Programmable Drag-and-drop analogue chip for multiple sensors in the IoT

By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

Cypress Semiconductor has launched a new programmable system-on-chip that simplifies the design of next-generation industrial, home appliance and consumer systems that require multiple sensors. 

Many Internet of Things (IoT) applications require multiple sensors and can benefit from dedicated coprocessors that offload sensor processing from the host and reduce overall system power consumption. At the same time the analogue element of the design is often a challenge. The new PSoC Analogue Coprocessor integrates programmable analogue blocks, including a new Universal Analogue Block (UAB), which can be configured with GUI-based software components. 

Based on a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0+ signal processing engine, it delivers a fully programmable analog front end with op amps, programmable gain amplifiers, analog multiplexers, analog-to-digital converters, analogue filters and digital-to-analogue converters (DACs). This simplifies the design of custom analogue front ends for sensor interfaces by allowing engineers to update sensor features quickly with no hardware or host processor software changes, while also reducing overall costs.

For example, in home automation applications, engineers can easily configure the coprocessor to continuously monitor multiple sensors, such as temperature, humidity, ambient light, motion and sound, allowing the host to stay in a standby low-power mode. Future design changes to support new sensor types can also be easily implemented by reconfiguring the programmable analog blocks. 

The design of custom sensor interfaces is handled by Cypress’s free PSoC Creator Integrated Design Environment (IDE), which simplifies system design by enabling concurrent hardware and firmware development using PSoC Components—free embedded ICs represented by an icon in the IDE. Engineers can easily configure the programmable analog blocks in the Analogue Coprocessor by dragging and dropping components on the PSoC Creator schematic and customizing them with graphical component configuration tools. The components offer fully engineered embedded initialization, calibration and temperature correction algorithms.

“The PSoC Analogue Coprocessor makes sensor interface design accessible to embedded systems engineers without requiring expertise in analog system design; this comes with the added benefit of enabling rapid prototyping and design iterations in software with no hardware changes by simply modifying components in PSoC Creator,” said John Weil, vice president of MCU marketing at Cypress. “Cypress has pioneered and perfected programmable analog technology for 15 years, and now our PSoC Analog Coprocessor provides the most programmable analog IP per square millimeter in a tiny chip-scale package.”

The PSoC Analog Coprocessor is available in a 3.7-mm by 2.0-mm chip-scale package option and is currently sampling with production expected in the fourth quarter of 2016. Parts will be available in 45-pin CSP, 28-pin SSOP, 48-pin QFN and 48-pin TQFP packages.

UltraSoC adds deadlock detection to its SoC analysis, debug and profiling tools

By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

One of the biggest challenges with developing software for embedded systems is deadlocks, where processors hang or stall as a result of complex interactions of the data. While this is traditionally tackled at the board level with a probe and logic analyser, it's a nightmare when the system is all inside a chip. So when Cambridge-based tool developer UltraSoC adds deadlock detection capabilities into its embedded system-on-chip (SoC) analysis, profiling and debug, it's a big thing. The new analysis features allow embedded SoC architects, developers and debug engineers to detect and diagnose those hard-to-find corner cases which can cause complex SoCs to hang or stall intermittently and unpredictably, sometimes after days of continuous normal operation. “Our customers tell us that intermittent deadlock and stall conditions are amongst the hardest problems to solve in their SoC designs,” said Gadge Panesar, chief technology officer of UltraSoC. “These conditions are a major contributor to the current crisis in the SoC industry. Conventional approaches either ignore the problem, or attempt to deal with it by generating massive, unmanageable data sets. UltraSoC takes a smarter approach, focusing on generating meaningful, actionable information; for the first time chip design teams can truly understand the behaviour of today’s complex SoCs.” Bus deadlocks occur when a processor is waiting for a response from another sub-system via an on-chip bus such as AXI or OCP, but the response never arrives. Traditionally, the only way of isolating such problems has been to attempt to continuously trace and output all bus activity, requiring a high-bandwidth off-chip connection to gather the data, and difficult offline analysis software of huge data-sets. The UltraSoC technology uses a “smart” on-chip bus monitor that is protocol-aware and can be triggered when the time taken for a bus transaction exceeds a programmable limit. When triggered by a deadlocked transaction, the system identifies the complete transaction ID and address, guiding the engineer’s attention to both the master and slave of the problem. This allows chip designers to efficiently and intelligently “look inside” their products, at wire speed, during normal operation, rather than having to pull out a trace of all the activity and go over millions of data points. The new deadlock detection capabilities are targeted at particularly difficult conditions that can cause devices to fail intermittently and unpredictably, including bus and software deadlocks. Software deadlocks are increasingly common in today’s SoCs. In a typical scenario, two different software processes might use a locking mechanism to govern shared access to common on-chip resources: for example another core, hardware peripherals or the capabilities of another software process. Problems can arise when each CPU believes that the other has locked its access to the shared resources. In this case UltraSoC provides an on-chip status monitor which can be used to detect the fault condition, halt the processors and initiate data capture to isolate the problem. As multi-core systems and heterogenous architectures become more common this becomes ever more important. A key advantage is that UltraSoc is not tieed to any one architecture, supporting many different bus protocols and processor families (including ARM, MIPS, Xtensa, CEVA and others), making it possible to solve these situations. SoC debug and silicon validation are key challenges facing the global electronics industry today. UltraSoC’s technology creates an on-chip debug infrastructure that enables pre- and post-silicon debug, reducing the risks in chip design, improving time-to-market, increasing quality and reducing costs. www.ultrasoc.com

Microsoft launches Windows 7 Embedded

Tries again with Media Centre
As Windows 7 actually seems to be working after the debacle of Vista in the desktop market, Microsoft has launched the embedded version, but aiming mainly, again, at the Media Centre and set top box.
Windows Embedded Standard 7 provides the familiarity of Windows 7 in a highly customizable and componentized form so that OEMs can use it to create differentiated interfaces for products. “With the release of Windows Embedded Standard 7, Microsoft has furthered its commitment to the integration of Windows 7 technologies in the specialized consumer and enterprise device markets by providing OEMs with the latest innovative technologies to differentiate through rich, immersive user experiences and streamlined connectivity,” said Kevin Dallas, general manager of the Windows Embedded Business Unit at Microsoft. “The addition of the Windows Media Centre feature in Windows Embedded Standard 7 is driving the set-top box, connected media device and TV markets by providing OEMs with opportunities to develop uniquely branded experiences and service providers with capabilities to explore addition
The key is that the platform also features the latest Windows technology such as multigesture touch interfaces and context-aware applications with Windows Touch, and the ability to develop “green” solutions with smart power management APIs. As well as support for enterprise devices, STBs, CMDs and TVs, the Windows Media Centre feature will enable consumers to merge multimedia content from disparate sources, including Internet and broadcast TV, social media portals, and personal libraries of photos, music and videos, into a centralized home entertainment hub.
Industry analyst firm Strategy Analytics estimates the potential market opportunity for connected STBs, digital video recorders, digital media adapters and flat-panel TVs to experience annual growth of more than 50 percent through 2014, expanding from 40 million units to more than 360 million. OEMs can take advantage of this opportunity by coupling Windows Media Center and additional features within Windows Embedded Standard 7, such as Windows Defender and Parental Controls for heightened security, to create differentiated consumer entertainment devices with integrated user experiences. This includes leveraging the customizable, extensible platform in Windows Media Center for content, services and applications, as well as powerful backend support for metadata, TV listings and content providers.
Windows Embedded partners and customers already have plans to begin shipping products and solutions for a variety of specialized devices built on the Windows Embedded Standard 7 platform. Examples include AOpen, C-nario, DT Research Inc., Micro Industries and YCD Multimedia for digital signage; HP and Wyse Technology for thin clients; and Heber for industrial control systems.

Related articles

• Putting Windows 7 Technologies to Work in Specialized Devices (blogs.technet.com)
• Windows 7 Media Center coming to embedded devices (engadget.com)
• Microsoft releases Windows Embedded Standard 7 (seattlepi.com)
• Microsoft brings Windows 7 to other devices (news.cnet.com)

Intel moves to on-chip PCIe as Tunnel Creek takes off

Well, Intel's launch of Tunnel Creek is very interesting for the embedded market. A new 3W system on chip based around the Atom core with various useful peripherals, ther are already several designs being based around it.
The key aspect is that, for the first time, it will let other companies create PCI Express-compliant devices that directly connect to the chip, which offers new flexibility for embedded applications. Instead of the Front Side Bus (FSB) the core connects via PCI Express to a partner hub chip (see chip left).

Related articles

• Intel Plans New Atom Processor-based System-on-chip (ubergizmo.com)
• Intel outlines system-on-a-chip plans at IDF (v3.co.uk)
• Intel plans new system-on-chip with Atom processor (newstatesman.com)
• Intel unveils Atom-based Queensbay system-on-chip, in-car infotainment, China Mobile partnership (engadget.com)
• Intel's 'Tunnel Creek' chip aimed at home tablets (news.cnet.com)

VIA launches ruggedized Em-ITX embedded PC

New format fanless and ruggedized embedded box PC for industrial, kiosk, POI and signage applications

VIA Technologies has developed a complete, fanless and ruggedized embedded box system based on the unique I/O-rich Em-ITX form factor, offering the ideal solution for a variety of industrial applications.

Available as a complete system including drives and memory, the fanless VIA ART-3000 combines a number of unique features including diskless booting, excellent vibration and shock resistance, dual Gigabit networking and dual LVDS video support. Ruthlessly low power consumption means the VIA ART-3000 can also support fanless configurations with no moving parts making it ideal for ultra stable, mission critical implementations.

 “The VIA ART series really underlines our strength in offering system level products that exceed expectations,” said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division at VIA Technologies. “Customers can now take advantage of a complete fanless, ruggedized system that offers incredible flexibility, a wide feature set, and excellent stability straight out of the box.”

The VIA ART-3000 is built around the VIA EITX-3000 board, the first board based on the Em-ITX form factor standard. The VIA EITX-3000 is powered by a 1.3GHz VIA Nano processor and the VIA VX800 media system processor, supporting up to 2GB of DDR2 system memory, integrated VIA Chrome 9 graphics core and the VIA Chromotion video engine for hardware acceleration for the latest HD video codecs.

The VIA ART-3000 supports up to three displays and two independent video content streams, across dual LVDS and VGA ports. Networking is through dual Gigabit ports, with an array COM and USB ports providing a wealth of device and peripheral connectivity. The VIA ART-3000 supports wall, table, reverse and VESA mounting options and can withstand temperatures of -20oC - 60oC, vibrations of up to 5Gs and shock resistance up to 20Gs in compact flash storage configurations.

VIA EITX-3000

The VIA EITX-3000 is based on the Em-ITX specification and is suitable for a range of ultra-thin embedded applications. The powerful VIA Nano processor and VIA VX800 media system processor are placed on the reverse of the board, allowing greater space saving for passive cooling and entirely fanless embedded designs. A wide variety of I/O options are provided along dual I/O coastlines and include dual LVDS ports, a VGA port, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, 6 USB 2.0 ports and four COM ports.

Related articles

• Tiniest 1080p-playing PC yet is completely silent (dvice.com)
• New I/O Standard Bids To Replace Mini PCI Express (hardware.slashdot.org)
• VIA's 3000-series Nano CPUs promise longer battery, increased performance (crunchgear.com)
• Finally, VIA Gives the Intel Atom Some Competition! (lockergnome.com)
• VIA Mini-ITX board features dual HDMI, on-board 1080p graphics chip (crunchgear.com)

Anders Introduces OMAP System-on-Module for industrial and medical apps

Anders Electronics has launched the CM-T3530 - the market’s most feature-rich miniature system-on-module based on the TI OMAP3530, which powers some of the world’s most powerful and popular mobile devices.

 Ideally suited for high-end industrial and medical products, in addition to low-power embedded and commercial applications like multimedia handsets, high performance PDAs, 2G and 3G wireless terminals, navigational devices, mobile TVs, mobile gaming devices, and video conferencing applications – the Anders CM-T3530 provides a rich set of multimedia, connectivity and storage features on a credit-card size system-on-module.

Using the power and flexibility of the Texas Instruments OMAP3530 - the processor that powers Nokia's N-series smartphones, the Sony-Ericsson Satio, the Samsung OMNIA HD, and other advanced mobile devices – the Anders CM-T3530 enables embedded systems to provide the usability and connectivity that users expect, while still being extremely developer-friendly.

The CM-T3530 is offered with either a TI OMAP3503 or TI OMAP3530 with Cortex-A8 core at 720 MHz, up to 256 MB DDR, up to 512 MB flash disk, a resistive touch screen controller, and 3D and video decoding acceleration. The multimedia-ready system features an LCD interface with resolution up to 1400 x 1050, PAL/NTSC TV output, a camera interface up to 16 Mpixels, and audio codec stereo line-out and microphone. For connectivity, the CM-T3530 offers 10/100 Ethernet, integral WiFi 802.11b/g, 2 SD ports, 3 serial ports, and I2C, SPI and GPIOs. Further, in addition to its two USB2 host ports, the CM-T3530’s high-speed USB 2.0 on-the-go (OTG) port delivers either power to the board or other highly flexible expansion options.

From a software point of view, the CM-T3530 is supported in the mainline Linux kernel from rev 2.6.33, and offers full OpenEmbedded Angstrom Linux distribution and full support for Windows CE 6.0 R3.

“The addition of the CM-T3530 to our line of systems-on-module is an important step for both usability and connectivity,” said Rob Anders, CEO of Anders Electronics. “Using the same processor that powers today’s most advanced smartphones, and leveraging Anders’ end-to-end range of Graphic User Interface (GUI) products and services, the CM-T3530 will help our clients maximize device connectivity and streamline user interface, without raising development overhead.”

Step forward for multicore Linux

CriticalBlue and MontaVista Partner to Expand Multicore Software Development

CriticalBlue, the Edinburgh-based pioneer of embedded multicore software analysis, exploration and verification tools, has joined the MontaVista partner program and will make their Prism product available on MontaVista Linux 6 and Montavista Linux Carrier Grade Edition products.
This announcement continues the broadening of Prism integrations with key players in the multicore software development eco-system by adding support for an industrial strength, commercial quality Linux. Prism is an award-winning embedded multicore programming system which allows software engineers to easily asses and realize the full potential of multicore processors without significant change to their development flow. It analyzes the behavior of code running on either hardware development boards or simulators. It allows engineers to take their existing sequential code, and without making any changes, explore and analyze opportunities for concurrency. Having identified the optimal parallelization strategy in this way, the developer will implement parallel structures, and use Prism again to verify efficient and thread-safe operations.
MontaVista Linux is the first commercial Linux provider to be supported by Prism. The Prism Eclipse plug-in will be integrated into the MontaVista DevRocket integrated development environment (IDE), providing the most advanced embedded Linux development environment for multicore software on the market. MontaVista customers will now be able to quickly analyze the potential benefit of new, high-performance, multicore software platforms for their existing application code and develop new code and quickly tune it for operation on multicore processors, all within a single MontaVista DevRocket environment, and all in the familiar Eclipse framework.
Prism is available today for ARM and MIPS cores with several other leading multicore processor architectures coming in Q1 2010.

“Developers need to analyze their real world applications running on commercial Linux platforms like MontaVista Linux using common frameworks like Eclipse,” said David Stewart, CEO, CriticalBlue. “By partnering with MontaVista, and integrating with the MontaVista DevRocket IDE, Prism will support the broadest range of platforms on a commercial quality Linux, allowing our joint customers a way to rapidly ensure safe and timely migration of their software onto multicore platforms and efficient exploitation of the parallelism inherent within.”

“By combining CriticalBlue’s Prism solution, MontaVista Linux and MontaVista DevRocket, our customers will benefit from the most advanced multicore integrated development environment available for embedded Linux,” said Dan Cauchy, vice president, marketing at MontaVista Software. “This integrated environment will allow developers to quickly analyze, convert and tune sequential code into parallel code and harness the full capabilities of MontaVista Linux running on modern multicore processors.”

Global automotive telematics market to quadruple

Boom time as 68m cars ship with telematics by 2016



Global shipments of automotive telematics systems are set to rise to 84.4 million units in 2016, up by a factor of more than four from 19.3 million in 2008, according to iSuppli.
“From sending out an automatic distress call after a car crash, to enabling remote diagnosis of engine troubles, telematics can provide enormous benefits to motorists and car makers around the world,” said Anna Buettner, analyst with iSuppli’s automotive research service. “For drivers, telematics can enhance safety, convenience and connectivity. For car OEMs, telematics can add to and improve car functionality and reduce warranty and after-sales costs. That’s why carmakers and consumers are expected to increase their adoption of telematics systems rapidly during the next seven years.”
By 2016, 68.4 million cars will ship with telematics systems installed by OEMs, up from 14.3 million in 2008. This means that 84.6 percent of all cars shipped in 2016 will incorporate telematics systems.
Aftermarket shipments of telematics systems will rise to just under 16 million units in 2016, up from slightly less than 5 million in 2008.
Beyond accident alerts and remote diagnosis, telematics functions span from the wireless integration of third-party devices, to navigation and Location-Based Services (LBS) updates, to theft detection, to engine control software revisions.
The United States is the world’s leading market for telematics in 2009, with 30 percent of all models sold in the country available with installed systems. In comparison, the next two biggest telematics nations, Germany and Italy, have only 20 percent model availability of installed telematics systems.
The U.S. leadership is due to General Motors (GM), which pioneered installed telematics in 1996 with its OnStar service. The company has made OnStar a standard feature on all its cars this year.
“With GM selling 2 million cars with installed telematics per year, competitors have been forced to react,” Buettner said. “In the intervening years, Ford, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan and Toyota all launched telematics systems.”
Western European telematics volume remains low because no major OEM in the region has made the feature standard on every car. Japan also is deploying telematics in low volumes, and the applications are focused on navigation functionality and infotainment.
However, as telematics becomes more available in other regions, U.S. domination will dwindle. The United States in 2009 accounts for about half of the global installed OEM telematics market. By 2016, the United States will account for about one third of the worldwide market as shipments in other regions soar.

Embedded v. mobile device telematics

Two major types of telematics solutions are being offered on the market: embedded systems, whose functionality is integrated into the headunit of cars; and mobile-device oriented systems, which use a wireless product like a cell phone to communicate information.
Both embedded and mobile device telematics systems are on rapid growth paths. Worldwide OEM embedded telematics systems will grow from nearly 4.8 million units in 2008 to more than 26.8 million systems in 2016.
Meanwhile, global OEM mobile device telematics systems will grow from 9.5 million units in 2008 to more than 41.5 million systems in 2016.

WiFi and Coldfire on embedded tower development system

Modular development platform helps save months of development time through rapid prototyping and tool re-use



Freescale Semiconductor has launched a rapid evaluation and prototyping development system with two interchangeable peripheral modules and 8- and 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) modules for the Tower System.
The advanced peripheral modules offer developers 802.11b Wi-Fi and rapid prototyping functionality while the newest MCU modules support Freescale’s MCF5225X 32-bit ColdFire MCU and MC9S08LL64 8-bit MCU.
"With the addition of these advanced modules for Freescale’s Tower System, we are providing designers, students and hobbyists an affordable development system that’s modular and expandable,” said Aiden Mitchell, director of Freescale’s Industrial & Multi-Market Microcontroller business. “The Tower system, in conjunction with Freescale MQX software, is the ultimate enablement solution – giving designers an array of building blocks for entry-level to advanced processor development and helping speed time to market.”
The Tower System provides a comprehensive and highly customisable embedded design environment that allows developers to mix and match MCU and peripheral boards to create reconfigurable development platforms that suit their design needs. Interchangeable modules promote reuse of hardware across multiple architectures, which helps speed time to market. The modular design scales down overall tool costs, while providing an inexpensive entry point.

Advanced MCU modules

The Tower System now supports two advanced microcontroller modules: the TWR-MCF5225X and the TWR-S08LL64, featuring the ColdFire V2 MCF5225X MCU and the 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU, respectively. These modules can be combined with various peripheral modules to form a unique Tower System development tool or used as standalone debug tools.
The TWR-MCF5225X offers a powerful and flexible industrial connectivity solution with on-chip USB, Ethernet, controller area network (CAN) and encryption, along with the Freescale MQX real time operating system and associated tools and software stacks. The 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU includes an on-chip LCD driver that supports up to eight backplanes, enabling developers to drive more segments with fewer pins, reducing system cost and design complexity. The S08LL family supports an LCD blink mode that operates without waking up the controller core, which helps reduce overall power consumption.
These advanced modules complement the previously announced TWR-MCF51CN Ethernet MCU module.

WiFi peripheral modules

The Wi-Fi module (TWR-ZGWIFI) adds 802.11b Wi-Fi functionality to the Tower System and includes the ZeroG Systems ZG2100 Wi-Fi I/O module and antenna, as well as configuration jumpers and an RS232 debug port. The embedded Wi-Fi module from ZeroG is optimised for embedded applications, with low data rates, power consumption and system resource requirements. The TWR-ZGWIFI module is FCC-certified and offers seamless integration with Freescale’s MQX software solution. With this module, developers can easily add Wi-Fi connectivity and run sample applications using the kit in less than a few hours.
The prototyping module (TWR-PROTO) allows designers to quickly add custom circuitry and build custom prototype boards with application-specific features. With ample perfboard area, this cost-effective module is ideal for hardware development and testing during system design.
These two peripheral modules complement the previously announced serial module (TWR-SER), supporting Ethernet, USB, RS232, RS485 and CAN, and elevator modules (TWR-ELEV) that connect the MCU and peripheral boards.
The Tower System’s easy-to-use, modular design helps customers control tool costs, from simple concept testing to full product development. A single MCU/MPU module serves as the main control board. Modules simply plug into backplane boards, called “elevators,” through standard PCB edge connectors. Peripheral board re-use eliminates the need to buy and develop redundant hardware, which reduces future costs. In addition, the MCU modules include open-source background debug mode (OSBDM) hardware, allowing each board to serve as a standalone debug tool.
Tower modules are currently available for MCF51CN, MCF5225X and MC9S08LL64 MCUs. In future months, Freescale and its partners plan to provide Tower System support for additional embedded devices, including other ColdFire MCUs, 8-bit MCUs and digital signal controllers (DSCs).
* The TWR-MCF5225X MCU module is available for a suggested resale price of $49
* The TWR-S08LL64 MCU module is available for a suggested resale price of $69
* The TWR-ZGWIFI and TWR-PROTO modules are available now for a suggested resale price of $59 and $14.99, respectively.
* The TWR-MCF5225X-KIT includes the TWR-SER and TWR-ELEV modules and is available for a suggested resale price of $119.
* The TWR-S08LL64-KIT includes the TWR-PROTO and TWR-ELEV modules and is available for a suggested resale price of $99.

Atom module adds dual GbE, SATA and PCIe

Anders Electronics in London has developed a module that uses Intel's Atom processor with two Gigabit Ethernet connections for faster connectivity. Measuring just 65x75mm, the new CM-iAM SoM (system-on-module) packs more features than any other Atom Z530 SoM - notably up to 2GB RAM, 4GB on-board Flash Disk, SATA interface, dual GbE, and up to 3 PCIe lanes.
Used as a building block for any embedded application, the CM-iAM packs up-to-date technologies into the most compact, lightweight PC-on-module available in the market.
With on-board resources that smoothly run Linux, Windows XP or Windows 7, the CM-iAM’s standard X86 architecture runs most software applications written for PCs. And, the CM-iAM’s credit-card sized board boasts a low power consumption of 4-6W, making it ideal for battery and “always on” applications.
The basic feature set of the CM-iAM includes a 32-bit X86-compatible Atom Z530 CPU (up to 1.6GHz), up to 2GB RAM, 4GB on-board Flash Disk, SATA interface, and a Micro-SD slot. The CM-iAM also offers multiple display interfaces (RGB, LVDS and SDVO), with resolutions of up to 1920x1200 – enabling it to run high the definition graphics needed for such applications as digital signage.
For embedded applications, the CM-iAM provides a variety of display interfaces, up to 3 PCIe lanes, dual GbE ports, an RS232 serial port, up to 15 GPIO lines and many other essential functions. The user interface is supported by an enhanced graphics controller, 6 USB 2.0 ports, and 5.1 channels audio codec (analog+S/PDIF or HDA output).
To enable quick evaluation of the CM-iAM in the full range of usage scenarios, the SoM ships with an advanced evaluation base-board, the SB-iAM. This evaluation kit features a wide range of extension and I/O interfaces – most notably PCI and PCIe slots, RGB, LVDS, DVI and CRT display, and digital, analog and optical audio.

“Anders has always attempted to keep our clients on the cutting edge of technology,” said Rob Anders, CEO of Anders Electronics. “The CM-iAM is a true first – the smallest and most cost-effective SoM on the market, that doesn’t compromise on processing power or featureset."

8bit microcontrollers fight back with dual core for payTV

While 32bit microcontrollers are moving down into the 8bit market at 65cents, 8bit devices are moving to dual core.
Atmel has developed the industry's first dual-core secure microcontrollers targeting demanding smart card applications such as the PayTV conditional access market.
Atmel's TwinAVR microcontrollers (MCUs) offer two independent cores, memory and peripherals on a single chip, unlike current secure MCUs on the market today that offer a single core.
The Master Core is built around Atmel's 8-/16-bit RISC secureAVR, with 128K ROM, 36K EEPROM and 6K RAM. The Secure Core is also built around Atmel's 8-/16-bit RISC secureAVR, with 64K ROM, 18K EEPROM, 6K RAM, but with AdvXTM Crypto Processor, TDES, AES & AIS31 TRNG. This dual core architecture simplifies the implementation of the RED/BLACK concept of segregation between highly sensitive plaintext data (RED) and encrypted data (BLACK), leading to an easier and faster certification.

"As the PayTV conditional access market continues to grow and become more complex, smart card developers demand higher performance and storage capacity while maintaining the highest level of security," said Eric Le Cocquen, Atmel's marketing manager for PayTV products. "Atmel's TwinAVR addresses all these issues. Segregation of the RED and BLACK domains traditionally relies on hardware firewalls and a lot of software. The TwinAVR goes one step beyond by offering, on the same chip, a master core to implement the BLACK domain and a secure core to implement the RED domain, thus providing an indisputable segregation between the two domains. The two cores also increase the overall system performance considerably, equaling a 32-bit MCU, while the data flash interface enables large storage capacities. This new family offers a complete solution for smart card developers in the PayTV market."

The TwinAVR also features an ISO 7816-3 smart card interface and a built-in DataFlash interface. Large amounts of data can be stored with flash die stacking to the microcontroller and by fitting both chips in a standard smart card module. This product meets Common Criteria EAL5+ security certification.
Pricing starts at $1.85 USD for quantities of 100Ku in bare die form, with samples of the AT90SDC104 4Mbit TwinAVR samples will be available Q1 2010 at $4.00 USD for quantities of 100Ku in smart card modules.

Downturn hits as GE Fanuc splits

GE Fanuc Automation, the twenty year old joint venture between GE and FANUC, is to be dismantled by the end of the year. GE and FANUC expect the transaction to be completed by the end of this year, subject to satisfactory customary closing conditions. It denies the split is due to market conditions, see comments above.
Set up in 1986, GE Fanuc Automation serves a vast array of industries around the world including the energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government & defence, and telecommunications industries with hardware and software solutions, services, automation and embedded computing systems.
Under the terms of the agreement GE retains the software, services, embedded systems and control systems businesses globally. The company will be known as GE Intelligent Platforms, and will be led by GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms CEO Maryrose Sylvester. FANUC retains the global CNC business.

FANUC Honorary Chairman Dr. Seiuemon Inaba said, “Our joint venture has achieved great success toward its original mission, which was to cooperate on the global growth and technical development of the PLC and CNC business. Over this time period, markets and opportunities also have changed dramatically, and both companies further expanded into adjacent segments. Today’s market conditions are such that it’s imperative we pursue these expanded opportunities, and while we have achieved great things together, it’s in both our best interests that we focus our efforts on industry opportunities unique to our respective companies and that will deliver greater benefits to both our companies.”

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms CEO Maryrose Sylvester said, "GE could not have asked for better partners than Dr. Inaba and FANUC. GE is proud of what our companies have achieved together - both the industry expertise and success across our product portfolios. For GE, this change will mean a continued, intense focus on serving our customers around the world while continuing to invest in significant growth platforms like process control systems, enterprise and automation software and embedded computing as we continue to build further expertise around the GE vertical infrastructure segments."
“Our top priority is a smooth completion of transition and continuity for all customers, business partners and employees. We are committed to delivering our customer commitments in every segment of our business."