Electronics News June 2011

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 1 . p d f

Pa ge

1

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

1 2 : 3 2

PM

n ew s Australia’s Premier Electronics Magazine

w w w. e l e c t r o n i c s n e w s . c o m . a u INSIDE

JUNE 11

News 4

Future Awards 2011 Nominations open, special magazine edition, and our roundtable breakfast Technology 6

Microchip eye The blind will see again with locally developed bionic eye chip Feature 8

Challenging 8-bit More demands for computing power could break the hegemony of the 8-bit MCU Feature 16

Slashing power use

Post Print Approved PP255003/00319

Let there be (sun) light The solar industry, the technology advances, and opportunities and risks.

Page 12

Design | Communications | Environmental | Industrial | Research | Medical | Consumer

Taking advantage of MCU strategies which preserve performance but cut energy demands Feature 19

Keeping an eye out Advances in the surveillance industry: seeing more, intelligently Technical Feature 22

Power simulation and testing Gaining an insight into the power use of products with the latest instruments

AD_ E NDI GJ UN_ 1 1 . p d f

Pa ge

1

1 8 / 0 5 / 1 1 ,

1 : 2 8

PM

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 3 . p d f

Pa ge

3

2 7 / 5 / 1 1 ,

9 : 5 7

AM

NEWS

n ew s

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Power hungry

Published five times a year Reed Business Information Pty Ltd Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue Chatswood NSW 2067 Tel: (02) 9422 2999 Fax: (02) 9422 2977 www.electronicsnews.com.au EDITOR Kevin Gomez Tel: (02) 9422 2976 kevin.gomez@reedbusiness.com.au SENIOR JOURNALIST Isaac Leung Tel: (02) 9422 2956 isaac.leung@reedbusiness.com.au KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER Sarah Bateman Tel: (02) 9422 8994 Fax: (02) 9422 2722 sarah.bateman@reedbusiness.com.au

Kevin Gomez Editor

QLD SALES MANAGER Sharon R. Amos PO Box 3136, Bracken Ridge QLD 4017 Tel: (07) 3261 8857 Fax: (07) 3261 8347 sharon.amos@reedbusiness.com.au BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Alex Evans Tel: (02) 9422 2890 Fax: (02) 9422 2722 alex.evans@reedbusiness.com.au PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jennifer Collinson Tel: (02) 9422 2657 jennifer.collinson@reedbusiness.com.au PUBLISHER: Michelle Graves Tel: (02) 9422 2391 Email: michelle.graves@reedbusiness.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ronnie Lawrence ronald.lawrence@reedbusiness.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS Customer Service Tel: 1300 360 126.

Fax: (02) 9422 2633. customerservice@reedbusiness.com.au Subs: Australia $99 incl GST New Zealand A$109.00 Overseas A$119.00 Printed by GEON 20 Baker Street Banksmeadow NSW 2019 Ph: (02) 8333 6555

Next Issue

Average Net Distribution September 10 7,129

ABN 80 132 719 861

• Automotive & Transport • Power Supplies • EMI/RFI • Digital Home • Electronex Preview

JUST as the dust began to settle following the Japan earthquake and its aftermath, Australia’s electronics industry was hit by a mini quake of its own.

Home-grown, Sydney headquartered EDA vendor, Altium, pulled up stumps and moved across to Shanghai.

The move was accomplished with such stealth and speed that several affected employees felt obliged to vent their feelings on the Electronics News website’s community pages.

Electronics News did share a good relationship with the Altium team — a relationship that lasted several years and through many leadership changes.

Will we see another Altium? Whatever the answer, Australia sorely needs to support innovation and talent.

This year, once again, the Electronics News Future Awards programme (see page 4) will play its part — helping uncover the bright sparks crafting ingenious and innovative solutions that often rival what’s put out by far better resourced industries and countries.

Even more details of the Future Awards can be found on our website. Or email editor@electronicsnews.com.au for more information.

Industry events too play a key role so it is heartening to see the Electronex team prepare for its second electronics design and assembly expo. Melbourne is the playground this year and it will be interesting to see if visitor and exhibitor numbers can eclipse those of the 2010 Sydney event.

This issue of Electronics News turns the spotlight on one of those vexing problems that almost every electronics engineer has faced some time or another. Power. How

to measure, manage and be really mean about it. Managing power starts with its measurement and Carlo Canziani takes us beyond the simple Ohms Law and offers solutions into measuring current that varies between 1μA and 1A a million times per second (page 22).

And we look not just at measuring power, but also generating it (page 12).

For a long time, the sun seemed to be our best bet. But as the headlines in the popular press scream, it looks like lights out for rooftop solar in Australia.

Nonetheless, researchers are pushing ahead and one hopes common sense prevails, after all. Interesting fact: reducing the price of PV technology by a factor of two can result in almost an order of magnitude increase in market adoption. We speak with Sunengy’s Phil Connor who invented the Liquid Solar Array. Faced with little or no local interest, he’s looking overseas — and making headway.

We are always looking for innovators who push the boundaries despite the odds. If you have a tale to tell, do get in touch. Who knows, you might be in our next issue. kevin.gomez@reedbusiness.com.au

Wireless Solution BREAKTHROUGH! E Durable and Stable under severe circumstance E Environmentally Friendly E Fast Development Contact us at: Ginsei Sangyo Co., Ltd.

TEL: +81 3 3356 5715 Email: sales@ginsei-jp.com www.ginsei-jp.com

www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 3

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 4 . p d f

Pa ge

4

2 7 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 2 0

AM

NEWS

IN BRIEF

AWARDS

TI acquires National Semiconductor TEXAS Instruments has acquired competitor National Semiconductor for US$6.5 billion.

Both companies are leaders in the analogue semiconductors sector. National Semiconductor will become part of TI’s analogue segment, allowing it to benefit from the larger company’s sales force and customer base.

In 2010, TI was the market leader in the analogue sector with 14 percent of the market. National had 3 percent. The acquisition is expected to expand TI’s lead. www.ti.com

Reaching the ears of the world THROUGH the help of AusIndustry, Melbourne-based Dynamic Hearing has brought its patented audio signal processing products to a global market.

The company has been awarded almost $2.5 million in innovation grants from the Australian government to develop new signal processing technology.

AusIndustry funding enabled Dynamic Hearing to expand and ramp up research and development efforts, so technology products could be brought to market sooner.

Dynamic Hearing has established partnerships and licensing agreements with hearing aid, mobile phone and Bluetooth headset manufacturers all over the world.

The core technology of Dynamic Hearing when it formed in 2002 was the digital sound processing software for the hearing impaired invented by Professor Peter Blamey.

However, this initial software focus branched into technology to improve the performance of headsets, mobile phones and mobile devices for people with normal hearing.

Dynamic Hearing has been developing DSP solutions for ear worn communication devices, but is now looking for new ways to deliver outstanding sound quality and optimal speech intelligibility.

The company is a spin-off from the Cooperative Research Centre for Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aid Innovations. www.dynamichearing.com.au

4 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Innovation recognised ELECTRONICS News is calling for nominations and entries to the 2011 Future Awards.

The Electronics News Future Awards reward excellence in Australian industry and raise the profile of electronics innovation.

The 2011 iteration represents the 7th year for the Future Awards. By participating in the programme, you can showcase the vision, design and development which has gone into your work in electronics.

This year, seven categories will allow engineers, solutions providers, students and system integrators to promote their novel electronics designs and capabilities.

The awards will be judged by a panel of experts.

The winners of the Electronics News Future Awards will be announced at an Awards Breakfast Roundtable on 18 August. This event will be attended by senior industry professionals who will be discussing the future of the electronics industry in Australia. There, the winners will receive their award, and have the opportunity to network with leaders in the electronics industry.

through to 1 July 2011. The submission process is simple and any confidentiality requirements will be handled by our experienced nomination team, who will also help with providing or drafting the information required for the submission.

Do send in your nomination if you or your company has done work which is particularly interesting and innovative.

The 2011 categories are: • Wellness • Environment • Automotive & Transport • Industrial electronics • Communications & Networks • Students • Best in Design This will be the 7th year of the annual Future Awards.

Electronics News will also publish a special supplement called “Connect” with the October issue of the magazine, which will contain reports from the Awards Breakfast and details on the winners’ entries.

Nominations are now open and ready for your submissions right

EDUCATION

Insufficient skills A REPORT from Australia’s eleven Industry Skills Councils claims almost half of Australia’s working age population do not have the education for trade or professional jobs.

The report, titled “No More Excuses”, found between 7 to 8 million Australians come out of school with insufficient language, literacy and numeracy skills to be effectively trained for higher level jobs, and are at risk of being confined to low-wage jobs with little prospect of improvement.

The report found approximately 53% of working age Australians have difficulty with numeracy skills; 46% of Australian adults have difficulty with reading skills, and 13% are classified in the lowest literacy category.

While Australia’s high education providers are still producing workers of high calibre, a lack of skilled

workers in the trades and supply chain can compromise the ability to deliver an information economy.

Workers in the electro-communications and energy sectors have to contend with highly technical and continually changing environments.

To deal with this, workers need to be able to apply their knowledge and skills, communicate ideas both orally and in writing, control highly technical equipment, critically assess and appraise situations and apply creative, diagnostic and problem solving techniques.

For qualified tradespeople seeking technical officer and paraprofessional positions, necessary skills include advanced written and oral communication skills, workplace leadership and management skills, as well as highly developed capabilities in mathematics and physics. ■

For further information, please contact Electronics News at editor@electronicsnews.com.au or via 02 9422 2956.

To enter or nominate an entry, please contact the Awards Coordinator Margaret Tra at margaret.tra@reedbusiness.com.au or via 02 9422 2759.

Altium relocates to Shanghai Altium has relocated its global headquarters and core R&D facilities from Sydney to Shanghai, China.

The relocation will affect Altium’s core software development activities, corporate office and executive management team, and refocus its corporate and marketing toward the Chinese market.

According to the press release from Altium, this move is due to its belief that China represents the best location and opportunity for the execution of its plan for developing cloud-based electronics design tools systems, Altium will also draw on the talent pool in China to expand its R&D team.

Altium will retain its Australian and New Zealand regional sales and support function in Sydney, along with a small software development team. ■ www.altium.com

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 5 . p d f

Pa ge

5

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 2 1

AM

NEWS

ENVIRONMENTAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

Powering up REDFLOW has installed the first of its megawatt-class electricity storage systems at a flat panel solar photovoltaic generation facility located at the University of Queensland.

As a demonstration control, the RedFlow-enabled photovoltaic array will be compared to an identical 390 kW PV adjacent section of the array which has no storage at all, but will face the same periodic power drops created by passing clouds.

It is hoped this comparison will show the effectiveness of large scale energy storage in managing harmonics and transient effects on the power network which could otherwise occur due to the natural fluctuations caused by solar power generation.

The system is the first in the Australian company’s planned roll-

The zinc-bromine battery modules will be used to store electricity from the solar photovoltaic facility. out of successive larger electricity systems in the megawatt-class. It has an installed capacity for twelve RedFlow zinc-bromine battery

Cheaper solar modules (120 kWh), coupled with power electronics rated at 30kW. The installed prototype is packaged in a shipping container, but most of the space in the current version is being taken up by a demonstration room, with computer monitors and power meters to highlight system performance and energy flows.

According to RedFlow, it is already receiving customer interest for its MW-class electricity storage products, and the showcase unit coupled with Australia’s largest solar PV array is a great way to demonstrate its realworld capabilities.

This installation was delayed by approximately two months as a consequence of the January 2011 floods, which affected both the RedFlow and UQ sites. ■

THE AUSTRALIAN Solar Institute is entering into a research and development partnership with a German organisation to improve solar power capabilities.

The European partner is Deutches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), and the partnership will develop concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies.

The organisations expect the R&D effort to increase efficiency and lower the costs of producing energy from the sun, with the technology possibly becoming commercialised later.

The ASI and DLR have already agreed to priority activities for immediate commencement, including high temperature CSP modelling and high temperature receiver performance and analysis.

The ASI is currently also developing the US-Australia Solar Research Collaboration. www.australiansolarinstitute.com.au

www.redflow.com.au

Move Your Automated Test Beyond the Box Engineers around the world are making the softwaredefined PXI platform the cornerstone of their test system architectures. With more than 1,500 modular instruments available from more than 70 vendors, PXI delivers the functionality and flexibility you need to build a better test system while reducing cost and size.

PRODUCT PLATFORM PXI modular instrumentation NI LabVIEW graphical software NI TestStand software

>>

Learn how PXI can help you at ni.com/beyond

Australia: 1800 300 800 New Zealand: 0800 553 322

©2011 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, ni.com, and NI TestStand are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 01531

www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 5

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 6 . p d f

Pa ge

6

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 2 4

AM

TECHNOLOGY

MEDICAL

New microchip for bionic eye IONIC Vision Australia’s researchers have developed a breakthrough microchip which is bringing the bionic eye closer to human trials.

The device is five square mm in size, but is said to be a significant advance in nerve simulation technology. It has 98 precisely-controlled stimulation channels to restore some sense of vision to patients.

The microchip is at the heart of the retinal implant, which stimulates the retinal cells to elicit vision.

In the April issue of Electronics News, we talked to Professor Stan Skafidas, program leader for the high-acuity device, which is the second prototypical retinal implant.

While the current microchip announcement pertains to the first prototype (the wide-view system), work is very much advanced on this system, which has progressed

B

The microchip has 98 stimulation channels to restore some sense of vision to patients.

Electrodes on the wide-view device, courtesy of UNSW.

through a series of preclinical studies to test the safety and efficacy of the technology. A safe surgical technique has also been developed for implantation.

Clinicians are now screening people with retinitis pigmentosa to

develop a selection protocol for the first group of patients who will participate in tests of the device.

Researchers will continue working with patients in the lead up to the first implant of the full system, due by 2013. ■

RESEARCH

The wide-view bionic eye consists of a camera, attached to a pair of glasses, which captures images and sends them to a body-worn processing unit.

A wireless transmitter feeds the data and power from this unit to a microchip in the retinal implant.

The microchip decodes this information and drives the electrical stimulation in the retina.

These signals are then passed along the optic nerve to the brain where they are interpreted as vision. ■ www.bionicvision.org.au

RESEARCH

Self-cooling graphene transistors

Work continues on photonic chips

RESEARCHERS with the University of Illinois have found graphene transistors have a nanoscale cooling effect that reduces their temperature, which could be exploited to cool electronics without the use of other devices like fans.

Mechanical science and engineering professor William King and electrical and computer engineering professor Eric Pop led the team, which published the findings in the 3 April advance online edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Electronics chips are limited in speed and size by the amount of heat they dissipate. This heat is produced by electrons in the current colliding with the device material.

Computers with silicon chips use various ways to cool the transistors, a process that consumes much of the energy required to power a device.

Researchers say future computer chips made out of graphene could not only be faster than silicon chips, but also operate at a lower power.

Due to the tiny dimensions

CUDOS, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh Bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems, is continuing development of a photonic chip technology to complement the NBN. The CUDOS Centre of Excellence has had its funding extended by the Federal Government, with $23.8m awarded under the most recent funding round. It will research photonic chips for applications in quantum signal processing and mid infrared technologies as well as in high speed optical communications.

The photonic chip technology will increase the core network capacity, helping ensure home users can get 1Gbps, 10Gbps or more in the future.

CUDOS will also initiate a program in nanophotonics, focusing on metamaterials and plasmonics, with the aim of developing miniature devices whose operation depends on optical characteristics that are unattainable with bulk materials. ■

6 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

An atomic force microscope tip scans the surface of a graphenemetal contact. Courtesy: Alex Jerez involved in graphene, which are one atom thick, a thorough understanding of heat generation and distribution in graphene devices has previously eluded researchers.

The university research team used an atomic force microscope tip as a temperature probe to make the world’s first nanometer-scale temperature measurements of a working graphene transistor.

The measurements revealed that

thermoelectric cooling effects can be stronger at the areas where the graphene touches the metal contacts, and this effect overpowers resistive heating, actually lowering the temperature of the transistor.

This self-cooling effect means that graphene-based electronics could require little or no cooling, allowing even greater energy efficiency and increasing graphene’s attractiveness as a silicon replacement. ■

www.cudos.org.au

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 7 . p d f

Pa ge

7

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

2 : 1 3

PM

TECHNOLOGY FEATURE

The phoenix rises Evolving ways of using the Internet will revolutionise the work of electronics engineers, writes Peter Davis

hile many businesses hit the panic button when faced with a sharp global downturn, the visionary, confident and stable organisations typically hit the accelerator and look strategically at how they can focus closely on the core areas key to their growth and to future proof their business to ensure continued success.

The electronics industry is no different; it is growing rapidly and constantly evolving. It is an industry that is fuelled by our society’s reliance on, and insatiable appetite for, the electrical inter-connected world and it is technology and innovation that is underpinning this evolution and driving this forward.

More than ever before customers in the electronics distribution industry are demanding high quality products combined with fast, convenient and reliable support and service. In addition, not every customer is the same, so a multichannel approach is paramount to ensure every customer’s needs are met, whether this be information on product availability or advice on which is the right product to satisfy their needs.

This has increasingly made time a critical business success factor for this industry.

Specifically, our own clients have told us that they value speed of component delivery, such as next-day delivery, quick information access and support, a wide

W

range of products, and multichannel, multi-currency, multilanguage purchasing options.

This is because they are becoming increasingly technologically-savvy and they can now work from anywhere and at anytime. It is because of this evolution that purchasing professionals and maintenance repair engineers consider speed, simplicity and convenience as some of the key components of their success.

In addition, electronics design engineers are seeking information and online platforms to collaborate and connect to share best practices, and to access and provide their feedback on the latest products, tools and services. It is an exciting time for the electronics industry in Australia and New Zealand and the time is ripe to challenge the traditional ways of working and to evolve as an industry.

With the evolution of technology, collaboration is key and becomes a natural way of working in this day and age In Australia, an estimated 10,000 engineers, including over 1,000 electronic engineers, leave universities each year and the benefits for engineering graduates in this market are varied, as access to knowledge in the global network is as simple as the push of a button. Our region is often seen as an increasingly ‘wired’, web-centric market. One that is perfect for online community and commerce business approach, which is capable of responding to growing customer

demand and meeting an increasing number of time-sensitive needs.

With over 2.2 billion web users estimated globally by 2013, the online world is a strategic path which leads and defines the transformation of the electronics industry, revolutionising busienss strategies and execution.

With the evolution of technology, collaboration is key and becomes a natural way of working in this day and age.

Engineers appreciate a common platform to obtain information, discuss and reference product data specs; procurement managers need a consistent, transparent point of pricing reference. And as the global multi-channel distributor that supports millions of engineers and purchasing professionals worldwide, element14 is today offering all of this - a consistent surfing experience and information platform across markets, available in local languages.

Our global online community portal effectively blends online community and commerce into one integrated, efficient business operation and solutions platform through the power of the Internet.

A new focus and redirection is needed for the industry to address the rapidly growing electronics segment. I believe that harvesting the potential of the internet is the right way forward for this industry.

We need to recognise and directly respond to the modernday needs of electronic design engineers, maintenance repair and operations engineers and purchasing professionals in order to continue to propel and evolve the electronics industry.

Peter Davis is the regional director of element14 Australia and New Zealand. ■ www.element14.com www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 7

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 8 . p d f

Pa ge

8

2 7 / 5 / 1 1 ,

1 0 : 0 6

AM

FEATURE

DESIGN

New MCUs challenge 8-bit domi Falling prices are making 32-bit microcontrollers a viable alternative to their robust 8-bit cousins. But cheaper parts don’t make the de

espite a high-level of functionality and enviable processing power, 32-bit microcontrollers (MCU) have been slow to push aside lowlier devices. Depending on which analyst you believe, venerable 8-bit MCUs are still used for between 40 and 50 percent of new designs.

This is partly because 8-bit devices continue to push down into applications that previously would not have withstood the increase in cost brought about by the addition of electronics, but also because the generation of engineers brought up on 8-bit devices — most of whom are still practising — regard the new breed of powerful MCUs with suspicious eyes. To these experienced designers, 32-bit technology is complex and expensive and demands a new design approach.

In contrast, 8-bit MCUs are considered inexpensive, easy to design with, having low-power consumption, able to withstand relatively high voltages (for example 5V) and taking up minimal PCB real estate. Moreover, companies that have worked with 8-bit technology for some time will have a lot of legacy code that could be ported to a new 8-bit design, but is useless for 32-bit devices.

However, the market pressure to migrate from 8- to 32-bit technology is increasing. From one side, increasingly demanding applications for industrial products is driving the need for more computing power, and on the other declining prices and greater integration of 32-bit chips is making them a viable alternative for cost-constrained products.

Add to that the aggressive promotional programs from the 32-bit chip makers targeting new markets to maintain growth of their higher-end products, and you have a cohort of designers under a lot of pressure to change the way they do things.

Nonetheless, it’s difficult for a

8-bit MCUs dominate simple applications such as toaster control

D

8 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

designer to move away from the technology he knows — even if that risks his design underperforming — and make the decision to grapple with a new, more complex device. Is now the time to make the move?

Bypassing 16-bit There is a middle road of course: 16bit MCUs. These offer more performance than 8-bit, but at less cost and complexity than 32-bit. But analysts report that the majority of embedded engineers - across many different markets and continents who outgrow 8-bit devices, tend to move directly to 32-bit MCUs. It seems that for most engineers, a 16bit microcontroller is not a viable upgrade alternative. (This is, of course, a generalisation, and it’s important to note that there are some excellent 16-bit products on

the market with a loyal following of designers. The analysts say that 15 to 20 percent of new designs employ 16-bit chips.)

The reasons for the apparent preference of migration to 32- rather than 16-bit chips aren’t immediately obvious and there is no historical precedent. Certainly, when 8- and 16bit MCUs hit the market there was a dramatic migration from 4- to 8-bit devices but few designs leapt straight from 4- to 16-bit technology.

Perhaps one of the drivers for 16bit chips being generally bypassed is the fact that over 20 semiconductor vendors are shipping 32-bit ARMbased products (such as the latest ARM Cortex designs), making ARM something of de facto standard.

(According to the company, over 10 billion 32-bit embedded processors have been shipped since 1994.)

SHORTCUTS: Increasingly demanding applications for industrial products is driving the need for more computing power that only 32-bit MCUs can provide ■ Using 32-bit MCU can reduce the BoM because it’s likely to replace several components courtesy of extra performance and on-chip peripherals ■ Migrating from 8- to 32-bits involves far more than just dropping in a new socket, changing the PCB layout and code recompilation ■ 8-bit MCUs are still the processor of choice when the computational demands of the application aren’t too demanding ■

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 0 9 . p d f

Pa ge

9

2 7 / 5 / 1 1 ,

1 0 : 0 6

AM

FEATURE

minance the design challenge any easier, writes Electronics News staff

ARM technology, as used in this MCU, is something of a de facto standard for 32-bit MCUs There was never an equivalent architecture to ARM for the 16-bit sector, which mostly consisted of proprietary cores, leaving the engineer at the whim of a sole supplier.

Aside from the ARM-based products, there are literally hundreds of 32-bit options (around 250 devices from 40 suppliers at the last count).

Manufacturers such as Microchip (PIC32), Renesas (SuperH Series as well as NEC’s V850), Texas Instruments (C2000, the company also manufactures ARM devices) and Freescale (ColdFire and ARM) vie for market share with cores and chips promising greater performance, lower power consumption, lower prices, greater integration and more development resources. Check out Electronic News’ website at www.electronicnews.com.au for more information on these products.

Price is not a barrier Cost is always the first hurdle an engineer sees when she tries to visualise her next design humming along with a 32-bit MCU in charge.

But while it’s true that a 32-bit chip does cost more than an 8-bit MCU, that’s not the whole story. In many cases the larger device can actually reduce the total Bill-of-materials (BoM) because it’s likely to replace several components courtesy of extra performance and additional on-chip peripherals.

Unfortunately, an engineer often

Fig. 1: 32-bit devices are decreasing in cost and encroaching on 8- and 16bit applications makes the mistake of comparing only the price of the MCU, rather the entire system cost — and then rapidly dismisses the opportunity.

Moreover, the added value to the end user of the extra functionality gained by using a more powerful MCU far outweighs any modest increase in the single component’s cost. Replacing a less-able MCU with a 32-bit chip provides enhanced functionality to an existing application that could provide an opportunity to displace competitors in an existing market or force entry into lucrative new markets.

Not only that, but a 32-bit design provides plenty of performance overhead that can be used for future expansions and as insurance against inevitable feature creep.

So how much more performance do you get for your money? In short, quite a lot; a 32-bit MCU allows for faster and more efficient operation without the need for using the large amounts of memory that 8- and 16-bit devices require for even simple calculations that. For example, where a 16bit MCU needs four or more instructions for calculations with values greater than 65,536, a 32-bit

Some analysts estimate that 8-bit MCUs are still used for nearly 50 percent of new designs processor can do the same in just one instruction while expanding its number handling capability to more than 4,294 million.

Designing with 32-bit MCUs Even if cost isn’t such a big deal, the added design complexity and learning curve is often enough for an engineer to think twice about migrating to 32-bit technology.

Developers of 8-bit MCUs generally have little experience with 32-bit programming and worry that the learning curve is too steep or long.

But designers should take into account the fact that when the performance requirements of the existing product start to overwhelm the capability of an 8-bit chip, further design tweaking to squeeze out the last of the performance becomes

extremely time-consuming and expensive. That time could be better spent learning how to use 32-bit chips and future-proofing the company’s products by expanding the potential to upgrade the unit’s performance with new technologies.

Nonetheless, while 32-bit devices are undoubtedly more powerful, migrating from 8- to 32-bits involves far more than just dropping in a new socket, changing the PCB layout and code recompilation. Fortunately, the semiconductors vendors have worked hard to simplify the challenge and addressed ease-of-use of their products to encourage adoption.

For example, the use of on-chip PLLs, on-chip debug units, on-chip reset and other integrated functions have made PCB and system design much simpler. The on-chip PLLs, for instance, allow for the use of a lowerfrequency crystal oscillator off-chip, reducing EMI emissions and susceptibility to noise. These also improve the on-chip clock signals by ensuring fast, sharp and stable internal clocks at high frequencies.

The hardware is only half the story; to get optimum performance from a 32-bit MCU it’s important to get familiar with development tools.

Manufacturers are constantly striving to improve software development tools in order to make it much easier to develop and debug code without needing an in-depth knowledge of the processor’s architecture and instruction set.

The C-compiler is one of the most critical tools for designing with 32-bit Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) MCUs. A superior C-compiler is needed to optimise code size and efficiency, and maximise processor performance. Many contemporary compilers offer a variety of optimisation options to yield more compact code or accelerate code execution at various levels.

There are many GNU C cross compilers available for almost every www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 9

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 0 . p d f

Pa ge

1 0

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 3 1

AM

FEATURE

DESIGN

TI’s Stellaris MCU Robotic Evaluation Platform (EVALBOT) allow developers to experiment with the features of the company’s 32-bit MCU processor core ever developed. A cross compiler is capable of creating executable code for a platform other than the one on which it is run.

Be careful though; as most of these compilers are produced by the open source community, the documentation, bug lists and integration into a development environment can present more problems than the tasks of compiling and debugging the software itself.

Alternatively, most major semiconductor vendors will provide a complete development environment including a C-compiler for the 32-bit MCU selected. Although these compilers cost money, this is often the best way to go as they will more than likely comprehensively support the particular MCU selected allowing access to all of its features.

Bug lists are typically better maintained and it is easier to get support when there is a problem compared with a free-of-charge GNU compiler downloaded from the Internet.

The choice of Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is almost as important as the choice of C-compiler as a good IDE allows fast transition from editing code to debugging and back to editing. An important feature of a decent IDE is 10 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

the ability to jump back to source files in the editor to the exact line as indicated by an error message from the C-compiler or the selected line in a debugger window.

The debugger should also be easy to use, as it will help to track down bugs in your code quickly and effectively. A 32-bit MCU will typically be used for complex mathematical calculations such as those used in FFTs (Fast Fourier Transforms), IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) and FIR (Finite Impulse Response) Filters.

The use of multiple data precision types is usual (for example, floating point numbers), and it is important that the debugger is capable of displaying the data type matching the variable being tracked.

Finally, there is a good range of 32-bit MCU emulators available today. The most common is the onchip debug emulator, sometimes referred to as a JTAG in-circuit emulator (ICE). On-chip debug emulators use a serial interface to connect to a debug unit in the MCU that controls the processor.

While this is a cheap and effective option it does have some restrictions such as limited memory access break points, limited hardware break points and restricted speed.

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 1 . p d f

Pa ge

1 1

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

3 : 5 5

PM

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 2 . p d f

Pa ge

1 2

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 3 5

AM

FEATURE

ENVIRONMENT

Power from the sun The solar power sector in Australia is maturing rapidly, but technical challenges and commercial risks still threaten to derail progress,

UNENGY executive director and CTO Phil Connor knows the Liquid Solar Array technology developed by his company can change the world, but for this Sydney start-up, local interest has been minimal. Now, the technology is going to India.

During a lecture by Professor Stuart Wenham to a photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing course at the University of NSW (UNSW), Connor, also a Scientia Professor, told students that, like his company’s technology, “for those who are willing to travel overseas, the opportunities are almost limitless.”

That sums up a key challenge for Australian companies selling solar energy: they can’t wait for the money to find them, they have to look for it.

The global solar energy sector is rapidly becoming a highly competitive market defined by a few big players, a large number of high-risk, high return R&D ventures calling out for funding, and a multitude of technology trends which promise to drive down costs and increase efficiency if only they can catch on. And looming over all this is a sense that at any time, a breakthrough could lead to a drastic paradigm shift.

Solar energy technology is a market where Australia could take a lead. But like other products enabled by electronics, much of the manufacturing will be done overseas — so what does the country need to do to earn a big share of the globe’s alternative energy dollars?

S h

h

h

New under the sun According to the World Bank’s April 2011 publication of World Development Indicators, energy use per capita for developing countries is escalating rapidly, while the energy demands for developed nations continue rise inexorably.

With energy use correlated to quality of life, it is no surprise that demands from major population 12 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

FACTS & FIGURES

Behind Sunengy’s LSA technology

Sunengy’s concentrated photovoltaic LSA technology floats on water to reduce balance of system costs.

centres like China and India will continue to rapidly increase as their populations attain affluence.

While the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation is expected to continue rising in the short term, statistics from the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) indicates their use will peak in 2030, then gradually fall off toward 2100.

Solar energy is expected to take up much of the shortfall, so efficiency boosts will be essential.

The majority of research into solar cell efficiency utilise monocrystalline silicon.

Mono-crystalline silicon is more expensive to produce, but is generally recognised to be of better quality than the multi-crystalline (aka “poly-crystalline”) equivalent.

By using mono-crystalline material, laboratories have attained up to 25 percent conversion efficiency.

While companies such as Sydneybased Silex Solar manufacture commercial mono-crystalline silicon solar panels, an increasing proportion of manufacturers are opting for

the cheaper multi-crystalline silicon.

Industry is also developing new approaches, such as seeded casting, which are resulting in multi-crystalline wafers of much better quality.

Researchers will need to develop technology for multi-crystalline silicon if they wish to make inroads into industrial applicability.

Bridging the commercial divide Researchers and manufacturers will need to work together to solve the technical and commercial challenges facing Australia’s solar industry.

Professor Min Gu, Director of Swinburne University’s Centre for Micro-Photonics, is leading the way by teaming up with Suntech Power to research plasmonic solar cells.

The $12 million Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility collaborative venture focuses on researching and developing nano-plasmonic solar cell technology, which promises to increase the conversion efficiency of solar cells by using nanostructures.

Sunengy’s LSA technology is an adaptation of concentrated photovoltaics, utilising thin plastic Fresnel lenses which focus sunlight onto silicon cells sized at 1/100th of the area of the lens.

Currently, the silicon cells are being sourced from the UK due to the unique shape and size required.

As the systems enter mass production, they will be made in India or China.

While the original LSA prototypes used a light sensor to track the position of the sun, the latest development has an accelerometer built into the sealed electronics package, capable of detecting the tilt and orientation of the array.

Software built into the electronics include a model of the position of the sun at any time during the day for that time of year, allowing the unit to roughly follow the sun. The output of the photovoltaics is then used for fine-tuning to ensure maximum power generation.

While every collector unit includes an MCU and motor control capabilities, Sunengy plans to group units into rafts of thousands.

Each raft will share an anemometer-like wind sensor, which detects the maximum wind-speed. A data connection from the wind sensor to the units prompts the units to rotate the lenses under water if the wind gets too strong.

To deal with algae build-up, each raft includes sprays which clean the lenses periodically.

For the heatsink, which is permanently under water, Sunengy is coating it with copper, or utilising a thermal flow control strategy, which will raise the temperature on the heatsink to above 35 degrees occasionally, killing any algae.

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 3 . p d f

Pa ge

1 3

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 3 5

AM

FEATURE

gress, writes Isaac Leung

“Using nanoparticles, we can concentrate the electrons into very small regions and…enhance the light conversion from light to electricity.

We can also boost the light trapping mechanism,” explains Prof Min Gu. Prof Min Gu’s collaboration with Suntech Power provides the academic outfit with much-needed industry input on approaches which tread a fine balance between costs and efficiency boosts.

“Using the plasmonic effect, you can increase the efficiency dramatically if you introduce a very costly method,” Prof Min Gu told Electronics News. “But we have an industry partner, who will tell me ‘No, don’t do it that way, it will be very costly.’

“We don’t want to develop lots of patents which won’t be [commercially viable]. We want to develop something useful for the industry.”

According Prof Min Gu, Australia’s strength in nano-plasmonics results from a synergy with photonics-driven telecommunications ventures.

This work and the resulting increased understanding of the workings of light, when applied to solar

The exemplary path for global energy sources to 2050/2100 as envisioned by the German Advisory Council on Global Change. Source: WBGU cells, could well allow the VictoriaSuntech Advanced Solar Facility to break the theoretical limit of 30 percent conversion efficiency.

For Prof Min Gu, real-world efficiency increases will profoundly affect the cost of solar cells.

“Much of the production cost is in managing low-efficiency panels. Even

if a batch of solar cells has on average 15 percent efficiency, [it will have] a lot of products below [that threshold],” he explains. “And that’s where the total cost gets driven up, affecting the selling price.”

Cost as a driver According to Prof Wenham, the price

of solar panels has a direct impact on the size of the PV market, and its competitiveness against other, more entrenched power sources.

Reducing the price of PV technology by a factor of two can result in almost an order of magnitude increase in market adoption.

Currently, around 50 percent of the cost of PV installations is made up by the materials for the module, with the remaining “balance-ofsystems” costs consisting of factors like the grid connection, supporting structures for the panels and any land purchase costs. The most expensive part of the module is the high purity silicon and the silver that is used as the conducting medium.

One way to reduce that cost is by improving the process to use less silver per solar cell, or to replace silver with copper. Copper is currently not used in solar cells because it readily diffuses into any silicon it comes into contact with, destroying the functionality of the cell. However, current developments may soon overcome this obstacle.

Manufacturers also want to make

www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 13

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 4 . p d f

Pa ge

1 4

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 3 6

AM

FEATURE

ENVIRONMENT

wafers thinner, but this will require touch-free processes and new ways of placing metal contacts and encapsulating the panels.

Balance-of-system costs The efficiency of solar cells also has implications for the balance-ofsystems costs.

Increased efficiency means less surface area (and thus land, wiring, and support structure) will be needed in a particular installation to generate the same amount of energy.

Sunengy has found another way to save on balance-of-system costs, by floating its Liquid Solar Array technology on water (see the sidebar

on page 12 for details).

The Fresnel lenses of the LSA rotates and dips into the water when potentially damaging wind-speeds, heavy rain or hail are detected.

“If you can stow the system out of the wind, then you don’t have to design for peak winds, and this massively reduces the costs of the

“Australia’s Best Value Digital Storage Oscilloscopes” RIGOL DS-1000E Series Up to 100MHz Bandwidth, 2 Channels 1GS/s Real-Time Sampling 1M Point Memory USB Device, USB Host & PictBridge Model DS-1052E 50MHz, 2Ch, 1GS/s Model DS-1102E 100MHz, 2Ch, 1GS/s

$399 ex GST $699 ex GST

NEW GW GDS-3000 Series Up to 350MHz Bandwidth, 2 & 4 Channels Up to 5GS/s Real-Time Sample Rate VPO Display Technology Large 8” 800x600 High Resolution LCD Display Optional Power Analysis & Serial Bus Decode LAN/USB/VGA Outputs Model M d l GDS-3152 GDS 3152 150MH 150MHz, 2Ch 2Ch, 2 2.5GS/s 5GS/ $1 85 ex GST $1,852 Model GDS-3154 150MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $2,256 ex GST Model GDS-3252 250MHz, 2Ch, 2.5GS/s $2,256 ex GST Model GDS-3254 250MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $2,658 ex GST Model GDS-3352 350MHz, 2Ch, 5GS/s $3,987 ex GST Model GDS-3354 350MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $4,714 ex GST NEW RIGOL DS-6000 Series Up to 1GHz Bandwidth, 2 & 4 Channels 5GS/s Real-Time Sample Rate Standard 140Mpts Record Length 120,000 Waveform Per second Update Rate 256 Level Intensity Graduated Display Optional Serial Bus Trigger & Decode Model DS-6062 600MHz, 2Ch, 5GS/s $8,173 ex GST Model DS-6064 600MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $10,164 ex GST Model DS-6102 1GHz, 2Ch, 5GS/s $11,002 ex GST Model DS-6104 1GHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $12,364 ex GST

Sydney

Melbourne

Brisbane

Adelaide

Perth

Tel 02 9519 3933 Fax 02 9550 1378

Tel 03 9889 0427 Fax 03 9889 0715

Tel 07 3275 2183 Fax 07 3275 2196

Tel 08 8363 5733 Fax 08 8363 5799

Tel 08 9361 4200 Fax 08 9361 4300

email testinst@emona.com.au

14 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

web www.emona.com.au

EMONA

structure,” explained Connor.

Sunengy is targeting hydro-electric dams as its first potential clients, with the aim of using the surface area of storage dams and existing grid connection infrastructure.

This changes the whole hydroelectric value proposition by turning the dam into a battery for solar.

In April, Sunengy announced a partnership with India’s largest integrated private power utility, Tata Power. This will allow the company to build a pilot plant in India with 100 units, followed by a 1000-unit trial in the Hunter Valley of NSW. The hope, for Sunengy, is that these will lead to mass production, and economy of scale. LSA technology could then be used in other areas, such as on solution storage ponds near mine sites, or in utilitypoor areas of developing countries.

Risk-averse, but high-risk, high-return Sunengy’s partnership with an Indian company will allow it to demonstrate its technology in a location with a high incidence of solar radiation. But Connor admits local investment was its first choice.

“We’ve been looking for over five years [for partners in Australia] and nobody has come forward,” Connor told Electronics News.

Connor blames this perceived lack of foresight on a risk-averse culture on the part of both the hydro industry and government investors.

“Australians have a ‘let’s see if someone else does it’ attitude; they don’t have much ambition,” Connor said. “Governments prefer to fund big institutions because there is no perceived risk…they are not really funding much in the small end.”

The debate over where investment is going is not just a matter of big or small. According to Prof Min Gu, the current approach to investment is short-sightedly focused on rooftop installations and profits from “back to the grid” schemes.

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 5 . p d f

Pa ge

1 5

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 3 7

AM

FEATURE

“[Investors] forget the major issue is still efficiency,� he said. “If we only rely on current efficiencies, which is typically less than 20 percent, it won’t be viable for everyday use.�

Mark Twidell, executive director of the Australian Solar Institute (ASI), disagrees. “Australia is investing at least proportionally with the rest of the world in solar research and development,� he said. “Since the creation of the ASI in early 2009, we have announced $66 million in funding.�

According to Twidell, this funding is tempered by realism. “We apply investment criteria to the opportunities that we see. And we’re interested in supporting tech-

nologies that can be commercialised in an international context,� Twidell said. “There is no point in us supporting a local technology if it’s not going to be able to compete in the [global] market.�

While the ASI supports local manufacturing to a degree, Twidell agrees that Australia is much more competitive on the IP side of things. “The solar industry is a global supply chain. Research and licensing technologies are very high value components of that supply chain.

Australians do that very well.�

Twidell dismisses claims the ASI only invests in low-risk prospects. “Our research proposals are evaluated by an independent committee,

8]cTa24; X]ca^SdRTb TB0< cWT 8]SdbcaXP[ "6 4cWTa]Tc a^dcTa R^\_[X\T]cX]V ^da fXST[h dbTS B0< bTaXTb ^U 6B< 6?AB "6 \^ST\b

and...we receive probably five times more proposals than funding available,â&#x20AC;? Twidell explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an independent, competitive process, and high-risk, high-return projects are why the government is involved. If they were low risk, there would be no need for government money.â&#x20AC;?

Beyond the hype For all the hype about solar power, it is currently only a small part of the global energy mix.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s likely Australia will have a limited role in manufacturing, but the country is taking on a key role in developing technologies which will be exported to the rest of the world.

While universities and govern-

ment research organisations continue to work on bridging research and industry development, a large number of entrepreneurial ventures have also sprung up around the solar industry, each offering innovations but crying out for funding.

The decision whether or not to invest in these ventures will determine if they thrive in Australia, move overseas, or simply vanish. It remains to be seen if the Australian solar industry will evolve into a hardened and competitive industry, or if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a bubble thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pop under the summer sun. â&#x2013; sunengy.com www.suntech-power.com www.vsasf.com

9OUR )NDUSTRIAL ' %THERNET 2OUTER

TB0< Xb P R^\_PRc adVVTS "6 4cWTa]Tc a^dcTa cWPc ^_TaPcTb Pb P] X]cT[[XVT]c Qa^PSQP]S R^]]TRcX^] QTcfTT] cWT T]cTa_aXbT P]S UXT[S T`dX_\T]c 8cb b\P[[ U^a\ UPRc^a P]S TPbh X]bcP[[PcX^] \PZTb Xc P] XSTP[ b^[dcX^] U^a P__[XRPcX^]b bdRW Pb bTRdaXch SXVXcP[ bXV]PVT _dQ[XR X]U^a\PcX^] SXb_[Ph P]S \P]h ^cWTa <!< P__[XRPcX^]b

FXaT[Tbb 22CE

3XVXcP[ BXV]PVT

:X^bZ ?>B

7XVW B_TTS 8]cTa]Tc

CT[T\PcXRb

1PRZd_ 2^\\d]XRPcX^]

CT[) % " (!"( !

4\PX[) X]cTaRT[/X]cTaRT[ R^\ Pd fff X]cTaRT[ R^\ Pd www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 15

E N. J UL 1 1 . P G0 1 6 . p d f

Pa ge

1 6

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 4 0

AM

FEATURE

DESIGN

More power, less juice Microcontrollers are becoming a ubiquitous part of modern technology, but the demand for more performance at lower power consumption makes their development anything but routine, Isaac Leung writes icrocontroller (MCU) developers and the engineers that design the devices into their products face two converging challenges. First, the increasing demands of modern systems require MCUs with greater capabilities (and hence more transistors) pushing up the power demands in active and standby modes. Second, consumers increasingly demand electronic products boasting anytime, anywhere availability.

Furthermore, MCUs are becoming so cheap that they’re used in many products that previously wouldn’t have employed electronics on the ground of cost. This ubiquity means that many MCUs are used in portable and sealed devices powered by batteries or energy harvesting systems that may have to operate for extended periods in without recharging or battery replacement.

Limited power budgets dictate that MCU manufacturers and system developers must adopt power management strategies which allow the devices to not only consume less power during operation, but also to enter inactive “sleep” states where they consume practically no power but can still wake up rapidly.

Electronics News talked to Energy Micro, Texas Instruments and Microchip to find out how they are meeting these conflicting demands, and how system designers can make the most of innovative new features.

M

SHORTCUTS: Increased configurability and flexibility in levels of sleep help MCUs cater to various applications ■ Manufacturers are focused on reducing wake-up times for improved responsiveness and reduced wastage ■ Low power components reduce energy use in both active and inactive stages ■ Autonomous peripheral operations allow activities without waking up the core from slumber ■ Designing and debugging code a key part to power management ■

Microchip’s approach only enables a few circuits during Deep Sleep (green sections are on).

Degrees of sleep The early development of MCUs was focused on integrating parts like processor cores, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals into a single, small IC. And as the transistor density and performance increased in line with Moore’s Law, systems utilising MCUs benefitted by becoming smaller yet more powerful.

But while the development of 16 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Using software tools and development kits allow product engineers to debug their code for maximum energy efficiency.

MCUs continued apace, battery technology stalled; just at the time consumers demanded more functionality and longer battery life from their portable devices. Consequently, OEMs demanded that MCU suppliers maintain the performance advances, while simultaneously reducing power requirements.

To meet the challenge manufacturers have come up with powerdown and -up schemes offering various levels of activity ranging from full performance to deep sleep.

For example, many of Texas Instruments’ MCUs offer up to 7 low power modes, while Energy Micro’s EFM32 Gecko microcontroller has five distinct energy modes, ranging from EM0 ‘Run’ operation (consuming 160 μA/MHz) through to EM4 ‘Shutoff’ operation (20 nA).

According to Microchip’s regional sales director Tom Bianchi, these power saving states reduce consumption by employing two methods.

“You can turn different parts of the microcontroller off if they are not being used, or you can run it at different speeds,” he explains. “Most of the time you might only need things operating at a very low frequency, so you save power, and when you do need that short burst of speed, [the MCU runs at its highest

E N. J UL 1 1 . P G0 1 7 . p d f

Pa ge

1 7

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 4 0

AM

FEATURE

frequency], consumes more current over a short time, before falling back to the lower power operating mode.”

Microchip’s strategy for its nanoWatt XLP range of MCUs is to progressively switch off more and more parts of the architecture during long periods of inactivity.

The caveat of course, is the deeper the slumber level of the MCU, the longer it takes to wake up.

The oscillators in a MCU are disabled in deep sleep states, and during the transition back to active state, the processor must wait for these on-chip regulators to stabilise before any code can be executed.

Manufacturers try to keep the transition period as short as possible, because during this time, the MCU is neither saving energy nor doing any work. And an overly long wake-up time can also affect responsiveness to real-time application demands.

Energy Micro has achieved wake up times from EM2 and EM3 (power savings states just short of the Shutoff EM4 mode) — with full RAM and MCU state retention — of just 2 μs. The manufacturer is also investigating using a very fast RC oscillator that’s capable of instantly waking up the CPU — but lacks the precision required for normal operation — before transferring to the more accurate crystal oscillator once that device is up to speed.

Texas Instruments is using ferroelectric RAM to reduce power use on its MSP430FR57xx series of MCUs.

The Microchip nanoWatt XLP MCUs utilise a Deep Sleep strategy.

Peripheral interest According to Øyvind Janbu, founder and CTO of Energy Micro, on-chip components like the universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) or analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) can have a major impact on the power use of the MCU. “In a typical low power application, standby periods often dominate the overall energy consumption,” Janbu said. “Therefore, the key to pushing the system energy consumption lower lies in the peripherals.”

Texas Instruments’ range of MCUs, for example, offers various

Energy Micro’s EFM32 Gecko microcontroller has five distinct energy modes. configurations which selectively exclude peripherals which are not needed for the application, eliminating unnecessary power drain.

Energy Micro adopts a different approach for its EFM32 MCU; instead of switching them off, it chooses to design ultra low power peripherals. These peripherals

include a 12-bit ADC using 350μA at full resolution and 1Msamples/sec conversion rate, and a Low Energy UART, which while retaining its full function with a 32kHz clock, consumes only 150nA at 9600 baud.

Other techniques include autonomous operation of peripherals, so certain functions that involve only

peripherals are still available while the CPU is asleep.

For example, features like Direct Memory Access (DMA) allow peripherals to read and write from memory without waking up the CPU. Energy Micro’s low energy sensor interface (LESENSE) function block allows autonomous monitoring of up to 16 external sensors while the MCU is in sub-microamp Deep Sleep mode.

The company’s configurable interconnect structure — called the Peripheral Reflex System — allows the peripherals to talk to each other without intervention from the core, so the CPU can stay asleep for longer and thus consume less energy.

To counter power drain during standby mode, Energy Micro says it has adopted nano-ampere analogue design methodologies for components such as low frequency oscillators, power supply monitors and comparators, which remain turned on when the MCU is “sleeping”.

Microchip’s Deep Sleep approach physically removes power from almost all of the functional blocks in order to eliminate the leakage or ‘static’ power losses associated with integrated transistors, reducing the MCU’s standby current to 20nA.

Economy running While the above strategies have focused on reducing overall power use by going into low power modes or shutting down components, manufacturers have also come up with ways to cut energy consumption while in > www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 17

E N. J UL 1 1 . P G0 1 8 . p d f

Pa ge

1 8

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 4 1

AM

FEATURE

DESIGN

more active modes.

To reduce active power use, many manufacturers recommend using 32bit MCUs, as opposed to 8-bit or 16bit. This is because the increased performance of the 32-bit architecture reduces the energy and time needed to read and execute actions during the active state. The secret of energy consumption is to complete tasks quickly, then go back to sleep as soon as possible.

For its part, Texas Instruments has set its focus on improving performance and energy efficiency through a new type of memory, called Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FRAM) in its latest generation of MCUs, the MSP430 series.

According to the manufacturer, FRAM allows ultra-low power read/write at just 1.5 V with increased throughput. This eliminates the need for a charge pump, reducing power use and minimising physical footprint. The MSP430 MCUs have an active power consumption of sub-100μA/MHz. FRAM is said to consume 250 times less power than flash-based devices when running at equal speeds, and with 50ns access times.

It allows speeds of up to 1400kB/s at 730μA, which is more than 100 times faster than the maximum flash throughput of 12kB/s at 2200μA.

The engineer’s role While technologies built into MCUs play a big part in reducing the power consumption of a given device, product engineers and designers are the ones ultimately responsible for how it performs.

Every clock cycle and line of code consumes energy, and a truly powerefficient device needs to be runing optimised software. Buggy software could also cause the MCU’s processor to stay active, instead of decending into energy-saving modes.

To truly take full advantage of the power savings offered by modern MCU technologies, designers should 18 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

utilise the tools provided by MCU manufacturers, and adopt a holistic approach to power management, engaging in debugging on the hardware, software and energy levels.

To help the engineer, Energy Micro includes Advanced Energy Monitoring (AEM) in its EFM32 development kits. This function hooks into the hardware to measure real current consumption values, including the impact of other circuit devices. Designers can track this in real time as their application runs.

To help with software energy debugging, Energy Micro also supplies a tool called energyAware Profiler which interfaces to the development kits via USB, and provides a graph of real-time application current consumption, an object code listing and an energy profile of application functions.

“Clicking anywhere on the current graph takes the user to the associated object code, to reveal the precise function responsible for the related current consumption,” Janbu explained. “During code execution, all application functions are individually profiled and sorted by overall energy consumption.”

Improvement in semiconductor manufacturing techniques will help keep MCU performance ahead of consumer expectations of performance and power consumption. But that is not the whole story.

Both Texas Instruments and Energy Micro agree further integration is essential to maintain the performance enhancements of MCUs since fewer external components reduce overall power consumption and accelerate operation.

Continued integration is likely to see the MCU of the future with new functions such as on-chip energy harvesting to add to its enhanced processor, faster clock rates, larger memory and greater bandwidth. ■ www.energymicro.com www.microchip.com www.ti.com

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 1 9 . p d f

Pa ge

1 9

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 4 3

AM

FEATURE

INDUSTRIAL

Watching the watchers The challenge of moving from old analogue systems to networked digital units is taxing established vendors and opening up opportunities for new companies in the security sector, writes Isaac Leung ecurity cameras are everywhere. The authorities claim the cameras play a vital role in thwarting would-be trespassers, trouble-makers or even terrorists from entering prohibited areas or engaging in illegal behaviour. But the general public often questions the cameras’ effectiveness.

And they have a point: images are grainy, recordings are accidently deleted and security staff can become bored and distracted.

But behind the closed doors of the security equipment makers, changes are afoot. Technologies from the industrial networking, computing and consumer camera sectors are supporting new developments in surveillance. These developments promise clearer images, rapid retrieval and automated face recognition all of which make surveillance more robust and reliable. But with the infusion of new technology comes a whole set of different challenges for the equipment vendors.

Electronics News talked to three security camera companies, Axis Communications, Mobotix and

S

Security cameras are ubiquitous, and new technology is making them more intelligent.

Panasonic, in a bid to find out what the more about the latest security technology and what lies ahead.

What do you see?

It’s all very well to be able to observe an area under surveillance for obvious signs of misbehaviour, but

the clarity and resolution of the resulting images is critical when it comes to identifying offenders for prosecution after the crime.

Unfortunately, the advanced image enhancement wizardry featured in movies and TV series remains a fantasy. Reality dictates

that you cannot derive something from nothing. The information has to be in the image in the first place for enhancement algorithms to work.

Graham Wheeler, sales director for Mobotix, says the demand for higher quality images is driving the use of higher resolution sensors in cameras, and in that regard, digital, network-enabled Internet Protocol (IP) cameras hold an edge over older analogue equipment.

Mobotix is a pioneer in network camera technology. It manufactures in Germany, where the company is based. Besides the company’s focus on high resolution videos, Mobotix has also developed hemispheric systems with fisheye lenses providing 180 degree area coverage with just one camera.

“The biggest complaint in the security market has been poor image quality,” Wheeler said. “The airports and other security locations still use analogue cameras which have a maximum of 0.4 megapixels.”

But, as the tech-savvy consumer knows, it’s not just about megapixels, talk of which tends to be a marketing gimmick. While more >

www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 19

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 0 . p d f

Pa ge

2 0

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 4 3

AM

FEATURE

INDUSTRIAL

megapixels yield larger images, factors like lenses, sensor size and sensitivity, and photosite size all contribute to the image quality.

Additionally, security cameras have very different requirements compared to consumer cameras.

While film makers use large sensors in their cameras for improved depth of field control, security cameras need to have everything in focus.

This is best accomplished with small sensors that need to balance photosite size (which affects light sensitivity) against resolution.

In addition, security cameras have to deal with challenging low light conditions, often without the use of external light sources.

According to Fraser Larcombe, business development manager for security and PBX products at Panasonic Australia, the company has found 1.3 megapixels is the current limit for working at night.

Mobotix, meanwhile, uses a dualsensor approach, with a three megapixel colour sensor for daytime, switching to a one megapixel monochrome sensor at night.

Of course, the continuing evolution of sensor technology could well yield small sensors that perform even better in low light conditions.

Consumer compact cameras for example, has seen the development of back-illuminated CMOS sensors, which move the wiring, transistors

and colour filters behind the photosites, doubling light sensitivity.

High definition In normal lighting conditions, the security industry has embraced the concept of “bigger is better”, hoping to capture more detail in the general overview of an area.

With the additional detail captured by HD technology, advanced processing such as face identification becomes possible.

Axis Communications’ ANZ country manager Wai King Wong says the HD revolution in the security industry is not just about resolution, but also real-time and colour performance. This makes these

cameras more processor hungry and demanding on bandwidth.

Axis Communications started in 1984 making print servers. Today, the company derives 98 percent of its revenue from its security cameras.

With a background in networks and embedded computing, Axis has integrated these technologies into its security solutions. It develops and designs its own open-source chipsets, which run Linux.

Currently, these chipsets utilise a dual-core processor, and are designed for video transmission.

Applications can also be installed on the chipsets.

With remote units getting embedded computing and network

Make new connections at Australia’s New Electronics Expo electronics design & assembly expo TRADE

• See the latest in Assembly, Design, Components, Test and Repair • New technology and new products to improve your business

ONLY

R e g is t e r O n li ne for FR EE ent ry

• Australia’s only dedicated trade event for the electronics industry • Over 80 Exhibitors with the latest ideas and innovations

In association with

• Plus the SMCBA Design & Manufacture Conference 2011 +61 3 9676 2133

www.electronex.com.au

Melbourne Park Function Centre 14 – 15 September 2011 20 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 1 . p d f

Pa ge

2 1

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 4 4

AM

FEATURE

technologies, the role of cameras is no longer limited to capturing footage. According to Wheeler from Mobotix, the new networkbased architecture has decentralised processing.

“The cameras can do all the decision making and motion detection, temperature sensing, logic...and then store data on the camera, and push it up to a storage device,” says Wheeler.

This move toward ‘edgebased’ processing eliminates the central point of failure. The unit can keep recording footage into its memory even if the server goes down. With power-overEthernet connections, the cameras are protected by the uninterruptible power supplies which guard critical network structures against power loss.

But reliability just the beginning. In-camera processing means software within individual units can analyse footage and count people, detect motion, and trigger alarms if needed.

For example, Axis’s networkbased thermal cameras can detect human beings up to two kilometres away crossing predefined boundaries, allowing their use for perimeter control.

Storage capacity also benefits from smarts within the camera.

While the cameras can now compress streams with h.264 encoding to reduce the amount of space needed, an additional approach is for the unit to analyse incoming footage, only recording and transmitting data when suspicious events occur.

Decentralising intelligence and strategically using triggering mechanisms will assist humans monitoring the security system to spot and isolate key events.

Meta-security The rise of network-based digital security cameras has been

responsible for one of the greatest shakeups in the surveillance industry, with incumbent big players from the analogue era either adapting to digital, network and analytic technologies, or being challenged by dozens of innovative newcomers.

But like the mainstream IT industry, complexity increases in line with technology.

For example, with companies each developing a multitude of protocols and methodologies, users are faced with compatibility problems and problems with legacy support. This is in addition to the current challenges of converting existing analogue systems over to digital.

That said, standards are emerging. HDcctv for example, is an Australia-based alliance developing a technical interface specification for high-definition surveillance footage.

Another rapidly emerging standard is ONVIF, which at the time of writing has 802 compatible products on the market.

ONVIF is aiming to develop a global standard for the interface of IP-based physical security products, and ONVIF-compliant products from various manufacturers will be interoperable.

Additionally, moving processing and intelligence toward the edge of the network means moving away from the security of firewalled and encrypted servers. Individual and smaller devices could be more vulnerable to hacking or tampering, potentially providing a chink in the network’s protection, or allowing unauthorised persons access to footage of the insides of sensitive locations.

To counter this, manufacturers are already making cameras with tamper-proof features in addition to ingress protection. But as cameras start

REDEL XP, ENABLING NEW CONNECTIONS

to take on more processing and storage workload, the physicaland cyber-security of these devices will be more important.

Developing situation The manufacturers Electronics News talked to told us to “watch this space”, because developments are coming thick and fast.

Improvements in sensors are boosting image quality, detail and low light performance, and new lens types and control solutions are improving resolution and precision.

Meanwhile, processing and analysis has moved into individual cameras, making monitoring more intelligent and automated, ensuring operators are informed and alerted to relevant situations without having to sift through hours of footage where nothing happens.

Eventually, camera manufacturers hope to untether their cameras and use wireless transmission, making installation much more flexible. The use of the Internet to monitor security footage is also expected to become much more common, once adequately secure standards for the transmission of data is developed.

The technological blooming of the surveillance sector is certainly yielding many dividends for all involved. But with the increased connectivity comes data security risks.

To overcome these potential problems, surveillance-savvy companies will need to work together with IT-oriented parties to overcome those challenges.

The good news is this melding of physical- and cyber-security promises many more opportunities for both sectors. ■ www.axis.com www.mobotix.com/eng_AU/ www.panasonic.com.au

A new connector from the original Push-Pull manufacturer.

REDEL XP Series Patented Push-Pull system Sterilisable Solder, crimp and print contacts 4 to 22 contacts Gray, black or white outershell Colour coding: red, gray, white, black, green, blue, yellow 100% scoop proof ergonomic design & comfortable grip

®

®

Australian REDEL Distributor John Barry Group Pty Ltd

Tel: Fax: Email: Web:

02 9355 2300 02 9355 2381 lemo@johnbarry.com.au www.lemo.com

www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 21

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 2 . p d f

Pa ge

2 2

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 5 7

AM

FEATURE

INDUSTRIAL

How much power is your produc Everyone wants small, lightweight products with never-ending battery lifetime. How can a designer can meet these conflicting requirements? Carlo Canziani writes t is important to understand exactly how and how much power our electronic device consumes and, above all, how to optimise the design so the battery lasts a long time.

The problem of measuring the portable device’s power consumption comes from the intrinsic dynamic behaviour of the circuits involved.

Portable products tend to have discontinuities due to increased demand during active periods and significantly lower currents at rest.

DC currents can differ by large orders of magnitude. Products like mobile phones can take one or more Amperes during transmit and just a few μA when sleeping.

I

Accurate measurement Measuring current is a basic skill.

We put a resistance in series in the circuit, measure the voltage across the resistor with a voltmeter, and, using Ohm’s Law, obtain the amount of current flowing.

To change scale, we just change the resistance in the measuring circuit, usually by putting an appropriate value in parallel.

The task becomes much more complicated if the current (and the measured voltage) varies from 1μA to 1A a million times per second.

Also, if we set the upper limit of the instrument to measure the 1A current well, the sleeping current which is on the order of μAs will

probably be hidden by the instrument’s background noise. However, these small currents are just as important, as they have a tremendous effect on battery lifetime.

Additionally, while active and sleeping currents are known with reasonable approximation, sometimes we need to verify if the apparatus is active in the conditions and with the rates that we are expecting.

Therefore we should observe the current for a longer time period to identify any activation that is unexpected or unnecessary for the functionality we expect. This activity causes more power to be consumed.

What’s needed is an instrument with a very high dynamic range to measure currents from nA to A and a data logging function to observe behaviour over a long period of time.

Simulating power To optimise systems to minimise power consumption, engineers have invented subsystems and circuits that go to sleep when they’re not needed, directed by an intelligent power management controller.

To verify correct operation and identify additional opportunities for optimising the power management system, the behaviour of the power supply should act like a real battery to allow the engineer to measure the circuit’s behaviour in real time.

A two-quadrant source and measurement unit (SMU) is required to simulate the battery which is a positive voltage generator that can source or sink current.

Furthermore, it would be useful if the instrument behaved like a battery with its internal resistance value varying according to level of charge and temperature. It may also have to provide multiple supply voltages possibly with a start up profile that can be delayed over time.

New instruments We have found the instruments suitable for performing these tasks to be 22 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

new products introduced by Agilent for its modular DC source analyser platform. They are the series N6705B (bench type) and N6700 (rack mountable) systems.

The Agilent N6705B DC source analyser is a modular instrument that supplies and measures a supply voltage/current using up to four independent channels each of which can simulate the behaviour of a real power supply. It does so by generating waveforms according to requirements of the device which are programmed by the user.

The colour screen makes it possible to set and display measurements directly. To perform in-depth analysis, a standard PC with analysis and control software can be connected to the instrument.

The two-quadrant N6781A source and measurement unit supports seamless ranging functionality, allowing it to measure currents with a dynamically variable full-scale ranging from 1mA to 3A while keeping accuracy to within ±0.025%.

It is as if the instrument had a virtual 28-bit digitiser (physically it is 18-bit) which makes it possible to see sleeping currents to the order of μAs and active currents to the order of 3A on the same screen, without losing any accuracy or detail.

This allows currents of just a few nAs to be measured. The dynamic change in shunt resistance during the automatic scale change occurs without any significant load change on the circuit. This ensures the measuring instrument does not affect the device being tested.

The N6781A can also simulate the power behaviour of a DC power supply, a real battery, a battery

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 3 . p d f

Pa ge

2 3

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 5 8

AM

FEATURE

uct using?

Figure 1

Figure 3

Figure 2

Figure 4

charger or constant current/ voltage electronic load.

An example We tested the N6781A by analysing the battery drain of a standard wireless temperature and humidity sensor.

We connected a notebook running the Agilent 14585A analysis software to the Agilent N6705B DC Power Analyser and recorded the power supplied by the two AAA alkaline batteries for a few minutes with the data logger function.

As expected, there were long periods of low current draw interspersed with brief moments of large current draw when the device transmitted its data to the base unit (fig 1).

Using Marker 1, we noted that the sleeping current is approximately 7.5μA on average and we confirmed that value by

Marker 2 placed just before the period of activity.

By moving Marker 2 over the period of activity and observing the maximum value measured, we noted that during transmission the current reached a peak of 14mA which is 2000 times the value of the sleeping current.

We enlarged the peak current measurement view (fig 2), and discovered that the period of high drain due to transmission is approximately 200ms long and includes two distinct periods where the current peak reaches 14mA. This was preceded by an initial step of 2mA which is probably due to an LED switching on to signal activity.

We extended peak current period again to discover the structure of the data (fig 3). We discovered that the sleeping period had an area of current draw which is a little higher than

expected. When putting the two markers at the ends, we saw that it was equivalent to 95 μA on average and that was 14 times higher than the average current draw in the sleep mode.

After extending the time period, we found that there was some activity in progress that occurs approximately 100ms before the start of transmission.

We speculated that the sensor was taking a measurement just before the transmission.

The current drain profile (fig 4) provided by this instrument allowed us to see different time slots of activity that correspond to different consumption levels.

With new instruments, seeing currents to the order of μA and A in one pass is easy. All this is accomplished without writing a single line of code. ■ Agilent www.agilent.com/find/N6780 www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 23

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 4 . p d f

Pa ge

2 4

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

3 : 4 9

PM

FEATURE

DESIGN

Isolated power supplies made ea John D Morris explains how to use an Isolated Flyback Controller to simplify the design of isolated power supplies using a flyback topo

flyback converter used in an isolated power supply requires that information relating to the output voltage on the secondary side of the transformer must be fed back to the regulator on the primary side in order to maintain regulation.

Feedback across the isolation barrier is typically achieved using opto-isolators or extra transformer windings. But both methods present design challenges.

For example, opto-isolator feedback circuits add components, increasing converter size and cost.

These feedback circuits also draw power, reducing efficiency and adding heat. Opto-isolators also make it difficult to accurately regulate the output due to their limited dynamic response, inherent nonlinearities, typical variation from unitto-unit and variation with age.

The usual alternative approach is to add an extra transformer winding, but this may introduce other problems, such as the need for bigger, more expensive magnetics or limited dynamic response.

A third way is to use an LT3748 Isolated Flyback Controller from Linear Technology.

The LT3748 infers the isolated output voltage by examining the primary-side flyback pulse waveform. This eliminates the need for an opto-isolator or an extra transformer winding to maintain regulation, and the output voltage is easily programmed with two resistors.

The LT3748 features a boundary mode control method (aka critical conduction mode), where the part operates at the boundary between continuous conduction mode and discontinuous conduction mode, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Due to the boundary control mode operation, the output voltage can be calculated from the transformer primary voltage when the secondary current is approximately

A

24 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

zero. This method improves load regulation without external resistors and capacitors and results in typical line and load regulation of better than Âą5 percent while allowing for a simple and compact solution.

Output voltage limitations Because the MOSFET power switch is located outside the LT3748, the maximum output power is limited primarily by external components â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not the LT3748.

Output power limitations can be separated into three categories: voltage, current and thermal. The voltage limitations in a flyback design are primarily the MOSFET switch maximum drain-to-source voltage and the output diode reverse-bias rating.

The current limitation on output power delivery is generally constrained by transformer saturation current in higher power applica-

The LT3748 dissipates very little power, even at high input voltages, so limitations to thermal performance are almost entirely due to external components

tions, although the MOSFET switch and output diode may need to be rated for the desired currents, as well. The thermal limitation in flyback applications for lower output voltages is dominated by losses in the output diode, with resistive and leakage losses in the transformer increasing in significance as the output voltage is increased.

The LT3748 is capable of driving most appropriate MOSFETs at frequencies of up to several hundred kilohertz using its built-in gate

driver. The gate driver is capable of 1.9 A average output current (both rising and falling) and its internal INTVCC low-dropout regulator.

In addition, start-up is well controlled with programmable softstart and under-voltage lockout.

Although the LT3748 fits in a compact MSOP-16 package, four pins have been removed to provide sufficient spacing for high voltage operation, as shown in Figure 2.

Other features The LT3748 provides good output voltage regulation without the need for an opto-coupler or third winding, but for some applications with high input voltages, an additional winding may improve overall system efficiency, particularly at lighter loads.

The third winding should be designed to output a voltage above 7.2 but never exceeding 20 V. In typical applications over 15 W, overdriving the INTVCC pin may improve efficiency by several

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 5 . p d f

Pa ge

2 5

2 7 / 5 / 1 1 ,

8 : 3 3

AM

FEATURE

easy ck topology

Fig. 1: Idealised waveforms for an LT3748-based flyback converter operating in boundary mode

Fig. 2: The LT3748 is available in an MSOP-16 package with four pins removed for high voltage operation

Fig. 4: Converter schematic. This converter takes an 18-to-90 V input and produces a 2.5 A output at 12 V.

percent at maximum load and more than 10 percent at light loads.

Figure 3 shows the efficiency of the circuit in Figure 4 with and without the third winding connected.

The LT3748 has an internal threshold to detect when current in the RSENSE resistor exceeds the programmed range to protect external devices in case of a system fault. This can occur when an inductive output short-circuit causes the output voltage to dip below zero or when the transformer saturation current is exceeded.

Regardless of the cause, when the voltage at the SENSE pin exceeds ~130 mV — or 30 percent higher than the programmed maximum current limit in the RSENSE resistor

— the SS pin is reset, thus halting switching operation.

Once the soft-start capacitor is recharged and the soft-start threshold is reached, switching resumes at the minimum current limit. In output short circuit cases where the reflected output voltage plus the forward diode drop is greater than zero, the LT3748 functions normally and no external components are stressed.

Other than the internal INTVCC regulator, the LT3748 dissipates very little power, even at high input voltages, so limitations to thermal performance are almost entirely due to external components, which can be correctly sized or cooled as needed.

Fig. 3: Efficiency of the LT3748 application in Figure 4 with and without a third winding

Fig. 5: A ±300-V isolated flyback converter

Example applications Figure 4 shows an application that efficiently converts a wide input range to a 12V output.

Because the LT3748 is capable of handling up to 100 V at its input, no additional interface circuitry is required between the line voltage and the controller. A simple RC snubber is all that is required to protect the 200 V Si7450 MOSFET from excessive voltage across the full line and load range.

Although a third winding is normally connected to boost efficiency at lighter loads, all regulation is done on the primary winding — a transformer without a third winding would be nearly as efficient at lower input voltages and high output loads.

A flyback topology is often the only way to produce a high voltage isolated output for long cable runs or for powering interface equipment.

Figure 5 shows a typical application for this style of application with complementary 300-V outputs. For the low power levels in this application, an off-the-shelf EP13 transformer is more than sufficient and keeps the total solution size small. ■ Further information: John D Morris is with Linear Technology. The company’s products are distributed by Arrow Electronics and element14 in Australia. au.element14.com www.arrow.com www.linear.com www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 25

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 6 . p d f

Pa ge

2 6

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

3 : 5 2

PM

FEATURE

DESIGN

PCB maker vs tough times With much of manufacturing having moved to cheaper countries, Australia is now home to unique and niche service providers. But they, too, face challenges post-GFC.

E

LECTRONICS News talked to Iconic PCB, a local company offering rapidly printed circuit boards for time-critical projects, regarding the challenges within the industry.

The company, run by brothers Mateja and Vic Petru, is one of the few manufacturers within the electronics industry left in Australia. It is targeting a niche market of product developers who might need 24-hour turnaround on their PCB prototypes in short urns.

Uniquely, the manufacturer has chosen to engineer its own equipment, as opposed to buying off-theshelf machines.

“When we were looking to set-up, we looked at what was available on the market, and none of the equipment was really suited to low-volume production,” explained Mateja Petru.

“We weren’t prepared to pay the price that the suppliers were asking for so we decided to make our own equipment.”

The brothers combined their engineering expertise to build the machines from parts.

“We developed our own hot and cold vacuum assisted press, the activation and acid copper plating line, and we’ve also built direct laser imaging for solder mask development,” Petru told Electronics News.

“We also built a high-precision milling and drilling machines.”

Unlike traditional ways of manufacturing PCBs, Iconic PCB uses miniature tooling to engrave the circuit on the laminate, using a threeaxis milling system with a very high level of precision.

By dispensing with etching, the company simplifies the handling process and reduces its need to 26 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Iconic PCB engraves the circuit with high precision. dispose of metal-in-solution wastes, resulting in a more environmentally friendly operation.

But Iconic PCB has found, as many other companies have, a drastically different supply chain postGFC, which is affecting the demand for its niche services.

While the need remains for fast supply of short-run PCBs, suppliers are no longer holding as much in stock, and the time to delivery has been slowed down in many cases.

“The pressure to deliver printed circuit boards within a 24 hour period has eased up,” said Petru. “We still have the odd screaming ‘what can you do for us, please help’ situation, but because the end user and everybody else is very cost-sensitive, things have slowed down a bit.”

While Iconic PCB re-examines its slot within the market, Petru remains optimistic, expecting the Chinese economy to turn the corner from being an exceedingly inexpensive supplier to charging more realistic prices. This is a change which he claims will be driven by the Chinese people’s expectations of affluence.

According to Petru, when the prices go up with this market correction, Australian companies will have to play catch up in their manufacturing capabilities. ■ www.iconicpcb.com

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 7 . p d f

Pa ge

2 7

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

9 : 0 4

AM

NEW PRODUCTS

Email your product news to editor@electronicsnews.com.au SPOTLIGHT

Lead-free cored solder wire COOKSON Electronics, distributed

by Active Components in Australia, has released the Telecore XL-825 lead-free cored solder wire.

The new solder wire is designed to meet JIS AA requirements, with halide content <1,000ppm (ROL1), for no-clean lead-free applications.

According to the manufacturer, the wire offers the balance of high SIR reliability and excellent spread characteristics. It has fast wetting, low fuming and very low flux sputtering characteristics, making it suited for manual assembly and drag soldering applications.

Active Components 02 9893 9400 www.activecomponents.com

Solar DC connector TREOTHAM Automation has released the gesis PST40i1 solar DC connector, a single-pole cable connector designed for DC applications up to 40A. The silver-plated machined contacts are said to be suited for wiring in the field, being proven for the most demanding applications, including use on rooftops, in building integrated systems or in open spaces.

The PST40i1 features benefits such as single-pole connector rated up to 40A, crimp style contacts for 16AWG to 8AWG cable, a fully touchsafe design, a latching mechanism to accidental disconnect, and compatibility with competing products.

Treotham Automation 02 9907 1778 www.treotham.com.au

LCV to USB sensor interface

Bluetooth audio analysis

BESTECH Australia has released the Lorenz LCV-USB2 sensor interface allowing most transducers, transmitters and other sensors to be powered directly by a PC. The interface can be used alongside the matching LCV-USB-VS2 software, allowing the measuring system, including the sensor and the interposing electronics, to be set up and calibrated in easy short steps.

The measurement results are displayed digitally or graphically for control and analysis purposes.

Once a sensor has been set up, the calibration details for that specific sensor are stored in the LCV-USB. This allows automatic recognition upon reconnection of the sensor.

Three models of the LCV-USB sensor interface are available. All models provide the necessary excitation or source voltage for the sensor, and each model provides a 16 bit digital output signal at up to 5000 measurements/second (5 kHz).

One model suits strain gauge bridge transducers, another suits 05Vdc output sensors, and the third suits 0/4-20 mA type transmitters.

The LCV-USB2 sensor interface is compatible with most commercially available sensors such as load cells, torque transducers, pressure transducers and transmitters, resistive displacement transducers, and some inertial sensors such as accelerometers and inclinometers.

AUDIO Precision, distributed by Vicom in Australia, has announced a Bluetooth option for its APx Series audio analysers.

The hardware module with built-in Bluetooth radio is said to deliver best-in-class wireless audio testing. It is fully integrated into Audio Precision’s software with over 30 one-click acoustic and electronic tests.

The APx Bluetooth option allows comprehensive audio test over Bluetooth wireless technology. Engineers can now measure their Bluetooth devices directly from within APx’s, eliminating the uncertainty and inconvenience of adapters.

Once the new module is installed in an APx audio analyzer, all Bluetooth controls are integrated into the analyser software. APx Series analysers support A2DP, HFP, HSP, and AVRCP profiles and SBC and CVSD codecs.

According to the company, Bluetooth-connected headsets, hands-free devices, automotive head units, A/V receivers and smartphones can now be tested quickly and easily.

Live links will now connect Altium Designer with Mouser’s parts information, which will be available directly on the engineer’s desktop.

The latest version of Altium Designer was announced in March 2011. Along with AltiumLive, design engineers can better manage data and deliver new content to speed product development.

Altium is trying to build an ecosystem which consists of key parts suppliers and the design industry, so it says it is aiming to add as many relationships with the key parts suppliers as possible.

Bestech Australia 03 9584 1133 www.bestech.com.au

Altium 02 8986 4400 www.altium.com.au

Design software with parts database ALTIUM has integrated Mouser’s online electronic components database with its AltiumLive Engineering design software.

Vicom Australia 03 9563 7844 www.vicom.com.au

DC power supplies GOODWILL, distributed in Australia

by TekMark, has announced the PSW series of multi-range DC power supplies.

The PSW-Series is a single output multi-range programmable switching

DC Power Supply covering a power range up to 1080W. The range includes six models with the combination of 30V and 80V rated voltages and 360W, 720W and 1080W maximum output powers.

The multi-range feature allows the flexible and efficient configuration of voltage and current within the rated power range.

The power supply units can be connected in series for maximum 2 units or in parallel for maximum 3 units, so multiple units can be connected for higher voltage or higher current output.

Other key features include CC/CV Priority Selection to reduce inrush current impact at power-on, adjustable slew rates, and control/monitoring via an analogue control connector USB Device/Host and LAN Interfaces are provided as standard and GPIB-USB adaptor optional TekMark Australia 02 9911 3888 www.tekmark.net.au > www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 27

E N1 0 7 7 _ Awa r d s _ 2 0 1 1 . p d f

Pa ge

NOMINATIONS CLOSE ON 1 JULY 2011

1

1 8 / 0 5 / 1 1 ,

1 0 : 5 7

AM

Envision, Develop, Design Your Future

FUTURE AWARDS Electronics News 7th annual awards program.

The Electronics News Future Awards is the prestigious electronics industry awards program that recognises excellence in the Australian electronics industry. If you or your company have developed products that help enable modern lifestyles within the following categories, then be sure and nominate yourself today!

Be recognised for your contribution to the Australian electronics landscape

Nomination kit available online 2011 CATEGORIES Enter online www.electronicsnews.com.au/awards

WELLNESS

ENVIRONMENT

AUTOMOTIVE & TRANSPORT

BEST IN DESIGN

NOMINATION & EVENT INFORMATION Contact: Margaret Tra P: (02) 9422 2759 E: margaret.tra@reedbusiness.com.au

SPONSORS

INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS

COMMUNICATIONS STUDENTS & NETWORKS

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 2 9 . p d f

Pa ge

2 9

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

3 : 5 4

PM

NEW PRODUCTS

Email your product news to editor@electronicsnews.com.au SPOTLIGHT

module OBI411 is radio approved according to R&TTE, FCC and IC as well as compliant with EMC, safety and medical standards.

M2M Connectivity 03 9696 3011 www.m2mconnectivity.com.au

Modbus-Ethernet adapters

Starter kit for MCUs ENERGY Micro, distributed by APEX Electronics, has announced a starter kit for its ARM Cortex-M3 based EFM32 Tiny Gecko microcontrollers (MCU).

The EFM32TG-STK3300 kit provides users with all the functionality needed to create ultra low power system designs that consume a fraction of the energy of systems which use rival microcontrollers.

Achieving an active mode current consumption of only 160μA/MHz, the EFM32TG840 microcontroller featured in Energy Micro's latest kit is the largest in a family of 23 Tiny Gecko devices now in full production.

The starter kit includes a 8x20 segment LCD supported by Tiny's sub μA LCD controller and a selection of light, touch and motion sensors, backed by the MCU's low energy sensor (LESENSE) interface.

Tiny's LESENSE interface with 'wake-on-touch' capability runs independently of the Cortex-M3 core and enables a mix of up to 16 resistive, capacitive or inductive sensors to be autonomously monitored while the microcontroller remains in its 900nA deep sleep mode.

Other low power peripherals offered by the kit's MCU include a 150nA low energy UART and a 350μA 1MSPS 8-channel 12-bit ADC. The starter kit provides a comprehensive choice of GPIO pins, serial communication ports and debug connections.

The kit also integrates Energy Micro's Advanced Energy Monitoring system (AEM), enabling system current consumption and voltage to be accurately viewed in real time, so code can be comprehensively debugged for adverse energy drains.

APEX Electronics +64(04) 385 3404 www.apexelec.co.nz

Bluetooth I/O module supports smartphones M2M Connectivity is distributing the connectBlue Bluetooth I/O module OBI411, which supports Androidbased phones and Apple iPhones via an external authentication chip.

The unit supports Serial Port Profile (SPP) and implements wireless I/O functionality with up to 16 digital I/O signals and 4 analogue A/D converters.

Users can control and read I/O signals from an Apple iPhone/iPod touch/iPad through Bluetooth channels using the module.

The I/O software can also be downloaded as firmware for the newly launched Bluetooth module OBS414 which has the Apple authentication chip built in.

Including support for embedded Bluetooth stack and multipoint/multidrop functionality and available with internal or external antenna, the Bluetooth I/O

Slim amplifier MICROMAX has announced the PA 15 photoelectric amplifier, said to combine performance, simplicity, compact design and additional features, for use in a range of industrial applications.

The PA 15 is a 1-channel manual photoelectric amplifier housed in the ultra-slim 22.5mm Phoenix enclosure, which includes 4-pin removable connectors positioned on the side.

The series offers 10-30 VDC and 24 VAC supply voltage with a choice between relay, NPN or PNP output. It operates in conjunction with Telco Remote Sensors from the 100, 110 and 120 series, achieving a high thru beam sensing range of up to 70m.

The photoelectric amplifier offers manual sensitivity adjustment through an integral potentiometer located on the front panel.

Output can be selected from either a relay or transistor output, with or without an adjustable 0-10 sec on/off time delay. Light or dark function and long or short range are switch selectable.

The microprocessor controlled sensor test ensures that the system will automatically detect a faulty transmitter or receiver, cable break or electrical failure during operation, indicating issues via a failure LED located on the front panel.

Micromax Sensors & Automation 1300 36 26 26 www.micromaxsa.com.au

A NEW adapter from ICP Electronics Australia allows data exchange between Modbus RTU and Ethernet/IP networks.

The GW-7472 Ethernet/IP adapter to Modbus RTU Master Gateway reads the register data from the Modbus RTU slaves and then publishes this data to the input register of the Ethernet/IP scanner.

This also works the other way, so the the output data transmitted by the Ethernet/IP scanner can be updated to the register data of the Modbus RTU slaves.

When using the GW-7472, all of the Modbus slaves can be regarded as a single Ethernet/IP adapter.

The GW-7472 allows a maximum of six Explicit Messaging Connections and onr Implicit Message Connection at any one time.

The unit can scan up to 30 Modbus RTU commands.

During the boot-up sequence, the GW-7472 scans the pre-defined register addresses in all of the Modbus RTU slaves and updates the input and output register data of the devices accordingly.

According to ICP Electronics Australia, the GW-7472 has a tiny form-factor which makes it easy to install. It can be embedded into a machine or directly attached to a serial device.

The adapter features a 32-bit MCU to handle network traffic. It can connect via IEEE 802.3afcompliant Power over Ethernet (PoE) over a standard category 5 Ethernet cable. Power supply is through the PoE cable or via a DC adapter.

Both power interfaces are redundant so that if one fails, the other will seamlessly take over.

ICP Electronics Australia 02 9457 6011 www.icp-australia.com.au > www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 29

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 3 0 . p d f

Pa ge

3 0

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

2 : 3 2

PM

NEW PRODUCTS

Email your product news to editor@electronicsnews.com.au SPOTLIGHT

TOP TWEETS

Electronics News is providing a running stream of news on Twitter.

Follow @ENMag on Twitter to keep informed. Here are some of the top Twitter posts in the past month:

FRAM lowers MCU power use

Waveform generator AGILENT Technologies has introduced the M8190A arbitrary waveform generator, which simulates real-world radar, satellite and electronic warfare test scenarios.

The high-resolution, wide-bandwidth, 8- or 12-GSa/s modular instrument allows device designers to make reliable, repeatable measurements and create highly realistic signal scenarios to test their products.

Precision arbitrary waveform generation is required for realistic testing of low-observable aircraft systems and for high-density communications used in satellite communications systems.

The M8190A from Agilent has up to 14 bits of resolution, so designers can easily distinguish between signals and distortion in their test scenarios and stress their devices more rigorously.

The instrument’s 2-GSa memory allows designers to create longer test scenarios that are more realistic.

At the core of the M8190A arbitrary waveform generator is a proprietary digital-to-analogue converter designed by the Agilent Measurement Research Lab. Fabricated with an advanced silicon-germanium BiCMOS process, the DAC operates at 8 GSa/s with 14-bit resolution and at 12 GSa/s with 12-bit resolution. At 8 GSa/s, the Agilent DAC delivers up to 80c-dB SFDR, an industry-leading specification.

Agilent Technologies 03 9210 5555 www.agilent.com

Faraday offers a range of: RFI / EMI / EMC Power RF Filters EMC Antennas – Dipoles to Horns Amplifiers – RF & Microwave (DC – 4000W) and RF Modules Shielded Enclosure – Anechoic Chambers – Antenna Measurement Systems Absorber – EMC Test Boxes – MIL-STD Test Equipment RF Shielding – Magnetic Shielding – MRI Shielding

(03) 9729 5000 30 JUNE 2011 www.electronicsnews.com.au

sales@faradayshielding.biz

TEXAS Instruments has announced the MSP430FR57xx FRAM series of 16-bit microcontrollers, which use as much as 250x less power than flashand EEPROM-based units.

The core technology behind the new MCUs is ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), which allow data to be written more than 100 times faster, in addition to having much lower power usage.

The units reduce the industry’s best active power by up to 50 percent when executing code from FRAM, operating at 100μA/MHz during active mode.

The FRAM-backed MCU supports more than 100 trillion write cycles.

According to TI, the FR57xx series eliminates existing power consumption and write endurance barriers, enabling developers to provide more cost-efficient data logging, remote sensing and wireless update capabilities in new products that do more and last longer.

Avnet 1300 791 695 www.em.avnetasia.com

iPad 2 factory explodes, kills three http://dlvr.it/Sf9t6 Short Circuit: Can NICTA Learn From CSIRO’s travails?: Superman Helps Paralysed Walk Again http://dlvr.it/SdN0w Gigabit-speed cable-killer wireless technology gets a boost http://dlvr.it/SCP4r Super-efficient solar energy tech could demolish photovoltaics http://dlvr.it/S3j61 Activated graphene to enable highcapacity supercapacitors http://dlvr.it/RXZt6

Chip-on-board LEDs EVERLIGHT Electronics, distributed

by Arrow Electronics, has released the Chip-on-Board LED series designed to replace 40W and 60W incandescent A-bulbs.

The CoB series is said to address issues of heat dissipation, colour shift, light distribution and cost.

Everlight’s CoB LED series is a MCPCB substrate based multi-chip solution that boasts a >95lm/W at 3000K CCT and >80 CRI. Arrow Electronics.

02 9868 9900 www.arrowasia.com.hk

E N. J UN1 1 . P G0 3 1 . p d f

Pa ge

3 1

2 6 / 5 / 1 1 ,

2 : 3 0

PM

WEB DIRECTORY

To advertise email sarah.bateman@reedbusiness.com.au

A l i Amtex Electronics www.amtex.com.au Established in 1979, Amtex Electronics has become a leading supplier of Power Supplies, Battery Chargers, DC-DC Converters & Lab Supplies for both standard and custom solutions. From our large inventory, quick-turn-around local assembly and backed by expert technical staff you can be assured of the right products, when you need them.

Please visit our web site or call 02 9809 5022 for further information.

au.element14.com Welcome to element14, the new face of Farnell.

With access to over 450,000 products, from 3,500 leading suppliers, element14 connects you to a world of electronic components.

We offer great value-added services such as local, free re-reeling, cut-to-length cable and peel packaging.

We also offer a leading information portal and community website for design engineers developed to bridge the information divide in the electronics design industry.Visit our website today!

ASD TECHNOLOGY www.asdtech.com.au ASD Technology is a premier supplier of quality RF/ Microwave, Millimeterwave, Fiber Optics and Satcom components and subassemblies. Our products include Amplifiers, Antennas, Attenuators, Adapters, Cable Assemblies, Circulators, Coaxial Connectors, Directional Couplers, Filters, Fiber Optic Links, Isolators, Limiters, Mixers, Noise Sources, Oscillators, Phase Shifters, Power Dividers Combiners, Splitters, Synthesizers, Switches, Terminations, Waveguide Components and more.

FLUKE CALIBRATION www.fluke.com.au Fluke Calibration is a leader in precision calibration instrumentation and software for electrical, temperature, pressure, flow, and RF measurements. Calibration products from Fluke are found in calibration facilities around the world, including National Metrology Institutes, that demand the highest levels of performance and reliability, backed by state of the art metrology and uncompromising support.

M Rutty & Co www.mrutty.com.au "Companies include Portescap miniature & speciality motors, Dunkermotoren advanced motion solutions, Mavilor - AC/DC motors and drives, Italtronic DIN rail enclosures and Bivar PCB hardware. Specializing in subracks & innovative high quality 19" enclosures".

SATCAM www.satcam.com.au Quick Circuit from SATCAM allows you to make your own prototype circuit boards • circuit board prototypes in hours • uses standard CAD output • mills, drills and routs – no chemicals • analog, digital, RF and microwave • engraves and mills panels • plated-through holes • LED illumination of work area • models with automatic tool change Shouldn't you have one on your bench?

Aussirad Electronics www.aussirad.com.au • Potentionmeters Omeg-Panel-switched 1/4W-100W • Rotary encoders with LED • LED 12V Lighting Colours 3W-7W with dimmable options • JoystickPosition sensors- for robots-airbag • Resistors 1/8W to greater than 5000W braking types • Capacitors –Full range • Fans 12- 24-48V dc – AC24-380Vac • Diodes- Semiconductors-mA to greater than 250A • Solar Panels on / off grid Inquiries welcome

Faraday Pty. Ltd. www.faradayshielding.biz Faraday Pty Ltd is a specialist electromagnetic shielding company, which provides design, installation, and testing of shielding systems for Industrial, Medical and Defence EMI requirements. Faraday represents pre-eminent international companies including ETS Lindgren (EMCO / RANTEC / Holaday), AR Worldwide (Amp Research / AR-modular rf), Solar Electronics and TESEO.

Lemo www.lemo.com

Koloona Industries www.koloona.com.au

High quality circular connectors with the LEMO designed push pull mating. Harsh environment connectors rated to IP68.

Plastic connectors for the medical industry.

Coaxial, triaxial, quadrax, multi contact and fibre optic connectors. LEMO is accredited with ISO9001:2000 and all connectors are RoHS compliant.

Koloona Industries is a wholly owned Australian Company who have been Importing and Distributing Electrical & Electronic Components for 30 years.

Koloona specialise in High Quality Switching and Protection Components with many supportive products to complete the range. We pride ourselves on our ability to offer quick service and full technical and application support.

Powerbox Australia www.powerbox.com.au Microchip Technology Inc. www.microchip.com/8bit • Low pin count and small form factor • Easy migration • Cost effective • Low power capability • Ease of use and quick development • Mutiple product options • Flexible flash program memory

Soanar Plus www.soanarplus.com Soanar Plus offers an on-line ordering service with more than 7,500 plus parts in stock and ready for next day delivery. Our site offers real-time pricing and availability, broken pack quantities, side by side comparison and datasheets. This website complements our FREE catalogue.

"Powerbox suppling a wide selection of AC/DC Power Supplies, DC/DC Converters, Military Power Supply, Railway Converters, Security Power Supply, Euro Cassettes, External Power Supply, Medical Power Supply, Battery Chargers, Laboratory Power Supplies & DC/AC Inverters"

RS Components www.rsaustralia.com www.rsnewzealand.com Easy access to over 350,000 Electronic, Electrical and Industrial products from over 2,500 of the world's leading manufacturers. Online users have instant stock availability and access to over 100,000 free datasheets. Delivery is free for all orders over $125 in Australia and New Zealand.

Wireless Design www.wirelessdesign.co.nz TekMark Australia Pty Ltd www.tekmark.net.au Leading supplier of Electronics Test & Measurement Technologies. Authorised Distributor of Tektronix in Australia. Key products offered: Oscilloscopes, Spectrum Analysers, Signal Generators,Video Test Equipment, Logic Analysers, Frequency Counters, Power Supplies, Digital Multimeters, Access Network Testers, Optical & Metallic TDRs, RF Test Equipment.

Wireless Design provides RF testing and component solutions to the wireless industry.

• RF equipment rental (spectrum analysers, signal generators network analysers) • RF equipment sales new and used • RF components (cable assemblies, filters, RF adaptors, attenuators) • RF equipment calibration • Passive Intermodulation test equipment and components www.wirelessdesign.co.nz

www.electronicsnews.com.au JUNE 2011 31

AD_ ENEL EJ UN_ 1 1 . p d f

Pa ge

1

2 8 / 0 4 / 1 1 ,

4 : 1 4

PM

Your idea is ahead of its time.

Our speed of delivery ensures it stays ahead of the competition too.

Free freight for all online orders.

)YVHKLY YHUNL VM WYVK\J[Z UV^ H]HPSHISL MVY MHZ[LY KLSP]LY`

(UV[OLY ^H` -HYULSS OHZ L]VS]LK PU[V LSLTLU[

LSLTLU[ PZ UV[ Q\Z[ H UHTL JOHUNL P[ PZ HU L]VS\[PVU VM ^OV ^L HYL HUK W\ZOLZ [OL IV\UKHYPLZ VM ^OH[ [V L_WLJ[ MYVT H KPZ[YPI\[VY LSLTLU[ Z[VJRZ H IYVHK YHUNL VM :LTPJVUK\J[VYZ +L]LSVWTLU[ ;VVSZ 7HZZP]LZ 9LZPZ[VYZ *VUULJ[VYZ HUK ;LZ[ HUK 4LHZ\YLTLU[ LX\PWTLU[ PU V\Y :`KUL` ^HYLOV\ZL H]HPSHISL MVY ZHTL KH` VY UL_[ KH` KLSP]LY` :V PU H MHZ[ JOHUNPUN ^VYSK `V\ JHU YLS` VU \Z [V OLSW `V\ Z[H` HOLHK =PZP[ V\Y ^LIZP[L [V L_WLYPLUJL LSLTLU[ [VKH` (=(03 ()030; @ c :7,,+ c :<7769; c *644<50; @

-VY TVYL PUMVYTH[PVU VU LSLTLU[ ! (\Z[YHSPH 5L^ ALHSHUK

7OVUL 7OVUL

>LI O[[W! H\ LSLTLU[ JVT

>LI O[[W! Ua LSLTLU[ JVT