News Wrap of the Week : 15th Jan, 2016

High Voltage Artificial Networks for Conducted Emission Testing

Teseq has introduced two high voltage artificial networks designed for conducted emission tests and line termination during susceptibility tests for components. The HV-AN 150 and HV-AN S150 are ideal for use in automotive, military and airborne standards applications. These two new line impedance stabilization networks (LISNs) offer a unique approach to e-mobility as well as help meet the need for increasing voltage and current values inside of vehicles.

The HV-AN 150 offers a universal solution with its jumper settings that covers the traditional way of testing as performed in CISPR 12, CISPR 25 and ISO 7637-2. Read more

GaN Power Diodes to act as Building Blocks for Switches

A team of engineers from Cornell University, the University of Notre Dame and the semiconductor company IQE have created gallium nitride (GaN) power diodes capable of serving as the building blocks for future GaN power switches — with applications spanning nearly all electronics products and electricity distribution infrastructures. Power semiconductor devices are a critical part of the energy infrastructure — all electronics rely on them to control or convert electrical energy. Silicon-based semiconductors are rapidly approaching their performance limits within electronics, so materials such as GaN are being explored as potential replacements that may render silicon switches obsolete. Read more

New Chips Ease Operations in Electromagnetic Environments

The competition for scarce electromagnetic (EM) spectrum has been increasing due to the growing military and civilian demand for connected devices. As the spectrum becomes more congested, the Department of Defense (DoD) will need better tools for managing the EM environment and for avoiding interference from competing signals. One recent DARPA-funded project has developed an exceptionally high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that represents a major step forward. The ADC could help ensure the uninterrupted operation of spectrum-dependent military capabilities, including communications and radar, in contested EM environments. The advance was enabled by 32 nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor technologies available through DARPA’s ongoing partnership with GlobalFoundries, a manufacturer of highly-advanced semiconductor chips. Read more

Panel to Discuss IoT Business Opportunities and Regulatory Challenges

The Internet of Things (IoT) universe is expanding rapidly. There are now over 25 billion connected devices in use worldwide, with that number set to rise significantly as consumer goods companies, auto manufacturers, healthcare providers, and other businesses continue to invest in connected devices. Tremendous market potential and limitless business frontiers abound in the IoT. While many opportunities exist for manufacturers, importers, and vendors of IoT devices, there are also regulatory, privacy and tax issues, both in the U.S. and abroad, that can trip the unwary. Read more

Ossia Demonstrates Real Wireless Power Platform

Ossia demonstrated its revolutionary Cota™ platform and solutions at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016 in Las Vegas from January 6-9.

The demo showcased the entire Cota platform including the compact tabletop transmitter/charger, mobile phone and IoT receivers. Additionally, Ossia unveiled the world's first wireless self-charging battery – the AA-size battery that never runs down. Complementing the hardware will be a full set of web and mobile applications for operating and managing the system locally and remotely. Together the hardware platform and software solutions demonstrate a number of real-world applications that launch wireless power out of the lab and into the living room. Read more

RFS Adds Ultra-broadband LTE Multi-band Base Station Antennas to its Portfolio

Radio Frequency Systems (RFS), have added new multi-band product models to the popular RF X-TREME antenna portfolio to best support a broader frequency range including 694-960 MHz and 1695-2690 MHz. RFS’ RF X-TREME family of antennas provides high-performance triple-band capability in a compact dual-band package to support multiple bands with no compromises in electrical performance.

The RF X-TREME base station antenna’s design provides the highest gain and cross-polar discrimination combined with the best vertical pattern control of any triple-band antenna of its size in the industry. By providing full-band coverage on every port, RFS enables operators to now implement 4xRx and 4xMIMO on any of the higher frequency bands for excellent cell-edge performance with 30 percent fewer base stations. Read more

New Light-weight Block Upconverter Targets SATCOM Manpack Terminals

Advantech Wireless has released a lightweight, more powerful Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology-based Block Upconverter (BUC) that is perfectly suited for SATCOM manpack defense and security deployments. The integrated 16W/20W BUC includes power supply, phase-locked oscillator, mixer, filter and cooling mechanism, together weighing less than 2.6 kg (5.5 lb).  These weatherproof hub-mounted units are the smallest fully integrated units on the market today.

This new, smaller, lighter and more powerful 16W/20W in Ku and extended Ku-Band GaN based BUC will support manpack and fly-away terminals for tactical and ruggedized industrial applications.  These critical terminals, used in remote and extreme environmental locations, provide quick and secure critical communications support for in-theater, intelligence gathering, surveillance, defense and homeland security applications in harsh environments. Read more

Anaren to Provide Advanced Beamforming Technology to Airbus

Anaren has announced that they have received a $7 million contract award from Airbus Defence and Space for an advanced beamforming assembly to be deployed on the Eutelsat Quantum Satellite program, which Airbus Defence and Space is developing for Eutelsat, as part of a Public-Private funded partnership with the European Space Agency. The Eutelsat Quantum program will feature the world’s first fully reconfigurable commercial satellite, allowing Eutelsat to adapt the satellite in response to new demands in coverage, bandwidth, power, frequency, and even changes in its orbital position. Anaren will deliver its first flight-set hardware to Airbus Defence and Space in calendar year 2017, with additional system tests and production anticipated over subsequent years. Read more

Anritsu Introduces a New Remote Spectrum Monitor for Interference Hunting

Anritsu has introduced the MS27101A Remote Spectrum Monitor. This interference detecting tool can be used with Anritsu’s Vision™ software to create a highly accurate remote solution for government regulators and university lab researchers to identify interference patterns, record spectrum history and geo-locate the sources of problem signals to mitigate interference issues and identify illegal or unlicensed signal activity.

The MS27101A Remote Spectrum Monitor addresses the market need for an accurate remote solution for white space monitoring, harm claim threshold detection, in-building interference monitoring, positive train control system protection and locating illegal/unlicensed signal sources or similar interference. Read more

Cobham Wireless Launches Worlds First Intelligent Digital DAS

Cobham Wireless partners with Vodafone and Telefonica to deploy world’s first intelligent digital DAS system covering Berlin’s Fan Mile. System debuts on New Year’s Eve, facilitating a street party attended by one million people.

Cobham Wireless has partnered with Vodafone and Telefonica to deploy its revolutionary, capacity-centric, intelligent digital DAS (idDAS) into Berlin's Fan Mile. The deployment, launched on New Year's Eve 2015, enables Vodafone and Telefónica customers to access, not only 3G (UMTS), but high-bandwidth 4G (LTE) services on the thoroughfare for the first time. Read more

Qualcomm and TDK to Provide RF Front-End Solutions for Mobile Devices

Qualcomm and TDK have announced an agreement to form a joint venture to enable delivery of RF front-end (RFFE) modules and RF filters into fully integrated systems for mobile devices and fast-growing business segments, such as Internet of Things (IoT), drones, robotics, automotive applications and more, under the name RF360 Holdings Singapore PTE. Ltd. The joint venture will draw upon TDK’s capabilities in micro-acoustic RF filtering, packaging and module integration technologies and Qualcomm’s expertise in advanced wireless technologies to serve customers with leading-edge RF solutions into fully integrated systems.

In addition to creating RF360 Holdings, Qualcomm and TDK will expand their collaboration around key technology fields, including sensors and wireless charging. The agreement is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and other closing conditions and is expected to close by early 2017. Read more

Rugged LDMOS Power Transistors Target HF, VHF and ISM Applications

Ampleon has released a comprehensive portfolio of overmoulded plastic (OMP) Rugged RF power transistors based on LDMOS technology. These transisitors are targeted at manufacturers of broadcast and ISM transmitters or generators. Target markets for the BLP05H6xxxXR series transistors are FM/VHF radio and TV broadcasting, and industrial, scientific and medical RF power generators.  Ranging in power from 35W up to 700W CW (continuous wave), these extremely rugged RF power transistors utilise the same SOT1223 package outline and can be used in any RF power application in the HF to 600MHz frequency range.

These LDMOS Transistors are able to withstand extreme load mismatch conditions and feture a high efficiency, so energy usage and operating costs are reduced. As less cooling is needed, system requirements are simpler, which is beneficial for overall bill of material costs (BOM). Read more

37 W, Two-stage LDMOS Dual-Power Amplifier from 1805 to 2200 MHz

The PTMC210404MD-V1 from Wolfspeed is a Two-stage LDMOS Integrated Power Amplifier that operates from 1805 to 2200 MHz. It has dual independent outputs with each output providing 20 W of power. It provides an output power (P1dB) of 37 Watts with a linear gain of 31.5 dB and an efficiency of 53.1 %. This RoHS-compliant amplifier requires 28 V supply and has an integrated ESD protection circuitry. It is available in a 14-lead plastic overmold package with gull-wing leads and is ideal for telecom and wideband driver applications. Click here to view specs.