Wireless Design & Development - May-June 2013

7/29/2019 Wireless Design & Development - May-June 2013

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/wireless-design-development-may-june-2013 1/40

VOLUME 21 | NUMBER 3 wirelessdesignmag.com MAY | JUNE 2013

IN THIS ISSUE

» Protection Against the Elements

» Evolving Embedded Wireless Systems

» A Growing Need for Reliable,Secure Data Communications

» Power Consumption Drives

RF Amplifier Development

S E N S O R S • T I M I N G D E V I C E S • A M P L I F I E R S • N F C

NATALIA PROJECTTHE

Protecting human rights activists

who are at risk, wirelessly

http://wirelessdesignmag.com/


http://subscribe.advantagemedia.com/wdd_ods/landing.aspx?cmpid=digital

http://mouser.com/




More New Products

More New Technologies More Added Every Day

The Newest Products for Your Newest Designs®

mouser.com

Authorized distributor of semiconductors

and electronic components for design engineers.

Mouser and Mouser Electronics are registered trademarks of Mouser Electronics, Inc. Other products, logos, and company names mentioned herein, may be trademarks of their respective owners.

http://mouser.com/

http://mouser.com/



We Still Make ‘em…

Like They Used To®

Some classic designs

are timeless… Lansdale Semiconductor still manufactures some of the most popular… and timeless commercial wireless,telecommunications, military and aerospace integrated circuits (ICs) classic designs.

As a global pioneer in IC products life cycle management, Lansdalemanufactures over 3,000 classic design ICs in the original package, exactlyas they were created and produced by AMD, Farchild, Freescale Semiconductor, Harris, Intel, Motorola, National,

Philips (formerly Signetics), and Raytheon.

Our exclusive life cycle management program assures you of a dependable, continuous, cost effective, and highquality source of classic designed ICs today… and tomorrow!

This means Lansdale eliminates the need to go to the time or expense of designing in a replacement part or evendoing a complete product redesign – not when we still make ‘em… exactly like they used to.

Log on to our Web site at www.lansdale.com to review our up-to-date

product listings and data sheets.

Contact [email protected] today.

5245 South 39th Street

Phoenix, AZ 85040-9008

0HONEs&AX

http://www.lansdale.com/

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.lansdale.com/


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/wireless-design-development-may-june-2013 4/40MAY »JUN 2013»wirelessdesignmag.com

INDUSTRY TRENDS

16 Power Consumption Drives RFAmplifier DevelopmentWDD readers identify the key obstacles and

prominent security issues for RF amplifiers.

ENCLOSURES

20 Protection Against the ElementsGORE Protective Vents provide a barrier from dust,

dirt, and water ingress.

MACHINE-TO-MACHINE

22 M2M: A Growing Need for Reliable,Secure Data CommunicationsM2M data communication technologies offer a variety of

benefits, underscoring why a number of businesses and

consumers are deploying them.

FRAM-BASED MCUS

30 Evolving Embedded Wireless Systemswith FRAM-Based MCUsTexas Instruments and element14 explore the unique features

FRAM offers embedded wireless network applications.

»

»

»

6

Up Front

8 Top Shelf

PRODUCT SHOWCASES

10 Test & Measurement

28 Wireless Sensors

32 Oscillators

32

Converters

COLUMNS

12 What Makes ItTick & Talk

26 No StringsAttached

36 Blog On

38 Brainstorm

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

COVER STORY

14 The Natalia ProjectThe Civil Rights Defenders organization has introduced a wireless assault system

that protects human rights activists who are at risk.

INSIDE » MAY» JUN 2013» www.wirelessdesignmag.com

SENSORS • TIMING DEVICES • AMPLIFIERS• NFC

p. 10

p. 12

WIRELESS DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT®

(ISSN #1076-4240, USPS #011-425), (GST Reg. #844559765) is a registered trademark of and published 6 times a year (February, April, June, August, October and D ecember) by Advantage BusinessMedia, 100 Enterprise Drive, Suite 600, Box 912, Rockaway, NJ 07866-0912. All rights reserved under the U.S.A., International, and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, electronic recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of thepublisher. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Advantage Business Media or the Editorial Board.PeriodicalsMail postage paid at Rockaway, NJ 07866 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER:Send return address changes to WIRELESS DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT, P.O. Box 3574 Northbrook, IL60065. Publication Mail Agreement No. 41336030. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Imex/Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 1632, Windsor Ontario N9A 7C9.Subscription Inquiries/Change of Address: contact: Omeda Customer Service, P.O. Box 3574 Northbrook, IL 60065-3574, 847-559-7560, Fax: 847-291-4816, email: [email protected]. Change of addressnotices should include old as well as new address. If possible attach address label from recent issue. Allow 8 to 10 weeks for address change to become effect ive. Subscriptions are free to qualified individuals.Subscription rates per year are $46 for U.S.A., $55 for Canada, and $65 for Mexico & foreign air delivery, single copy $10 for U.S.A., $15 for other locations, prepaid in U.S.A. fu nds drawn on a U.S.A. branch bank.Notice to Subscribers: We permit reputable companies to send announcements of their products or services to our subscribers. Requests for this privilege are examined with great care to be surethey will be of interest to our readers. If you prefer not to receive such mailings, and want your name in our files only for receiving the magazine, please write us, enclosing your current address mail-ing label. Please address your request to Customer Service, P.O. Box 3574 Northbrook, IL 60065-3574.Printed in USA: Advantage Business Media does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein,regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. The editors make every reasonable effort to verify the information published, but Advantage Busi-ness Media assumes no responsibility for the validity of any manufacturers' claims or statements in items reported. Copyright ©2013 Advantage Business Media. All rights reserved.

Cover Image: 1000Words /Shutterstock.com


http://www.wirelessdesignmag.com/


http://shutterstock.com/


http://www.eclipsemdi.com/



http://shutterstock.com/




http://freescale.com/rfpower


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/wireless-design-development-may-june-2013 6/406 MAY »JUN 2013»wirelessdesignmag.com

UP FRONT » BY MEAGHAN ZIEMBA » EDITOR

www.wirelessdesignmag.comPUBLISHING HEADQUARTERS100 Enterprise Drive, Suite 600, Box 912Rockaway, NJ 07866-1112973-920-7129

GROUP PUBLISHER, George [email protected]

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, Jeff Reinke [email protected]

EDITOR, Meaghan [email protected]

ART DIRECTOR, Beverly [email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGER, Conshella [email protected]

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, Pattie [email protected]

WEB PRODUCTION SPECIALIST, Christine Wongchristine.wong@advantagemedia .com

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT ASSOC. DIRECTOR, Gail [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS/CHANGE OF ADDRESS:847-559-7560; [email protected]

SALES STAFF

GLEN SUNDIN, Senior Director - Online Sales973-920-7038; [email protected], DC, DE, MD, MA, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA,VT, WV, Eastern Canada

MIKE FRANCESCONI, [email protected], IN, MI, MN, OH, WI

GENE ROBERTS, 408-640-7567; [email protected], AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, KS, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV,OK, OR, SD, T X, UT, WA, WY

TAMI MORREL, [email protected], AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, SC, TN

ALASTAIR SWIFT, [email protected] Media, 4 Jersey Lane, St. Albans,Herts AL4 9AB, UK ALL Europe (Except Austria, Germany, Switzerland &Lichtenstein

MARCUS PLANTENBERG, Plantenberg Media Svcs GmbH,

Andreas-Kasperbauer-StraBe 34Haar D-85540 Germany+49 89 55 07 99 09

KATSUYA WATANBE, Room 505, 2-13-31, Omori-kitaOta-ku, Tokyo [email protected]; +81-90-5321-6881

LIST RENTAL, Statlistics203-778-8700; www.statlistics.com

REPRINTS: Nicole Goodermuth717-505-9701 x155

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, Terry Freeburg

PRESIDENT, George Fox

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER/CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER ,Prescott Shibles

VICE PRESIDENT/HUMAN RESOURCES, Susanne Foulds

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

MIKE CIVIELLO, Broadcom

FRANK DITORE, Agilent EEsof

DAVID DONOVAN, Bitwave Semiconductor, Inc.

ERIC HAKANSON, Anritsu

DAVID HALL, National Instruments JERRY KOLBE , Murata Electronics

GIAMPAOLO MARINO, Intersil Corporation

MARK VITELLARO, Richardson Electronics

JIM NORLI NG, JR., Freescale Semiconductor

JUSTIN PANZE R, Rohde & Schwarz, Inc.

KEVIN WALSH, RF Micro Devices

Irecently attended a concert in Madison, WI. I placed my phone in my back pocket

to avoid carrying a purse and to have it easily accessible when I wanted to update

my status and snap a few photos. Unfortunately, after a visit to the facilities and a

horrifying plop, I knew that I was in trouble.

I grabbed the phone as quickly as I could, and prematurely boasted of its super water-

proof design on Facebook before the seepage finally reached the circuits and permanently froze the screen with an image reminiscent of Hal9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey .

I never thought losing my smartphone to the porcelain god would give me with-

drawals, but after speaking with the phone carrier, and receiving a brief lecture on

why not to charge your phone after it’s been submerged in toilet water, I

started to shake when I was informed that it would take about a week for

me to get a new phone and had no option for a loaner.

Anxiety kicked in on day two and I became very curt with everyone. Day

three I couldn’t concentrate on simple tasks, and I was quite fidgety by

the time day four rolled around. It amazed me how reliant I was on my

phone — from keeping track of my shopping lists and appointments, to

helping me get up in the morning. It even took me awhile to realize that

my paper map wasn’t going to tell me where to go… I actually had to read

the thing (a life skill everyone should have).

I felt lost and disconnected as I aimlessly roamed the streets and observed every-

one else absorbed in their sleek, mobile devices. Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggera-

tion, but it was hard. While I do appreciate how quickly everything and everyone

comes together through the advanced wireless technologies that are available, my no-

phone experience made me ask: Are we addicts?

Putting down a phone shouldn’t be comparable to quitting smoking. Would I have

had the same conniption when it first plopped in the toilet if my phone didn’t con-

tain my entire life on it? No. I wouldn’t have even stuck my hand in the water to save

it from drowning in a public bathroom toilet.

While wireless technologies continue to advance and communicating in different

environments becomes easier, in some cases it’s okay to just put down the phone and

unplug from the grid. It’s hard at first, but you’ll be surprised at what you’ve been

missing when you finally look up from the screen.

[email protected]»

Smartphone Shakes

ADVERTISERS' INDEX

Agilent Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

AR-RF/Microwave Instrumentation . . . . . . . . . 9

Boonton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Components Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

CTS Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 33

Eclipse Microwave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Fox Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Freescale Semiconductor Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

IMS 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Keystone Electronics Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Krytar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Lansdale Semiconductor Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Leader Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Memory Protection Devices Inc. . . . . . . . . 13, 26

Micro Lambda Wireless. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Microstrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Mouser Electronics, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1, 2

National Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Nordic Semiconductor ASA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Omniyig, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Rigol Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Rogers Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Saelig Co Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 21

Stanford Research Systems Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Tadiran Electronic Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Temwell Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Wireless Telecom Group, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Putting down

a phone

shouldn’t be

comparableto quitting

smoking.

















http://www.statlistics.com/




http://www.statlistics.com/



















®

E L E C T R O N I C S C O R P.

®CATALOG M60.2

There’s a keystone in ever y great invention … Follow, THiNK & Learn at:

Designers and Manufacturers

THiNK Keystone Catalog M60.2.

The Newly Released 2nd Edition of Catalog M60.

Discover all of our New Products. SMT & THM

Interconnect Components and Electronic Hardware.

Tel: (718) 956-8900 s (800) 221-5510 s e-mail: [email protected] sWeb: www.keyelco.com


http://www.keyelco.com/

http://www.keyelco.com/




8 MAY »JUN 2013»wirelessdesignmag.com

TOP SHELF » EDITOR'S CHOICE - MTTS PREVIEW

Cut Crystal TechnologyCTS Electronic Components (Elkhart, IN) has

announced the Model 148 oven controlledcrystal oscillator, which uses the unique SC cut

crystal technology to reduce power consumption

down to 0.23 W at +25°C. Features include:

Applicability in airborne and ground mobile,

wireless communications, broadband access,

•

Real-Time Spectrum Analysis

Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, CA) is of-fering real-time spectrum analysis as an upgrad-

able option for new and existing PXA signal

analyzers. Features include:

Signal detection with 100% probability of

intercept with durations as short as 3.57 µs.

A frequency-mask trigger that identifies and

records suspect signals.

Lowest noise floor, which enables improved

probability of intercept.Scan wide spans of spectrum with 160 MHz real-

time bandwidth up to 50 GHz frequency range.

89600 VSA software that analyzes complex

signals.

www.agilent.com

•

•

•

•

•

»

GaN-BasedAmplifier

Comtech Xicom Technology (Santa Clara,CA) has introduced an efficient GaN-based

amplifier for X-band MILSATCOM service. The

Model XTSLIN-100X-B1 features:

100 W of WGS linear power.

A compact, rugged 32-lbs. package.

A 6.8” x 10.5” x 17” footprint.

An integrated BUC, output isolator, and

harmonic filter.

www.xicomtech.com

•

•

•

•

»

test and measurement, WLAN/WiMax/Wi-Fi,

and portable equipment.

Durability up to 500 G of mechanical shock. A TO-8 vacuum package.

DIL-8 compatibility.

Up to 10 ppb from 0° to +70°C.

A phase noise as low as -166 dBc/Hz floor @

10 MHz.

Frequencies from 8 to 100 MHz.

www.ctscorp.com

••

•

•

•

•

»


http://www.agilent.com/


http://www.xicomtech.com/


http://www.ctscorp.com/


http://www.krytar.com/








rf/microwave instrumentation

Other ar divisions: modular rf U receiver systems U ar europe

USA 215-723-8181. For an applications engineer, call 800-933-8181.

*O&VSPQFDBMMBS6OJUFE,JOHEPNtBS'SBODFtBS(NC)tBS#FOFMVY

Copyright © 2013 AR. The orange stripe on AR products is Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM. Off.

www.arworld.us

ISO 9001:2008

Certified

/PXZPVDBOGJOBMMZQVSDIBTFUIFBNQMJGJFSQSPEVDUTZPVOFFEUPGVMGJMMZPVSXJEFCBOE&.$BOE

wireless applications in one amplifier. AR’s new amplifiers offer 15 to 50 watt Class A linear power versions

PWFSBOJOTUBOUBOFPVT#8GSPNUP()[XJUIWFSZMPXIBSNPOJDEJTUPSUJPOGPSZPVSEFNBOEJOHSFRVJSFNFOUT5IFTFVOJUTDBOCFESJWFOXJUIBTMJUUMFBTN8BOEQSPWJEFFYDFMMFOUGMBUOFTTBDSPTTUIF

PQFSBUJOHGSFRVFODZCBOEJOBEEJUJPOUPFYDFMMFOUOPJTFGJHVSF *GZPVMJLFUIFDPOWFOJFODFPGBSFNPUFJOUFSGBDFZPVMMCFHMBEUPLOPXUIBUJUDPNFTTUBOEBSEwith AR’s 1 o()[BNQMJGJFST0VSDPNQFUJUPSTDIBSHFFYUSB"OEEPOUGPSHFUUIBUBMM"3QSPEVDUT

BSFCBDLFECZBXPSMEXJEFTVQQPSUOFUXPSLUIBUTTFDPOEUPOPOF

If you don’t require a complete amplifier instrument,we can also supply our solid state 15 watt Class A and 25 watt

$MBTT"#NPEVMBSIZCSJEQPXFSBNQMJGJFSTPWFSUIFTBNFGSFRVFODZSBOHF

5IFTFIJHIHBJOVOJUTXPVMEBMTPCFTVJUBCMFGPS&8BQQMJDBUJPOT

To learn more, visit us at www.arworld.us or for technical support call 800-933-8181.www.arworld.us /1-6GHz

Come See Us at IMS 2013Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington, June 4-6, Booth 1144

http://www.arworld.us/








Synchronous Hipot Test FunctionChroma Systems Solutions (Foothill Ranch, CA) has

announced the new 19020 Series Multichannel Hipot

tester. A new architecture enables it to measure Hipot

leakage current of all channels at the same time and con-duct tests on a maximum of 100 DUTs simultaneously,

increasing regulatory test efficiency and productivity.

Features include:

A synchronous Hipot test function that allows 1 single

unit to perform 10-channels sync output and measure-

ments at the same time.

A high-voltage discharge of up to 14 kV.

An I/O interface, which reports test results individually

and collectively simultaneously.

Memory recall for easy implementation in automatedenvironments.

Flashover detection and open/short check.

www.chromausa.com

•

•

•

•

•

»

Handheld, Time Domain Reflectometer Megger (Norristown, PA) offers a handheld, time

domain reflectometer featuring:

A 2 ns pulse width that eliminates dead zones. An accuracy < 3’ from the point of connection.

Applicability in CATV/cellular, power, and telephony.

Auto set-up that determines the impedance of the cable

under test, sets the instrument accordingly, and selects

the optimum gain and pulse width chosen by the opera-

tor.

Dual cursors for pinpointing faults.

A unique trace ‘hold’ component used for comparison

between cables.

4 output impedances of 25, 50, 75, and 100 Ω.

A large, high-resolution backlit display.

A velocity factor between 0.20 and 0.99.

An IP54 rating.

www.megger.com

••

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

»

Single-Box RF Test Capability Anritsu (Richardson, TX) has announced the Advanced

Carrier Aggregation (CA) Measurement Software for its

MT8820C RF Tester, enabling analysis of mobile devices

that incorporate the new ultra-fast technology evolution.

The new option features:

A multi-format of 2, 3, and 4 G/LTE.

Wireless device calibration.

RF parametric and functional testing, including call

processing or no-call based testing.

Support for LTE (FDD and TDD), W-CDMA/HSPA toDC-HSDPA, CDMA2K to single and multi-carrier 1xEV-

DO rel.A, GSM/(E)-GPRS, and TD-SCDMA/HSPA.

PPM technology.

www.anritsu.com

•

•

•

•

•

»

Advanced, Economical Spectrum AnalyzerSaelig (Fairport, NY) has introduced the GA4063 Spectrum Analyzer,

an advanced, high-specification instrument for evaluating signals from

9 kHz to 3 GHz.

The GA4063 features:

An easy-to-use keypad and

soft-key layout.

A large 8.5” (800 x 480)

full-color widescreen TFT

LCD display.

A bandwidth resolution

from 1 Hz to 3 MHz in a

1/3/10 sequence.

A max input signal capa-

bility of +30 dBm.

A phase noise of -95 dBc/

Hz (offset 10 kHz).

A displayed average noise levelspecification of -130 dBm.

A footprint of 16”(W) x 8”(H) x 7”(D).

www.saelig.com

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

»

Customizable Dashboards Averna (Canada) has released the 6.2 version of its

ProligentTest and Quality Management software, featuring:

A personalized environment that

incorporates new and

improved reports.

A landing page for quick

user help.

Customizable dashboards for

user-based report summaries.

Powerful report-sharing tools.

www.averna.com

•

•

•

•

»

PRODUCT SHOWCASE » TEST & MEASUREMENT

10 MAY »JUN 2013 » wirelessdesignmag.com

http://www.chromausa.com/

http://www.megger.com/

http://www.anritsu.com/


http://www.saelig.com/

http://www.averna.com/






http://www.averna.com/

http://www.megger.com/

http://www.chromausa.com/



Elusive signals can hide,

but not for long.

Learn more: Measuring Agile Signals and

Dynamic Signal Environments app note

www.agilent.com/find/elusive-signals

Understand what’s happening in the most

signal-rich environments or systems. Detect

transients or interference, even small

signals in the presence of large ones. And

achieve the best probability of intercepting

signals – all with the real-time PXA signal

analyzer. Go after the most elusive signal

and know you’ve got it.

Real-Time Spectrum Ana yz

Industry-best POI: > 3.57μs

160 MHz BW across 50 GHz frequency range

Up to 75 dB of spurious-free dynamic range

License-key upgrade to Agilent N9030A

PXA signal analyzer

© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2013 u.s. 1-800-829-4444 canada: 1-877-894-4414

WHAT MAKES IT TICK TALK?

http://www.agilent.com/find/elusive-signals

http://qrs.ly/6622zvb9

http://www.agilent.com/find/elusive-signals



2.1, and FM capability. A Super AMOLED

is attached to the front glass, with a digi-

tizer that is a PET layer between the glass

and the display. Only the front glass panel

is curved, the rest of the components are

flat, just as any other phone on the market.

There’s also a small PCB on the back of

the display with an Atmel MXT224 touch-

screen controller on it.

A lot of the phone’s components aremodular, making them simpler to replace,

but more expensive as replacement parts.

The front panel is attached with an adhe-

sive instead of screws, so it’s harder to take

off than on the iPhone. If the front panel

glass gets shattered, the SAMOLED has to

be replaced as well because they’re fused

together.

Much like the Samsung Galaxy S, the

Nexus S features both a rear and front-fac-

ing camera that share the same connector

on the motherboard, and they can both

be removed as a singular unit. The front-facing VGA camera provides a resolution

of 640 x 480 pixels, while an EM-Tech

EME1511AFRC integrates the earpiece

speaker, loudspeaker for speakerphone and

media use, and a sensor bank.

The motherboard features:

Skyworks SKY77529 Tx Front-End

Module for dual-band GSM/GPRS/

EDGE.

SanDisk SDIN4C2 16 GB MLC NAND

flash.

Samsung KB100D00WM-A453 memory

package and S5PC110A01 1 GHz Cortex

A8 Hummingbird Processor.

Infineon 8824 XG616 X-Gold baseband

processor.

Wolfson Microelectronics WM8994

ultra-low power audio codec.

Hidden underneath an EMI cover isthe Broadcom Wi-Fi chip, which is a low-

power package with 802.11n, Bluetooth

•

•

•

•

•


WHAT MAKES IT TICK & TALK?

www.ifixit.com

The Nexus S is a variation of the

Samsung Galaxy S, sporting more

or less the same hardware specifica-

tions as its brethren. Notable changes

to the Nexus S include NFC (Near Field

Communication) support and a Super

AMOLED Contour Display. Additional fea-

tures include:

1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 Hummingbird

Multimedia Applications Processor

based on the ARMv7 architecture.

16 GB internal storage capacity.

512 MB total RAM.

5 MP rear-facing camera, and a VGA

(640 x 480) front-facing camera.

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).

It’s not just an optical illusion – the

Nexus S is the first smartphone to featurea contour display, meaning the display

glass is slightly curved to be more comfort-

able for users. The back cover comes right

off providing a glimpse of the battery and

the NFC module on the back cover can be

peeled off with a plastic opening tool.

The 3.7 V, 5.55 W-hours lithium ion

cell is easy to remove, and provides up to

6.7 hours of talk time on a 3G network.

It is rated at 1,500 mAh, which is slightly

higher than the 1,400 mAh rating of the

Nexus One battery.

The design of the motherboard is

unique, because its inner perimeter enclos-

es the battery. We’ve seen oddly-shaped

PCBs before, but rarely do they have giant

holes in the middle of them. A plastic

opening tool helps separate the

SIM card reader from the rest of the motherboard.

The Nexus S is unlocked

right out of the box and

can be used with a Quad-

band (850, 900, 1,800, 1,900)

GSM carrier, and is Tri-band

HSPA (900, 2,100,

1,700) compatible,

and it does not

support the 850

and 1,900 MHz

HSPA frequency

bands required

for 3G mobile data.

•

•

•

•

•

The Nexus S SmartphoneGoogle, in partnership with Samsung, has released its second official phone: The Nexus S.



http://www.ifixit.com/


http://www.ifixit.com/



COVER STORY EMERGENCY TRACKING

http://batteryholders.com/



Meaghan Ziemba, Editor, WDD

»Project in the spring of 2013, which is a wire-less assault alarm system for human rightsdefenders. “We decided to name the project after Natalia Estemirova since she symbolizesthe important and courageous work that many human rights defenders in the North Caucasusregion continue to do,” explains Öholm.

OBSERVE, REACT, ENGAGE

The Natalia Project is based off of three

principles: observe, react, and engage. Those who sign up for the Natalia Project receivenotifications of distress signals sent by human rights defenders wearing a bracelet via their social networks. When an alarm istriggered it alerts local partners and the head-quarters of the Civil Rights Defenders, provid-ing the exact time and location of the assault.

Volunteers are able to get involved andreact once the signal reaches their social networks. Depending on the situation, different suggestions for taking action will be present-ed by the Civil Rights Defenders. What makes

Back in 2009, human rights activ-ist, Natalia Estemirova, was foundmurdered as she was working on“extremely sensitive” cases of human

rights abuses in Chechnya during armedconflicts in the republic and the NorthCaucasus region.

Before her death, Estemirova documented

and reported on human rights violations; suchas forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings,and torture. “Unfortunately, [her] murder isnot the only example of how human rightsdefenders in Russia are being silenced,” saysPeter Öholm, Program Officer of the CivilRights Defenders – an independent expert organization in Stockholm that aims to defendpeople’s civil and political rights.

After Estemirova’s death, the Civil Rights

Defenders wondered what they could doas an organization to protect human rightsactivists at risk. Assaults were taking place

without anyone knowing about them, making it impossible to protect and help the victims. There was a need to enable victims to sendout distress signals when they were attacked.

Civil Rights Defenders launched the Natalia

The Natalia Pr ject

COVER STORY » EMERGENCY TRACKING

14 MAY »JUNE 2013 » wirelessdesignmag.com

The Civil Rights Defenders organization has introduced a wireless

assault system that protects human rights activists who are at risk.

EMERGENCY TRACKING » COVER STORY






the Natalia Project unique isit enables the distress signal toreach everyone simultaneously,increasing the chance to save lives.

A LIFELINE BRACELET

The Natalia bracelet is made from poly-carbonate, rubber, and steel. It has to be

made durable in order to survive the violenceand brutality of an assault. Its purpose isto serve as a lifeline for the human rightsactivists that wear it. Distress signals aresent from the bracelet via Global Systemfor Communications (GSM) and GlobalPositioning System (GPS) chip + antennas.“GSM is used for communicating alarms andpositions using Short Message Service (SMS)and data via General Packet Radio Service

(GPRS),” says Öholm. “GSM triangulation [isused] as a back-up when GPS does not work?

The bracelet also contains an alarm trigger

advance, and prepare actions accordingly.”GSM was chosen to help keep the brace-

let activated in any location at any time.However, without mobile coverage thebracelet won’t work.

A WORLDWIDE CONNECTION

The Natalia Project helps create a worldwide connection by integrating a mobileapp, PFO Shield, which can be down-loaded for free on iTunes and Google Play.“Together with our technology partner, PFO Technologies, we are developing a new ver-sion of the app that will be released this year. The new app will enable more functionality for our users in the field,” says Öholm.

Anyone interested in the Natalia Project can sign up and participate in the messageexchanges, but Öholm emphasizes how theCivil Rights Defenders would like all peoplesigning up to be willing to take action if analarm is triggered by signing petitions, send-ing emails, and sharing information about thehuman rights defender who is under attack.

“If attackers know that people around the

world are following human rights activists,the likeliness of them attacking will decrease.Even though the project is not a completesecurity solution or guarantee for any humanrights defender, it is a very important comple-ment for many situations where it willincrease the security and safety,” says Öholm.

The knowledge that the world could knowabout such incidents is very powerful and it will contribute to a reduced level of threats.

The Natalia Project will also contribute to anincreased knowledge on some of the regionsand countries where human rights activists work, and shed some light on the serious violations that occur within them. WDD

EMERGENCY TRACKING » COVER STORY

MAY »JUN 2013 » wirelessdesignmag.com 15

sensor and a patented alarm activation andlocking mechanism. The sensor activates thealarm if the bracelet is removed by force. A human rights defender can also trigger analarm manually, which causes the bracelet tolock itself on their arm.

Once a distress signal is activated, a signalis sent via GPRS to the servers in Stockholm, where Civil Rights Defenders verify the alarm,and then decide what information should

be shared and posted on different platformssuch as Twitter and Facebook. “The verifica-tion of an alarm is crucial from a security per-spective,” says Öholm. “The police will not benotified by default since in many cases, themost serious threats towards human rightsactivists, comes from the government agen-cies and law enforcement.”

PROTOCOLS & SPECIFICATIONS

Due to the different environments andcharacteristics of each situation that activ-ists are involved in, each bracelet comesequipped with an individual protocol for security.

“Each bearer of the alarm is unique inthe sense that they all work in different environments and the possible threats look different,” explains Öholm. “In some cases,

the most appropriate action might be to callthe local chief of police, but in other casesthis could be counter-productive. Our task is to try to determine as many possible sce-narios and relevant factors for each bearer in

Above: GPS and GSM technology work together to inform the

world exactly when and where a person is attacked. Above

right: The bracelet has been developed to make sure it works

with ease – even in the most demanding situations

INDUSTRY TRENDS » RF AMPLIFIERS







The survey results make sense since output power varies with fre-

quency in any amplifier. The degree to which it varies allows certain

flexibility in specifying outputs, therefore determining the extent of

the amplifier’s intended use.

CHALLENGES WITH INTEGRATING RF AMPLIFIERS

Designers are faced with various challenges when integrating RF

amplifiers into wireless infrastructures. New and innovative tech-

niques and materials are needed to reduce cost, while at the same

time maintain the performance.

Fifty percent WDD readers agreed that power consumption was a

huge challenged that they faced during the design process of amplifi-

ers. Others stated the following:

Bandwidth constraints: 39 percent.Cost controls & signal strength: 31 percent.

Parameter variations: 26 percent.

Area layout/environmental factors: 22 percent.

A small percentage cited that EMI/EMC and MTBF (Mean Time

Between Failure) were their major challenges that they faced during

the design process, but as the amount of bandwidth continues to

become limited, it’s apparent why power consumption, cost controls,

and signal strength are at the top.

DESIGN OBSTACLES

WDD readers identified the usual challenges associated with

design when asked about the primary design obstacles for RF ampli-

fiers. Energy efficiency and sustainability (46 percent) led the way

with cost (33 percent) not trailing too far behind. Time-to-Market

••

•

•

Meaghan Ziemba, Editor, WDD»

Power Consumption Drives RFAmplifier DevelopmentWDD readers identify the key obstacles and prominent security issues for RF amplifiers.

INDUSTRY TRENDS » RF AMPLIFIERS

The demand for wire-

less technologies con-

tinues to increase at

rapid speeds, making

RF power amplifiers a crucial

component in wireless infrastruc-

ture equipment. Feedback from

Wireless Design and Development's

(WDD) readers suggests how power

consumption, energy efficiency, and

sustainability are important drivers inbase station design for RF amplifiers.

PERFORMANCE

When it comes to implementing RF amplifiers into Machine-to-

Machine (M2M) technologies, most respondents agreed that operat-

ing frequency (36 percent) was the primary performance specifica-

tion to consider. Other respondents offered the following insight:

24 percent believed output power was important to consider.

16 percent cited gain flatness.

10 percent identified design gain.

7 percent thought supply voltage was important.

7 percent suggested noise.

•

•

•

•

•

16 MAY »JUNE 2013 » wirelessdesignmag.com

Photo Credits: MILMEGA, TriQuint,

and EMpower.






INDUSTRY TRENDS »RF AMPLIFIERS


http://www.ctscorp.com/components




(14 percent) was the third primary obstacle

with security (4 percent) identified as the least

concerning obstacle.

SECURITY

Although security wasn’t identified as

a prominent design challenge, WDD

readers did site some security issues

with RF amplifiers. Some of their indi-

vidual responses included:

Hacking.

Signal interference.

Reliability and robustness.Signal leakage.

Bandwidth limitations when incorporating

security algorithms.

Encryption.

TRENDS

While efficiency, physical size, linearity, and reliability are among the

key principle concerns for RF amplifier design, 39 percent of WDD’s read-

ers stated that power consumption will play the most significant role in

the future development of RF amplifiers. Others responded as follows:

•

•

••

•

•

Wireless communication standards: 21

percent.

Data transfer speeds: 19 percent.

New network protocols: 9 percent.

Security: 7 percent.

Network size: 3 percent.

Other WDD readers provided idividual respons-

es concerning future developments, which are as

follows:

“Wireless standards largely determine the proto-

cols, power consumption, and network speeds.” “So many electrical/electronic gadgets are being

continuously developed, and all require power.”

“Battery efficiency and longer battery life will be para-

mount.”

“With power being at the premium and many components

competing for power, there are trade-offs between the power to the

amplifier, versus other functions.”

“Security in terms of SNR, meaning the signal gets through, and in

terms of interference rejection (i.e., preventing signal corruption,

counterfeiting, etc.).” WDD

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

INDUSTRY TRENDS »RF AMPLIFIERS

Stanford Research Systems • www.thinkSRS.com • 408-744-9040

10MHz Distribution Amplifer

• Sine wave outputs (+13dBm)

• Amplitude leveling

• Low additive phase noise

• High channel-to-channel isolation

• High return loss

• $1250 (US list)

The new FS730 series of distribution ampli⇒ers from

SRS provide state-of-the-art solutions for distributing

10 MHz, Broadband (50Ω and 75Ω), CMOS Logic

and SDI digital video. Both bench-top and rack-mount

con⇒gurations are available.

The FS730/1 10 MHz distribution ampli⇒er uses an

input limiter design, which removes amplitude

modulation from the signal, provides ⇒xed amplitude

outputs and blocks input noise. Virtually any 10 MHz

waveform with a duty cycle near 50% may be used as

an input.

Select LNAs are various LNA package configurations. Photo Credit: Skyworks.


http://www.thinksrs.com/


http://www.thinksrs.com/



TECHNOLOGY FEATURE » ENCLOSURES


http://www.omniyig.com/



During its initial year of installation in a part of the Asia-Pacific

region where storms, high winds and dramatic changes in

temperature are common, this ruggedized wireless router was

found to have water leaking into the enclosure, causing corro-sion and performance issues with the electronic components

inside. Photo Credit: Gore Demand for wireless communications

has created an increase in telecom-

munications equipment, as well as a

need for advanced, high-quality infra-

structure to help prevent product failure,

especially in hash environments.

Outdoor telecommunication devices

experience severe weather and daily temper-

ature fluctuations, causing strong pressure

differentials inside the equipment, which

can stress and damage housing seals, allow-ing leaks to occur. These leaks can result in

equipment failure and costly repairs, making

it crucial for telecommunications equip-

ment to survive environmental exposure and

maintain operational integrity.

PROTECTIVE VENTING

All electronics enclosures used outdoors for

telecom infrastructure, such as base stations,

small cells, and wireless routers, are subject to

temperature fluctuations, wind, precipitation,

and solar radiation, which can compromise

device performance. W.L. Gore & Associates

(Gore) offers a portfolio of protective venting

products that equalize pressure in telecom-munications equipment.

“Each of our protective vents consists of a

polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane,

which allows the exchange of air while block-

Meaghan Ziemba, Editor, WDD»

Protection Against the ElementsGORE Protective Vents provide a barrier from dust, dirt, and water ingress while still allowing telecommunications equipment to breathe within changing environmental conditions.

ENCLOSURES» TECHNOLOGY FEATURE


http://www.wirelessdesignmag.com/videos



TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

The migration of networks to 4G technolo-

gies marks the most challenging and expensive

upgrade in the telecommunication industry.

The increased use of small cell technology

means that telecommunication infrastructure

and its electronics are becoming more sophis-

ticated and complex. Components are being

installed everywhere from telephone poles andbuilding eaves in metropolitan areas to remote

towers in the countryside.

“This is an exciting time for our outdoor

telecommunication venting products,” says

Zambotti. “Due to these trends, the physi-

cal amount of waterproof enclosures that

are going to be deployed in the next three

years wil l continue to grow at exponent ial

rates. Our focus over the past couple of

years, and our c urrent focus, remains on

helping manufacturers meet these market

demands for reliable protection of telecom-

munication devices.” WDD

ing out liquid, dust, and dirt,” explains Jason

Zambotti, product specialist for Gore.

LONG-TERM RELIABILITY

A key contributor to a prolonged life

and performance in wireless applications is

maintaining equalized pressure. “Many engi-

neers believe that a completely sealed out-

door enclosure with rugged gaskets and seals

is the ideal solution for ensuring long-term

reliability,” explains Zambotti. “The problem

with well-sealed enclosures is an open-air

volume inside, which expands or contractsbased on the change in temperature, creating

stress on the housing’s seals.”

With a vent solution that includes a hole

in the outdoor enclosure, pressure is equal-

ized, water intrusion is prevented, and dirt

and dust contaminants are kept out, helping

to maintain the integrity of the enclosure for

a long time.

Zambotti explains how Gore prefers to col-

laborate with customers early in the design

phase so they can help create the optimum

venting solution that is guaranteed to provide

long-term reliability. “We [like] to collaborate

with our customers to understand the environ-

ment in which the device will be used. This

includes the temperature cycles the device will

experience, the outdoor environmental condi-

tions the device will be subjected to, and the

internal volume of the enclosure.”

Understanding the physical design of the

outdoor enclosure also helps determine a par-

ticular vent type, size, and integration option,

which the customer can test in their applica-

tion, ensuring optimum life and performance.

This GORE Protective Vent was selected to maintain equalized

pressure inside the router’s enclosure without creating a path

for water and other contaminants to enter. Photo Credit: Gore

TECHNOLOGY FEATURE » MACHINE-TO-MACHINE




Ashish Sharma, CMO of FreeWave

Technologies

»

The first Machine-to-Machine (M2M)

applications can be traced back to

World War II, and the ability to have

machines “talk” to each other (via data

communication networks) is essential for

monitoring and controlling assets within

homes, businesses, and even critical nationalinfrastructure projects of today.

As the automation of manual processes

through M2M data communication technol-

ogies continues to grow in both popularity

and necessity, decision makers will have an

opportunity to select from a variety of tech-

nical options available to the marketplace.

BENEFITS

M2M data communication technologies

offer a variety of potential benefits, under-

scoring why an increasing number of busi-

nesses and consumers are either currently

deploying them, or anticipate using them in

the future. The benefits gained from M2M

data communication technologies vary based

on the application served, but in general, the

overall benefits that can be achieved throughthese solutions include:

Leveraging resources in a valuable way.

Mitigating or responding to issues via

enhanced monitoring capabilities.

Achieving greater efficiencies and, there-

fore, enhancing productivity.

Increasing data consumption and support-

•

•

•

•

ing analysis key operational factors.

Diminishing the impact on the environ-

ment via monitoring/control across large

geographic regions.

Aiding the development of increased

safety and security measures.

Securing greater adherence to regulatory

and compliance factors.

Improving product quality and organiza-

tional innovation. While it is important to highlight the

general benefits of integrating M2M data

communications, an individual or business

can’t realize them unless the solutions are

integrated into their existing systems or net-

works. Decision makers need to review the

following factors that will help them define

which type of M2M data communication

technology is more appropriate for their individual situations:

Reliability.

Throughput.

Security.

Flexibility/compatibility.

Ease of installation.

Cost.

Businesses must also consider the specific

data communication technology that serves

M2M applications when looking at theabove success factors:

Unlicensed spectrum wireless data radio

technology.

Licensed spectrum wireless data radio

technology.

Cellular technology.

Satellite technology.

Wired technology or Ethernet.

Traditional Wi-Fi or off-the-shelf wirelessnetworking technology.

ZigBee.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

M2M: A Growing Need for Reliable,Secure Data Communications As the automation of manual processes through M2M data communication technologiescontinues to grow, decision makers will have an opportunity to select from a variety of technical options available to the marketplace.


Remote monitoring application with wireless data commu-

nications. Photo Credit: FreeWave Technologies






www.rogerscorp.com/acm

smallerIS BETTERDesign with ROGERS

materials for smaller antennas

The Leader in HIGH Dielectric Constant Circuit Materials

In today’s mobile and connected world, designers must compact increasedfunctionality into smaller spaces. Smaller circuits are possible with high-dielectric constant (high-er) printed-circuit-board (PCB) materials. Rogersoffers the widest variety of high-er PCB materials for high frequency circuitdesigns that simply must be made smaller.

Look to Rogers Corporation not only for PCB materials with high-er values,but for circuit materials with the widest range of er values in the industry.5RJHUVõ3&%PDWHULDOVSURYLGHFLUFXLWGHVLJQHUVZLWKWUXHŀH[LELOLW\not just for the electrical performance they seek, but to achieveit in the smallest-sized circuits possible.

www.rogerscorp.com/acm/technology

Become a memberof our TechnologySupport Hub

If it’s a circuit thathas to be smaller,make sure it is alsobetter, with Rogers!

Product Df @ 2.5GHz

RO4360G2™ 6.15 0.0030

RO3006™ 6.15 0.0018

RO3010™ 10.2 0.0020

er

Visit us at IMS/MTT-S 2013June 4-6 Seattle,WABooth #1459

er = 3.0

er = 6.15

er = 10.2

TECHNOLOGY FEATURE » MACHINE-TO-MACHINE

http://www.rogerscorp.com/acm

http://www.rogerscorp.com/acm/technology

http://www.rogerscorp.com/acm/technology

http://www.rogerscorp.com/acm



Industrial M2M application leveraging everything from sen-

sors to communication technology. Photo Credit: FreeWaveTechnologies


CHOOSING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY

Each of the above technologies has positive

and negative attributes, but end users must

realize that certain technologies are more effec-

tive than others in particular applications.

Users should analyze the communication

requirements for each M2M application by the

characteristics of the technology that are most

relevant for operational success; for example,

users would benefit from employing a more

cost-effective technology if there aren’t any

mandatory requirements for high security levels

or operational reliability, such as a home or

mobile Internet connection.

It would make sense to invest in a proven,

reliable, and secure technology if the applica-

tion supported a critical societal function, such

as managing an emergency shut-off valve in a

public utility application.

Most of M2M data communication tech-

nologies discussed in this article are wireless

solutions. Interestingly, over the past several

years, especially with the emergence of M2M

technology, wireless communication has beenperceived to have security concerns, lack high

throughput, and cause serious reliability issues.

While these negative connotations may be true

for some technologies, there are many proven

wireless solutions that have operated reliably in

mission-critical situations and in the harshest

environments.

It’s important for decision makers to review

all of the available technologies and analyze

what is needed to drive their own operational

success. According to independent research

firms, there are going to be hundreds of bil-

lions of wireless M2M connections worldwide

in the forthcoming years.* Therefore, it is very

likely that a wireless solution will be the data

communication technology of choice.

In addition, people and companies will

continue to have a large appetite for data and

knowledge, and therefore will demand moreof it at a faster rate. This idea, in conjunction

with increasing security standards and lower-

ing the power consumption required to run

wireless communication devices, will continue

to be key drivers of demand and innovation.

Therefore, more sophisticated ways of operat-

ing machines – specifically with M2M data

communications – will continue to emerge in

the wireless world. WDD

*Ryberg, Tobias. “The Global Wireless M2M

Market” Berg Insights’ M2M Research Series

2010 (http://www.berginsight.com/ReportPDF/

ProductSheet/bi-globalm2m4-ps.pdf)

600,000reasons why www.componentscorp.com

The Components Corp test pointsaved a $600,000 medical scanner. I can give you 600,000

reasons why Components Corp is thetest point of choice.



http://www.berginsight.com/ReportPDF/ProductSheet/bi-globalm2m4-ps.pdf


http://www.componentscorp.com/








The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Nordic Semiconductor is under license.

Nordic Semiconductor leads the world in ultra low power (watch battery) wireless and was instrumental in thedevelopment of the Bluetooth® low energy technology (or Bluetooth Smart technology as it will now be marketed to

consumers) part of the latest Bluetooth v4.0 specification.

www.nordicsemi.com

World’ssmallest

ANT+ andBluetooth low energy

SoC solutions

The nRF51422 and the multiple award-winning nRF51822 SoCs

are now available in wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WLCSP)

without any loss of functionality!

To read moreabout the nRF51 Series

- scan the QR code

The perfect wireless connectivity solutions for

Watches

Sports/Fitness sensors

Medical sensors

Smartphone appcessories

Hearing aids

Smart cards

SIZEMATTERS!

3.5x3.8mm

WLCSPreal size Æ

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

http://www.nordicsemi.com/

http://www.nordicsemi.com/



Glasses Free 3DEric Sorensen, Coordinator of

Multimedia Development

In this episode of ECN’s Engineering Update,

Jeff and Melissa talk about mobile 3D

technology that doesn’t require the glasses.

Called the EyeFly, this new screen protector from Nanovue gives

mobile devices a glasses-free 3D display. Made out of a thin, trans-

parent film, the nano-engineered EyeFly is essentially a piece of plastic film with thousands of finite lenses on the surface that use

nano-imprinting technology.

Watch the full video at http://bit.ly/ZAdVOc.

»

»


No Strings Attached Sponsored by:

Memory Protection Devices, Inc.200 Broadhollow Road; Suite 4; Farmingdale, NY 11790

Phone: 1-631-249-0001; Fax: 1-631-249-0002

Email: [email protected]

Video Updates, News Exclusives and More…Highlighting the latest wireless technology, components, and design issues.

Glasses that Read to the BlindLaboratory Equipment, Florida

International University

A unique pair of eyeglasses, developed by

a Florida International University student

team, could revolutionize the lives of the

blind, enabling them to walk into a library or a store, pick up any

book or a can of soup and read it. The Eyetalk concept, initially con-

ceived for a student competition in social entrepreneurship, has beenhailed by venture investors as a potentially breakthrough product that

could make a difference for disabled people worldwide. By using a

pair of eyeglasses and lightweight components, Eyetalk will allow a

blind user to access printed material while walking around a store or

library.

Watch the full video at http://bit.ly/Z8DDJy.

»

»Numi, the King of ToiletsEric Sorensen, Coordinator of


In this episode of WDD’s HotSpot , Meaghan

talks about the feature-packed toilet, Numi.

Fit for a king, this porcelain throne, designed by Kohler, features a

Bluetooth receiver that allows users to directly stream their music

from a smartphone. It also has an SD card and slot for users to

create playlists or program personalized greetings... Because who

wouldn’t want to be greeted by their toilet before they sit down?

The toilet also comes with a touchscreen remote, a magnetic dock-

ing station, auxiliary controls, and Numi flush technology, which

delivers unprecedented water savings and power.

Watch the full video at http://bit.ly/15V0BId.

»

»

Txtng is killing language. JK John McWhorter, Ted Talk

Does texting mean the death of good writ-

ing skills? John McWhorter posits that there’s

much more to texting than it seems. Linguist

John McWhorter thinks about language in

relation to race, politics, and our shared cultural history. In recent

work, he’s been urging grammarians to think of email and text messag-

es not as the scourge of the English language but as “fingered speech,”

a new form between writing and talking. These digital missives, despite

their “shaggy construction,” represent an exciting new form of commu-

nication in which “lol” and “hey” are particles, and written thoughts

can be shared at the speed of talking.

Watch the full video at http://bit.ly/1044q6p

»

»

BodyCom TechnologyMicrochip Technology

Microchip Technology has announced

its BodyCom technology, which provides

designers with the world’s first framework

for using the human body as a secure

communication channel. Compared to existing wireless methods,

BodyCom technology provides lower energy consumption, while

further increasing security via bidirectional authentication.

Watch the full video at http://bit.ly/10ZoEoo.

»

»

Engineering Newswire 36:Electric Car Charge TimeCut in Half

Eric Sorensen, Coordinator of


In this episode of Engineering Newswire, David Mantey talks about

a really fast, electrifying motorcycle; Chris Fox discusses bendablesmartphones that look more as if they should be in the movie The

Matrix; and Meaghan Ziemba talks about cutting recharge times for

electric vehicles in half, and a screw propelled snowboard for the

less adrenaline inclined.

Watch the full video at http://bit.ly/15coJ9y

»

»

Missing a Pulse Can Be Deadly.

http://bit.ly/ZAdVOc




http://bit.ly/Z8DDJy

http://bit.ly/15V0BId

http://bit.ly/1044q6p

http://bit.ly/10ZoEoo

http://bit.ly/15coJ9y



http://bit.ly/1044q6p

http://bit.ly/10ZoEoo

http://bit.ly/Z8DDJy

http://bit.ly/15coJ9y

http://bit.ly/15V0BId

http://bit.ly/ZAdVOc



Missing a Pulse Can Be Deadly.

Œ5HDO7LPH3RZHU3URFHVVLQJűIRUJDSIUHHDQDO\VLV

Œ06DVHF6867$,1('VDPSOHUDWHLVZRUOGŋVIDVWHVW

Œ*6DVHFHIIHFWLYHUDWHIRUVXSHUEZDYHIRUPơGHOLW\

ŒQVULVHWLPHDQG0+]YLGHREDQGZLGWK

ŒSVWLPHUHVROXWLRQIRUHQKDQFHGWULJJHUVWDELOLW\

Œ7ULJJHUHGDFTXLVLWLRQVSHHGVRYHUVZHHSVVHF

Œ&DSWXUHDQGDQDO\]HGDWDPRUHWKDQ[IDVWHU

WKDQFRQYHQWLRQDOSRZHUVHQVRUV

)RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQYLVLWXVDWERRQWRQFRPRUFDOO

'RQŋWIDOOYLFWLPWRFRQYHQWLRQDOSRZHUPHDVXUHPHQW

WHFKQLTXHVWKDWZLOOOHDYH\RXPLVVLQJYDOXDEOHGDWD

ZH FDSWXUH HYHU\ SXOVH ZLWK QRPLVVHG JOLWFKHV

7KHQHZ55 SeriesGHOLYHUVXQVXUSDVVHGVSHHGDQG

DFFXUDF\ IRU WKH PRVW GHPDQGLQJ 5) SRZHU PHD

VXUHPHQWV WKDQNV WR %RRQWRQŋV Real-Time Power

Processing™ WHFKQRORJ\ :LWK WKLV UHYROXWLRQDU\

WHFKQLTXHDOOSURFHVVLQJVWHSVWDNHSODFHLQSDUDOOHO

JXDUDQWHHLQJJDSIUHHVLJQDODFTXLVLWLRQDQGUHOLDEOH

FDSWXUHRIDOOWUDQVLHQWVGURSRXWVRULQWHUIHUHQFH

7KHQHZ%RRQWRQ55 SeriesGHOLYHUVUHDOUHVXOWVQR

RQHHOVHFDQVHH

Taking Performance to a New Peak.

Boonton

The Smartest, Fastest and Only

Real-Time USB Peak Power Sensor.

SEE A DEMO A T THE

2013 IEEE MT T - S Show

BOO TH # 931 June 4-6

:DWFKPHDVXUHPHQWVFRPHDOLYHZLWKReal-Time Power Processing™

PRODUCT SHOWCASE » WIRELESS SENSORS

http://boonton.com/

http://boonton.com/




Call 800.449.3878 or visit us online at www.microstrain.com

Wireless Simplicity

Hardwired ReliabilityLORD’s End-to-End LXRS® Wireless Sensing Systemt -PTTMFTTXJSFMFTTDPNNVOJDBUJPO

t &YUFOEFESBOHFSBEJPMJOLUPLN

t $POUJOVPVTCVSTUBOEIZCSJETBNQMJOHNPEFT

t 5JNFTZODISPOJ[FEUPNJDSPTFDPOET

t 4FOTPS$MPVEFOBCMFESFNPUFNPOJUPSJOH

20

30

40

10

0

mm

Low Power ConsumptionOsram Opto

Semiconductors

(Sunnyvale, CA) has

expanded its portfo-

lio of proximity and

ambient light sensors

with a new, powerful

version with low power

consumption. The compact SFH 7776 digi-

tal sensor registers the ambient brightnessand prevents unintentional responses from

the touchscreen during telephone calls. This

makes it easier for smartphone designers to

control the backlighting and touch functions

of displays. Features include:

An infrared LED (IRED) and 2 detectors to

perform 2 different functions.

A working range of up to 16 cm.

A height of 1.35 mm.

www.osram-os.com

•

•

•

»

Wider Detection AngleCarlo Gavazzi (Buffalo Grove,

IL) has announced the

latest addition to

PA18 Series photo-

electric sensors in a

M18 housing. ThePA18CAD WS Series

features:

A wider detection angle and

shorter blind zone.

A sensing distance of up to 400 mm.

A detection angle of ± 16°.

A blind zone of 0 mm @ 400 mm sensing

distance.

A power supply of 10 to 30 VDC.

Up to 100 mA DC load current.

A detecting frequency up to 500 imp/sec.

Yellow and green LED indication for power,

signal, output, and safe detection.

www.gavazzionline.com

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

»

Autonoumous 3G SensorsLibelium (Spain) has released a new generation

of autonomous 3G sensors equipped with video

cameras that enable the development of new

security, surveillance, and military applications

on Waspmote, the wireless sensor network plat-

form for the Internet of Things. Features include:

A 3G-communication module that uses high-

speed W-CDMA and HSPA mobile networks.

•

A speed rate of 5.5 Mbps.

22 high-power infrared LEDs that allow night

vision mode.

Internal GPS that combines standard NMEA

frames with mobile cell ID triangulation. A Waspmote node that uses HTTPS and FTPS

(secure mode) Web server transmission to

ensure max privacy.

An internal SD card holder that is useable to

32 GB.

www.libelium.com

•

•

•

•

•

»

40The battery is



http://www.microstrain.com/


http://www.osram-os.com/

http://www.gavazzionline.com/

http://www.libelium.com/


http://www.gavazzionline.com/

http://www.osram-os.com/


http://www.libelium.com/



Tadiran Batteries

2001 Marcus Ave.Suite 125E

Lake Success,

NY 11042

1-800-537-1368

516-621-4980

www.tadiranbat.com

40YEAROPERATING

LIFE

Tadiran LiSOCL2 batteries feature the lowest annual self-discharge rate of any competitive battery, less than 1% per year, enabling these batteries to operate over 40 years depending on device operating usage. However, this is not an expressed or implied warranty,as each application differs in terms of annual energy consumption and/or operating environment.

*

The battery is

no longer the

weakest link

in your device’s

operating life.

Perfected through decades of research and development, Tadiran

lithium thionyl chloride batteries feature the lowest self-discharge

rate of any battery, less than 1% per year. As a result, Tadiran

batteries will operate maintenance-free for over 40 years in certain

applications, lasting as long as the electronics in your device. So

don’t just settle for anything less thanTadiran long-life batteries,

your strongest link to success.

*

TECHNOLOGY FEATURE » FRAM-BASED MCUS

http://www.tadiranbat.com/

http://www.tadiranbat.com/



Jacob Borgeson, Texas Instruments, and

David Adams, Newark element14

»

Embedded wireless networks are one

of the fastest growing applications,

outpacing the overall semiconductor

industry, due to the rapid uptake of

embedded wireless communication in the

form of smartphones and portable medical

devices. Embedded wireless networks are

also found in automobiles, enabling smarter

safety features, better engine performancemanagement, and as networked infotain-

ment devices. Future innovation and growth

of embedded wireless networks will come

from smart buildings, smart grids, and the

Internet-of-Things.

Despite the current growth, the full

potential of embedded wireless systems has

not yet been realized as some fundamental

design problems remain unsolved. Thesechallenges are due to limitations in battery

solutions, varying memory requirements,

wireless security, and reliability. A recent revolutionary change in memory

technology, highlighted by the release of

embedded Ferroelectric Random Access

Memory (FRAM), offers developers the best

option to tackle these design obstacles. The

embedded wireless network application

employs distributed rather than centralized

processing — a technical evolution central to

reducing power consumption.

WHAT IS FRAM?

FRAM, like DRAM (Dynamic Random

Access Memory), allows random access to

each individual bit — for both read and

write — and offers considerable advantages

over other standalone memory devices.

Unlike EEPROM or Flash memory, FRAM

does not require a charge pump, special

sequence to write data, or a higher program-ming voltage. FRAM is non-volatile, there-

fore data is not lost when

power is removed, offering

more flexibility. All of this

combines to decrease power

consumption by 250 times

per bit when compared to

other types of Flash, without

wearing out.

Though stand-aloneFRAM has been available

in the market, its adoption

has been limited to general

usage in memory storage

devices. The recent coupling

of FRAM with MCUs has

allowed memory to gradu-

ate to the next generation of

broad applications. Throughintegrated MCUs, full real-

ization and utilization of the

unique memory features in

FRAM (universal memory,

low-power access, flexibility, high endurance,

and reliability) have been missing till now.

BENEFITS OF EMBEDDED FRAM

Ultra-low-power read/write with increased

throughput.

True unified memory – configurable as

Flash or RAM.

Industry-leading read/write speeds.

Virtually unlimited write endurance –1015

cycles.

Inherently robust and radiation-resistant.

FREEDOM TO DESIGN

Wireless communication is characterized

by the design freedom it offers in terms of

radio parameters, network specifications,

and various other protocol-specific require-

ments. Memory allocation can impact the

ability to support multiple standards within

the same product when one designs to thespecific needs of different wireless applica-

tions.

For protocols that are standardized and

regulated by governing bodies, as is the

case for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Near Field

Communication (NFC), the implementa-

tions for the same protocol could vary in

memory requirements depending on the fea-

tures present on the chosen MCU platform.

Program space and data space require-ments can make a specific MCU unusable in

wireless networking applications. Using tra-

ditional flash-memory-based MCUs means

that the development effort is limited to a

few device and memory configurations. The

choice of MCU is often restricted due to the

program and data space requirements of the

desired network protocol. These limitations

can often force the designer into a moreexpensive device, just to get more on-chip

RAM or Flash memory. Such an approach is

not robust against any major code change

that changes memory allocation.

•

•

•

•

•

Evolving Embedded Wireless Systemswith FRAM-Based MCUs Texas Instruments and Newark element14 explore the design challenges and unique featuresFRAM offers as a memory alternative for embedded wireless network applications.


Integrate FRAM within existing wireless networks for increased per formance and ultra-low power

consumption. Photo Credit: Texas Instruments

FRAM-BASED MCUS » TECHNOLOGY FEATURE






FRAM can function both as storage for

program space and RAM for the data space

requirements, providing greater flexibil-

ity and easier memory allocation to suit the application’s requirements. Multiple

networking protocols that were adversely

affected by memory allocation can now be

implemented in the same device, and this

device can be the most cost effective variant.

This is of particular interest when looking

at the smart grid or smart appliances that

will interact within smart buildings in the

near-future, and that will need to operate inmany different embedded wireless environ-

ments.

BETTER SMART BUILDINGS & GRIDS

The idea behind the smart grid is to use

wireless technology to track electricity use

and provide this information to both users

and utility companies with an eye toward

more efficient delivery and consumption. As

the digitally-enhanced smart grid expands,demand for the ability to wirelessly move

data between smart appliances and interfac-

es at very low power will inevitably grow.

The open-nature of wireless communica-

tion makes it vulnerable to security threats.

A key design challenge is ensuring that the

smart grid notes are secure and resilient

against attacks. For this to be possible, it is

essential that designers and utilities respondin real-time with bug fixes done over the

network. Features such as secure-write,

high endurance, and ultra-low power con-

sumption make FRAM an ideal choice for

enabling security patches and advanced fea-

tures for smart grids.

FRAM also valuable reduces the system’s

complexity and bill of materials; for

instance, many of today’s designs include a

separate non-volatile memory (either FRAMor EEPROM), which can be implemented

inside an integrated MCU with FRAM

(like the MSP430FR57xx series from Texas

Instruments), and with lower overall system

power consumption.

A lot of inherent physical features of

FRAM make it favorable for secure applica-

tions. With high-write endurance, encryption

operations can take place for the foreseeablelife of the product without memory write

failures occurring. The low-power and fast

writes make it difficult to hook up a probe

to a chip and sense any of the data, and

impossible to open up the chip to read each

molecule of FRAM to decode the memory

contents. A smart building would be more

secure, both from physical hacking, as wellas attempts at wireless access to the system

data.

With a lower power memory, these

designs can be self-contained and sealed

MAY »JUN 2013 » wirelessdesignmag.com 31

for the life of the product. A wide variety of

nodes would either need no maintenance or

a very simple replacement of the entire node

— instead of a more tedious battery replace-ment. This helps reduce the overall lifetime

cost of a smart building system, while also

making it more robust to different environ-

mental conditions. WDD

BIG ADVANTAGESDedicated sales andcustomer service teams J Friendly, knowledgeable &

responsive staff J Quotes within 24 hours J Regional sales support

Expansive manufacturingfacility J Extremely short lead times J Cost-effective off-the-shelf and

customized shielding solutions J Prototype to high-volume

production capability

Comprehensiveproduct offerings J Board, Enclosure and Cable

shielding solutions J Integrated approach to

solving EMI problems J Leading US innovator

and manufacturer

In-house engineeringsupport J Industry and application

expertise J Design for manufacturing

efficiencies J Excellent EMI problem solving

support

A passion in all we do

Partner with a Leader on your next project

Call 866-Tech-EMI or 813-855-6921 Visit www.LeaderTechInc.com

E-mail [email protected]

There Are

to Partnering with a Shielding Leader!

Global EMI Shielding Technology Center, 12420 Racetrack Road, Tampa, FL 33626

PRODUCT SHOWCASE » OSCILLATORS




http://www.leadertechinc.com/









• Lower cost than you're paying now (much lower...call for a quote!)

• Faster delivery (samples shipped from Fox the next day; production quantities

in days, not weeks!)• 1 picosecond phase jitter (10X better than programmables!)

• Choice of 2.5 V or 3.3 V supply voltages

• Custom frequencies from 0.75MHz to 1.350GHz (the exact frequencyyou need, without a premium and without delay)

• 7 x 5 mm, 5 x 3.2 mm and 3.2 x 2.5 mm package sizes

• Choice of XOs and VCXOs

• Internal serial ID with comprehensive traceability

• And a lot more!!!

Like we said...XpressO changes everything. Details await you onour web site! Once again...Fox Rocks!

We’re On Your Frequency.An Integrated Devices Technology, Inc. Company

888-GET-2-FOX (888.438.2369)Outside the US: +1.239.693.0099

e-mail: foxonline.com/email.htm

www.foxonline.comL

Electrical TuningZ-Communications (Poway, CA) has introduced the

DRO Series of high-performance oscillators, which meet

the demands of up/down converter systems that require

a ultra-low phase noise LO solution. The series uses

high-Q dielectric resonators and is available in 8 to 12

GHz. Additional features include:

An electrical tuning option that operates @ 10 GHz

and provides ±3 MHz of frequency control.

A control range from 0 to 12 VDC that provides ultra-

fine tuning precision.

A 5 VDC power bias that draws 20 mA.

A surface mount package that measures 0.91” x 0.91” x

0.40”.

A metal enclosure that measures 1.25” x 1.25” x 0.85”.

A 0±3 dBm of output power into a 50 Ω load. An operating temperature range from 40° to 85°C.

www.zcomm.com

•

•

•

•

•

••

»

Reduced Height Profile OptionNEL Frequency Controls (Burlington, WI) has announced a new height profile option for

its ultra-low phase noise OCXO at 100 MHz. The O-CIH-X Series is now available with a 0.4’’

height profile in addition to the 0.5” original model. Additional features include:

A close-in phase noise of -105 and -178 dBc/Hz.

An SC-cut crystal and a frequency range from 80 to 120 MHz.

Stabilities from ±50 ppb with temperatures of -40° to 75° C.

A Sine wave of +17 dBm output.

Availability in 5 and 12 V versions.

www.nelfc.com

•

•

•

•

•

»

Frequency VS Temperature Performance

RFMW (San Jose, CA) has provided design support for a new Double Oven CrystalControlled Oscillator from Bliley Technologies (San Jose, CA), developed for critical

applications were exceptional frequency vs. temperature performance is required. The

N6B series features:

A stability rating @ ±0.4 ppb.

An operating temperature range from -20° to +70°C.

2 variations: N6B-ABA-D1A-10M and N6B-ABA-D1B-10M.

A sine wave output of +5 dBm (typ.) into 50 Ω.

A +5 VDC supply.

A phase noise @ 10 KHz.

An offset of -150 dBc/Hz.

www.rfmw.com

www.bliley.com

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

»

ADVERTISEMENT



http://foxonline.com/email.htm

http://www.foxonline.com/

http://www.zcomm.com/



http://www.nelfc.com/


http://www.rfmw.com/


http://www.bliley.com/


http://www.foxonline.com/

http://foxonline.com/email.htm


http://www.bliley.com/





PRODUCT SHOWCASE » CONVERTERS






150 W Isolated DC-DCConverterMurata (Mansfield, MA) has

announced its PAQ series of 150

W isolated DC-DC converters.

Packaged as an industry standard,

open-frame, quarter brick module

with through-hole mounting, the

converter features:

A 2:1 input range of 36 to 75

VDC.

A nominal 48 VDC input.

A single 29.8 VDC nominal out-put, which can be trimmed from

23.83 (-20%) to 32.78 (+10%)

VDC.

Up to 92.5% efficiency.

Up to 5 A of output current from

the fully regulated output.

An optional baseplate for use in conduction-cooled designs.

Output over-voltage, over-current protection, input under voltage, and over temperature shutdown.

A remote on/off control option that offers negative or positive logic input.

Input/output isolation, which is provided by 2,250 VDC basic insulation.

Applicability in telecommunications infrastructures, CATV systems, satellite communications, RF test,

and MRI imaging equipment.

www.murata-ps.com

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

»

Under-Voltage Lockout XP Power (Sunnyvale, CA) has announced the

JCA10 series of single- and dual-output 10 W

metal cased DC-DC converters that feature:

Availability in 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10 W models.

A packaging that measures 1" x 0.8" x 0.4".

A 2:1 input range.

4 nominal input voltages of 5, 12, 24, and 48

VDC.

Inputs of 4.5 to 9.0 VDC, 9 to 18 VDC, 18 to

36 VDC, or 36 to 75 VDC.

Under-voltage lockout. An output isolation rating of 1,500 VDC.

An operating temperature range from -40° to

+100°C.

www.xppower.com

•

•

•

•

•

••

•

»

DIN-Rail Mount Boost Converter WAGO’s (Germantown, WI) 2.5 A DC-DC Boost

Converter supports “disconnected” mobile and

remote I/O applications by enabling a 12 V battery

to drive 24 V controls. The DIN-rail mount DC-DC

Boost Converter withstands high-vibrations and

constant on/off cycles. Additional features include:

An operating temperature range from -40° to

+70°C.

A input range of 8 to 16 VDC.

A prominent heat sink to help maintain proper control panel temperatures.

A power-on LED.

Fused output, short circuit protection.

www.wago.us

•

•

•

•

•

»

It's time to rethink EMC



http://www.murata-ps.com/


http://www.xppower.com/

http://www.wago.us/

http://www.temwell.com.tw/



http://www.xppower.com/

http://www.wago.us/



Now get a Spectrum Analyzerat oscilloscope prices

It's time to rethink your lab setup - because

until now there's never been a spectrum

analyzer that offered so much performance

at a price you'd normally think of for an

oscilloscope! The DSA815 Spectrum

Analyzer covers a frequency range of 9kHz to 1.5 GHz and features a compact

design and easy-to-use interface, making

it ideal for benchtop or field apps in RF

and wireless testing and production.

Measure smaller signals with our digital

IF filter that allows for smaller bandwidth

settings and reduces displayed noise

levels... and you can distinguish between

signals with a frequency difference as little

as 100 Hz. We include a wide range of standard functions including AM/FM

demodulation and a preamplifier. And

we offer some great options including

an EMI filter and quasi-peak detector

kit and a 1.5 GHz tracking generator.

Before your next compliance test,check out the DSA815... save one tripto the compliance lab and it pays for itself!

• Make limit lines for the EMI tests you need• Load correction tables for your antenna

and connection• Set scans as quickly as 10 ms for a first look• Use RBWs down to 100 Hz to find error sources• Special EMI option & tracking generator for

even more accurate readings

$1,295Starting at

It s time to rethink EMCpre-compliance testing!

Get our New EMC App Note @ RigolRF.com

Save one trip to the compliance laband the DSA815 pays for itself!

» wirelessdesignmag.com

Ultra-High Speed GaN Switch Arkansas Power Electronics (Fayetteville, AR)

and GaN Systems (Canada) have announced

the test results for a gallium nitride power

switch-based DC-DC boost converter. The con-

verter :

Achieves a 1 MHz switching capability.

Demonstrates more than 98.5% efficiency @5 kW output power.

Demonstrates turn-on and turn-off transi-

tions of only 8.25 and 3.72 ns.

www.apei.net

www.gansystems.com

•

•

•

»»

Ultra-Low Quiescent SupplyCurrent

Advanced Power

Electronics (San

Jose, CA) has

announced the

APE2902, a high-

efficiency, VFM

step-up DC-DC

converter for small, low-input voltage or bat-

tery powered systems with ultra-low quiescent

supply current. Devices can operate from apositive input voltage between the start-up

voltage and VOUT, and convert it to a higher

output voltage. Features include:

An adjustable voltage in 0.1 V steps.

An output voltage range from 2.5 to 5 V with

an accuracy of ±5%.

A quiescent supply current of 22 µA.

A high switching frequency.

A limited, internal peak inductor current.

A max shutdown current that is lower than

1 µA.

An output current up to 100 mA.

www.a-powerusa.com

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

»

BLOG ON

http://rigolrf.com/



http://www.apei.net/

http://www.gansystems.com/

http://www.a-powerusa.com/

http://rigolrf.com/


http://www.a-powerusa.com/

http://www.gansystems.com/

http://www.apei.net/




Wire Less, Write More… A sampling of online blogs written by our industry's own design engineers and business leaders.

The Feminine Pad (A Tablet forWomen)

Melissa Fassbender, Associate Editor, PD&D

The ePad was released in October of last year

but received a marketing push this Valentine’s Day,

because well, what’s more romantic than receiving

a tablet that helps you lose weight, cook, and track your periods.

Now, it is very likely that these are the apps that a woman would

want on their tablet (I myself have a calorie tracker… that I never

use) but the issue lies in the fact that the Femme Tablet is telling

women that these are the things they should be concerned about,

and it is assuming that women are not capable of using a “regular”

tablet. Heck, my 84 year old grandfather owns an iPad and he has

trouble using his television at times, but his iPad did not come pre-loaded with an AARP app.

Read the full article at http://bit.ly/YnkB3r

»

»

Looking Forward on Ethernet’s40th Anniversary

John D’Ambrosia, Chairman and Board of Directors, Ethernet Alliance Chief Ethernet

Evangelist, CTO Office, Dell

Ethernet this year is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and anni-

versaries are typically the time to celebrate the past. But with so

much innovation and development percolating across the global

Ethernet ecosystem, there is little time for the technology’s vast

array of stakeholders to look back on its successes. Ethernet’s ongo-

ing expansion is the almost singular focus. Many new projects are

underway across the Ethernet ecosystem, including development

of a host of new access projects, new 100 Gb/s solutions, and new

automotive and industrial applications.

Read the full article at http://bit.ly/12X8oB6

»

»

Stores are Tracking Your Every MoveKasey Panetta, Editor, ECN

When you walk into a store, you basically expect

that you’re going to be recorded on a security video

and surreptitiously watched by sales associates lest

you decide to steal anything. But did you ever stop

to think what information the store is gleaning from your cell?

Nomi, a small startup company, is providing stores with a piece of

code that can be installed to allow wireless routers to pull “non-

invasive information” from shopper’s cell phones. The informa-

tion is supposed to be non-personal and anonymous, but it still

seems a tad shady.

Read the full article at http://bit.ly/18r4Nfn

»

»

How to Avoid the Cost andSecurity Pitfalls of M2M

Dan Rudich, Senior Vice President, Tangoe

Over the last few years, there has been and explo-

sive growth in the adoption of Machine-to-Machine(M2M) technology — the technology that enables automated

wired or wireless communication between mechanical or electronic

devices. Predictions state there will be more than 850 million M2M

connections by 2016. The rapid increase in M2M is creating new

opportunities and providing a huge return on investment across

various industries; for example, many vending machine manufactur-

ers deploy M2M functionality in their vending services to monitor

when the machines need to be restocked, or to report daily sales

and consumer demand statistics. In the automotive industry, M2M

solutions are integrated into cars to alert the driver when mainte-

nance is required. In healthcare, M2M devices can improve patient

care and reduce hospitals’ costs through remote monitoring.

Read the full article at http://bit.ly/104heK6

»

»

Taking the B.S. Out of Bill Shock Martin Morgan, Marketing Manager, Openet

It seems that everywhere you look, there’s astory of a wireless subscriber opening up his or her

monthly mobile bill and seeing numbers that would

make most people’s jaws drop. This is the case of bill

shock, the unwanted (but not uncommon) trend that continues to

plague the mobile data-driven world. In addition to regular text and

video messaging and video and music streaming, web browsing and

app downloading has risen to mammoth proportions. Consumers’

increased appetite for data signals the need for wireless usage moni-

toring services to help them stay in-line with their data allowance,

and to help operators avoid inflicting a bad case of bill shock onunsuspecting customers.

Read the full article at http://bit.ly/15agzid

»

»

The Earth is Eating PeopleDavid Mantey, Executive Editor, WDD

I’m not sure if it was the first photos of the “freak

geological incident” to surface, or news of the golfer

who plummeted deep into an 18-foot cavern that has

made it impossible for me to make it through a full

night without living through vivid nightmares in which a sinkhole

opens up beneath me and the earth pulls me into oblivion. Until

now, my lone fear has been kept at bay by avoiding open graves,spelunking, and ice forts – I have to apologize to my niece, I simply

didn’t trust the structural integrity of the Mantey Ice Mountain in

the cul-de-sac.

Read the full article at http://bit.ly/13Ndvnd

»

»



http://bit.ly/YnkB3r

http://bit.ly/12X8oB6


http://bit.ly/18r4Nfn

http://bit.ly/104heK6


http://bit.ly/15agzid

http://bit.ly/13Ndvnd




http://bit.ly/15agzid

http://bit.ly/YnkB3r



http://bit.ly/18r4Nfn



BRAINSTORM » TIMING DEVICES

http://ims2013.mtt.org/



the entire family.

The LTC6957 can be used to convert any

signal type to a logic level signal, includ-

ing the buffering and distributing of the

commonly used 10 MHz reference source.

The device has a proprietary, selectable,

input stage bandwidth-limiting feature,

which improves the additive phase noisefor slow slewing signals by up to 3 to 4dB.

Choosing the appropriate input stage filter

setting for a given input signal’s slew rate,

increases the slew rate of the input signal

while limiting the broadband noise. This

keeps a lid on the total jitter at the output

of the LTC6957, which is crucial in numer-

ous applications where the reference signal

is of limited amplitude or slew rate.


noise from the recovered clock and provide

a jitter-free signal that can be used for the

retiming process. Jitter attenuators made

specifically for this application provide

over 80 dBc of jitter suppression, while

generating an output signal with less than

50 fs of jitter.

Harsh Operating Environments: Thereare some applications where electronic

systems are required to operate effectively

while being subjected to mechanical shock

and vibration. Oscillators are now con-

structed using assembly techniques that

minimize the mechanical coupling to the

sensitive elements providing a G-sensitivity

QA

&

Walter Oliwa, Senior VPResearch & Design, CTSElectronic Components

Any device or system

that requires a clock or tim-

ing device to function will

improve its performance as the quality of

the timing device improves. Parameters

that define the quality of a timing device

include: phase noise, jitter, temperature

stability, aging, PSRR, power dissipation,

G-sensitivity, as well as other

parameters that are sensitive to a

particular application.

Some of the functionalities

that timing devices are helping to

improve include: Lower Bit Error Rates: Telecom

systems are using clock oscillators

with jitter as low as 25 fs to pro-

vide the reference clock for their

integrated chip sets. The lower jitter

improves the transmission quality,

and reduces the power required to

process the same amount of data.

Longer Battery Life: Portable instrumen-

tation, radios, and other remotely located

equipment require a stable timing refer-

ence. This level of performance requires

the use of an OCXO in order to meet the

desired stability and phase noise. OCXOs

packaged in small TO-8 assembly offer

temperature stability ranging from 10 to

20 ppb, while dissipating only 120 mW of

power. Reducing the power consumption

allows the size, weight, and ultimately thecost of the equipment to be reduced.

Higher Bandwidth Optical Networks:

The bandwidth requirements of our com-

munication systems continue to increase.

Data must be received and re-transmitted

constantly throughout the network; the

timing requirements are complex. To main-

tain synchronization it is required to use

the clock signal associated with the incom-

ing data stream as the reference frequency.

In order for the clock signal to function

properly, a “Clock cleaner”, or jitter attenu-

ator, is required to effectively filter the

»

Neil Floodgate, VicePresident, IQD FrequencyProducts

Although the phenom-

enon of Quartz as an accu-

rate frequency source has

been known since the late 19th Century,

it was not until the advent of the second-

world war that its use became prolific. At

that time, the use of vacuum tubes was the

methodology driving the quartz and pro-

duced stabilities of 50 ppm.

Subsequently, analogue mobile com-

munications started to make an impact,

which led to the development of oscillators

with stabilities of sub 10 ppm. These were

achieved by Temperature Compensated

Crystal Oscillators (TCXO’s) and OvenControlled Crystal Oscillators (OCXO’s).

Today’s oscillators are able to meet the

requirements of the digital age where virtu-

ally everyone has a smartphone in their

pocket. An example of how far the industry

has developed is IQD’s CFPT-77series of 2.5

x 2.0 mm TCXVCO, which achieves a stabil-

ity of 0.5 ppm over an operating tempera-

ture range from -30° to +85°C.

IQD’s IQOV-150 series OCXO delivers fre-

quencies up to 1 GHz with a phase noise per-

formance at -140 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset,

with temperature stabilities down to 2 ppb.

»

Alison Steer, ProductMarketing Manager, MixedSignal Products, LinearTechnology

In clock distribution

circuits, it is important to

maintain the quality of the clock signal,

which is represented as either a jitter or

phase-noise measurement. Phase noise is

a frequency domain error, while jitter is a

time domain error. In a sampling system,

close-in phase noise will affect the spec-

tral purity of the signal, while broadband

noise will degrade the SNR. It’s important

to notice whether clock jitter is specified

as integrated jitter or as broadband jitter,

which can provide a better figure of merit

when comparing jitter specifications. The

measurement is also dependent on the sig-

nal frequency. The LTC6957 is a DC to 300 MHz dual

output buffer/driver/logic translator, ideal

for converting sine waves into low-phase

noise, logic level signals in applications

such as Gigabit wireless, gyroscopes, test

and measurement, radio and satellite com-

munications, medical imaging, military,

and GPS. The LTC6957 converts any DC

to 300 MHz reference frequency into dual

LVPECL, LVDS, or CMOS outputs with low

additive jitter of 45 fSRMS over the 12 kHz

to 20 MHz integration bandwidth, and less

than 200 fSRMS broadband total jitter for

»

What are some functionalities that time device

technologies are helping to improve?

Reducing the

power consump-

tion allows the

size, weight, and

ultimately the cost

of the equipment

to be reduced.





“Look to the leader in YIG-Technol ogy”

The MLSP-Series o YIG-Based wideband synthesizersprovide 1 kHz requency resolution over the 600 MHz to20 GHz requency range. Power levels o +8 to +13 dBmare provided through out the series and ull band tuningspeed is 6mSec. Compact size will ft a 2 slot PXI chassis.

46515 Lan ding Park way, Fremont CA 94538 • (510) 770-9221 • [email protected]

www.microlambdawireless.com

Micro Lambda's Compact Wideband YIG-based Synthesizers...Ideal for Main Local Oscillator for Test Equipment,Receivers and VSAT Applications

MLSL-series

2 to 12 GHZMLBS-series

2 to 20 GHzMLSN-series

2 to 16 GHzMLSW-series

0.6 to 16 GHz

See our complete line of frequency synthesizers

For more inormation about theMLSP Series or other products, pleasecontact Micro Lambda Wireless.

Redefining RF and


http://www.microlambdawireless.com/


http://www.microlambdawireless.com/



>> Learn more at ni.com/redefine

800 813 5078 ©2012 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments.

Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 06147

Achieve speed, accuracy, and flexibility in your RF and microwave test applicationsby combining National Instruments open software and modular hardware. Unlike rigid

traditional instruments that quickly become obsolete by advancing technology, the

system design software of NI LabVIEW coupled with NI PXI hardware puts the latest

advances in PC buses, processors, and FPGAs at your fingertips.

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES

National Instruments supports a broadrange of wireless standards including:

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

CDMA2000/EV-DO

WCDMA/HSPA/HSPA+

LTE

GSM/EDGE

Bluetooth

Redefining RF andMicrowave Instrumentation

with open software and modular hardware

http://ni.com/redefine


http://ni.com/

http://ni.com/


Documents

Wireless Design & Development - May-June 2013