Pico Technology PicoScope 3207A
USB 3.0 Oscilloscopes
The PicoScope 3207A is a two-channel USB oscilloscope with a 250-MHz bandwidth, a 1-GSPS sampling rate, a 256-ms buffer memory, and a built-in function generator. Its basic time base accuracy is ±2 ppm. The 3207A’s additional features include digital triggering for accurate, stable waveform display and equivalent-time sampling, which boosts the effective sampling rate to 10 GSPS for repetitive signals.
The PicoScope 3207B oscilloscope has a 512-ms buffer memory and includes an additional 32,000-sample arbitrary waveform generator with a 100-msps update rate. Since the oscilloscope is powered from the USB port, an external power adaptor is unnecessary.
The oscilloscopes come with the PicoScope software for Windows, which includes automatic measurements, serial decoding of RS-232/UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, local interconnect network (LIN) and FlexRay data, and mask limit testing. Software updates are free of charge. A free software development kit (SDK) that includes sample code in many languages and enables you to write your own data-acquisition programs, is also available.
The PicoScope 3207A and 3207B USB 3.0 oscilloscopes cost $1,813 and $1,978, respectively, including a set of two probes.
Pico Technology
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XP Power JCA10 DC-to-DC Converter
Ultra-Compact DC-to-DC Converter Family
The JCA10 series of single- and dual-output 10-W metal cased DC-to-DC converters is well suited for a variety of application environments. The converters operate from –40°C to 100°C and do not derate until 70°C. No additional heatsinking or forced air cooling is required.
The small-footprint converters are packaged in an ultra-compact 0.4” × 0.8” × 1” (10 mm × 20.3 × 25.4 mm) format. Since the converters occupy less PCB space than conventional designs, you can easily reduce the size of new developments or utilize the board space for additional features. The industry-standard DIP-24 pinout makes the converter an ideal drop-in replacement for existing designs.
Accommodating a 2:1 input range, the JCA10 series offers a choice of four nominal input voltages (5, 12, 24, and 48 VDC). Its inputs are 4.5–9, 9–18, 18–36, or 36–75 VDC with standard under-voltage lockout. For each input voltage, the single-output models offer 3.3-, 5-, 12-, or 15-VDC outputs. The dual-output versions provide ±5, ±12, or ±15 VDC. Outputs are fully regulated, varying no more than ±0.3% over all input conditions, and less than ±1% across all load conditions. The JCA10 converter series offers basic 1,500-VDC input-to-output isolation and 500-VDC case-to-input or output.
The JCA10 single-output models cost $26.52 in 500-unit quantities. The dual-output models cost $28.89.
XP Power, Ltd.
EMAC SoM-9X25
Wide-Temperature System on Module
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The SoM-9X25 is a system on module (SoM) based on Atmel’s AT91SAM9X25 processor. A SoM is a small embedded module containing a microprocessor system’s core.
This wide temperature, fanless ARM9 400-MHz SoM includes an Ethernet PHY along with six serial ports with auto RS-485. It utilizes up to 1 GB of NAND flash, up to 8 MB of serial data flash, and up to 128 MB of DDR2 RAM.
The SoM-9X25 uses the same small 144-pin SODIMM form-factor (1.5” × 2.66”) as other EMAC SoMs. The board includes the entire ARM processor core (i.e., flash, memory, serial ports, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, I2S audio, CAN 2.0B SDIO, PWMs, timer/counters, digital I/O lines, video, clock/calendar, etc.)
The SoM-9X25 plugs into a carrier board containing all the connectors and any custom I/O an application requires. This approach enables you or EMAC to design a custom carrier board that meets your I/O, dimensional, and connector requirements without worrying about the processor, memory, and standard I/O functionality.
The SoM-150ES, which is the SoM-9X25’s recommended off-the-shelf carrier board, enables you to use Linux or the WinCE operating system and tools to immediately start coding your application.
A free Eclipse IDE for Linux development is available from EMAC. All the compiling, linking, downloading, and debugging inherent to software development can be accomplished from one easy-to-use, high-level interface. Microsoft Visual Studio 2005/2008 can be used when developing for Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 applications. Visual Studio and Eclipse supply everything needed to develop SoM-9X25 applications. EMAC also provides an SDK for the SoM-9X25, which contains source examples and drivers.
Contact EMAC for pricing.
EMAC, Inc.
Murata-Cogiscan Magicstrap
RFID-Based PCB Traceability Solution
Murata’s MAGICSTRAP for PCB radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking device has been integrated with Cogiscan’s Track Trace Control. The joint Murata-Cogiscan solution expands on standard PCB tracking by utilizing ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID technology, which provides a read-writable data repository on the PCB and enables fast, reliable scanning. The seamless integration of Murata’s RFID technology with Cogiscan’s track and trace platform makes RFID tracking of circuit boards possible as a plug-and-play technology.
The integrated, RoHS-compliant product includes a 515-bit memory capacity, a 4-5-m read range, and a compact, 0.55-mm × 1.6-mm × 3.2-mm footprint.
Contact Cogiscan or Murata for pricing.
Cogiscan, Inc.
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Murata Power Solutions, Inc.
Mosaic Industries PDQ Board Lite
Single-Board Computer Simplifies Instrument Control
The PDQ Board Lite is a low-cost, single-board computer (SBC) and development board that hosts the Freescale Semiconductor HCS12/9S12 microcontroller and an embedded real-time operating system (RTOS). This GNU C-programmable instrument controller is well suited for data acquisition and control, PWM drive, I2C sensor interfacing, laboratory automation, scientific instruments, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and instrumentation.
The compact 2.5” × 4” SBC provides the same I/O as the Freescale MC9S12A512 processor chip, including dual logic-level and standard RS-232 serial ports, 10-bit resolution analog inputs, I2C, dual SPI links, PWM, and timer-controlled digital I/O. The PDQ Board Lite is powered by 5 V, which is delivered by an I/O header or a standard microcontroller-USB connector.
The PDQ Board Lite contains an embedded RTOS in firmware and is programmed using a C-based integrated development environment (IDE). The Mosaic IDE+ is a comprehensive GNU environment that simplifies multitasking application coding and enables users to edit, compile, download, interactively debug, and run application programs.
Contact Mosaic for pricing.
Mosaic Industries, Inc.
Elsys TranAX 3.4
Data-Acquisition Software Adds Application-based Features
Elsys has added new features to its TranAX 3.4 (formerly TransAS) client-server-based transient recorder application and signal analysis software. The software remotely controls data acquisition equipment over 1-Gb LANs from any location worldwide. Applications that benefit from the enhancements include ballistics measurement, crash testing, structural health, seismic research, field testing, stray voltage detection, variable-frequency drive diagnosis, connector conductivity testing, high-voltage switching, and rail and automotive control and monitoring.
Video recordings in common formats (e.g., AVI, MP4, MPG, etc.) can be imported and synchronously displayed with actual measurements signals. This enables you to use a high-speed camera simultaneously on screen to analyze measurement data and recordings. To analyze acoustic signals, frequency spectra can be displayed as standard, octave, or one-third octave. Audio signals can be weighted in dB-A or dB-C.
TranAX 3.4’s redesigned formula editor features more than 60 mathematical functions and includes an unlimited number of math traces for extensive signal analysis. Program functions (e.g., if/then, loops, end, true/false, etc.) make computing post-measurement results from multiple, simultaneous and/or sequential recordings easy and efficient. Events benefiting from these functions include multiblock recordings, a series of stored measurement files recorded by auto-sequence, or single-shot acquisitions with multiple events in one record.
The software enables application-specific computing algorithms to be stored and recalled for later use. Programming can be done separately in a higher-level language under Microsoft .NET. The resulting software code can then be integrated as DLL in TranAX.
Contact Elsys for pricing.
Elsys, LLC
STMicroelectronics STM32
Cortex-M4 Core-Based MCU
The STM32 expansion boards help increase the functionality of the STM32 F4 Discovery board, which is built around the STM32F4 processor and features 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 architecture. The newly available accessories include an LCD module (a 3.5” LCD and driver board) and a camera module (with an OV9655, which is a 1.3-megapixel CMOS SXGA image sensor). Both modules connect to the third accessory, a hardware extension base board that provides Ethernet connectivity by plugging directly into the Discovery board. The baseboard helps to extend out and conveniently offer all the interfaces on the STM32F4 Discovery board.
The hardware accessories are custom designed for the Discovery board STM32 F4 and come with the necessary software drivers. This series includes devices with pin-to-pin and software compatibility with the STM32 F2 series, but with more performance, DSP capability, a floating-point unit, more SRAM, and peripheral improvements (e.g., full duplex I²S, less than 1-µA RTC, and 2.44-MSPS ADCs). The ARM Cortex-M4 core features built-in single-cycle multiply-accumulate (MAC) instructions, optimized single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) arithmetic, and saturating arithmetic instructions.
The STM32 F4 series includes devices with 512 KB to 1 MB of on-chip flash memory, 192 KB of SRAM, and 15 communication interfaces. The expansion board’s additional features include a 1.2-V voltage regulator with power scaling capability, high-speed data transfer, and fast peripherals.
Contact STMicroelectronics for pricing.
STMicroelectronics
iWatt iW3630
SSL LED Driver Optimized for Commercial & Wireless Lighting
The iW3630 is a two-stage, digital AC/DC LED driver with 45-W output power that supports a PWM digital dimming interface for wireless solid-state lighting (SSL) applications. The iW3630 utilizes iWatt’s Flickerless technology to eliminate flicker across the entire 1% to 100% dimming range, while providing tight, ±5% LED current regulation. Flickerless technology incorporates a power factor correction (PFC) circuit comprised of a chopping circuit that ensures a high power factor and virtually eliminates the input line-voltage frequency component
The iW3630’s built-in isolation transformer driver works directly with 0-to-10-V dimming systems, eliminating the need for additional driver circuitry components and microcontrollers. Its PWM digital interface simplifies integration into wireless lighting systems.
The driver offers a low total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 15% to meet stringent global energy regulations, along with a built-in over-temperature protection (OTP) and derating function to improve a system’s predictability and reliability. In commercial and wireless applications, the built-in over-temperature protection and derating function eliminates the need for additional components for heat control. In addition, iWatt’s PrimAccurate primary-side control technology eliminates the need for a secondary-side regulator and optical feedback isolator, while iWatt’s EZ-EMI technology simplifies electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering to further minimize the external component count.
The iW3630’s digital control architecture simplifies ballast driver designs by enabling it to adapt to wide input and output conditions. Therefore, one configuration can support a range of LED string lengths to cover the entire output power range.
The driver’s on-chip over-temperature protection and derating feature monitors the temperature inside the ballast. When thermal conditions reach a point set by the system designer, the iW3630 LED driver automatically reduces the current drive to the LEDs, lowering the power dissipation and resulting in a cooler overall operation. This reduces the risk of thermal runaway, ensures the electrolytic capacitors in the lighting system’s temperature rating is not exceeded, and enables a predictable operating life.
The iW3630’s built-in protection features include LED open/short, input overvoltage, overcurrent, and current-sense resistor short protections. Additional features include 3-to-45-W output power and greater than 0.95 power factor.
The iW3630 is available in a standard, 14-lead SOIC package. It costs $1.16 in 1,000-piece quantities.
iWatt, Inc.
Touchstone TS7001
Two-Channel, 12-Bit SAR ADC
The TS7001 is an easy-to-use, stand-alone, 12-bit, 187.5-ksps ADC well suited for low-power, industrial, process control, and data-acquisition applications. Some portable and fixed-form-factor applications for the TS7001 include: optical sensors, touch panels, personal digital assistants, programmable logic controllers, and medical instrumentation.
The ADC combines a 10-MHz track-and-hold, a high-speed three-wire serial digital interface, and an internal ±0.5% initial accuracy 2.5-V reference. Operating from 2.7-to-3.6-V supplies, the ADC consumes approximately 3 mW when converting at 187.5 ksps.
The TS7001’s features include: One or two analog inputs each with a 0-V-to-VREF or a 0-V-to-VDD input range; four user-programmable, low-power operating modes including auto standby and auto power down; a 1-μA (max) shutdown-mode supply current; a –40°C-to-85°C operating temperature range; and an integrated 2.5-V, ±0.5%, 30 ppm/°C reference.
The TS7001 costs $1.15 in 1,000-piece quantities.
Touchstone Semiconductor, Inc.
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