Power blog
- 12/16/2008
The IEEE Speaks On The Youths' Interest In Engineering Careers, Or Lack Thereof
In a recent correspondence with the IEEE, the organization has pointed out that innovation is in danger due to a lack of students pursuing engineering careers. They claim the trend is alarming, and it’s global. In Western Europe, Australia, Japan, and even India, the numbers of students attracted to engineering and computer science is declining. For example, a 2003 Harris poll conducted in the U.S. shows that only 2% of first year university students (and less than 1% of young women) want to major in computer science. Out of these staggering assertions come questions. Why are fewer students interested in pursuing an engineering... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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good...
-March 11, 2010
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- 11/24/2008
Should The H-1B Program Be Eliminated to Protect U.S. Citizens?
There are problems associated with keeping the H-1B program “honest.” I even question why there should be an H-1B program. See what you think after reading the following information about the H-1B program and its Benefit Fraud and Compliance Assessment (BFCA). The September 2008 BFCA by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security discloses several problems with the H-1B nonimmigrant worker program. The H-1B process begins with the employer filing an I-129 petition for an alien to come to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant worker to perform services in a specialty occupation under the... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 10/28/2008
The Sun Is Shining Brightly On The Solar Cell Industry
Solar power is busting out all over. For example, a solar power plant under construction on the Livingston Campus of Rutgers University will supply an aggregate of 1.4-mW of photovoltaic (PV) modules by January 2009. Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd will provide the PV modules, and SunDurance Energy, LLC will develop the solar energy facilities. The $10 million solar farm project will be financed by Rutgers University and the Clean Energy Program of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. According to Rutgers University, this project will be largest campus solar energy facility in the United States, and is expected to... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 9/22/2008
A Tale of Two Companies
International Rectifier (I.R.) and Vishay Intertechnology could be the headliners in “A Tale of Two Companies” that paraphrases Dickens famed novel “A Tale of Two Cities.” Also, the companies could be referenced by “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” the way Dickens wrote the beginning of “A Tale of Two Cities.” I’m not sure which company could have the best of times and which one could be having the worst of times. You’ll have to decide for yourself. On August 15, 2008, Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced that it made a non-binding proposal to the International Rectifier Corporation board of directors to... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 8/22/2008
One Power Day, One Big Hit For Power Designers
Power Electronics Technology and the Electronic Design Group will bring the latest in power design information direct to the designer with the premier of One Powerful Day on October 15. Bringing together the loyal audience from the power design community, and resources from last year’s Power Electronics Technology conference, the Electronic Design Group will offer its powerful reach to top power systems designers in this online conference. One Powerful Day will include a full slate of top... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 7/21/2008
Supercomputer Performs 376 Million Calculations Per Watt
IBM has introduced the world’s first hybrid supercomputer, called Roadrunner. Compared with most traditional supercomputer designs, Roadrunner’s hybrid format sips power (3.9 mW) and delivers world-leading efficiency—376 million calculations per watt. IBM expects Roadrunner to place among the top energy-efficient systems when the official “Green 500” list of supercomputers is issued. At a cost of about $100 million, it was a three-phase project to deliver the world’s first “hybrid” supercomputer—one powerful enough to operate at one petaflop (one thousand trillion calculations per second). That’s twice as fast as the IBM Blue... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 6/20/2008
Micro Fuel Cells Projected for Use in Portable Equipment in 2009
You can expect to see portable electronic systems with micro fuel cells in 2009, according to Peng Lim, president and CEO of MTI MicroFuel Cells, Inc. MTI unveiled a prototype portable GPS system in May, 2008 at the 10th Annual Small Fuel Cell Conference in Atlanta, GA. The prototype, MTI Micro’s Mobion micro fuel cell, powered a GPS prototype that provides three-times the output of GPS devices powered by four disposable AA batteries. On a GPS with a large, full-color screen, this fuel cell design generates up to 60 hours of continuous power and provides weeks instead of days of typical usage. The new Mobion powered GPS... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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Hey thank you for the post, its a good news out there, its the most awaited device launch in the mar...
-August 29, 2009
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- 5/22/2008
New Power Supply Electrical/Mechanical Interface Boosts Motherboard Connection Reliability
Board-mounted power supply modules now require a more reliable and sustainable interconnection with the associated motherboard. The reason is that there is increased demand for higher current surface-mount modules that comply with the more stringent assembly requirements related to lead-free soldering. Therefore, Ericsson Power Modules had to determine how to guarantee a suitable electrical/mechanical interface between their power supply and a system manufacturer’s motherboard. The answer was the floating inserted pin (FIP). To trace the evolution of the FIP concept, we have to look at changes that have taken place in system power... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/15/2008
Will Prior Art Patent Save PMBus?
Untitled ... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 3/20/2008
As Power-One’s World Turns
Despite the rare changes and mergers, the power-supply industry has been pretty stable—at least until now. The industry could be facing a few major shakeups, and Power-One is an example of how times have changed. In fact, the situation is getting more curious by the day. On February 19, 2008, Power-One’s Board of Directors appointed Richard J. Thompson to serve as the company's chief executive officer, succeeding William T. Yeates—who left the company to pursue other endeavors. Thompson has over 30 years of management, operations, and finance experience in electronics, computers, semiconductors, and energy companies. He was... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 2/20/2008
Should Pending Revisions to U.S. Patent Laws Cover Compensation For Employees?
On September 7, 2007 the U.S. House of Representatives approved and passed the Patent Reform Act of 2007 (H.R.1908). H.R. 1908 would amend title 35, United States Code, which established the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the USPTO). The U.S. Senate has its own version of a patent reform bill, S1145, which has similar provisions and some differences. The two versions of the patent reform bills must now be worked out together. An area not covered in either version of the U.S. Patent Reform Acts is compensation to the employee for a patented invention. Piper Patent Attorneys (... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 1/3/2008
Effective Power Supply Design Requires A Systems Approach
To be effective, the design of power supplies requires a systems approach that requires an examination of the linkages and performance interactions between internal power supply components and external system components. If not done properly, a change in one part of a system can adversely affect another area, so you must ensure that changes do not lead to negative results. Also, typical designs usually require design tradeoffs needed to optimize power supply performance. First, design of a typical power supply requires an evaluation of the system factors that affect the design. Click ... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 11/21/2007
WANTED: Innovative Engineers
The lifeblood of high-tech companies and American engineering is innovation. It fuels the development of new products and upgrading of existing products and it plays a role in business operations. Andrew Graham, CEO of Kepner-Tregoe Inc., an international consulting and training services firm says, "Companies that rely on ‘innovative thought’ to advance their product development, sales, and customer service processes must be sure that they close any gaps in their capacity to encourage and support innovative thinking." One source of innovative people in the U.S. has been foreign engineers. In “The missing innovators,” an opinion... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 11/9/2007
IEEE Agrees with SIA on H-1B Visas for Foreign Engineers, Scientists
The IEEE-US and SIA have joined forces to urge Congress to pass the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, which includes the H-1B visa program. In October, the SIA and IEEE sent a joint letter to the Senate and House leaders urging them to adopt measures that make it easier for companies to retain highly skilled immigrant workers. Previously, the SIA advocated an increase in the number of visas, whereas the IEEE was opposed to a visa increase. The letter sent to Congress was signed by SIA president George Scalise and IEEE-USA president John Meredith. It pointed out that “Both the IEEE-USA and SIA see... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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-September 20, 2009
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- 10/19/2007
Will The Z-One vs. PMBus Patents Trial Determine Digital Power Management’s Future?
A Texas Court rescheduled the Power-One vs. Artesyn patent infringement jury trial from its original August 2007 date to November 2007. The jury will be charged to decide whether Artesyn infringed on certain Power-One patents that cover digital power management of power supplies. This trial will pit the Power-One’s designated digital power management patents for its Z-One architecture against Artesyn’s power supplies that comply with PMBus specifications. If the jury rules in favor of Power-One, it could mean the end of the PMBus. Or, if the jury decides... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 9/14/2007
New End-User Markets Drive Discrete Power Semiconductor Market Growth
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s “World Discrete Power Semiconductor Markets” report reveals that the market earned revenues of $10.49 billion in 2005 and estimates this to reach $14.42 billion in 2009. The increasing sales of consumer electronics, communication technology, and automobiles (especially in the Asia market) drive the discrete power semiconductor market. Combined all of these applications contribute more than half of the discrete power revenues. Despite the growth of the end-user markets, thyristors,... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 8/8/2007
High Voltage Power Supplies Added To Findpowerproducts.com
A manufacturer of high voltage power supplies suggested that I add that type of supply to the findpowerproducts.com database. So, I decided to research some data on these supplies. I had thought the flat panel display trend had eliminated the need for high voltage supplies for CRT displays, however, I found that there apparently are many commercial and industrial applications that use a high voltage supply. As a result of these findings, the findpowerproducts.com database now includes high voltage ac-dc and dc-dc power supplies. High voltage power supplies have... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 7/13/2007
True System Engineering Yields Innovative Analog/Power Technologies for Mobile Multimedia Devices
It’s not very often that you get a story about a true system engineering project. However, National Semiconductor accomplished this with seven new display, audio, and power management products that enable energy-efficient video in handheld devices such as mobile phones, portable media players and new converged devices that feature phone and media playback functions. By 2011, the In-Stat market research firm anticipates a growing demand for handheld multimedia devices, expecting the video-enabled handheld device market to grow to 1 billion units from about 300 million in 2006. National’s system engineering efforts... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 5/18/2007
Digital Power Management At The Crossroads
Normally when I write a technical article, I stick to the technical details like specs, equations, and schematics. But when I began writing an article on digital power for Electronic Design's August 2 issue, I realized that technical details alone weren't enough. The reason for this change in attitude was the present situation regarding the Power Management Bus (PMBus) and Power-One's Z-One system. Both employ digital power-management techniques to control the performance of power supplies. Therefore, I decided to include information about the patent litigation that Power-One initiated against Artesyn Technologies in the article.... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/20/2007
New Guidelines Explain Board Mounted Power Supplies, Applications
The High Density Packaging User Group (HDPUG) has launched the industry’s first board-mounted power supply (BMPS) application guidelines. The 148-page document is meant to support the communications and electronics manufacturing industry by promoting the understanding of BMPS products. Originally started as a project within the Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) in 2002, the activity was incorporated into an HDPUG Project in 2005. Since then, major users and manufacturers of BMPS products have worked to define the market’s requirements with respect to board-mounted products and to communicate manufacturers’... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/6/2007
Electronic Circuit Datasheets Are Not Created Equal
Datasheets are critical to the design of any electronic circuit, particularly when it comes to power. This includes integrated circuits (ICs), OEM power supplies, UPSs, and power MOSFETs—the same devices included in Electronic Design’s Find Power Products power management database. However, all datasheets are not created equal in terms of providing the appropriate information for the designer. After looking at thousands of datasheets (there are over 21,000 products in the Find Power Products database, I have come to... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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Thanks for information about Datasheets. To get information about electronic component testing at ht...
-December 10, 2009
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- 3/19/2007
Proposed PoE Plus Specification Taking Shape – Would Alter Powering, Cabling
Power over Ethernet (PoE) provides a means for delivering electrical power over data cabling to networked devices. The existing PoE specification, designated as IEEE802.3af, has helped to lower the costs of building networks and inspired the design of new subsystems. Next on the agenda is PoE Plus (IEEE802.3at), a work-in-progress specification intended to raise power levels above those of the existing IEEE802.3af specification. The new spec will change the present PoE (IEEE802.3af) powering requirements by specifying higher voltage and current to be supplied by the power sourcing equipment (PSE) to the powered device (PD).... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 3/5/2007
Multichip Modules Find Their Way As MOSFET Drivers
Monolithic ICs fill most roles in electronic systems, but multichip modules are beginning to make inroads where board space and performance are critical — for example, Intel's November 2004 DrMOS specification (no, it's not "Doctor MOS," it's "Driver-MOSFET"). It has taken over two years for companies to meet the specification. Fairchild introduced its version at the recent APEC, following similar parts from Semtech, Renesas, and NXP (formerly Philips). A major advantage of using the multichip module is that the individual MOSFET's performance characteristics can be optimized, whereas monolithic MOSFETs produce higher... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 2/26/2007
ColdWatt Delivers Efficiency Without Sacrificing Density
When Dan Artusi became chairman and CEO of ColdWatt Inc. in 2005, the Austin, Texas-based company began its push to be a leader in the production of energy-efficient power supplies. Previously, Artusi headed Silicon Laboratories, after several years at Motorola. I was impressed with Artusi when I met him at Motorola, and I expect Coldwatt to achieve success in meeting the energy efficiency goal. ColdWatt is one of a select few companies delivering efficiency without sacrificing density. The company is currently shipping high-efficiency power-conversion products intended to enable IT equipment vendors to decrease growing... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 2/16/2007
Semiconductor Introductions Emphasize Portable And Consumer Applications
Following are descriptions of new products from ON Semiconductor, Texas Instruments and Fairchild Semiconductor. 3-MHz Step-Down DC-DC Converter For Portable And Consumer Applications ON Semiconductor's NCP1523 and NCP1523B are high-performing pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse frequency modulation (PFM), and PWM-only dc-dc converters optimized for portable applications. Supplying clean output voltage with very low ripple voltage and fast transient response, they are intended for use in power-sensitive applications such as micro hard disk drives found in multimedia portable devices. The NCP1523 and NCP1523B... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 2/4/2007
Intel's 45-nm Technology Breakthrough Will Impact Future Microprocessor Power-Supply Designs
In what is touted as one of the biggest advancements in fundamental transistor design, Intel Corporation is now using dramatically new materials to make 45-nm devices that allow faster processor speeds and enhanced PC performance. However, this technological breakthrough will require a reconfiguration of the microprocessor power supply. A microprocessor's operating voltage usually comes from a VRM (voltage regulator module) or a circuit on the motherboard, the VRD (voltage regulator down). A 5- to 8-bit voltage identity code (VID) controls the VRM/VRD output voltage. These VID pins connect to corresponding pins on the... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 1/30/2007
US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) Electronic Exchange Promotes Information Sharing
On Jan. 16, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, along with the European Patent Office (EPO), implemented a new service to allow certified copies of patent application priority documents to be exchanged electronically between the two offices. As part of the exchange program, priority documents have to be filed when applicants wish to claim an earlier application filing date in one patent office based on a prior filing date from another. The new service, which is free of charge to applicants, is the result of a 2005 agreement between the USPTO and the European Patent Office. Priority document exchange will get underway between the USPTO... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 1/23/2007
PSMA Power Technology Roadmap Workshop Report Emphasizes Impact Of Digital Tech
The Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) has released the latest Power Technology Roadmap Workshop Report. This fifth edition Workshop Report includes presentations and discussions from the workshop as seen by the participants, who included many of the industry's most influential end-users, power supply manufacturers, component suppliers, consultants, and academics. This report provides detailed projections for the next three to four years of various technologies in a quantitative form. There was special emphasis on how the increasing use of digital technologies will affect the industry in the next four... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 1/10/2007
Wiring Design Faulted for Airbus A380 Production Delays
Engineering design of a superjumbo jet aircraft is anything but easy; the Airbus A380 aircraft designers can attest to that. You wouldn't expect a wiring problem to delay delivery of an airplane, but that is what has happened. Planes scheduled for delivery in 2006 may be up to two years late — some airlines have already cancelled their orders. To understand why wiring is critical, you have to know that there are almost 1200 functions to control the plane, which takes 98,000 wires and 40,000 connectors. The digital design system has 500,000 models, and all those must be kept in sync by mismatched computer-design systems in... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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comment5,...
-December 27, 2009
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- 1/3/2007
Fueled by Consumer Electronics, November Chip Sales Up 11.3%
"Despite some signs of slower economic growth in the fourth quarter, consumer purchases of electronic products remained strong and again drove semiconductor sales to record levels," said Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) President George Scalise. "The latest Conference Board survey of consumer confidence reflected increasing optimism. An improving job market and indications of healthy economic growth going forward should contribute to stronger demand for semiconductor products which are increasingly driven by consumer electronic purchases. According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), unit sales of consumer... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 12/26/2006
High-Tech Success and Visionary Thinking are Elusive
The December 2006 issue of the IEEE Spectrum contained an interesting article entitled "How Bell Labs Missed the Microchip," by Michael Riordan. This article brings up a pertinent question for high-tech industries: can you teach an engineer to have the vision required to tell if new technology is worth pursuing? Or, do market forces blur that vision? Also, if the initial versions of a product do not meet expectations, should you continue? This article shows that success doesn't necessarily breed continued success and that it is difficult to be a visionary 100% of the time in the high-tech industries. The article covers the... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 12/19/2006
IEEE-USA Questions Immigration Reform Act
The IEEE-USA commissioned the Institute for the Study of International Immigration at Georgetown University to study foreign-born computer and engineering (C&E) workers that S.2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act) would admit into the U.S. It makes me wonder why there aren't enough C&E workers in this country and whether companies are just trying to hire foreign-born workers who will work for lower wages than domestic Americans. IEEE-USA is apparently concerned that passage of S.2611 will affect its members — they're probably right. Following are the verbatim conclusions of the study's author, by B.... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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plant in house...
-May 26, 2009
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- 12/5/2006
Multigate FET Structures May Solve IC Miniaturization Challenges
Multigate field-effect transistor (FET) technology may be an answer to many challenges down the road toward ever-smaller integrated circuits that retain high functionality while consuming considerably less energy than the planar single-gate technologies available today. In a demonstration of this new technology, researchers at Infineon have tested the world's first complex circuit fabricated using a new 65-nm multigate transistor architecture. With an approximately 30% smaller footprint compared to current single-gate technology with the same functions and performance, the new transistors had quiescent current that measured 1/10... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 11/29/2006
Will Current U.S. Immigration Policies Stifle High-Tech Industry Growth?
Immigrant entrepreneurs have had a profound impact on company creation, innovation and market value in the United States, according to a first-of-its-kind study, American Made: The Impact of Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Professionals on U.S. Competitiveness. According to the study, two-thirds of the immigrant founders surveyed believe that current U.S. immigration policy now hinders the ability of future foreign-born entrepreneurs to start American companies. The study concluded that in the last 15 years, 40% of the high-tech industry was founded by one or more immigrants. A survey of today's private, venture-backed start-up... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 11/29/2006
What is H-1B?
The H-1B is a non-immigrant classification used by an alien who will be employed temporarily in a specialty occupation. A specialty occupation requires theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge along with at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent; for example, architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, business specialties, accounting, law, theology, and the arts are specialty occupations. The current law limits to 65,000 the number of aliens who may be issued a visa or otherwise provided H-1B status in FY2004. (The numerical limitation... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 11/17/2006
SIA Forecasts That Microchip Industry Will Reach $321 Billion in 2009
The Semiconductor Industry Association's (SIA) annual forecast of global semiconductor sales projects that the industry will continue to ride a strong wave of consumer demand for electronic products, driving sales to $321 billion in 2009. The SIA forecast projects a compound annual growth rate of 9% for the forecast period, 2006-2009. Total worldwide microchip sales in 2005 amounted to $227.5 billion. The forecast projects growth in all regional markets. The Asia-Pacific region will continue to be the fastest-growing market and is projected to reach 48.2% of the worldwide market in 2009. SIA's forecast is that sales will... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 11/9/2006
IBM Develops New Chip Cooling Technique
IBM researchers have developed an innovative approach for improving the cooling of computer chips. There is an increasingly urgent need, given the large amount of heat released by today's semiconductors and the additional energy required to remove that heat. The technique, called "high thermal conductivity interface technology," allows a twofold improvement in heat removal over current methods. This paves the way for continued development of creative electronic products through the use of more powerful chips without complex and costly systems simply to cool them. As chip performance continues to progress according to... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 10/31/2006
Power Integrations Gets Exclusion Order Against Silicon General for Patent Infringement
In August 2006, the International Trade Commission (ITC) charged that it should exclude from the U.S. market certain products containing Silicon General (SG) chips that infringed against Power Integration's patents. A final judgment depended on a presidential review by the ITC. The ITC's presidential review agreed with the charges and the exclusion order took effect in October 2006. The ITC has formally accepted the determination that certain of SG's power-supply controllers infringe Power Integrations U.S. Patent Nos. 6,351,398 and 6,538,908, and that SG is therefore in violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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Very Good Site...
-February 27, 2010
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- 10/23/2006
Can Equipment Manufacturers Afford to Reduce Standby Power?
According to Executive Order dated July 2001: "Each government agency, when it purchases commercially available, off-the-shelf products that use external standby power devices, or that contain an internal standby power function, shall purchase products that use no more than one watt in their standby power consuming mode. If such products are not available, agencies shall purchase products with the lowest standby power wattage while in their standby power consuming mode." What works for government agencies doesn't necessarily work for consumers, because cost enters into the equation. That is particularly true for ac adapters where... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 10/17/2006
Can R&D Produce Energy Independence?
From an economic, environmental and worldwide political perspective the U.S. must develop energy independence. To meet this goal, the government is funding research for alternative energy sources, and at the same time challenging manufacturers to improve energy efficiency of electronic products. The Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) seeks to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. To achieve this, the AEI includes a 22% increase in funding for clean energy technology research at DOE. To accelerate the development of semiconductor materials that convert sunlight directly to electricity there is a $148 million request for... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 10/11/2006
Fairchild Semiconductor Contests Patent Infringement Case Verdict Favoring Power Integrations
Power Integrations has won a verdict in its patent-infringement lawsuit against Fairchild Semiconductor. A jury found that Fairchild has willfully infringed all four Power Integrations patents asserted in the case, and has awarded Power Integrations damages of approximately $34 million. A second trial, scheduled for December 4, will address Fairchild's challenges to the validity of the infringed Power Integrations patents. The patents are presumed to be valid, and Fairchild cannot prevail unless it proves the patents are invalid by clear and convincing evidence. Should Fairchild be unable to prove the patents invalid, Power... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 10/4/2006
Is There a Power Electronics Technology Roadmap in Our Future?
Will a Power Electronics Technology Roadmap ever become a reality? There have been several workshops and efforts made toward producing such a roadmap, but so far there has been more talk than progress. The need exists, but the more salient question is whether the manpower and expertise are available to produce such a document. The 1994 APEC conference included a Power Electronics Technology Roadmap workshop. This was followed by similar workshops in 1997, 2000, and 2003. Future workshops are planned for 2008 and 2010. The goal of these workshops is to develop a "Power Technology Roadmap" to project trends and needs for... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 9/29/2006
AEA Report Says U.S. Tech Industry Added 140,000 Jobs in First Half of 2006
As part of its Competitive Series, the American Electronics Association (AEA) published its report on the midyear analysis (to June 2006) of the U.S. employment data, collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and compiled by AEA. The figures indicate that the tech industry generated a net increase in jobs in the United States for five consecutive months, and nine of the previous 12 months. The U.S. high-tech industry added 140,200 net jobs between January and June 2006 — a 2.5% increase. This is nearly double the 78,900 tech jobs added in the first half of 2005. Nonetheless, the January to June 2006 tech job growth... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 9/14/2006
Philips Semiconductors Becomes NXP—Is Freescale Far Behind?
Two semiconductor companies with over 50 years of history may be on the verge of combining their forces: Freescale that is a Motorola spinoff and NXP, a recent spinoff from Royal Philips Electronics. The NXP-Freescale merger is not yet a done deal, but remains a distinct possibility. Both companies produce power management products. Two groups of private equity firms are bidding to buy Freescale Semiconductor Inc. for about $16 billion, according to industry sources. If completed, the acquisition would be the technology industry’s largest leveraged buyout ever. Freescale confirmed on September 11 that it was in talks about... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 9/7/2006
Can The Lithium-Ion Battery Be Tamed?
Apple Computer Inc. is the latest laptop computer manufacturer to recall lithium-ion batteries that could overheat and catch fire. About 10 days earlier Dell Inc. had a similar recall involving the same problem with the same supplier: Sony Corporation. Apple explained that it had received nine reports of lithium-ion battery packs overheating, including two cases in which users suffered minor burns. Sony Energy Devices Corp. of Japan said this is a rare problem that occurs when microscopic metal particles in the battery cells hit other parts of the cell and cause a short circuit. According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 8/28/2006
Second Quarter 2006 Sales Up 9.4% Over 2005
Results Reflect Mixed End Product Markets, but Outlook Remains Positive Worldwide sales of semiconductors totaled $19.6 billion in June, up over 9% from June 2005, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported. June sales figures bring second quarter 2006 sales to $58.9 billion, a decrease of 0.3% from the first quarter of this year, but a 9.4% increase over the same period last year. These numbers bring total sales for the first half of the year to $118 billion, up 8.3% over the first half of 2005. “The semiconductor sales numbers reported today reflect the mixed earnings results we have seen in the... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 8/23/2006
Power-One and Silicon Laboratories Agree To Resolve Litigation
It appears that Power-One is succeeding in its quest to become the leading digitally-controlled power supply manufacturer. Despite the PMBus, Power-One’s Z-One technology seems to be gaining broader acceptance. Regardless of which approach is used, digital control of power supply operation is here to stay. However, it is not clear if the PMBus and Z-One technology will co-exist, or one will overtake the other. As sign of Power-One’s current success on July 31, 2006, Power-One, Inc. and Silicon Laboratories Inc. jointly announced that they have entered into an agreement to settle and resolve the patent infringement lawsuit filed by... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 8/21/2006
UPS Marketplace Continues to Expand Worldwide
The need for power protection continues to be driven by issues associated with power generation and distribution: capacity, quality, and reliability as they relate to and affect end users. That is the conclusion reached in Venture Development Corporation’s white paper “2005-2006 Power Protection Market Intelligence Program: Battery-Powered Uninterruptible Power Supplies.” The paper says market growth will continue as users of the power grid decide that their functions, processes, and operations are critical and they must back up mission-critical systems. “In a 24/7 global marketplace that is heavily dependent upon its networks in order to... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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-June 19, 2009
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- 8/7/2006
Will Billions Invested in Nanotechnology R&D Pay Off for the US?
The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Fiscal Year 2007 Annual Report has been released. This report (www.nano.gov), “Research and Development Leading to a Revolution in Technology and Industry,” provides information on the collaborations and work in nanotechnology of the 25 participating federal agencies. These agencies are maximizing individual and joint investments by participating in the NNI collaboration, now in its sixth year. The 2007 NNI budget request for nanotechnology R&D across the Federal Government is nearly $1.3 billion, an increase of 21% over the 2006... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 7/24/2006
GreenPoint Reference Design Improves 60W Power Adapters
GreenPoint reference designs enable more efficient systems by establishing the feasibility of meeting emerging energy efficiency standards with existing technology, and by setting performance benchmarks. ON Semiconductor’s GreenPoint reference designs are available for ATX, CRT TV, and LCD TV power supplies; and 60W and 90W power adapters. A complete documentation package for the 60W power adapter is available—including description, block diagram, schematic, bill-of-materials, Gerber images, and evaluation results. These materials are available at www.onsemi.com, as are the product specifications and other supporting... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 7/19/2006
SIA Projects Continued Semiconductor Market Growth With The Asia-Pacific Region Leading The Way
It should come as no surprise that the Asia-Pacific region will continue to be the fastest growing market for semiconductors, as noted in a recent forecast from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). The SIA projects that the Asia-Pacific region (exclusive of Japan) will reach 49% of the worldwide semiconductor market in 2009 with just under $160B. In that same year, projections for the U.S., Europe, and Japan are $58B, $55B, and $59B, respectively. The forecast projects that analog products will be one of the fastest-growing market segments in 2006, with growth driven by strong demand from wireless communications and... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 7/18/2006
Arrow Electronics Opens Phoenix Power Supply Center
The North American Components (NAC) business of Arrow Electronics, Inc. has opened a new Power Supply Value-Added Center as part of Arrow’s Logistics and Value-Added Center in Phoenix, AZ. The Center provides design capabilities, product assembly, integration and distribution services, offering additional resources for the power supply needs of OEMs. “The process of selecting power supply products can be very complex, but our team of specialists in combination with the new Power Supply Value-Added Center are turning customers’ specifications into market-ready products on time and on budget,” said Bob Brenner, director, Value-Add... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 6/21/2006
Will The Power Supply Industry Be Able To Keep Pace With The Semiconductor Industry?
The power supply industry has always followed the lead of the semiconductor industry. This was certainly true when IC operating voltages went from 5V to 3.3V and lower. The best “heads-up” for future power requirements is the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). It predicts technology trends for the semiconductor industry with full revisions in odd-numbered years and updates in even-numbered years. It includes inputs from semiconductor experts in Europe, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan as well as the U.S. Thus, the ITRS serves as a guide for the semiconductor industry, which in turn affects the entire electronics... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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-April 25, 2009
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- 6/12/2006
TI Announces POLA Adoption Of T2 Point-Of-Load Power Modules
Texas Instruments announced that the POLA (Point-of-Load Alliance) has agreed to offer pin-compatible plug-in modules based on TI's T2 non-isolated, power modules with ultra-fast transient response. POLA members, including Artesyn Technologies, Ericsson Power Modules, and Emerson's Astec Power will develop and market the new plug-in modules with the same functionality and form factors as those provided by other members of the POLA alliance. To date, POLA companies have manufactured and introduced more than 200 products with the same electrical designs to ensure full interoperability and true second sourcing. Initially,... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 6/7/2006
Safety/Reliability Problems Continue To Plague Battery-Based Systems
Batteries play a vital role in our every day life, from powering laptop computers, to cell phones and other consumer-oriented products. However, batteries are electrochemical devices that have a tendency to suffer safety/reliability problems. A look at recent battery problems reveals some disturbing problems, including: And Finally: Consumer Reports, which prides itself in testing and rating products, was embarrassed when it gave 15,000 new subscribers a... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 5/22/2006
SIA Supports Congressional Bills To Improve U.S. Long-Term Scientific Education
Recently, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) backed a bill in the U.S. Congress intended to allow foreign scientist and engineers who have special skills to enter the U.S. That is obviously the SIA’s short term solution for the semiconductor industry. Now, they have started thinking long term with strong support for a package of three bills aimed at improving teaching of math and science and encouraging young Americans to pursue careers in technology, research, and math and science education. The bills, which originated in the House Science Committee, were introduced by Representative John H. “Joe” Schwartz (R, MI) and... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 5/15/2006
SIA Urges Support For "SKIL Bill"
Immigration is a “hot” subject in the U.S., particularly as it relates to illegal aliens. However, immigration is also affecting engineers and scientists in the U.S. There is a new bill in Congress that addresses help for high-tech industries facing shortage of scientists and engineers. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has expressed strong support for S. 2691, legislation known as the “SKIL Bill” (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership). The bill was introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R, TX) and co-sponsored by Senators George Allen (R, VA), Wayne Allard (R-CO), Robert Bennett (R-UT), Michael Enzi (R-WY), and... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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-November 16, 2009
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- 5/2/2006
Computer Data Impacts Idle Power Levels for Draft 2 Energy Star Spec
The Energy Star specification for computers is currently under revision. The EPA is considering new performance requirements for laptops, workstations, desktop computers, integrated computers, and desktop-derived servers under the new specification. One of the major concerns in the next version of this specification is Idle power. Determining viable Idle power specs depends on obtaining existing power data as well as future projections. Previous Idle power data for the Draft 1 computer specification was provided by industry stakeholders and combined with the broader data set on Idle power. Overall analysis shows that the... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/26/2006
As The Power Management World Turns
The power management industry has already had its share of mergers and acquisitions in 2006. In fact, you might need a scorecard to keep track of the changes. In February, Emerson Network Power announced that it acquired Artesyn Technologies. This agreement brings additional power conversion technologies to Emerson Network Power’s existing portfolio of enterprise computing, data and telecommunications industries. Artesyn provides power conversion equipment as well as hardware and software subsystems for a range of communications applications. Artesyn Technologies, headquartered in Boca Raton, FL had sales in 2005 of approximately... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/16/2006
International Rectifier Reinvents Itself With A Systems Perspective
Eric Lidow founded International Rectifier (IR) in 1947 as a rectifier products company. When I first met Eric at his El Segundo, Calif. office in 1978, IR was known as a manufacturer of transistors, rectifiers, and silicon-controlled rectifiers. About the same time his son, Alex Lidow, who had an undergraduate degree from Caltech and a PhD from Stanford, had started working in the company’s R&D Engineering department. In that capacity, Dr. Alex Lidow was instrumental in the 1978 IR development of the HEXFET power MOSFET that is still one of IR’s “bread-and-butter” lines. Eric Lidow handed over IR’s CEO reins to Alex in 1995. The... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/11/2006
Design Considerations For A Compact And Very Flexible Power Supply
Part 2: Managing Outputs, EMI, Safety Contributed by Gary Bocock, Technical Director of XP Power Many applications require multiple outputs and combinations of positive and negative polarity. Keeping outputs isolated from one other allows flexibility in connection to provide such combinations, as well as allowing parallel or series connections to provide higher output voltages or increased output current. Isolated outputs also provide the facility for separate returns. These may be desirable for digital and analog circuits. To allow the power supply to be easily configured to a specific requirement, the full... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 4/4/2006
Design Considerations For A Compact And Very Flexible Power Supply
Part 1: Basic Design Concepts Contributed by Gary Bocock, Technical Director of XP Power Many electronic systems require DC power rails outside the standard 3.3, 5, 12, 24 and 48V ratings, or require combinations of outputs not available from standard off-the-shelf products. Further, where multiple products or product variants are produced there are often differing requirements for each type. Commissioning custom designs can be an expensive, risky and lengthy process, especially in medium volume applications. In higher power applications modular, configurable power supplies are available from a number of vendors but... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 3/27/2006
APEC 2006 Turns Green
The recent APEC (Applied Power Electronics Conference) highlighted attempts by the power supply industry and its semiconductor suppliers to push for “green” power supplies. Leading this charge to higher power supply efficiency is the 80 PLUS program sponsored by Ecos Consulting with electric utility funding. 80 PLUS is an incentive program to integrate more energy-efficient power supplies into desktop computers and servers. An independent testing laboratory must verify a power supply’s efficiency so that a manufacturer can obtain certification. The 80 PLUS performance specification requires power supplies in computers to be 80% or... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 3/20/2006
USB Port Replacing AC Adapters as Battery Charger Power Source for Portables
A growing trend for battery-based, portable consumer products is use of its USB port to charge the internal batteries. This allows a computer with a USB port to charge the battery for an iPod, MP3 player, “smart” phone, etc. Integrating a small size, low weight, minimum power dissipation battery charger circuit within the portable unit enables this approach. To be effective, the product manufacturer must then decide on the most cost- and space- effective approach for the battery charger circuit design. Determining the optimal approach requires at look at several factors. First, look at the battery requirements. Portable... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 3/8/2006
Advanced Power Technology And Northrop Grumman Enter Into Silicon Carbide License Agreement
Advanced Power Technology, Inc. has entered into a license agreement with the Electronic Systems’ sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation to manufacture next-generation silicon carbide (“SiC”) microelectronic devices. This agreement forms an exclusive foundry-supplier relationship whereby Northrop Grumman will license certain SiC technology to Advanced Power Technology, including relevant SiC patents and manufacturing methods, to enable Advanced Power Technology to manufacture proprietary high-performance SiC microelectronic devices exclusively for Northrop Grumman. In addition, the agreement allows Advanced Power Technology to use... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 2/22/2006
U.S. Semiconductor Industry Faces Global Leadership Challenges
Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) President George Scalise recently remarked that “the U.S. semiconductor industry today is strong and healthy, but our world leadership position faces a very stern challenge in the years ahead. For more than 50 years, world leadership in technology and innovation has been the foundation of American strategies for economic growth, improved productivity, a better standard of living, and national security. U.S. leadership, however, is not a birthright. Other countries have recognized the strategic importance of leadership in the semiconductor industry and are becoming formidable competitors. The U.S.... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
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SIA President George Scalise's synopsis of the meaning of technological innovation points out featur...
-October 08, 2009
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- 1/13/2006
Defense Appropriations Bill Funds Focus Center Research Program
In December 2005, the Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations bill included funding for the Focus Center Research Program (FCRP). Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) president George Scalise explained that the FCRP coordinates basic research in semiconductor technology at 33 universities throughout the U.S. “Securing federal funds to match funds provided by the U.S. semiconductor industry was a top priority for SIA and we are very grateful for the bipartisan effort that achieved this objective,” Scalise noted. “Leadership in microchip technology is a key element of U.S. strategies for growing our economy, improving our... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 12/28/2005
Will Courts Decide the Future of Digital Power Management?
On September 30, 2005, Power-One filed a lawsuit against rival Artesyn Technologies for allegedly infringing on its power-conversion patents. Power-One’s complaint claimed that Artesyn’s DPL20C POL converter violated its patents. The converter, announced by Artesyn in September 2005, is the first in a family of DC-DC converters that comply with the PMBus protocol. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages and a permanent injunction to prohibit Artesyn from making, using, selling, or offering to sell infringing products, including the DPL20C POL converter. On December 15, 2005, Power-One added Silicon Laboratories to the initial... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 12/13/2005
Xbox 360: A Rush To Market Frequently Brings Problems
After Microsoft's Xbox 360 debuted, video game fan sites reported problems with the new consoles. One user’s problem was a glitch in the form of "artifacts" that appeared on the screen of his new Xbox. It would run for about an hour and a half before it produced blue triangle-like artifacts. Then the unit froze and after letting it cool down for a couple hours, the user turned it back on. On the boot-up animation, it flickered gray boxlike shapes. When the user repeated the off-on process, it did the same thing, then froze. One irate Xbox 360 owner even filed a suit against Microsoft because his unit didn’t work properly. ... Read the entire post here. Make a comment
- 12/1/2005
Welcome Aboard Electronic Design’s Power Management Database
The new Electronic Design FindPowerProducts.com online database provides technical information on a wide range of power management products. It is a comprehensive and searchable database that allows designers to speed the selection of products that meet specific application requirements. No other single website covers the entire power management product spectrum in such detail. This database is available free for designers of electronic systems worldwide. Information in the database allows designers to cope with the ongoing trend of operating voltages going down, currents increasing and clock rates moving steadily higher.... Read the entire post here. Make a comment