Electronics-Lab.com Blog

Atmel’s ATA874x single-chip UHF ASK/FSK RF transmitter family targets a broad range of proprietary wireless industrial and consumer applications such as metering, alarm systems and home control applications. This new AVR® product family offers RF performance operating in the license-free ISM frequency bands (868 to 928 MHz, 433 MHz, and 315 MHz).

AVR mcu with integrated RF transmitter functionality - [Link]

The bq2404x series of devices are highly integrated Li-ion linear chargers devices targeted at space-limited portable applications. The devices operate from either a USB port or AC adapter. The high input voltage range with input overvoltage protection supports low-cost unregulated adapters. 

BQ24040: Single Cell Li-Ion Battery Charger With Auto Start  - [Link]

Thermal design can be a more significant determinant of total light output in high-brightness LED designs than the electrical design. LED lifetimes can decrease as temperatures rise, and at high enough temperatures, LED efficacy decreases. To ease the thermal design challenges, National’s new PowerWise® LM3424 LED driver features thermal foldback which reduces regulated current through the LEDs as the temperature increases.

LM3424 Thermal Foldback – Easy Thermal Control for LED Lighting - [Link]

LM3909 is a monolithic oscillator designed by National Semiconductor , to flash (LED) Light Emitting Diodes. Packaged in DIP 8 package LM3909 will operate  between -25 and 75 degree . LM3909  require to work only few components and can be used in many light electrical applications. LM3909 can be used in applications like : warning indicators powered by 1.4V to 200V, toys and novelties . This chip seems not in production right now, do you know any replacement IC? leave comment.

The main features of LM3909 are :

• operation over one year from one C size flashlight cell
• bright, high current LED pulse
• few  external components- low cost
• low voltage operation ( 1V to 5V )
• low current drain (under 0.5 mA )
• wide  temperature range

LM3909 Led flasher - [Link] + [PDF]

Audium Semiconductor has launched an audio power amplifier IC which, at normal listening levels, is 20 times more efficient than competing devices, such as Class D amplifiers, without compromising audio quality. The AS1001 operates from a nominal 1.5 V power supply and delivers 100 W peak power output. The amplifier is so efficient that battery-powered amplified loudspeakers can run for up to 10 months on a set of four ‘C’ batteries, playing for three hours per day.

AS1001 chip outputs 100 watts of audio from 1.5 volts - [Link]

The LTC2978 is an octal, PMBus compliant power supply monitor, supervisor, sequencer and margin controller for digital management of up to eight 0V to 6V power supplies. The LTC2978’s PMBus compliant interface provides easy access to an on-board EEPROM, giving users supply configuration, fault response and logging capabilities. In addition, an array of supervising, margining and sequencing functions make the LTC2978 a convenient, all-in-one digital power management solution, drastically simplifying the design challenges and reducing the component count typical of traditional analog control.

LTC2978 – Octal PMBus Power Supply Monitor and Controller - [Link]

Intersil Corporation has announced the ISL29020, a new, high-performance light sensor with digital output. The ISL29020 features outstanding low-light sensitivity (<0.015 lux), wide dynamic range, best-in-class spectral response, and best-in-class IR and UV rejection. The ISL29020 also features a maximum operating current of less than 65 μA. [via]

Light-to-digital sensor output is directly proportional to lux - [Link]

The LM2267x/LM22680 Simple Switcher Step-Down Regulator Series is the next generation of highly popular LM267x Simple Switcher Regulators. Numerous enhancements and improvements have been added such as an input range down to 4.5V, tighter output accuracy, adjustable switching frequency, a precision enable, and thermally enhanced green packages.

LM2267x/LM22680 Simple Switcher Series - [Link]

Actel has introduced nano versions of its IGLOO and ProASIC 3 FPGAs. The new devices reduce power consumption to as low as 2 mW in standby mode with package sizes as small as 3×3 mm.

IGLOO nano FPGAs provide 10k to 250k system gates and support 1.2-V to 1.5-V core and I/O operations, ultra-low-power Flash*Freeze mode with bus hold capability, and advanced I/O features such as hot swapping and Schmitt trigger inputs. [via]

Actel introduces nanopower, nanosize FPGAs – [Link]

nico from microblog.routed.net writes: I have been very busy at the lab lately, too busy to update ublog regularly, and this set of formulas from Gamma Instruments has saved me a bit of trouble. Several air core inductor designs are outlined which allow you to make your own custom inductor, within reason, if you need to test something and you don’t have the part on hand. Typically, the inductance values will be modest, however, it is much easier to make an inductor yourself than a reasonable capacitor. Just think of all of the folding!

Notes on air-core inductor value computation - [Link]