Neubiberg, Germany and El Segundo, Calif., USA: International Rectifier and Infineon Technologies reached an agreement whereby Infineon will license International Rectifier’s patented power-management packaging technology called DirectFET.
Designed for use in ac-dc and dc-dc power-conversion applications in computers, notebooks, telecommunications, and consumer electronics devices, the DirectFET power package is a surface- mount power MOSFET packaging technology for efficient topside cooling in an SO-8 footprint or smaller. Compared to standard plastic discrete packages, DirectFET’s metal can construction enables dual-sided cooling to effectively double the current handling capacity of high-frequency dc-dc buck converters.
Infineon will deploy the DirectFET power package technology with its OptiMOS 2 and OptiMOS 3 chip technology. The company expects to sample the OptiMOS 2 in DirectFET packages early next year.
Emerson to buy Motorola’s ECC business
St. Louis, Mo., and Schaumburg, Ill., USA: Upon reaching an agreement, Emerson announced that it will acquire Motorola’s Embedded Communications Computing (ECC) business for $350 million in cash. Motorola’s ECC business had 2006 revenues of approximately $520 million in 2006.
Once the transaction is completed, Motorola’s ECC business will become part of Emerson Network Power. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this year and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Motorola’s ECC business, which is based in Tempe, Arizona, USA, has approximately 1100 employees. The business has driven open standards and pioneered technologies based upon them since it was formed back in 1980.
For Emerson, the transaction enhances its ability to meet the embedded computing needs of customers in telecommunications and other industries. For Motorola, the transaction sharpens its focus on its core businesses and technologies and provides additional capital to drive further growth and enhance shareholder value.
“We are excited to add Motorola’s Embedded Communications Computing business to the Emerson portfolio of businesses,” says David N. Farr, chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Emerson. “The combination of Motorola’s ECC business with the $100 million embedded computing business we acquired as part of Artesyn last year establishes Emerson as a leader in the embedded computing industry. Through this transaction, Emerson can provide greater capabilities to our customers as they adopt advanced new technologies and expand applications for their customers.”
Emerson Network Power and Motorola ECC embedded computing technologies feature the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (AdvancedTCA) and Micro Telecommunications Computing Architecture (MicroTCA) industry standards. Major telecom companies have adopted these standards because of their ability to increase network capacity while lowering the total cost of ownership, says Emerson.
Board-to-board converters... 3 million and counting
Stockholm Sweden: Ericsson Power Modules recently shipped its three-millionth board-to board dc-dc converter.
Ericsson introduced this technology in 2004. Since then, the reduced use of epoxy mouldings, ceramic substrates, and leadframes, along with the use of lower thermodynamic subassemblies, has contributed to cutting the board-to-board modules’ mass by 30%. This means they require less energy during the manufacturing process and when being assembled into customers’ equipment.
Safety platform expands protocol options
Oxfordshire, England: Green Hills Software announced its collaboration to add support for CANopen, IEEE 1588, and EtherNet/IP protocols to the company’s Platform for Industrial Safety. These protocols can now execute safely and reliably when combined with Green Hills Software’s RTOS.
“Freescale’s 32-bit PowerQUICC processors work with proven device software optimisation technology from Green Hills to enable creation of world-class industrial automation, medical, avionics, and defence products that run some of the most demanding protocols in the industry,” says Glenn Beck, industrial marketing manager for Freescale.
“With this expanded support, Freescale Semiconductor and Green Hills Software are in a position to further reduce product time-to-market while increasing device reliability.”