Electronics Weekly: Semiconductors, Sensors and Connectivity

Peregrine Semiconductor's Discontinued Products Are Now Available Through Arrow Electronics

Peregrine Semiconductor Corp. has announced the availability of its discontinued products through the Arrow Electronics' Supply Assurance program, enabling customers to order obsolete Peregrine products beyond the product's end-of-life process and last-time-buy event.

Arrow procures inventory through its Supply Assurance program to extend factory-direct support. The program supports its customer’s ongoing demand for five to 10 years after manufacturing has been discontinued. Parts purchased from Arrow are shipped with full certificates of compliance, which removes the risk of counterfeit parts entering supply chains.

Customers can purchase Peregrine's discontinued products through Arrow's Supply Assurance program, or contact your local Richardson RFPD or Arrow Electronics salesperson.

SII Semiconductor Supports Automotive Industry with Analog Semiconductors

(Image courtesy of SII Semiconductor.)

SII Semiconductor Corporation, a subsidiary of Seiko Instruments Inc., supports innovative automotive developments with its continuously expanding product line-up of analog semiconductors, featuring low current consumption and compact packages. AEC-Q100/PPAP qualification is available on request. Find more detailed information about all automotive products on the SII Semiconductor products website.

S-57P1 Series - Bipolar Hall switch with high accuracy of +/-1mT at temperatures up to 150°C, which allows use of cost efficient magnets for rotation detection in brushless DC motors (BLDC)
S-19400 Series - Watchdog timer with selectable mode and RESET function - consumes (3.8µA) and increases operational reliability of a microcontroller significantly.
S-19680 Series - High-side switch with current monitoring which simplifies connection diagnosis in various antenna applications like GPS and e-call.
S-19200 Series - 200mA-LDO regulator with 50V input - provides stable power supply inside engine control unit (ECU) and other car applications.
S-19311 Series - 200mA-LDO regulator with RESET function - fits with its compact TO-252-2S DPAK compatible package into smaller ECUs.
S-19244 Series - 1A-LDO regulator with soft-start function - is designed for cutting-edge Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
S-19190 Series - Protection IC for Electric Double-Layer Capacitor (EDLC) with cell-balancing function, which prevents capacitor overcharge and simplifies balancing circuitry of series connected capacitors.

US Sensors Market to Grow at a CAGR of Over 7% Through 2021

According to a TechSci Research report, United States Sensors Market By Type, By Application, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021, the sensors market in the United States is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 7% during 2016-2021. This is due to increasing numbers of users of smart devices, growing adoption of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) based micro-machine sensors, rising market acceptance of smart pressure sensors, and growing adoption of sensors for use in other fields.

A growing smart vehicles market and rising adoption of sensors by automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) is also propelling demand for sensors from the automotive sector in the United States. Rising demand from the automotive segment in the country is supported by implementation of regulations that mandate use of specific sensors in vehicles.
Touch sensors dominated the United States sensors market in 2015, followed by image, temperature and position sensors. Growing adoption of sensors by smart device manufacturers is driving the demand for sensors across different application segments including consumer electronics, automotive, defense and healthcare, to name a few.

Major players operating in the United States sensors market include InvenSense Inc., ST Microelectronics, Microchip Technology, and ALPS Electronic. The Western region was the largest market for sensors in the United States, followed by Southern and North East regions.
The report has evaluated the future growth potential of the United States sensors market and provided statistics and information on market size, consumer behaviour and trends. It was written with the intent to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation by also identifying and analyzing emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in the United States sensors market.

Read more details of the report on TechSci’s website.

Texas Instruments’ New Voice Remote Control Solutions

(Image courtesy of Texas Instruments.)

Texas Instruments has announced new voice remote control solutions as part of its SimpleLink ultra-low power platform. These were created to help developers easily add low power Bluetooth®, ZigBee® RF4CE™ or multi-standard connectivity to their designs for voice remote controls, TVs, set-top boxes and more.
Using the MSP430FR2633 MCU with CapTIvate™ technology, developers can add features like gesture pad, capacitive buttons, sliders and grip detection to their remote designs while operating at less than 4 uA average current.

The SimpleLink ultra-low power wireless MCU-based development kit for remote controls is available now on the TI Store and through authorized distributors.

CC2650RC: USD $49.00 including the remote control kit and quick start guide.
There are also additional development kit bundles available for Bluetooth low energy and RF4CE.

The SimpleLink ZigBee RF4CE CC2620 and Bluetooth low energy CC2640 wireless MCUs are available in different QFN package sizes from 4x4 to 7x7 mm, as a solution to create feature-rich remote controls with different technologies. Pricing is as follows starting at:

CC2620 wireless MCU for RF4CE: $ 2.60 in 1,000 unit volumes
CC2640 wireless MCU for Bluetooth low energy: $ 2.60 in 1,000 unit volumes
CC2650 wireless MCU for multi-standard connectivity: $ 3.00 in 1,000 unit volumes

To learn more, read this blog post.

Digi International Key Supplier of Zero-Emissions-Capable London Taxi

Frazer-Nash utilizes the Digi CC6 to process information from the drivetrain to the instrument display, and to provide wireless connectivity to deliver a more interactive driver and passenger experience. (Image courtesy of Digi International.)

Digi International, a provider of machine-to-machine (M2M) and IoT connectivity products and services, today highlighted its role in the development of Ecotive's Range Extended Electric (REE) Metrocab taxi —the only zero-emissions-capable black cab currently operating in London.

The taxi's core powertrain and infotainment systems, which have been developed by Frazer-Nash Research, use the Digi ConnectCore® 6 (Digi CC6) System-on-Module to drive the Metrocab's entire driver instrumentation and passenger displays. Frazer-Nash utilizes the Digi CC6 in two key areas – first in processing information from the drivetrain to the instrument display and, secondly, in providing wireless connectivity to deliver real-time information, application updates and a more interactive driver and passenger experience.

Information that the Digi CC6 processes and presents to taxi drivers includes a wide array of vehicle use and trip information, weather and location details, and infotainment - including music, gaming and Wi-Fi connectivity for passengers.

The taxi is driven by two electric motors with a 1-liter petrol engine coupled with a generator (the range extender) which charges the battery pack. Alternatively, charging can be achieved via any mains outlet, ensuring an even lower fuel consumption.

Ecotive's REE Metrocab will on display at Connected Cars '16, taking place June 28-30 at the Olympia Grand, London.

For more information, visit the Digi International website.