Entities mentioned in embedded chips and connected car news tips this week include the opening of 5G spectrum by the FTC, WiTricity, Delphi, AT&T, IBM, Visteon, Volvo, On Semiconductor, Inova, Luxoft and Mentor Graphics.
Forget DSRC bring on the 5G?
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday opened wireless spectrum for use by 5G technology in the 11GHz of high-frequency. It frees 3.85GHz of licensed spectrum and 7GHz of unlicensed spectrum for mobile and fixed-use wireless broadband. The FCC reported that it will available thorugh effective sharing schemes
Mike Murphy of Nokia told ABC News, “Some cities may look at putting wireless units at, for example, stop lights that the car could communicate with,” he said.
Cars could also communicate with one another, making them aware of where they are and whether a collision is eminent. The 5G technology would also provide much better reliability.
WiTricity & Delphi
WiTricity, maker of wireless power transfer over distance, today announced a technology licensing agreement with Delphi Automotive. Under terms of the agreement, Delphi will license WiTricity’s intellectual property (IP) for magnetic resonance technology to commercialize efficient, high-performance wireless charging systems for in-vehicle charging of mobile consumer devices that will comply with the resonant wireless charging specification developed by the AirFuel™ Alliance.
Kinetic resonance technology from WiTricity offers a host of unique benefits over existing wireless charging solutions, including simultaneous wireless charging of multiple devices with differing power requirements and “spatial freedom” that eliminates the hassle of precise alignment and adds additional reach in three dimensions. Since joining the AirFuel™ Alliance (formerly the Alliance for Wireless Power) as a board member, WiTricity has helped lead the development of the AirFuel resonant specification, and continues to work with the AirFuel™ Alliance to enrich and strengthen the technology for AirFuel-based wireless charging in consumer electronics.
AT&T & IBM IoT Partnership
AT&T and IBM are working together to help businesses accelerate their Internet of Things (IoT) initiatives.
IBM and AT&T are expanding their full commitment and investment in open-source based tools, such as Node-Red, and open standards like MQTT, all essential for creating IoT solutions. In addition, developers can now add the power of IBM’s Watson cognitive computing and AT&T’s IoT Platforms like Flow Designer and M2X, and access to its global network.
AT&T is also working with IBM on a new starter kit to make it easier for developers to get going. Once completed, customers will be able to purchase the combined AT&T and IBM technologies in one toolkit for a complete set of IoT tools to start their IoT projects right away.
Developers can now use IBM’s open and security-rich Watson Internet of Things (IoT) Platform and Bluemix services together with AT&T IoT Platforms to gain deeper insights from data collected from connected devices. Multiple Watson APIs and other IBM services, including visual recognition, personality insights, tradeoff analytics and speech/translation, are available.
Developers now have the ability to deploy apps on the IBM Cloud, providing more visibility and understanding into the Internet “things” they connect. The new integration allows AT&T M2X, AT&T Flow Designer and AT&T Control Center to be used with the IBM Watson IoT Platform and Bluemix services available on IBM Cloud. In addition, developers will also have access to 10+ IBM Watson cognitive APIs, OpenWhisk “serverless” computing APIs, and other IBM Bluemix services.
Volvo Joins Auto-ISAC
The Automotive Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Auto-ISAC) welcomes Volvo Cars as its latest original equipment manufacturer (OEM) member. Volvo Cars will join Auto-ISAC’s other OEM members on the organization’s Board of Directors.
Visteon Bought AllGo Multimedia
Visteon Corporation announced the completion of its acquisition of AllGo Embedded Systems Pvt. Ltd., an India-based leading supplier of embedded multimedia and smartphone connectivity software solutions to the global automotive industry. The two companies initially announced plans for the transaction on Jan. 12.
The business acquired from AllGo supports Visteon’s global vehicle cockpit electronics business and enables Visteon to offer a highly integrated solution to automakers that includes multimedia software and codecs, and smartphone connectivity features. The transaction includes AllGo’s technology assets and automotive business and approximately 140 employees – mostly software engineers based in India, supported by sales offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
ON Image Sensor with 2X Sensitivity
ON Semiconductor is enhancing imaging performance in demanding industrial applications with technology that improves the near-infrared sensitivity of CCD image sensors.
The 8 megapixel (MP) KAI-08052 image sensor, the first device in ON Semiconductor’s CCD portfolio to leverage this new technology, provides up to twice the sensitivity in near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths as the company’s standard Interline Transfer CCD pixel design. This enhanced sensitivity can be critical in applications such as scientific and medical imaging, where samples emit or fluoresce in NIR wavelengths; or in machine vision and intelligent transportation systems (ITS), where NIR illumination is often used to better examine an object or to isolate a vehicle’s license plate.
The new CCD pixel design used in the KAI-08052 extends the electron capture region deeper in the silicon to better capture electrons generated by long wavelength photons. This deeper pixel well improves detection of NIR wavelengths by up to a factor of two depending on the specific wavelength studied. And since the well structure also isolates the photodiodes from each other, this increase in NIR sensitivity comes without any reduction in image sharpness (modulation transfer function, or MTF).
Inova Semi APIX in Many Models
Inova Semiconductors announces that 50 million devices based on its APIX technology have now been deployed. APIX is used by ten of the leading automotive manufacturers and more than 30 OEMs and tier 1 suppliers, and features in 34 different car models.
Due to the increasing numbers of displays and cameras in today’s connected vehicles, the adoption of APIX devices is rapidly accelerating. Originally launched in 2008, the APIX platform had shipped 30 million devices by August 2015; and has now added a further 20 million units, to reach this coveted 50 million milestone in less than one year later.
Infineon Buys Cree
Infineon Technologies AG and Cree, Inc. announced that Infineon has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Wolfspeed Power and RF division (“Wolfspeed”) of Cree. The deal also includes the related SiC wafer substrate business for power and RF power. The purchase price for this planned all-cash transaction is US Dollar 850 million (approximately Euro 740 million). This acquisition will enable Infineon to provide the broadest offering in compound semiconductors and will further strengthen Infineon as a leading supplier of power and RF power solutions in high-growth markets such as electro-mobility, renewables and next-generation cellular infrastructure relevant for IoT.
Deloitte and Luxoft unveil DBoard
Deloitte Luxembourg and Luxoft Holding, Inc (NYSE:LXFT), a leading provider of software development services and innovative IT solutions to a global client base, announced the launch of DBoard, a new web-based platform offering Deloitte’s clients a digital ecosystem in which users get a comprehensive and real-time overview of their projects. DBoard was developed to strengthen the user experience in professional services, and give Deloitte’s clients instant access to dashboards, project reports, data and documents. Ultimately, the platform offers the users more control over their activities, new possibilities of analyzing data, as well as simplified communication and exchange of documents and information
Mentor Adds to PADS
Mentor Graphics Corporation announced the latest additions to the PADS® PCB Product Creation Platform. New analog/mixed-signal (AMS) and high-speed analysis products address engineering challenges associated with mixed-signal design, DDR implementation, and electrically-correct design signoff. Tightly integrated and highly affordable, the new PADS AMS Design Suite, PADS AMS Cloud, PADS HyperLynx® DRC, and PADS HyperLynx DDR products streamline the design process and ensure circuit performance goals are met, reducing the need for prototypes and design re-spins.
Combined with the recently announced PADS HyperLynx® DC Drop and PADS FloTHERM® XT products for power integrity and thermal analysis, the extended PADS Product Creation Platform gives engineers access to technologies that were formerly out of reach for the mainstream PCB market.
“Our products are becoming more challenging to develop due to higher-end requirements,” said Joel Libove, Ph.D. and president of Furaxa, Inc. “The new PADS products give us access to essential simulation technologies that enable us to produce products at higher complexity, ensuring we can deliver on our commitments to the market in terms of function, price, and delivery.”
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