Electronic Design UPDATE: March 23, 2005

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Electronic Design UPDATE e-Newsletter
Electronic Design Magazine
PlanetEE ==> www.planetee.com
March 23, 2005
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Today's Table Of Contents:
1. Industry View
  *Safety Certifications Are Fine, But Look Behind The Label
2. Focus On Power
  *Variable Charge-Pump Gain Produces Efficient Buck Converters
3. News From The Editors
  *Electronic Loads Handle Wide AC-DC Power Range
  *Serial ATA Hits 3 Gbits/s
  *Methanol Fuel Cell Is World's Smallest
4. Upcoming Industry Events
  *High-Performance Computing Symposium
  *IEEE Wescon D2M
  *Wireless Security Conference & Expo
5. Magazine Highlights: March 17, 2005
  *Cover Story: Engineering Feature -- Turn Down The Heat, Please!
  *Technology Report -- PFC And Efficiency Mandates Inspire New Power 
   Discretes
  *Leapfrog: First Look -- MEMS: A New Power Source For Portables
  *Design View/Design Solution -- Improve Your Card Power System's 
   Reliability

Electronic Design UPDATE edited by Lisa Maliniak, eMedia Editor

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Free Webcast: Maximize System Mobility By Selecting The Best Memory 
Options
April 21, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. EDT

Mobile systems such as cell phones, handheld media players, and PDAs 
depend on both volatile and nonvolatile memory to store ever increasing 
amounts and types of data. But choosing the best memory for your next 
design can be a confusing, time-consuming proposition if you don't know 
how to sort through all of the options and understand which memory best 
suits your application. Join Samsung Semiconductor Inc. and Electronic 
Design's Editor-at-Large Dave Bursky for this one-hour webcast that will 
help you cut through the confusion to choose the optimal memory 
solution.

To register, go to:
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B7D:1001CD

*****

Free Webcast: Overcoming "The Fiefdom Syndrome": How to Conquer the 
Turf Battles that Undermine Companies

Can your organization benefit by overcoming turf battles? 

Don't miss this opportunity to hear Robert J. Herbold, former COO of 
Microsoft and author of "The Fiefdom Syndrome," and Jim Davis, Senior 
VP, SAS.

Join Business Finance in welcoming these thought leaders on Tuesday, 
April 19 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. Register here:
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*****

THOUGHT YOU'D MISSED THEM? DON'T WORRY, THEY'RE ARCHIVED
Electronic Design's webcasts are available online:

Embedded Systems Conference: Embedded Editor Bill Wong tracks the 
products and prototypes introduced at the show.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B82:1001CD

Advances in Mixed-Signal Testing: Learn how to add 32 digital channels 
to existing four-channel oscilloscopes.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B7F:1001CD

Next-Generation In-House PCB Prototyping: Produce your own PCB 
prototypes without the use of hazardous chemicals.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B7C:1001CD

*****

BE SURE TO VISIT Electronic Design's Web site, where the power of 
Electronic Design is a mouse click away! Read our Web exclusives, enjoy 
our Quick Poll, discover Featured Vendors, access our archives, share 
viewpoints in our forums, explore our e-newsletters, and more.

TAKE OUR CURRENT QUICK POLL:

Do you think webcasts are a valuable means of information delivery?
-- Yes, absolutely 
-- Sometimes, depends on the format
-- No, they're a waste of time
-- I've never seen a webcast

Vote at Electronic Design ==> http://www.elecdesign.com

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1. Industry View -- Exclusive to Electronic Design UPDATE
**********************

Safety Certifications Are Fine, But Look Behind The Label

By Roger Edelson, Senior Technical Writer, Pulizzi Engineering Inc.

Do you need to check for UL approval or the CE mark on the off-the-shelf 
power-distribution units (PDUs) and conditioning equipment you purchase? 
Is there a worthwhile reason to choose a supplier that is certified to 
the latest ISO standards (currently ISO 9001:2000)? While the answer to 
both of these questions is an unqualified yes, you also must understand 
how the standardization and certification process works.
   First, there are advantages to using equipment that has passed the 
major safety standards, such as UL, CE, or TUV. Perhaps the greatest 
benefit is that you can certify that your system meets recognizable 
safety standards. While safety is of prime concern, the system 
manufacturer also should consider that insurance companies will 
require the equipment to meet the proper standards and that the end 
user has followed the appropriate standards.
    Within the U.S., the major safety criteria for electrical equipment 
are based on standards supported and propagated by the Underwriters 
Laboratories (UL). The UL standards for safety are based on 
procedures that allow for input from the affected public in 
combination with industry comment. In some cases, the National 
Electrical Code (NEC) standards also may be appropriate, 
particularly if the equipment is intended for use in locations 
having restricted access or if it will be hardwired directly to the 
mains.
   If the equipment is intended for overseas use, the designer should 
ensure that all subunits bear the CE mark, indicating compliance with 
the harmonized Low-Voltage Directive (LVD). The LVD differs from the 
UL standard in that it covers more than just electrical safety 
issues. The directive also includes fire, mechanical (such as sharp 
edges), radiation, chemical hazards, and other safety concerns.
   There is an unusual underlying problem that occurs with almost all 
standardization policies: interpretation. When dealing with UL 
standards, manufacturers often use other nationally recognized 
testing laboratories (NRTLs) for testing and approval, which is 
allowable. If possible, these labs may choose to view the UL standard 
in a more lenient fashion than UL itself, enabling easier and less 
expensive compliance. UL has limited ability to influence, or 
control, some of these interpretations.
   Given this possible elastic application of the published UL 
standards, a manufacturer could shop around for a less expensive and 
restrictive testing laboratory. While there is nothing illegal in 
this, the result can be products displaying the UL compliance mark 
that will perform differently and may inherently have lower safety 
margins than those that are tested and certified by UL. For example, 
UL requires the current capacity of a PDU's input plugs to be derated 
to 80% of the "fused" capacity. But some NRTLs do not read the 
specification that way. They will still provide a UL certification 
stamp if a 20-A input plug is so rated, as opposed to the 16-A rating 
required by UL testing.
   A number of major manufacturers have experienced a problem arising 
from this ability to select an alternative testing laboratory. 
Specifically, the UL interpretation of the code requirements to 
obtain approval to UL60950:2000 requires the use of significantly 
more durable (higher rated) and expensive circuit breakers (certified 
to UL498) for higher-current PDUs (i.e., inputs of 30 A and outlets 
that are 15- or 20-A rated). Manufacturers that have selected other 
NRTLs for certification were able to use supplementary protectors 
recognized under a lower standard (UL1077), since these laboratories 
do not read the protocols of UL60950:2000 as requiring any special 
circuit breaker requirement.
   Since the outlets are also not derated, these designs move a 
significant factor in overcurrent protection to the circuit breakers 
in the building's supply line. Further, the UL498 circuit breakers 
are significantly larger, so the PDU must be larger. Additionally, if 
a PDU does not meet the requirements as viewed by UL, UL will not 
allow the integration of the PDU into a larger system that requires 
UL approval. This could be a major obstacle for any OEM trying to 
receive UL approval.
   But having UL and/or CE certification on subsystems is just one step. 
Selecting a manufacturer certified to the latest ISO standard further 
enhances the product quality. ISO 9001:2000 deals with "quality 
management." It represents the state of the art in providing a model 
for setting up an operating system that will enable the organization 
to ensure that its products and services satisfy the customer's 
quality requirements. As the ISO describes it, "in the ISO 9001 
context, the standardized definition of quality refers to all those 
features of a product (or service) which are required by the 
customer."
   Of course, manufacturers that use UL as their testing and 
certification agency can advertise this feature, and purchasers 
should be aware of the possible differences in actual subsystem 
performance and design. If requested and approved by the UL, a formal 
interpretation of the appropriate portion of the UL standard will be 
published and distributed. The purchaser and end user still must 
perform a diligent search and conduct a reasonable design review of 
the product to ensure that all safety standards are actually being 
followed.
   Certification to recognizable safety standards backed by a 
manufacturing process whose quality is based on ISO standards and 
certification form the two established guidelines to ensure the 
selection of a quality product. Yet given the possibility of lenient 
interpretation of a standard's specifications and requirements, 
project managers must verify the actual level and degree of 
compliance of the purchased subunit. While a less stringent 
alternative will reduce costs, the safety and reliability of the 
overall design may be compromised. Caveat emptor definitely applies.

Roger Edelson, senior technical staff writer for Pulizzi Engineering 
Inc., graduated with a BSEE from Stanford University, obtained his MSEE 
degree at UCLA, and has been working in the electronics and computing 
industry for over 40 years as a circuit designer, technical and project 
manager, and technical writer. He was associated with the Venus Radar 
Mapper as manager of the Advanced Development Department at Hughes 
Aircraft Co., and as president of Edelson Associates, he was the 
director of electronics and communications for Malcom Forbes' attempt to 
cross the Atlantic by balloon. He can be reached at mailto:[email protected].

To comment on this Editor's View, go to Reader Comments at the foot of 
the Web page:

Electronic Design UPDATE ==>
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B75:1001CD

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**********************
2. Focus On Power
**********************

***Variable Charge-Pump Gain Produces Efficient Buck Converters
To achieve efficiencies of up to 90% across their operating range 
without the need for an external inductor, four buck converters from 
National Semiconductor employ a switched-capacitor topology based on a 
two-phase charge pump with switchable voltage gain. Gain is 
automatically switched between values of 1/2, 2/3, and 1 based on input 
voltage and output current. Four ceramic capacitors are the only 
external components required, yielding a smaller footprint than 
conventional buck converters that use an external inductor. The LM2770, 
LM2788, LM2797, and LM2798 dc-dc converters operate over the 2.7- to 
5.5-V extended lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery range. The LM2770 can output 
250 mA at 1.2, 1.5, or 1.6 V. The LM2788 supplies 120 mA at 1.5, 1.8, or 
2.0 V. The LM2797 and LM2798 have the same features as the LM2788, but 
they include input- and output-voltage monitoring. All of the devices 
have very low standby drain. Available now and priced in 1000-unit 
quantities, the LM2770 is $1.40, the LM2788 is $1.00, and the LM2797 and 
LM2798 are each $1.10.
     National Semiconductor Corp. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B87:1001CD

**********************
3. News -- From The Editors
**********************

***Electronic Loads Handle Wide AC-DC Power Range
The SL series of electronic loads consists of three families that offer 
a very wide selection of configurations for use with ac and dc inputs 
from 75 to 1800 W. They come in modular and rack-mount versions, with 
flexible user control possible through the front panel, GPIB, RS-232, 
and analog inputs. The SLM models include ac and dc units with single 
inputs. The SLD versions have dual dc inputs. All are modular loads that 
fit into a single- or four-bay mainframe. The SLH family offers 
higher-power loads (600 to 1800 W) in five ac and six dc models. The SL 
series is available in 60- to 500-V models with the four-bay mainframe. 
The SLH family fits a common 4U, 19-in. rack-mount frame. All feature 
the CE Mark. Benchtop units start at $1350, and rack-mount models start 
at $2950. A configured chassis with four modules starts at $4870.
     Elgar Electronics Corp. == > http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B89:1001CD

***Serial ATA Hits 3 Gbits/s
The Serial ATA International Organization recently held its Plugfest in 
Portland, Ore., where over 61 companies connected up a host of Serial 
ATA-II (SATA) devices running at 3 Gbits/s. This compatability 
demonstration highlights the increased availability of high-speed serial 
device interconnects and products. The 1.5-Gbit/s SATA-I serial hard 
drives are being used in desktop and server systems this year, with 
SATA-II taking on this role later in the year. SATA has performance and 
feature benefits, such as hot-swap capabilities, not offered by parallel 
ATA and SCSI drives.
     Serial ATA International Organization ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B88:1001CD

***Methanol Fuel Cell Is World's Smallest
Guinness World Records has officially certified Toshiba's highly compact 
direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) as the world's smallest. The DMFC is 
designed for integration into devices as small as digital music players 
or wireless mobile headsets. It's as long and wide as a thumb, measuring 
only 22 mm wide by 56 mm long and 4.5 mm thick (and a maximum thickness 
of 9.1 mm with fuel tank). The DMFC outputs 100 mW of power and is 
efficient enough to power an MP3 music player for as long as 20 hours on 
a single 2-cc charge of highly concentrated methanol. Toshiba plans to 
introduce commercial samples of the DMFC for small handheld electronic 
devices in 2005.
     Toshiba Corp. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B86:1001CD

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4. Upcoming Industry Events
**********************

April 2-8, High-Performance Computing Symposium (HPC 2005)
San Diego, Calif.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B84:1001CD

April 12-24, IEEE Wescon D2M (Design to Manufacture)
Santa Clara, Calif.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B81:1001CD

April 19-21, Wireless Security Conference & Expo
Cambridge, Mass.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B80:1001CD

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5. Magazine Highlights
**********************
In case you missed them, here are some of the high points of our most 
recent issue.

March 17, 2005:

* Cover Story: Engineering Feature -- Turn Down The Heat, Please!
Cutting-edge products help create a smart thermal-management game plan 
to cool down those power-packed systems.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B77:1001CD

* Technology Report -- PFC And Efficiency Mandates Inspire New Power 
Discretes
Semi makers tweak power switches and boost diodes, while reports vary on 
OEM adoption of synchronous rectification.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B76:1001CD

* Leapfrog: First Look -- MEMS: A New Power Source For Portables
Revelations in miniature fuel cells and power generators for portable 
electronics highlight the IEEE 2005 Conference.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B78:1001CD

* Design View/Design Solution -- Improve Your Card Power System's 
Reliability
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B79:1001CD

For the complete Table of Contents, go to Electronic Design ==>
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=5B7B:1001CD

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==================================

CONTACTS: Electronic Design UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER
==================================

Editorial: Mark David, Editor-in-Chief
mailto:[email protected]

Advertising/Sponsorship Opportunities: Bill Baumann, Publisher:
mailto:[email protected]
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