated dc-to-dc converter

ADI’s latest RS-232 transceiver integrates a line driver, line receiver, oscillator, rectifier, regulator, voltage doubler, voltage inverter and transformers in a very small form factor SMT package. Featuring an on-chip dc-to-dc converter the new ADM3251E  isolates the power lines and data on chip.

Analog Devices Inc (ADI) has expanded its family of interface products with the addition of a tiny, fully isolated, single-package RS-232 transceiver with an on-chip dc-to-dc converter to supply isolated power. Housed in a very small form factor SMT package the highly integrated ADM3251E transceiver provides a robust serial communications interface with isolated power for use in harsh industrial and medical applications. It integrates a line driver, line receiver, oscillator, rectifier, regulator, voltage doubler, voltage inverter and transformers and isolates both the data and power lines on chip.

The SMT package enables system manufacturers to mount the transceiver using fully automated production tools, which reduces manufacturing steps and improves mechanical performance. 

Thanks to ADI’s innovative  iCoupler and isoPower isolation technologies the ADM3251E transceiver is the first surface mount RS-232 transceiver to feature full isolation of both the data lines and power. With a 2.5-kV isolation rating, it complies with industry-standard isolation regulations, including UL1577 and DIN VDE 0884-10, and exceeds the levels of robustness demanded in noisy operating environments such as isolated RS-232 diagnostic data ports in HVAC building control systems, industrial automation and control applications, point-of-sale equipment, programmable logic controllers, telecom and medical equipment. 
 

Latest RadiSys COM Express Module Features Intel’s Core 2 Duo Processor and GM45 Express Chipset 

RadiSys Corporation has introduced a compact COM Express module that leverages the lower power and increased processing capability of the 2.53GHz Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9400 and the Mobile Intel® GM45 Express chipset.
 

The Procelerant CEGM45 module supports up to 8GB DDR3 memory, 6MB cache, and SSE4 SIMD instruction enhancement and offers a range of data transfer, storage and processing facilities enabling portable devices to handle expanded workloads and functionality.

Targeting high-performance portable implementations in areas such as medical and machine imaging, test and measurement, and communications.  The compact 95mm x 125mm Procelerant® CEGM45 module is early to market with the lower power and increased processing capability of the 2.53GHz Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9400 and the Mobile Intel® GM45 Express chipset.  Module options that support the Type 2 pin-out enable them to provide a powerful performance upgrade for existing designs, while options for the Type 3 COM Express pin-out let device manufacturers keep ahead of the technology curve with performance-packed, future-focused designs.

With support for up to 8GB DDR3 memory, 6MB cache, and SSE4 SIMD instruction enhancements, the Procelerant CEGM45 provides the memory capacity and the advanced processing instructions demanded by processor-intensive applications such as medical and machine imaging, test and measurement, and communications platforms.  In addition, the on-board MicroSD socket, four SATA ports and single or dual Gigabit Ethernet provide increased data storage and transfer for moving or processing large images or data packets.  Advanced power management capabilities and 45nm process technology help the devices support stringent power and thermal requirements, extending the viability of this high-performance module into expanded application areas.

According to Wade Clowes, RadiSys’ V. P. and General Manager of commercial markets, manufacturers of imaging and communications equipment need next-generation processing performance as well as networking throughput, large storage and memory capacity and low power consumption: "Our introduction of the Procelerant CEGM45 COM Express module using the 45nm Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9400 provides these equipment manufacturers with the ability to extend the life of their existing designs while forging ahead into broader, more compute intensive application areas”.  

New Timing Safe™ technology simplifies Spread Spectrum modulation for reducing EMI
 
Faster data rates and the potential misalignment of clock and data paths are major headaches for engineers who implement conventional spread spectrum EMI reduction methodology in their designs: The typical approach is to spread the master clock at its origin in order to keep the data and the clock synchronized throughout the system and often...

...the master clock is distributed to several subsystems. Multiple subsystems can function satisfactorily when only the master clock has spread spectrum but in certain designs the subsystem clocks may require independent EMI spreading. In these cases the data and the clock can lose synchronization, which manifests itself as cycle slip.

PluseCore Timing Safe™ technology
Californian semiconductor company PulseCore has introduced a new technology that provides spread spectrum clock modulation for EMI reduction but with none of  the associated cycle-slip. Timing Safe™ buffer equipped devices can be inserted directly into the subsystem clock path as an Active Bead™ EMI filter to reduce subsystem EMI whilst maintaining system performance.

Above diagram illustrates a typical SDRAM platform. In this configuration, EMI is often found to be radiating from the SDRAM clocks. The standard way for engineers to overcome this problem is to source spread-spectrum from the system clock synthesizer at the clock source, as shown in diagram below.

When using standard spread spectrum clocking (SSC) the only viable placement for SDRAM lowering methodology is the source (system) clock but placing a standard SSC IC close to an ASIC raises a number of potential problems. For example, if the ASIC integrates a TV encoder then it’s likely that the TV encoder will not function correctly with SSC. Neither should conventional SSC ICs be placed directly on the SDRAM clock trace as this will cause cycle slippage and phase shift between the clock and data signals.

Above shows the same SDRAM platform with a PluseCore Timing Safe clock buffer device. Inserted directly onto the SDRAM memory clock distribution lines the device enables EMI reduction Spread Spectrum independent of the ASIC but does not affect any other area of the system. 

Timing Safe v conventional SSC
The waveform difference between Timing Safe and conventional SSC is shown below. Using a Timing Safe clock the spread spectrum signal is confined to a defined region, guaranteeing that the clock signal never loses synchronization with the data. In contrast, a standard SSC clock is spread without regards to data timing. Note that the clock is grossly misaligned and is no longer synchronous.

Figures below show the spectral response of a Timing Safe buffer with Spread Spectrum turned off. When Timing Safe Spread Spectrum is enabled the amplitude of the spectral harmonics is significantly reduced whilst critical constant data synchronization is maintained.

Conclusion
The PluseCore family of Timing Safe EMI reduction Spread Spectrum devices are ideal for high-speed clock platforms. They provide all the benefits of spread spectrum with the added benefit of data integrity, thereby providing systems designers with the flexibility to implement EMI reduction and FCC compliance exactly where it’s needed in the platform.

 

New Sensor Network Technology enables Wi-Fi devices to run for up to 10 years on a single AA battery

Founded in September 2006 GainSpan is an Intel Corporation spin-off specializing in ultra low-power System-on-a-Chip (SoC) solutions that leverages the widely deployed Wi-Fi (IEE® 802.11) network. The new GainSpan infrastructure enables the deployment of sensor systems that use standard tools and knowledge base and integrate seamlessly with existing management systems such as enterprise network management systems and SCADA industrial and building automation systems.

GainSpan developed its innovative GS1010 SoC specifically to meet the battery life and other requirements of today’s Wi-Fi sensor devices. Offering the flexibility to support a wide range of products and applications, it features an embedded 802.11b/g radio, two 32-bit ARM7 microcontrollers, real-time clock (RTC) and power management unit, FLASH and SRAM memories along with multiple I/Os and support for location awareness. The complete GainSpan OEM solution also includes a suite of easy-to-use development tools that makes development less complicated and time consuming, so speeding time-to-market. End users are supported by the GainSpan Management System (GMS), a software solution that sits in the network and addresses specific needs of managing Wi-Fi sensors and other connected devices.

Power Management
The innovative power management system of the Gainspan GS1010 SoC provides years of battery life and opens the door to new classes of Wi-Fi products and new applications. Typical design benefits delivered by the GS1010 and associated software include easy customization, reduced energy consumption, reduced costs and improved operational efficiency. From and end-user perspective, the Gainspan approach delivers a low total cost of ownership and high return on investment.

Typical GainSpan applications include:

• Industrial motors – monitor energy consumption to improve efficiencies
• Buildings - save energy, improve indoor air quality and safety
• Food and drug manufacturers - monitor temperature of goods through the supply chain
• Automotive manufacturing - track vehicles during production
• Oil refineries -  locate staff during emergencies
• Utilities - automatically read meters and monitor infrastructure equipment
• Public metro areas - monitor street and traffic lights, and support emergency response services
• Megastructures - automatically verify the safety of bridges etc after an earthquake
• Mining - accurately track real-time movements of miners
• Data centres - monitor and control temperatures and energy usage
• Hospitals - track patients, wheelchairs, diagnostic equipment, and staff

1 Amp Constant-Current, Low Dropout Driver Targets High-Power LED Lighting Applications

Catalyst Semiconductor has expanded its line of constant-current, low dropout driver (LDD™) products to include a new, simple-to-use, high-power, high-resolution linear-based, constant-current LED driver designed to drive long strings of LEDs.

The CAT4101 is a linear-based, constant-current LED driver designed to drive long strings of LEDs. It features a low dropout voltage drive of 500mV/1A. As a linear-based LED driver, Catalyst’s new LDD device does not require an inductor, which minimises component count and simplifies the overall design. And as inductors are a source of electrical noise the CAT4101 also contributes to the elimination of system interference.

LED current is set via an external resistor connected to the RSET pin of the CAT4101. The LED pin is compatible with voltages as high as 25V. This enables the CAT4101 to drive long strings of up to 10 LEDs, adjustable to 1 amp. The CAT4101 also offers high-speed, high-resolution PWM dimming, an ‘instant-on’ PWM control mode and thermal shutdown protection in the event of an over-temperature fault condition.

Fig 1. CAT1401 Typical Application

The CAT4101 constant-current, LDD is available in a 5-lead, TO-263 package that provides exceptional thermal dissipation and has been developed for driving LED illumination in architectural, landscape, automotive and general lighting products.

Samples and evaluation kits are available now. Projected lead-time for production quantities is currently 6 to 8 weeks from receipt of order.

New 1.8” and 2.5” Solid State Drives feature low power consumption, increased security and performance

SMART Modular Technologies has extended its acclaimed Xceed family of industrial-grade storage solutions with the addition of six new solid-state drives (SSD) targeted at defence, aerospace, industrial, and embedded applications.

2.5” XceedUltra2 SATA SSD 

  
Smart’s new 2.5” XceedUltra2 SATA SSD delivers industry-leading sustained read/write performance of up to 135MB/s and 105MB/s, respectively, while requiring fewer than 2 watts in active mode. XceedUltra2 is a native SATA-II drive, featuring a 3Gb/s maximum interface transfer rate and native command queuing (NCQ) support. XceedUltra2 is well suited for use in large external storage arrays for applications such as streaming video and data-intensive storage applications that require high throughput.

2.5” XceedUltraX2 SSD

The performance of the 2.5” XceedUltraX2, available with the 3Gb/s SATA interface and capacities from 32GB to 128GB, has been boosted to deliver a sustained throughput of up to 90MB/s read and 65MB/s write. Designed for a wide range of industrial, defense, and other embedded applications that require particularly rugged storage devices, the XceedUltraX family leads the industry in density with 128GB SLC NAND flash solutions in 9.5mm high packages.

1.8" XceedLite Low-power SSDs

Available in a range of densities up to 64GB, Smart’s new 1.8" XceedLite SATA SSD features a SATA-II 3Gb/s interface and operates at 72MB/s read and 55MB/s sustained write speeds. Designed to operate using less than 1 watt of power in active mode, this new SSD offers the extended battery life essential for ruggedised mobile applications.

2.5” XceedLite2 PATA and XceedLite2 SSDs

Smart’s 2.5” XceedLite2 PATA and XceedLite2 SATA drives offer capacities ranging from 1GB to 64GB while typically consuming less than 1 watt of power, regardless of density. The XceedLite2 SATA drive has a sustained throughput of up to 72MB/s read and 55MB/s write while the XceedLite2 PATA drive throughput is 40MB/s read and 23MB/s write.

This broad range of densities make the 2.5” XceedLite2 well suited for use in embedded applications such as medical devices, transportation systems, and ruggedised mobile computing. Additional uses for this powerful and compact SSD include serving as the operating system boot drive in a wide range of applications.

2.5” XceedSecure2 3Gb/s SATA SSD

Smart has boosted the performance of its 2.5” XceedSecure2 3Gb/s SATA SSD to operate at sustained throughput of up to 90MB/s read and 65MB/s write. Featuring EraSure® data security technology that meets the requirements of IRIG 106-07 Chapter 10.8 Digital-On-Board Recorder Standard for Declassification, the XceedSecure2 is available in 32, 64, and 128GB configurations, and it is ideal for use in extreme physical environments or for applications that require data elimination technology that meets defence industry standards.

According to Nigel Bond, Ismosys.com Business Development Manager, advancements in NAND flash technology have enabled Smart to make performance, capacity, and price improvements across its entire Xceed SSD family: “Smart’s intensive focus on lowering the power requirements of its SSDs and on exceeding the performance requirements of the industrial market has culminated in a portfolio of true industry leading industrial-grade SSDs”, Bond concluded.

Samples of the six new SSD drives will be available in Q3 ’08, with general availability expected shortly thereafter.

 

Latest modules make integration of ZigBee wireless products easy and highly cost efficient
 
LS Research an acknowledged leader in wireless product development, certification and manufacturing and  a member of the ZigBee Alliance has chosen Ismosys.com to handle its new family of ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 modules. Built around the latest ZigBee SOC platforms the new modules enabling OEMs to bring fully compliant ZigBee product to market quickly and with the minimum of compliance costs.

Founded in 1980 by one of the industry's premier designers of FM receiver circuitry, LS Research (LSR) came to prominence in the early 1990s with the availability of the ISM frequency bands. The company was widely applauded for its pioneering design work with FHSS and DSSS systems in both the 900MHz and 2.4GHz radio bands.

Expansion followed success and the intervening years have seen LSR align itself with major wireless semiconductor manufacturers to develop reference designs and customer support applications and further expand its service offering to include licensing of RF designs, contract manufacturing services and industrial design.

With the experience of well over 300 customer radio designs LS Research is today an acknowledged leader in wireless product development, certification and manufacturing and is a member of the ZigBee Alliance

A new family of ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 modules
Enabling OEMs to bring fully compliant ZigBee product to market quickly and with the minimum of cost, LS Research is now offering its family of fully certified ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 modules via Ismosys.com.

The Matrix (above), Freestar, and Apex ZigBee modules are based around the Texas Instruments CC2430, Freescale MC13192/3, or Ember EM250/EM260 Zigbee SOC platform.

Measuring 23mm x 29mm, the modules offer a compact, low cost, integrated solution for security, building automation, industrial control, and various other sensor applications.

Each module is pre-loaded with point-to-point and point-to-multipoint software and includes an integrated antenna and an adjustable power amplifier. Users also have the option of extending the transmission range using an external antenna, which they attach to the module via the built in MMCX connector. LSR’s Matrix, Freestar and Apex ZigBee modules are FCC, CE, and IC certified. The modules are fully supported by LSR’s range of development kits, also readily available through Ismosys.com.  

Integrated UHF Transceiver is Optimised for Remote RF Applications

Optimised for remote applications where low power consumption is essential, the Semtech SX12ll consumes a mere 3mA in receive mode and 25mA @ +1dBm in transmit mode. It operates in the 863-870 MHz, 902-928 MHz and 950-960 MHz frequency ranges and features a highly integrated architecture that ensures maximum design flexibility with the minimum of external components. 

The SX1211 features a highly integrated architecture that ensures maximum design flexibility with the minimum of external components. It complies with European (ETSI EN 300-220 V2.1.1) and North American (FCC part 15.247 and 15.249) regulatory standards.

Key features
- Low Rx power consumption: 3mA
- Low Tx power consumption: 25 mA @ +10 dBm
- Good reception sensitivity: down to -107 dBm at 25 kb/s in FSK, -113 dBm at 2kb/s in OOK
- Programmable RF output power: up to +12.5 dBm in 8 steps
- Packet handling feature with data whitening and automatic CRC generation
- RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) range from Rx noise floor to 0 dBm
- Bit rates up to 200 kb/s, NRZ coding
- On-chip frequency synthesizer
- FSK and OOK modulation
- Incoming sync word recognition
- Built-in Bit-Synchronizer for incoming data and clock synchronization and recovery
- 5 x 5 mm TQFN package

Newsflash -  Spectrum Electronics Group Appointed To Represent Numonyx B.V. in Benelux and Iberia

Oxfordshire UK, September 11th 2008: Numonyx B.V., the company formed by combining the Flash memory business of Intel and STMicroelectronics, has appointed the Spectrum Electronics Group to provide additional sales and marketing support on its behalf in the key Benelux and Iberian European territories.

Numonyx is a flash memory specialist engaged in developing and producing innovative memory system solutions using combinations of leading NOR, NAND and RAM memory technologies as well as the new Phase Change Memory technology.

Spectrum Benelux (Belguim, Netherlands & Luxemburg) and Spectrum Electronica (Spain & Portugal) will focus on introducing Numonyx technology and products to Tier 1 OEM customers and will work closely with the manufacturer’s Channel Partners to secure new design-wins from customers engaged in next-generation consumer and industrial products. Target applications include mobile handsets, MP3 players, digital cameras, ultra-mobile computers and portable industrial and medical equipment.

According to David Thomas, Spectrum’s Director of Business Development, Numonyx will make available a significant lineup of NOR and NAND technologies for added growth together with DRAM products that provide unique product depth and value:  “The Numonyx product portfolio together with the expertise and flexibility provided by Spectrum’s independent, international sales, marketing and operations (I.S.M.O.) business model is a recipe for European success”, said Thomas. “We already represent a number of Flash vendors in these territories and the focus we apply on their behalf will be in no way diminished. The balance of density, performance, power and cost offered by Numonyx products opens the door to applications that we don’t currently address and will enable these new customers to benefit from Spectrum’s unparalleled technical sales, marketing and back-office infrastructure.”

For its part Numonyx acknowledge that Spectrum has exactly the right credentials to help develop these two important markets for its broad range of leading-edge technologies and products: “Together, Numonyx and Spectrum have the ability to deliver a uniquely competitive edge to memory customers in Benelux, Spain and Portugal”, said Philippe Bergé Numonyx VP for the EMEA Region.