14. October 2009 by admin.

From: http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2546828/

Semtech, a supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, announced the SX1211 Development Kit for PIC MCUs, a plug-and-play RF daughter board for use with development tools from Microchip Technology, a provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors. Semtech said the new kit speeds time to market for low power wireless alarm, security, sensor network, automatic meter reading and monitoring and control products that use the SX1211 wireless transceiver with Microchip’s PIC microcontrollers (MCUs).  

Semtech reported that the new plug-and-play RF daughter board contains all of the hardware required to connect to Microchip’s PIC18 Explorer board, which is used for development with PIC18 high-end 8-bit MCUs, and the Explorer 16 board, which is used for development with 16-bit PIC24 MCUs, 32-bit PIC32 MCUs and dsPIC Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs). This compatibility is maintained by providing connectors for Microchip’s standard PICtail and PICtail Plus daughter board interfaces. Semtech explained that many SX1211 designs use these PIC MCUs because they offer great performance and very low power consumption, some with sleep currents as low as 20 nA via Microchip’s nanoWatt XLP extreme low power technology.  

The SX1211 is part of Semtech’s complete platform of ISM-band transceivers. The SX1211 is optimized for asynchronous sensor network designs in the unlicensed industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency bands (868-870 MHz and 902-928 MHz) where low RX power consumption is critical to battery life as the receiver is constantly waking up to sniff for signals.  

The plug-and-play RF daughter board includes the SX1211 RF transceiver, an antenna, a 28-pin PICtail connector for the PIC18 Explorer board and a 100-pin PICtail Plus connector for the Explorer 16 board. This daughter board also includes jumpers to help in configuring MCU-to-RF connection options. Also available on Semtech’s website is Semtech’s Wireless Star Network software, which can be run on the PIC MCUs (drivers available).  

“The SX1211 and PIC MCUs are increasingly being used together in designs that need great RF performance and low power consumption,” said Marc Pegulu, Industrial Analog Product Line Manager for Semtech. “We are committed to working with Microchip to deliver tools that help our customers make the most of their development resources.”  

“Designers developing wireless applications with our PIC MCUs and Semtech’s transceivers can now seamlessly integrate both solutions using Microchip’s established tool chain,” said Stephen Caldwell, director of Microchip’s RF Products Division. “This integration of Semtech’s low-power transceivers with our low-power PIC MCUs enables designers to lower development costs and speed time to market while increasing the battery life of their applications.”

Posted in Semtech, RF, Development Tool | Print | 1 Comment »

27. March 2009 by admin.

from http://techtrain.microchip.com/esc/Main.aspx

Visit Microchip Technology at ESC Silicon Valley 2009 Microchip Technology is offering a selection of FREE 30-40 minute technical training sessions in Booth 416 at ESC Silicon Valley 2009. Seating is limited, so sign up today for the sessions that interest you. This registration site is for Microchip’s Technical Training Classes ONLY. In order to attend one of these classes you must ALSO register for ESC Silicon Valley 2009 as an attendee or as an exhibitor. To register for ESC Silicon Valley 2009, go to: http://esc-sv09.techinsightsevents.com/ To register for one of these classes click here.

In-Booth Training Classes - Booth416  Digital Power Solutions   (Level: Intermediate) From simple monitor circuits to complex digital control loops, power supplies are becoming increasingly more digital. Digital control helps improve efficiency, reduce cost and increase flexibility. This class will highlight the various levels of digital control and solutions available from Microchip. We will also present the support available to help you make the switch from analog to digital.  Ethernet Solutions   (Level: Intermediate) Ethernet’s capabilities and ubiquitous deployment make it unrivaled among communications standards. Embedded designers wishing to add this capability to their systems are often faced with challenges not found in the networking world. This class presents Microchip’s solutions to these challenges. Learn about Microchip’s cost-effective and easy-to-use wired ethernet and WiFi solutions. Products, software and development tools for implementations using our stand-alone Ethernet controller, our family of microcontrollers with on-chip Ethernet controller and WiFi solutions will be discussed.  Human Interface Solutions (Touch Sense and Graphics)   (Level: Introductory) Whether to reduce cost and improve reliability through the elimination of buttons or provide a reconfigurable interface through the use of a graphical display, touch sensitive user interfaces are showing up everywhere. In this session attendees will learn about the hardware and software solutions from Microchip that can help them easily integrate a touch solution into their next design.  Innovations in 8-bit Microcontrollers   (Level: Introductory) Innovation is still taking place in the world of 8-bit microcontrollers. From architectural enhancements to low power designs to enhanced peripherals, 8-bit microcontrollers are being upgraded in many ways that can increase the performance and lower the cost of your designs. This session will highlight some of the recent advances in Microchip’s PIC® families of 8-bit microcontrollers and the benefits and advantages you can reap from them.  RF – ZigBee® and MiWi™ Solutions   (Level: Intermediate) Embedded engineers are increasingly being asked to add short-range, low cost point to point or networked wireless communication to their systems. This session will present two alternatives from Microchip to solve this problem: the interoperable ZigBee® protocol and the proprietary MiWi™ protocol. Attendees will understand the differences between these two protocols and be show the products and tools used to implement solutions.  USB Solutions   (Level: Introductory) Serial Communications protocols like RS-232 are fast becoming obsolete for faster and more efficient protocols like USB. Embedded USB connectivity has its own challenges. This session helps embedded designers understand the challenges of using USB in their applications Attendees will learn about Microchip’s USB solutions for end point devices as well as Embedded Host applications. A demo will show the ease and simplicity of using Microchip’s USB solutions.

Posted in Graphics, RF, Touch Sense, Tradeshows, Digital Power, Seminars & Confrences, Ethernet, Human Interface, PIC, Free Stuff, ZigBee, 8-bit, Training & Education, USB, Microchip | Print | 1 Comment »

28. February 2009 by admin.

Check out http://www.vscp.org

VSCP stands for Very Simple Control Protocol and it is, as the name implies, a very simple protocol indeed ( a protocol is much like a language for machines etc on how they should talk with each other). It is simple because it has been developed for use on low end devices such as micro controllers. But actually its more then just a protocol. Its a complete solution for measurement and control. And even though VSCP is very easy to use it is still very capable and can be used in very demanding control situations.

Except for a very well specified message format the protocol supports global unique identifiers for nodes, a register model to give a flexible interface to node configuration and a model for node functionality.

VSCP does not assume anything about the lower level system. It works with Ethernet TCP/IP, Wireless, Zigbee, Bluetooth, CAN, GPRS, RS-232, USB and everything else you want. Its just a uniform way of describing the systems available. Every control situation can be described and implemented using VSCP.

A normal user does not see or know much of VSCP anyway. Its just the underlying control system that makes things possible. Much the same way as someone driving a car does not need to know a lot about motors.

Some features:

• Free and open for commercial and other use.

• Have two levels. Level I and Level II where level I is designed with CAN as the least common denominator. Can be used for TCP/IP, UDP, RF, Mains, etc etc.

• Has globally unique id’s for each node.

• Has a mechanism to automatically assign a unique id to a newly installed node.

• Can use “decision matrixes” and “registers” as a uniform way to configure nodes.

• Has software and drivers for Windows and Linux. More added all the time.

• Has a common specification language “MDF” that describe a module in a uniform way that can be used by set up software and such.

and more…

Posted in Bluetooth, RS-232, Protocol, RF, Wireless, Open Source, USB, CAN, TCP/IP, Ethernet, ZigBee | Print | 1 Comment »