White Paper:

Understanding Two-Wire Transmitters and 4-20mA Loops

As the leading analog[] transmission standard for industrial I/O, the future continues to look bright for the 4-20mA current loop. The current loop’s lossless nature, lower-sensitivity to induced noise, live-zero offset, fail-safe operation, easy scalability and abundance of inexpensive compatible devices make it very popular. Loop-powered two-wire transmitters and isolators/splitters which considerably simplify installation and conversion of real world signals (flow, level, temperature, pressure, etc.) into 4-20mA, continue to evolve with modern technologies.

But despite their popularity, two-wire transmitters and 4-20mA loops are often misapplied and many misconceptions exist. This white paper explains the proper way to use and install transmitters in a current loop. You’ll also learn how to determine required supply voltages, filter out noise, add fault protection, and compensate for wire resistance.

Download white paper on using two-wire transmitters and 4-20mA loops

www.acromag.com/page/whitepaper-intro-two-wire-[...]

Download 4-20mA isolator and transmitter application notes

www.acromag.com/sites/default/files/600T_Appl_N[...]

QUESTIONS: Contact Ms. Karen Haldenwanger at Acromag 248 295-0866 khaldenwanger@acromag.ccsend.com

• analog

BCM Advanced Research, an Intel® Embedded Alliance Associate member and a leading supplier of industrial motherboards and systems, is pleased to announce the launch of two new fanless dual-core Atom™ based industrial motherboards. The MX260N a full featured small form factor product based on the mini-itx standard.

BCM MX260N Mini ITX Motherboard featuring 3rd generation Intel Atom low-power processor onboard

The NX260N is a nano ITX ultra small footprint form factor. Both products are based on the new Intel® Atom™ processor N2000 series platform.

The MX260N and NX260N are equipped with the N2600 1.60 GHz dual-core low-power processor coupled with the Intel® NM10 express chipset with low TDP totaling only 5 Watts allow for fanless operation. Both boards support DDR3 800 MHz memory, provide improved graphics including HD decode and enhanced display options, plus offer longer battery life compared to the previous 45nm Intel® Atom™ platforms.

We are seeing an uptick in demand across most of our traditional embedded/industrial industries for fanless solutions based on the dual-core Intel® Atom™ technology. This is primarily due to the benefits of low power combined with increase in performance dual-core Atom™ offers providing tremendous value in terms of processing power per dollar.” said Tom Skibinski, vice president of sales and marketing for BCM Advanced Research. “Customers are able to make their products smaller, more efficient, more mobile, more reliable, and more cost effective – all the things low power and the newest Intel® Atom™ processors bring to the table. The Intel® Atom™ processor N2600, with its ultra low power and dual-core performance creates new green-field opportunities for power constrained or fanless applications needing the performance boost dual core provides.” added Skibinski.

“The new Intel® Atom™ processors N2600, N2800 and D2700 provide reduced power consumption while supporting multiple new features such as DDR3 memory and multi-display via VGA, HDMI, DVI, LVDS, Display Port and eDisplay Port,” said Jonathan Luse, director of marketing for the Intel® Intelligent Systems Group. “The Intel® Atom™ processor N2600 provides rich media and graphics through an integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3600 rendering at 400 MHz featuring DX9, OGL 3.0 support, MPEG 2, H.264, VC1/WMV9 video decoding. The new platform enables support for 3D applications which was not achievable by previous generation Intel® Atom™ platforms.”

MX260N mini-itx motherboard supports dual display via VGA up to 2048 x 1536, DVI-D up to 1920 x 1200, and 18/24-bit dual channel LVDS with up to 1920 x 1200 screen resolutions. NX260N nano-itx motherboard supports dual display via VGA up to 2048 x 1536, and 18-bit dual channel LVDS with up to 1920 x 1200 screen resolutions.

The MX260N measures 6.7 x 6.7 inches while the NX260N is smaller measuring at 4.7 x 4.7 inches. Both boards operate on 12V DC power and optimized to run fanless due to their low-power design. The boards provide longer battery life in many ways including deep standby to reduce S3 power, Intel® Display Power Saving Technology (Intel® DPST 6.0), which offers automatic display brightness control and seamless display refresh rate switching.

Combining all the features above, the MX260N mini-itx and NX260N nano-itx are ideal solutions especially for space constrained, battery operated, and cost conscious display applications such as digital signage, mobile medical systems, industrial automation, portable POS, gaming, and Kiosk industries.

For more information regarding custom motherboard based on the new Intel® Atom™ processor N2600, N2800 and D2700 platforms, please contact us at BCMSales@bcmcom.com. Please visit www.bcmcom.com if you are interested in our products and services.

* Intel and Intel Atom are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the US and other countries.

• graphics
• hd
• video
• digital signage

Adelberg/Germany, January 30, 2012 – ERNI Electronics today announced its entry into the growth market of computer-on-modules (COM). At Embedded World in Nuremberg (28 February to 1 March 2012), the company is presenting the first products of the new WHITEspeed family. With these products, ERNI is addressing the requirements of the market for powerful, reliable and space-saving embedded computers. In developing these COM products, ERNI has been able to draw on its extensive experience in the field of board and backplane design in addition to its core competency in compact and high performance connectors. The implementation of the new WHITEspeed interface standard benefits from the high speed and reliability of the MicroSpeed connectors. With this, the company is in particular addressing applications in harsh and demanding industrial environments such as in the field of transport, heavy engineering and automation exposed to high shock and vibration loads.

The popular ARM technology has now attained a level of performance that makes it attractive also for sophisticated embedded computing applications. Comprehensive operating systems and software support simplifies the development of software for numerous applications. With a new standard for ARM-based computer-on-modules, ERNI simplifies system development on hardware level and offers high signal integrity leveraging from the benefits of the MicroSpeed connectors.

The portfolio comprises a family of pin-compatible ARM-based mezzanine modules, which differentiate in terms of the CPU performance (clock rate, number of cores, coprocessors) and I/Os and memory capacity. In addition, a fully equipped, adaptable baseboard is available, which can be supplied also with an optional display. This carrier board is the development platform for the application software and, at the same time, the basis for customer-specific boards. Using four MicroSpeed signal connectors and one MicroSpeed power module, ERNI realises the new standardised interface (WHITEspeed 1.0) of the modules to the baseboard, which supports the following: Ethernet 10MB/100MB/1GB, SATA, PCIe x1/x4, Express Card, UART, USB 2.0 High Speed, CAN, I2C, SMB (system management bus), SPI, LVDS LCD display, SDVO (serial digital video out), HDA (high definition audio), SecureDigital memory card interface, GPIOs, RESET, Watchdog, PWM and optionally a camera interface.

On a credit card format (85mm x 55mm), the new mezzanine boards offer a powerful i.MX537 CPU from Freescale with an ARM Cortex-A8 core. To permit high-speed and reliable connection to the baseboard and I/Os, two-row 50-pin MicroSpeed connectors are available. The MicroSpeed connectors are characterised by the proven dual-leaf spring contact and the effective shielding. This allows high data rates (up to 10Gbps) to be transmitted reliably. This makes extremely compact, high-speed and reliable connections possible also in harsh industrial environments.

The use of MicroSpeed connectors offers decisive advantages with regard to reliability and robustness compared with alternatives using card-edge connectors or connectors with only one contact point. Thanks to the dual-leaf contacts, the MicroSpeed connectors not only offer high contact reliability but also an excellent mating tolerance.

As a CPU option for modules, ERNI Electronics initially offers an i.MX537 with ARM Cortex A8 (up to 800 MHz at -40°C to 85°C). The on-board memories include DDR3-RAM (1 to 2GB), reliable NOR flash (64 to 256MB) for the boot code, NAND flash (2 to 4GB) and I2C-EEPROM with up to 128KB for the configuration data. The CPUs also offer comprehensive power management functions.

For the product launch, Linux[] support is provided by a board support package (BSP). Real-time Linux, Windows (Windows Embedded) as well as additional operating systems are to follow on request.

ERNI Electronics GmbH

ERNI Electronics GmbH, which is a part of the ERNI International AG international company group, was established in 1956 and has its headquarters in Adelberg, Germany. ERNI develops and manufactures a wide range of connectors, backplanes and complete systems, soldering assemblies and prepared cables. ERNI operates on a worldwide basis, with branches in Europe, North America and Asia. More information can be found at www.erni.com

• embedded computers
• high performance
• connectors
• backplane
• embedded computing
• operating systems
• arm
• high definition
• camera
• video
• CAN
• power management
• windows embedded
• Linux
• soldering

Would-be LTE wholesaler LightSquared finally got some good news at the end of last week, as the Federal Communications Commission opened a request for comments on LightSquared’s argument that GPS equipment should not be legally protected from interference potentially caused by LightSquared’s network.

The public comment period will be open until Feb. 27, with follow-up responses due by March 13.

Things have been looking bleak for LightSquared in recent weeks after a leaked federal government report indicated that instance of interference had occurred during testing, and that no further tests would be administered. That news had come not long after LightSquared investor and partner Sprint officially put its partnership with LightSquared on hold.

The company also has been gradually running out of money, though billionaire Carl Icahn and others have been buying up debt, which arguably could signal some confidence that LightSquared will see better days.

LightSquared’s future is still largely up to the FCC, which has yet to officially rule on whether or not the network will be allowed operate as planned. The FCCis awaiting official interference test results, which could come at any time, though the new public comment period suggests that a decision could be at least a month and a half away. LightSquared still lives.

• lte

DUBLIN–Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com/research/238d93/cell[...]) has announced the addition of the “Cellphone Core Chip Trends: Market Analysis of Baseband, Application Processor, RF and Power Management Chips” report to their offering.

This extensive market study by industry experts Forward Concepts covers the core integrated circuits that enable cellphones. In this study the authors don’t just track basebands and application processors, but also track and forecast RF transceivers, power amplifiers, and power management units. Together, these chips comprise the core chips of all cellphones. The report provides 2010 vendor market shares for all of these core cellphone chip types and forecasts units, ASPs and revenues for all of them through 2015.

Of course, the buzz is now about fourth-generation cellular, in the form of LTE (Long Term Evolution). The authors highlight the currently-available LTE chips and their “sockets” at mid-2011.

To forecast baseband processors separately from application processors would be folly, since the two increasingly occupy the same die (or the same package). Stand-alone basebands currently account for barely half of that market, but will see that share diminish as technology and price pressures push for more integrated solutions.

The digital baseband processor market is now segmented into three categories:

Stand-alone digital baseband processors (SA DBB)

Integrated communication processors (Com DBB: application processors + baseband)

Integrated ultra-low-cost (ULC DBB) baseband with RF transceiver on the same die

This study explores the dynamics of each of these baseband types and profiles the chip providers and market shares for each of them.

In a similar vein, application processors are characterized in three different types:

Stand-alone Application Processors (SA-Processor)

Integrated communication processors (Com-Processor)

Video Co-Processors as adjuncts to basic RISC engines

This study explores the dynamics of each of these application processor types and profiles the chip providers and market shares for each of them.

The RF transceiver is a key component of mobile handsets, as it is the actual radio transmitter and receiver – once separate devices, but now available as a single device – and increasingly being integrated onto the baseband chip (at least for 2.5G solutions). The complexity of new radio components for advanced handsets has pushed the leading suppliers into two camps, those that specialize in power amplifiers bundled with transceivers as an optimized solution, and those that offer ultra-compact, multi-band transceivers and matching basebands fabricated with the latest CMOS technology.

Cellular handsets and other mobile devices require efficient power management unit (PMU) devices as companions to all processors, whether baseband or application processors, to ensure optimal system operation and long battery life. Because power management technology requires mixed-signal capability, analog[] baseband (ABB) and audio codecs are often integrated on the same die.

The authors believe that there is no other core cellphone chip market study available that has the breadth or depth of coverage of this one. You are invited to scan the table of contents to get an idea of the full extent of this valuable study and all of the components and companies covered.

With this valuable resource, you will be better equipped to understand the market and new business opportunities, to know your potential customers and to be better informed about your competitors. The market metrics provided are aimed at providing you with dependable information for your company’s next business plans.

As with all of Forward Concepts’ reports, your satisfaction is guaranteed!

SIZE: Report provided only in electronic form (PDF): 281 Pages, 65 Figures, 45 Tables, plus Appendix

Key Topics Covered:

Baseband Processors

Stand-alone Application Processors

Communication Processors

Radio Transceivers

Integrated Baseband & Rf Chips

Power Management Units

Companies Mentioned:

Akm

Altair Semiconductor Ltd.

Anadigics

Atheros Communications

Broadcom

Cirrus Logic

Dialog Semiconductor

FCI/Silicon Motion

Fujitsu

Huawei Technologies

And many more…

For more information visit www.researchandmarkets.com/research/238d93/cell[...]

• power management
• rf transceivers
• long term evolution
• lte
• video
• radio components
• transceivers
• transceiver
• radio
• mixed-signal
• analog

Corvil, a provider of latency management systems for global financial markets, today announced significant updates to its CorvilNet platform that will bring the benefits of latency management to multiple trading businesses and support teams in the same organization. This is in response to demand from customers looking to update and consolidate multiple disparate infrastructures into one common low-latency trading infrastructure that can be shared cost effectively across all businesses. Supported by a common product platform to assure performance and latency of the underlying data and transactions.

The new release extends the reach of the CorvilNet latency management platform into multiple asset classes and departments. A single CorvilNet installation can now serve multiple departments with the relevant analysis and metrics for their business needs. Executives, trading desks, trade support teams and infrastructure teams will now have one-click access to CorvilNet with real-time and historical views, tailored to their specific requirements. These views also include the option to restrict access to specific order flow. For example, multiple trading desks across asset classes can share a single CorvilNet deployment with the assurance that other trading desks cannot access their order flow analysis.

Donal O’Sullivan, VP Product Management Corvil said, “By replacing several outdated monitoring systems with a single latency management platform, which is flexible enough to meet the needs of the entire organisation, our customers are achieving considerable cost savings.”

One of the users is Deutsche Borse, which is refreshing its global latency monitoring system and adding new capabilities for its recent 10G co-location service with the latest version of the CorvilNet platform.

“CorvilNet provides both our customers and us with a complete and comprehensive latency insight of Deutsche Borse Group’s markets. With the upgrade to the new CorvilNet system we renew our commitment to offer the best services to our customers,” said Matthias Kluber, Executive Vice President Deutsche Borse, responsible for Networks and Infrastructure.

Other highlights in the release include the CorvilNet Latency Feed; which allows real-time multicast distribution of CorvilNet latency data; distributed multi-hop analysis; time of day alerting and zero traffic alerts, e.g. when market data or trading sessions fail.

The new release is available immediately; contact your Corvil sales representative for further information.

Corvil

Corvil is a provider of Latency Management systems for global financial markets. The company was founded in 2000 and operates from New York, London, Singapore and Dublin. Customers use Corvil for precision monitoring, troubleshooting and reporting of performance for their trading applications and networks. In addition, Corvil’s products are used to demonstrate latency compliance and transparency of services such as co-location, direct feeds and Direct Market Access (DMA) offered to trading clients. For more information on Corvil, please visit www.corvil.com.

• Infrastructure
• Transparency

Maxim Integrated Products announces that its G3-PLC protocol has been approved by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as a new low-frequency, OFDM-based narrowband powerline communications (NB-PLC) standard.

In partnership with Electricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF) and Sagemcom, Maxim developed the G3-PLC specification to promote open-endedness and interoperability among smart grid implementations. Currently, the G3-PLC is the only NB-PLC standard that supports the IPv6 internet protocol to allow new internet-based energy management systems. The specification also optimizes bandwidth, corrects errors, and provides a higher data rate that supports two-way communication for demand response and other smart grid applications. The result is an increase in the performance reliability of crossing transformers, enabling a dramatic reduction in deployment costs.

Last year, Maxim introduced the MAX2992, a PLC modem that pairs with the MAX2991 analog[] front-end (AFE) to provide the first fully compliant G3-PLC chipset solution. Today, several manufacturers offer ITU-compatible G3-PLC solutions based on this chipset, and one such solution is already being deployed in France. With the approval of G3-PLC as an international standard and with available solutions from multiple sources, utility companies can now plan their deployments utilizing G3-PLC to achieve cost-effective smart grid systems with confidence.

Adding intelligence into the existing power grid is a capital-intensive undertaking, and utilities have not wanted to make such a large investment without assurance that the standard they have chosen will be widely adopted. With the ITU’s support, G3-PLC has become one of those accepted standards. “The approved ITU NB-PLC family of international standards will be a fundamental building block for realizing a robust smart grid anywhere in the world, and will allow utilities to start immediate deployment of NB-PLC on a worldwide basis,” stated ITU Secretary-General Dr. Hamadoun Touré.*

Maxim and 11 other companies founded the G3-PLC Alliance last year to support the deployment of the G3-PLC protocol. “Both the formation of the G3-PLC Alliance and the final NB-PLC standard approval from the ITU provide the standardization and support that utilities need to begin deployments with the G3-PLC protocol,” said Michael Navid, Executive Business Manager for Powerline Products at Maxim. “The rapid ITU standardization and industry support for the G3-PLC Alliance are testaments to the advantages of G3-PLC and its ability to meet the speed, robustness, and ranges demanded by large-scale powerline networks.”

“One of the goals for the G3-PLC Alliance is to support standardization around the G3-PLC specification as an open international standard,” said Jean Vigneron, Secretary-General for the G3-PLC Alliance. “ITU is the first standards organization that has fully adopted it. We have this international standard today thanks to the dedication of many experienced experts in the field of communications and advanced metering infrastructure for the past several years.”

The G3-PLC open-standard approach and its global support enable developers to seamlessly adapt this next-generation PLC platform.

• powerline communications
• demand response
• smart grid
• analog
• advanced metering infrastructure

Watch the video demonstration from NXP Semiconductor at www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQyABSXenKA

• video

New from Alpha Micro is the GainSpan GS1500M, a high-performance 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi module together with enabling support for peer-to-peer networking that is designed for embedded devices which require next generation Wi-Fi connectivity services, such as security cameras, home appliances and industrial control systems. The module makes it easy to add Wi-Fi connectivity to standard 8-32 bit microcontrollers and is aimed at plug-and-play integration of Wi-Fi into embedded platforms using SPI or UART interfaces.

GainSpan next-generation Wi-Fi module from Alpha Micro brings leading edge connectivity to more embedded devicesModule enables new IOT applications

Building on GainSpan’s existing ultra low power embedded Wi-Fi portfolio, the feature rich module enables new opportunities for Internet of Things (IoT) applications where 802.11b/g/n connectivity is a key requirement.

“For typical IoT applications, customers look to optimize cost of deployment, range and power consumption, and in these cases 802.11b is ideal. This is especially true in the case of GainSpan’s GS1011M module, where 802.11b has been optimized for IoT applications, while maintaining interoperability with existing access points”, said Maxine Hewitt, Marketing Director, Alpha Micro Components. “Some of our customers, however, are looking at IoT applications that require higher radio network throughput, and this is where the GS1500M is required.”

GS1500M features

The GS1500M preserves the software architecture, feature set and is pin to pin compatible with the GS1011M module that is currently in production. This allows designers to leverage all previous hardware and software development work, preserve existing investments and ensure a smooth migration to 802.11b/g/n. In addition, the GS1500M module also offers configurable antenna options—built-in or external antenna. The GS1500M module is single-sided and designed so that it can be easily soldered down on the customer application baseboard.

On top of 802.11b/g/n capability, the new GS1500M provides supports for peer-to-peer networking. The result: Wi-Fi devices are able to connect to one another without an access point, enabling easy transfer of content anytime, anywhere.

Since ease of provisioning a device onto the Wi-Fi network is crucial in Internet of Things, particularly for devices with no user control buttons or display screen, the GS1500M offers three other provisioning modes — Wi-Fi Protected Set-up (WPS), Web server based Ad hoc provisioning and Provisioning Access Point modes, in addition to a rich suite of features such as Wi-Fi Personal and Enterprise security.

The new module utilizes a highly integrated 802.11b/g/n WLAN radio with leading edge receiver sensitivity and best-in-class transmit power of 18dBm, enabling excellent range. The module will be fully certified for major worldwide regulatory regions. It is an ideal solution for organizations with limited or no Wi-Fi or RF expertise, as it not only eliminates RF design time but also reduces the burden of testing and global certification, allowing customers to focus on their core product and application.

The GS1500M module’s highly integrated architecture allows for effective and dynamic power management. The module features extensive low power modes – with both a Sleep and Deep Sleep option. The module can be rapidly put to sleep to reduce power consumption without loss of data; the system can recover from the Deep Sleep state back to full operation in a few milliseconds.

Like all GainSpan embedded Wi-Fi solutions available from Alpha Micro, the GS1500M offers easy system integration and minimal use of host resources. It provides serial UART or SPI interfaces, making it possible to connect to any device using an 8/16/32-bit microcontroller via a few AT commands. Multiple firmware configurations of the embedded networking software stack are available on the module: For applications using a small 8-bit microcontroller host, the module supports a serial to Wi-Fi function, with the complete Wi-Fi and embedded (TCP/IP) networking software stacks running on the module, thereby completely offloading the host. For applications using a more powerful microcontroller host, the embedded networking software stack can reside on the host while the module provides all Wi-Fi functionality including security, WPS and provisioning features.

GainSpan’s offerings from Alpha Micro include an extensive suite of solutions including Wi-Fi chips, modules, evaluation and development kits. With GainSpan low-power embedded Wi-Fi solutions, customers across a variety of industries can now develop a whole new class of Internet-connected products.

• Peer-to-peer
• security
• wi-fi
• radio
• antenna
• power management
• microcontroller
• tcp

National Instruments has announced early access support for testing next-generation 802.11ac WLAN chipsets and devices. This announcement exemplifies how NI’s modular, software-defined wireless test platform continually expands to address the latest cellular and wireless connectivity standards including 802.11ac.

NI’s 802.11ac WLAN test solution provides flexibility in testing 802.11ac devices in addition to testing 802.11a/b/g/n devices. It works with a wide range of signal bandwidths including 20, 40, 80 and 80+80 160 MHz for both Tx and Rx for up to 4×4 MIMO configurations.

“By supporting the latest WLAN standard, 802.11ac, we are demonstrating the power of NI’s software-defined, modular test systems,” said Dr. James Truchard, President, CEO and Cofounder of National Instruments. “Our modular test platform delivers faster test times and lower total cost of ownership, and by combining it with LabVIEW, we help engineers address the latest emerging wireless standards.

802.11ac Solution Features

• Modulation formats up to 256 QAM

• 4×4 MIMO for both Tx and Rx

• Signal bandwidths including 20, 40, 80 and advanced 80+80 160 MHz

• Optional MAC features such as LDPC, STBC and AMPDU

• Automated test system development using NI LabVIEW, C or Microsoft Visual Studio

NI is working with several early access partners, including silicon suppliers, OEMs and electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers, to test the latest 802.11ac devices.

NI will be exhibiting the new 802.11ac test solution at Mobile World Congress (hall 2.0, booth 2B93) in Barcelona, Spain, from Feb. 27 through March 3.

• wireless
• MIMO
• LabVIEW

Orlando, FL (January 27, 2012) – The DiSTI Corporation, a software development and simulation training company based in Orlando, FL, announces another year of growth and expansion for the company. In 2011, DiSTI increased its employee base by 24% compared to 2010 staffing levels, and an astounding 97% when compared to 2009 levels. Accompanying the growth in staff, DiSTI’s worldwide software product sales grew 11% and engineering services grew 10%. To accommodate this growth, DiSTI has relocated to a new 10,500 square foot facility on Corporate Boulevard near the University of Central Florida. The new facility represents a 46% increase in floor space for the expansion and future growth plans over the next three years.

DiSTI’s worldwide product sales growth is attributable to its strategic extension into new vertical product markets. DiSTI’s software products have achieved significant penetration into the automotive industry and unmanned systems sector, bolstering the current foundation in aviation, simulation and training. DiSTI has also simplified their GL Studio® human machine interface product offering to reduce acquisition hurdles and has introduced a new tool, Replic8™, to simplify the development of interactive 3D training materials.

DiSTI’s professional engineering services continue leading the industry with the creation of advanced 3D virtual maintenance environments. DiSTI was awarded contracts from various clients, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, L-3 Communications, Rockwell Collins, and Oshkosh Defense. In August, Military Training Technology (MT2) magazine recognized DiSTI with a “Best Program” award for the work done on the F/A-18E Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT) delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force.

“While we are proud of our accomplishments for 2011, DiSTI is already looking forward to a flourishing 2012. The groundwork we laid last year has set the stage for success as we expand the adoption of our tools and technology into these new markets. In the coming months we hope to be able to announce some of the significant wins we have already made this year,” said Joe Swinski, President of DiSTI.

In addition to sales and employment gains, DiSTI earned numerous awards and honors in 2011. The Orlando Sentinel recognized DiSTI as a Top 100 Company for Working Families and GrowFL distinguished DiSTI as one of 50 up and coming Florida Companies to Watch. In addition, DiSTI received industry recognition from MT2 magazine with a fifth consecutive Top Simulation & Training Company award. For more information about DiSTI and the company’s products and services, visit www.disti.com.

About DiSTI

DiSTI is a global leader in the development of Human Machine Interface software for businesses, governments and the military. The company’s flagship product, GL Studio, enables programmers and developers to build high-fidelity graphics, 3D simulations and fully interactive controls into their models, enhancing the level of realism and sophistication, while improving learning and retention.

More than 500 customers worldwide, including BAE, Boeing, Dassault, FedEx, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Raytheon and Thales, use DiSTI solutions to build maintenance trainers, create PC and Internet-based courseware and to develop components for safety-critical applications. As a full service provider, DiSTI offers a complement of customer programming and development services, and is the recognized leader in training solutions for the global simulation and training community. For more information, visit www.disti.com.

• unmanned systems
• automotive
• Military
• virtual
• defense
• award
• graphics
• models
• safety-critical
• programming

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) President Grant Seiffert issued the following statement:

“We deeply appreciate President Obama’s commitment to extend broadband access to all Americans. We also thank him for his strong support for innovation and research and development and we’re pleased that he noted the importance of the tech industry’s contributions to economic growth and creation of jobs in the United States.”

“We ask again that the President urge Congress to act swiftly to ensure passage of wireless spectrum and public safety network legislation, which will lead to creation of an estimated 100,000 new jobs in ICT industries and, over time, produce indirect benefits of an estimated $4 to $8 billion per year. I must stress again that spectrum auction authority for the FCC is crucial to ensure that demand for mobile data can be met to allow technologists to continue to innovate.“

“Auction authority is vital to America’s future competitiveness. Currently spending on telecommunications equipment in international markets outpaces spending in the United States more than 4-to-1. U.S. companies need the government to address issues such as the spectrum crunch to create ideal conditions domestically and to provide a level playing field for trade to help narrow that gap.”

“TIA also encourages the Obama Administration to fully implement the recommendations in its ‘Innovation Package: A Roadmap for Growing Jobs & the Economy’. The Innovation Package provides a concrete set of policy recommendations for the U.S. government to implement to recapture global competitiveness, drive investment, and enable forward-looking technologies.”

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the manufacturers and suppliers of global communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. Visit tiaonline.org. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Join TIA at its annual Member Meeting, Conference and Exhibition, TIA 2012: Inside the Network, June 5-7, 2012 in Dallas. For detailed information about the event go to tia2012.org.

• wireless

For a company that seemed like it was on the ropes just a little over a month ago, Clearwire seems like it is doing everything it can to fight back, whether that involves seeking more financing at a time when the perceived value of its spectrum holdings has soared, or releasing quarterly results early to highlight growing revenue.

Clearwire did both of those things this week, as it sought to raise about $300 million through a new debt issue, money that presumably will be used for its LTE upgrade, though Clearwire did not outline specific plans for the money. The company also reported that its fourth-quarter revenues would more than double from about $180 million to about $362 million. Usage of the company’s WiMAX network also grew.

The financial results, however, are not completely rosy, as the company reported that new customer additions slowed during the quarter down from almost 1.9 million in the third quarter to about 900,000 last quarter.

It is tempting to start looking at Clearwire as an overnight revival story, but it should not be forgotten that the company was pulled back from the brink by Sprint, to whom much of its financial health and near term success is still tied.

• lte

Wi-Fi appears ready to edge further into the home automation market, as the Wi-Fi Alliance this week hosted a public demonstration of interoperability between Wi-Fi devices and ZigBee-enabled smart energy meters.

The demonstration, which took place at the DistribuTECH 2012 event in San Antonio, is the latest step in promoting Smart Energy Profile (SEP) 2.0.

The multi-vendor demonstration established Wi-Fi device connectivity to both Wi-Fi and ZigBee meters, reportedly the first time that a mixed technology set-up has been publicly demonstrated. The interoperability event included eight vendors: Aclara, Broadcom, Elbrys Networks, Gainspan, Grid2Home, Intwine Energy Networks, Qualcomm Atheros and Texas Instruments.

ZigBee has been around for years, and has long been position for smart energy management and other home automation functions. Though Wi-Fi has been working its way from routers into TVs, set-top boxes and other household gadgets, it was not seen as much of a smart energy option until last summer, when the Wi-Fi Alliance held its own Smart Energy Forum.

The Wi-Fi Alliance said it is now working to develop a certification program for SEP 2.0 products.

• home automation
• smart energy
• zigbee
• wi-fi

RF Micro Devices, Inc. today announced it has commenced volume production of multiple 3G/4G power amplifiers (PAs), in support of two leading smartphone families. The two most recent smartphones supported by RFMD® feature RFMD’s PowerSmart™ power platform and RFMD’s RF724x family of ultra-high efficiency power amplifiers.

The first smartphone, featuring RFMD’s PowerSmart, is a stylish, all-touch handset featuring a brilliant 3.2” high resolution display, a 5MP camera with flash and video recording, and preinstalled social networking apps for a smoothly integrated mobile experience. The second smartphone, featuring RFMD’s RF7241, RF7242, RF7244, RF7245, and RF7258, is a powerful, full-featured smartphone with a high resolution touch display, a highly tactile keyboard, and a precise optical trackpad. The smartphone will be available in multiple triple-band 3G versions featuring RFMD’s ultra-high efficiency 3G/4G PAs exclusively. Both smartphones are manufactured by a leading North America-based smartphone manufacturer.

Eric Creviston, president of RFMD’s Cellular Products Group (CPG), said, “RFMD’s industry-leading 3G/4G products continue to gain design momentum with the world’s leading smartphone manufacturers. Similar to calendar 2011, we believe RFMD will be a clear share gainer during calendar 2012, not only in UMTS/HSPA+, but also in 4G LTE.”

RFMD’s RF724x UMTS/HSPA+ power amplifiers are ultra-high efficiency, single-mode 3G/4G components that reset the bar for performance in smartphones, tablets, and other high-performance data-centric connected devices. RFMD’s RF724x power amplifiers deliver ultra-high peak efficiency of 48%-51%, significantly above current competitive offerings. The product family currently covers WCDMA bands 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8, addressing the most common UMTS/HSPA+ frequency bands and band combinations.

RFMD’s PowerSmart power platform is a new product category reshaping the future of multimode, multi-band cellular RF architectures. PowerSmart features a revolutionary new RF Configurable Power Core™ that delivers multiband, multi-mode coverage of all cellular communications modulation schemes, including GSM/GPRS, EDGE, EDGE Evolution, CDMA, 3G (TD-SCDMA or WCDMA) and 4G (HSPA+, LTE or WiMAX). The RF Configurable Power Core in PowerSmart is compliant with all current and known future 4G data standards (HSPA+, LTE QPSK, LTE 16QAM, and LTE 64QAM).

In addition to the RF Configurable Power Core, which performs all power amplification and power management functionality, RFMD’s PowerSmart power platform includes all necessary switching and signal conditioning functionality in a compact reference design, providing smartphone manufacturers a single scalable source for the entire cellular front end.

RFMD offers a broad portfolio of 3G/4G solutions in single-mode and multimode converged and hybrid architectures to ensure compatibility with leading chipset providers and enable global platform manufacturing. RFMD’s 3G/4G product portfolio reduces the thermal impact of data usage in smartphones while enabling increased battery life during data-based applications, such as web surfing, video calls and internet radio services.

• smartphones
• high resolution
• camera
• video
• umts/hspa
• lte
• power management
• radio

Toronto, Canada — (Marketwire – January 26, 2012) – Sangoma Technologies Corporation (TSX VENTURE:STC), a leading provider of hardware and software components that enable or enhance IP Communications Systems for both voice and data, today announced the release of its W400 GSM Board. The latest addition to Sangoma’s award-winning family of gateway solutions, the W400 provides mobile network VoIP and SMS gateway connectivity for Asterisk-based IP-PBX systems, and Sangoma will be expanding support for other open source and proprietary IP-PBX platforms in the coming months.

“In the European, African, Middle Eastern, South American and Asian Pacific markets, it is very common for fixed-line to mobile calls to be priced much higher than mobile-to-mobile calls,” said Julien Nephtali, field application engineer at Sangoma. “The W400 provides a simple and cost-effective solution that provides the hardware connectivity from an IP-PBX to the wireless network, and also works in concert with IP-PBX intelligent routing capabilities to minimize calling and messaging costs by selecting the least expensive routing path.”

Employing Sangoma’s highly reliable GSM technology, the W400 GSM Board supports Quad-Band EGSM frequencies for worldwide compatibility with wireless carrier networks. The W400 is a PCI Express (PCIe) compliant board that works with Asterisk DAHDI drivers and has integrated Asterisk Manager Interface support to facilitate integration in open source IP-PBX solutions.

The modular design of the board provides from one to four GSM ports. Each GSM port operates as an independent mobile interface that supports voice and SMS access to and from any PBX extension or device within the IP-PBX network.

The unique design of the W400 board provides front access to the wireless SIMs enabling maintenance personnel to change SIM cards without the need to open the server, or impact any of the remaining GSM modules on the board, ensuring maximum uptime and flexibility in mobile service access.

“The ability to select a mobile or fixed-line for outbound and inbound calling can translate into significant cost savings for any business, and the addition of SMS gateway capabilities delivers additional communication options without the cost for additional hardware interfaces,” concluded Nephtali. “Whether deployed by the enterprise, or by a mobile service provider, the resulting operational savings can have a substantial impact on the bottom-line.”

Sangoma provides an industry-leading solution portfolio that enables the interworking of a wide variety of disparate TDM and IP networks, clouds, protocols, services, devices, and applications. Its portfolio includes award-winning voice and data boards, transcoding and gateway software, and standalone gateway appliances, designed for simple integration with open source and closed source IP PBX applications. For more information about the Sangoma portfolio of IP telephony and network integration solutions, or to locate an authorized reseller, visit www.sangoma.com.

About Sangoma Technologies Corporation

Sangoma is a leading provider of hardware and software components that enable or en­hance IP Communications Systems for both telecom and datacom applications. Enterprises, SMBs and Carriers in over 150 countries rely on Sango­ma’s technology as part of their mission critical infrastructures. Through its worldwide network of Distribution Partners, Sangoma delivers the industry’s best engineered, highest quality products, some of which carry the industry’s first lifetime warranty. The product line in­cludes data and telecom boards for media and signal processing, as well as gateway appliances and software.

Founded in 1984, Sangoma Technologies Corporation is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE: STC). Additional information on Sangoma can be found at www.sangoma.com.

• mobile network
• award
• wireless network
• wireless
• ports
• signal processing

ept announces our new ATCA Zone 1 Power Connector with 8 power contacts, and 22 or 26 signal contacts. Utilizing our unique selective plating process, ept maximizes contact reliability with heavy gold over nickel at the contact area and RoHS compliant tin at the press-fit section. All ept connectors are manufactured with our proven “Tcom press®” -fit section for a highly reliable gas tight interconnect and ease in the manufacturing process.”

ept’s power connector is designed with a guide pin for ease of mating with a daughter card connector and the insulator bodies are manufactured with UL 94 V-0 rated material. Pre and post mating contacts are provided to allow for a controlled power ramp up and hot-swap capability of the ATCA carrier boards.

Our power connectors are fully intermatable with alternative connectors designed to the same standard. Flat-rock insertion tools for the assembling process are also available direct through ept.

The ATCA power connector is available through ept with little or no lead time and competitive pricing. Contact us today with your request for quote.

• RoHS compliant
• connectors
• connector

Spectracom, a company of the Orolia Group (NYSE Alternext Paris – FR0010501015 – ALORO) and the leading provider of practical test solutions for GPS and GNSS devices and systems, has published its Application Note: Leap Second Testing Made Easy in response to the recent announcement of a pending leap second. The last leap second occurred at the end of 2008. This will be the first mid-year leap second in 16 years.

No doubt most fielded GPS receivers have never experienced a leap second and virtually none would have seen a mid-year leap second. This underscores the need to test critical GPS applications in advance of the leap second event to validate performance and uncover any impact of the leap second discontinuity.

The only way to test GPS devices in advance of the leap second is by simulation. Spectracom’s GPS/GNSS constellation simulators offer the easiest way to test a leap second. Simply set the leap second parameter “on” through any of the user interfaces (front panel, web interface, scenario configuration software) and run a scenario through UTC midnight on June 30, 2012. The application note describes the test protocol. Spectracom also offers its customers a sample test scenario as download from its web site.

According to John Fischer, Spectracom’s CTO, “We understand leap second is one of a multitude of scenario parameters that an integrator of a GPS receiver must take into account when designing and testing a system. That’s why we offer RF signal generators for fast and easy testing of virtually any condition to validate the performance in development and manufacturing.” Mr. Fischer continues, “With our strong background with precision timing systems, Spectracom is uniquely suited to support the GPS community with leap second testing tools.”

To download the application note, test scenario file, and for other leap second resources, see Spectracom Leap Second web page.

www.spectracomcorp.com/Solutions/Applications/L[...]

Montreal, Canada, January 26, 2012 — Matrox Graphics Inc. today announced that the Matrox® Mura™ MPX Series video wall controller boards are HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) compliant, simplifying the work for AV Integrators seeking to enable copy protected content across Mura-driven video walls. Mura input/output boards facilitate HDCP interoperability by capturing high definition video signals from up to four HDCP sources and displaying the content on up to four HDCP-enabled displays. A video wall controller with up to six boards can support up to twenty-four inputs that are scaled, positioned and manipulated across twenty-four outputs. Designed for high-performance video walls, Mura MPX Series is suitable for a wide range of applications including corporate boardrooms, auditoriums, large venue events, digital signage, and mission-critical environments.

HDCP is an encrypted protocol used between video sources and video receivers to prevent unauthorized access to protected content. The world’s first HDCP-compliant input/output video wall controller board, Mura MPX Series captures protected video content coming from digital cable or satellite set-top boxes, video streamers and Blu-ray Disc™ players, and then transmits it to HDCP-compliant monitors, projectors, cubes or other capture devices.

Built on PCI Express x16 Gen2 technology, each Mura board leverages 64 Gbit/sec duplex data transfer to ensure Full HD performance of multiple copy protected content sources across a video wall that is controlled and managed either using a third party, Mura-compatible wall management software, or Matrox software like the easy-to-use, free-to-download Matrox MuraControl app for iPad for intuitive manipulation of input sources.

“Guaranteeing interoperability when integrating and installing a high definition multimedia system is a challenging task for AV professionals. Adding HDCP support enables AV integrators with more options and flexibility when bringing HDCP content to video walls,” said Helgi Sigurdsson, Product Manager, Matrox Graphics Inc. “With an HDCP compliant card that uniquely integrates four HD graphics outputs and four HD video capture channels, building a video wall processor has never been easier.”

Availability

The new Matrox Mura MPX Series 2.01 driver supporting HDCP will be available on the Matrox driver download web page in March 2012.

About Matrox Graphics Inc.

Matrox Graphics is a leading manufacturer of graphics solutions for professional markets. In-house design expertise, top-to-bottom manufacturing, and dedicated customer support make our solutions the premier choice in industries that require stable, high-reliability products. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with representation and offices in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

For more information, visit www.matrox.com/graphics or contact Matrox Graphics at graphics@matrox.com.

• high definition
• digital signage
• video
• encrypted
• hd