austriamicrosystems' high performance single-channel 125 kHz LF wakeup receiver

UNTERPREMSTAETTEN, AUSTRIA: austriamicrosystems, a leading global designer and manufacturer of analog ICs for communications, industrial, medical and automotive applications, expanded its RF product portfolio with the AS3930, a single-channel low power, low frequency wakeup receiver which offers the highest sensitivity at lowest current consumption for the industry’s best range.

The AS3930 supports the widely used 125 kHz band and, through the optimization of power consumption, sensitivity and programmability, enables a variety of applications.

austriamicrosystems’ low frequency wakeup receiver AS3930 has a single receiving channel and an internal RC oscillator, allowing a very low external component count for maximum performance versus cost and reduced size.

The received data can be correlated with a pattern that is programmed in the register preventing false wakeups. Primary target applications are active RFID, high-value asset tracking, real-time location systems, operator identification and access control or keyless entry.

“By using the AS3930 wakeup receiver customers can achieve superior range and long battery life while minimizing size and system cost” says Mark Richey, Transceiver Senior Marketing Manager at austriamicrosystems. “The AS3930 is the latest addition to austriamicrosystems growing low frequency wakeup receiver product family, continuing the tradition of combining exceptional performance with simplicity”.

Based on its concept of flexible data stream management, the AS3930 offers an attractive easy-to-use solution for RF designers which require secure component sourcing without uncertainty about a supplier’s long term product availability.

The AS3930 single-channel low power low frequency wakeup receiver is available in a TSSOP16 or a QFN (4x4) 16LD package and is suitable for operating environments ranging from -40 to +85°C.

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors presents first OLED light source

EUROPE: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has presented the first OLED light source -- the ORBEOS. The ORBEOS panel combines energy savings, quality light and design. Light, thin, non-glare and warm white -– ORBEOS is the first OLED light source from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors for premium quality functional lighting.

The new energy-efficient surface-emitting panel is especially suited to applications in the premium segment such as architecture, hotels and catering, offices, private homes and shops.

The ORBEOS OLED panel has a round lamp surface of 80mm diameter, is only 2.1mm thick and weighs 24g. These limited dimensions ensure plenty of different usage options. With an efficiency of 25lm/W, the panel beats that of conventional halogen lamps.

Its warm white colour temperature (2,800K, CRI up to 80) matches the warm light of an incandescent lamp and is therefore suited to lighting that is atmospheric and functional at the same time. Especially in homes, museums, restaurants or hotels, OLEDs also rate highly with their pleasant, non-glare light.

New design possibilities for architects and lighting planners
OLEDs open up totally new design possibilities for architects, lighting planners and designers –- it is possible to create illuminated areas with them such as lit ceilings or partitions.

“Our ORBEOS adds to the wide range of lighting in the premium segment. Not only do its technical features have an effect here, but first and foremost its completely different appearance”, says Markus Klein, senior director SSL at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. “ORBEOS is a combination of energy savings and aesthetics.”

The ORBEOS OLED panel is the first product developed by OSRAM on the market. In 2008, the first commercially available “Early Future” table lamp by renowned lighting designer Ingo Maurer with OLED tiles from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors demonstrated how OLEDs can be used in functional lighting.

Long-lasting panel lighting
ORBEOS can be switched on and off without delay and is continuously dimmable. Unlike LEDs its heat management is simple. The panel contains no mercury and emits no UV or infrared radiation. Its brightness level is usually 1,000cd/m² with power input of less than a watt.

In ideal operating conditions it has a lifespan of around 5,000 hours. ORBEOS is available with a frosted glass surface. The panels can be easily mounted using spring contacts.

The rapid advance of OLEDs in general lighting has succeeded not least thanks to the technical principles of the ‘Organic Phosphorescent Lamps for Applications in the Lighting Market’ project (OPAL), which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Infineon extends energy efficient lighting portfolio; intros low-cost driver damily for half watt LEDs

NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG is extending its portfolio of energy efficient lighting ICs with a new family of low cost linear LED drivers. The new BCR320 and BCR420 product families address the burgeoning market for energy-saving and environmentally friendly light-emitting diode (LED) lighting solutions.

Specifically designed for driving 0.5W LEDs with a typical current of 150mA to 200mA, these LED drivers feature a negative thermal coefficient contributing to a long lifetime of LEDs and a digital interface for a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for dimming.

With the recent introduction of higher efficiency 0.5W LEDs this class of products is expected to be adopted in a wider range of applications. However, currently available resistor solutions for biasing LED current have significant disadvantages such as inhomogeneous light output and reduced lifetime of LEDs.

Alternatively, switch mode drivers do not meet the required price point for 0.5W LED applications, and drive up the number of parts and the complexity of driver circuit.

The new BCR320 and BCR420 LED drivers are tailored to address these deficiencies for 0.5W LED applications, providing a very low cost and simple solution with a small form factor.

With both devices, the usage of inductors, capacitors and free-wheeling diode can be avoided resulting in cost savings and a very small PCB space requirement. The elimination of electrolytic capacitors can also contribute to the extended lifetime of the LED system.

LED driver families BCR320 and BCR420: Benchmark in price-performance ratio
The BCR320 products are designed for a peak output current of up to 300mA. For continuous operation a maximum nominal current of 250mA is recommended. While this device has an internal breakdown voltage of typically 20V, it can be operated at supply voltages of 24V or higher since the driver is operated in series with the LEDs.

The BCR320 is targeted at general lighting, architectural and mood lighting applications. Another fast growing segment is shop lighting where 0.5W LEDs are preferred in order to spread the light and avoid glare.

BCR320 devices have a negative thermal coefficient, which means that in case of temperature increase the current is lowered with a slope of 0.2 percent/K. The BCR320U and BCR321U versions are available in a very small SC-74 package (2.9mm x 2.5mm x 1.1mm) with 1W power dissipation. The BCR320P and BCR321P types will be offered in a SOT-223 package (6.5mm x 7.0mm x 1.6mm) providing a higher power dissipation of 2W. The BCR321U and BCR321P versions both offer a logic level input for dimming.

The BCR420 products have a higher internal breakdown voltage and a lower output current than the BCR320 devices. The internal breakdown voltage is typically 50V and the nominal output current is 150mA. The BCR420 LED drivers are intended for use in similar applications as mentioned above for a maximum drive current of 150mA.

In addition, qualification for use in automotive applications, based on AECQ 101 certification, is ongoing. BCR420 and BCR421 products are available in SC-74 package. The BCR421 is the dimmable version with a microcontroller interface.

Volume production of the BCR320U and BCR420U LED drivers has started. Volume production for the BCR320P and BCR321P is expected in the first quarter of 2010. In quantities of a few thousand units, pricing for the BCR320 and BCR420 ranges between approximately Euro 0.18 and Euro 0.23 ($0.25 and $0.32) per unit.

Infineon offers a comprehensive range of LED driver solutions characterized by robustness and cost-effectiveness, meeting the evolving and expanding requirements of lighting applications.

OKI Group is industry’s first to develop 1.1 Inch QVGA high-brightness LED display

TOKYO, JAPAN: OKI Digital Imaging Corp., a subsidiary of OKI Data Corporation, a subsidiary that develops, manufactures, and markets LEDs, has succeeded in developing a 1.1 inch QVGA LED display while reducing power consumption to one-tenth that of conventional LCDs.

This achievement is the direct result of a new company technology that enhances luminance efficiency, based on refinements of its proprietary Epi Film Bonding technology that permit two-dimensional deployment.

This new technology applies the company’s proprietary Epi Film Bonding technology to mount thin-film LEDs onto a metal board in a manner permitting high reflection and radiation.

Featuring the world’s first 65-micrometer pitch between LED chips, this LED display also realizes high density to deliver high-definition images while maintaining diminutive dimensions. Since it is self-illuminating, the new display features faster response, more compact dimensions, and lower power consumption than LCD displays that require a separate light source. It also features high contrast (over 5000:1) for high visibility even in bright daylight.

OKI Digital Imaging will manufacture the LED display at the newly-acquired LED manufacturing facility in Gunma prefecture, Japan. Shipments of samples are expected to begin by the end of fiscal year 2010.

“The new technology has made it possible for us to develop a groundbreaking LED display that provides high definition images while maintaining compact dimensions,” said Hiroshi Kikuchi, President of OKI Digital Imaging.

“The development of the world’s first thin-film-bonding technology in 2006 marked a significant milestone for the OKI Group. As shown by today’s announcement, that technology laid the foundations for continuing developments in LEDs. The OKI Group plans to leverage the expertise and technical knowledge accumulated over 20 years of experience with LED printing to develop new technologies in other areas and to expand its LED-related businesses.”

Chinese PCB and equipment market

SHANGHAI, CHINA: In 2008, the sales revenue of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) products in Chinese market has achieved RMB118.8 billion, and the single sided printed board, double sided printed board, multilayer printed board, and flexible printed board account for the 2.5 percent, 6.9 percent, 73.8 percent, and 16.8 percent of the total market, respectively.

The global financial crisis exploded in the fourth quarter of 2008 brought serious negative influences to Chinese PCB industry, but thanks to the high growth during the prior three quarters, the sales revenue of PCB products in China achieved the increase of 2.2 percent in 2008.

In order to confront the economic crisis and guarantee the industry's healthy development, Chinese government constituted the Readjustment and Development Plan of Electronic Information Industry, to prevent the industry's large-scale slide in some extent.

Frost & Sullivan forecasts that the Chinese market demands for PCB products reach RMB97.2 billion with the decrease of 18.2 percent in 2009, and the market is expected to rebound in 2010 with the gradual emergence of incentive policies' effects and the recovery of consumers' confidence.

According to Shuguang Zhang, Consultant of Automation & Electronics of Frost & Sullivan, the demands for electronic products directly decide the development of PCB industry, and there are several hot topics in current market:

Firstly, the promotion of 3G mobile communications. With the popularization of 3G technologies, the enormous market demands for the smartphone, the application terminal of 3G technologies, will be released gradually.

At the same time, the appearance of netbook, which is remarkable for its low price and compact size, makes it possible for the notebook to penetrate into the middle/low end market fast. All of the market evolution processes mentioned above closely relate to the prices adjustment of 3G communications.

On the one hand, all of the three mobile communication operators in China wish to get the first-move advantages in the new domain of 3G market; on the other hand, they are unwilling to abandon the 2G market at once with the consideration of the existing stable revenue and previous large investment in it.

It is just the ambivalence that makes the ending time of 3G introduction stage unclear. It is anticipated that it is the China Unicom that firstly triggers the large-scale price reduction among the three operators due to its least interests in 2G market.

Secondly, the spread of the digital TV related products. Under the condition that the government plays the leading role in the whole process, the technical upgrading status is the main determinant of its fast market expansion.

Thirdly, Appliances to the Countryside. Chinese government's original intention to advance this activity is to enlarge domestic demands and raise the living standards of farmers. However, as the result of stiff policies such as the troublesome subsidies procurement procedure, the lack of effective supervision system to prevent execution deviations, and the concussion from the emulational products, it is still far from the expected results.

Last but not least, the development of automotive electronics industry. During the economic crisis, while the European and US auto market suffered dismal sales records, the Chinese auto industry inversely realized continuous growth, and speeded up its oversea expansion through merger and acquisitions. At the same time, the closely correlated automotive electronics industry is driven ahead.

Despite those hot issues, Chinese PCB manufacturers still keep conservative attitudes toward the market, and most of them cut their equipment procurement budget greatly, and delayed the construction of new production lines, which lead to the sharp shrink of the Chinese PCB production equipment market.

Frost & Sullivan predicts that Chinese market demands for PCB production equipment will be RMB19.4 billion in 2009, about 17.8 percent lower than 2008. The total market is estimated to resurge from 2010, and it is expected to arrive at the same market volume in 2008 in two years.

The manufacture process of PCB products could be generally divided into six phases: board processing, assembly, drilling, cutting, printing, and inspection. Foreign manufacturers take up the largest market share in Chinese PCB equipment market, and their equipment prices are often two to ten times of local ones'.

The equipment types with high localization ratio include etching tank, cut sheet laminator, exposure systems in the board processing process, screen printing machine in the printing process, and electric tester in the inspection process.

In 2008, the factories located in China totally provided the PCB production equipment with the sales revenue of RMB 8.0 billion, and 92.5 percent of them are contributed by local manufacturers. The PCB production involves masses of equipment, and there is no single equipment manufacturer who could provide all or most of the equipment types. The top four PCB equipment manufacturers in China, Han's Laser, Kejie, Bürkle, and CSUN, only take up the market share of 8.5 percent in sum.

Nowadays, China still lags far behind Europe and US in the development of PCB industry: a) the core technologies to produce complicated multilayer PCB are held in foreign giants; b) the supply of high-end production equipment mainly relies on importation; c) it is lack of matured industry standards; d) the coordination role played by industry associations does not work effectively.

In the post-crisis times with the coexistence of challenges and opportunities, the common issue for each Chinese PCB enterprise to consider seriously is how to realize its economic growth while taking on the necessary environmental responsibilities.

TRW develops next-generation airbag control unit with integrated pre crash functions and inertial sensors

LIVONIA, USA: TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. announced its next generation Airbag Control Unit designed for maximum flexibility to allow the integration of a range of pre-crash occupant safety functions as well as inertial sensors for stability control. The Company has confirmed that the technology will start production with two major vehicle manufacturers in 2012.

Martin Thoone, vice president engineering, Electronics said: "TRW remains a global leader in airbag control units and is currently the number one supplier for North American built vehicles. We have shipped in excess of 150 million units to our global customer base.

"We are proud to announce these two significant wins with a major European and Asian vehicle manufacturer - one of which will apply the technology in more than 10 different car lines anticipated to cover a volume of approximately seven million vehicles over the full span of the agreement. These major contracts further highlight our strength and capabilities in this area."

Traditionally Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems have been introduced with stand- alone inertial sensor clusters (IMU). To enhance value, TRW's Airbag Control Unit presents a viable way to reduce the number of modules in the vehicle while retaining the performance of the ESC. In addition, the performance of the side impact and rollover sensing functions is enhanced through the use of the inertial sensor data.

Thoone added: "Sensor integration is a core part of TRW's strategy and we are continually working to develop smarter products which will help to reduce complexity, installation effort, weight, packaging, and ultimately the costs for our customers. With the broadest portfolio of active and passive safety products in the industry, TRW is well placed to maximize integration opportunities."

Integrating inertial sensors into the airbag control unit offers several advantages. Firstly, it places the sensors close to the vehicle's center of gravity -- a prime location for both vehicle impact sensors and inertial sensors.

Secondly, combining inertial sensors and crash sensors into one module allows alternate methods for diagnostics coverage; allows inertial sensors to be used to enhance both side impact and rollover detection; and allows the potential to integrate individual sensors into multiple sensor integrated circuits.

Finally, many components required for a stand alone inertial sensor module can be eliminated without affecting the design or performance of the ESC controller - offering significant savings for vehicle manufacturers.

The Airbag Control Unit can also incorporate the control functions of TRW's Active Control Retractor within the unit and thus control a number of pre-crash occupant safety functions in one modular unit - offering flexibility and integration of key safety functions. Additional features like pedestrian protection sensing and actuation, rollover detection and actuation of a suspension stabilizer bar and passenger occupation detection are supported with the Airbag Control Unit.

Thoone concluded: "With legislation to make ESC compulsory and the rapid growth of electronics in the automotive industry, there is a huge opportunity for continued electrical integration. With a respected technology portfolio, we are confident that TRW can offer customers the experience and intelligence needed to produce the electronic systems of today and tomorrow."

LED industry creating opportunities for significant growth in cross-strait co-operation

TAIPEI, TAIWAN: The second day of LEDforum is mainly highlighted on the exhaustive analysis of LED TV, automotive LED, and the global LED market reports, and will probe into China’s market in depth.

Ruan Jun, Deputy Secretary of China Solid State Lighting Alliance, said that the Cross-Strait can develop standards mutually in the future, constructing a demonstration area of the semiconductor lighting project together.

Today, Ruan Jun will do a specific presentation on China's semiconductor lighting market and proposes the idea of cross-strait industrial cooperation, which is estimated that China's LED industry is expected to reach 200 billion RMB in 2012 and 500 billion by 2015, not to mention up to one million job opportunities.

In the global market, LEDinside Research Associate Roger Chu indicated that notebooks and LED TVs stimulate LED market growth this year. However, due to economy recression, the sales of cell phones and LED TV offset the LED sales growth.

In the future prospect, it is estimated that LED market will grow significantly from 2010 to 2013, and the upstream chip makers’ CAPEX will also increase substantially.

Tight supply of LED chips is expected to ease in the third quarter 2010. From the LED makers’ perspectives, after Korean LED makers’ in-house production capacity ramp up, market gains will continue to expand, hence, vendors without patents, cost-competitiveness or technological edge will face a considerable challenge.

Moreover, as more and more companies invest in the field, product quality is the biggest concern; therefore, the establishment of lighting standards will lead to a re-organization in the industry.

As for LED-backlit LCD TV (LED TV)'s development, Alpha Wu, Chairman of Amtran, states that after Samsung has launched its first LED TV in the first half of this year, being the forerunner, numerous companies joined the production in second half of the year, changing the high-margin situation. It is estimated next year’s shipments are expected to grow up to 344%, and a 10% drop in gross margin.

In the LED backlight area, Witsview Research Manager, Eric Chiu, said the penetration of LED backlit for NBs is estimated to reach 80 percent next year. In LED monitor area, the price is the key, because once the price has reached a standard that can be acceptable by the market, LED backlit LCD display market expects a robust growth.

In TV products, the design optimization and technology upgrading is important, since the price of an LED backlight module currently costs two to four times that of the same sized CCFL modules. In order to achieve a higher penetration rate of LED backlighting, margin erosion of LED makers and related component makers is inevitable.

Dr. JC Hsieh, VisEra Vice President of R & D and Quality Assurance Group, illustrated that the next generation of lighting will face more challenges. First of all is the ability of technical manufacturing process, including rapid production capability and reduction in costs. At the same time, the thermal management should be strengthened, while designs need to meet with different demands.

Marcus Wong, OSRAM Senior Marketing Manager of Visible LED, Asia Pacific, presented on the topic "Automotive LED Lighting Application: Opportunities & Challenges”. He noted that the field of automotive LED is affected by electric vehicles , energy-saving and low CO2 emissions, creating a newer growth momentum.

He expected that apart from interior LED light, the day-running lights and the front headlights of an automobile are the next growth wave opportunity, particularly when the European Union countries already have relevant laws and regulations in using day-running lights.

Dr. Christian Geng, Vice President Greater China General Manager AIXTRON Taiwan, discussed about "Satisfying the LED industry’s requirements on MOCVD equipment".

He anticipated in the meeting that the importance of producing the uniformity of LED chips is becoming more importance each day, due to increasing demand of LED backlight sources and LED lighting for the panel, and the use of 4-inch and 6-inch wafer MOCVD machines continued to grow.

He took the output efficiency of the four-inch and 6-inch machines as an example, which each were able to produce 2.7 times and 4.5 times the output of LED chips from a 2-inch machine. The company, together with Semileds, also has successfully created a 6-inch sapphire wafer.

The topic in which Dr. LC Yang, Chairman of Macroblock, shares is "Trend of LED Display". He thinks the LED display driver IC will be on the same PCB board in the near future and will import more power-saving technology, so that power consumption on the LED screen will become more efficient and that the color correction and gray-scale capability of a product will be sturdier.

In addition, he said that RGB clusters, architectural lighting, and LED screen rental market trends will be the market focus in the area, and LED Driver IC market will continue to grow.

James Chu, Director of ITRI Opto-Electronics and System Application Division, presents "The Creative Technologies Development of magnetic-field enhances LED", stressing that the 200ml / W LED component technologies will bring tremendous business opportunities in LED lighting.

At the same time, WB and Schottky-type AC LED design can greatly enhance the luminous efficiency of AC LED, accelerating the construction of AC LED industrial chain and the AC LED products.

Additionally, the ITRI’s M-LED increased the electric current uniformity and IQE, in order to use the change of LED magnetoresistive effect and binding energy, created by the external magnetic field. This is completely different from the current LED technologies, opening up another door for LED technology.