2017.10.10

1.Micromi--FPGAs can work with wideband RF transceiver now 

Microsemi Corporation has announced its cost-optimised, low power, mid-range PolarFire field programmable gate array (FPGA) is now interoperable with Analog Devices’ AD9371 wideband integrated radio frequency (RF) transceiver via a JESD204B interface. The AD9371 offers dual channel transmitters and receivers, integrated synthesisers and digital signal processing functions, which allows customers to utilise Microsemi’s PolarFire FPGAs to interface and interoperate with JESD204B, while utilising lower power implementation than competing devices.

The AD9371 offers dual channel transmitters and receivers, integrated synthesisers and digital signal processing functions, which allows customers to utilise Microsemi’s PolarFire FPGAs to interface and interoperate with JESD204B, while utilising lower power implementation than competing devices.


Microsemi’s PolarFire FPGAs feature a 12.7Gbps transceiver fully optimised to be area efficient and low power, resulting in total power of less than 90mWs at 10Gbps. Its intellectual property (IP) cores, which implement the transmitter and receiver interfaces of the JESD204B standard, are easy to integrate with JESD204B-based data converters.

They support link widths from x1 to x8, and link rates from 250Mbps to 12.5Gbps per lane using subclass 0, 1 and 2. While PolarFire FPGAs are suitable for multiple markets, the interoperability with Analog Devices’ AD9371 RF transceiver makes the devices particularly suitable for the wireless communications, defence and industrial markets, including high bandwidth applications such as remote radio head (RRH) and active antennae, test and measurement equipment, software defined radios, massive MIMO and small cells.

“PolarFire FPGA’s transceivers and our JESD204B IP enabled us to successfully perform a loop back demonstration quickly with Analog Devices’ AD9371 transceivers, validating their compatibility for customers looking to leverage the attractive capabilities of both devices,” said Govind Krishnan, Director of applications in Microsemi’s Programmable business unit. “Customers who purchase a gold or platinum Libero software license from Microsemi will also have access to our JESD204B transmit and JESD204B receive IP cores for their designs, offering ease of use for customers utilising PolarFire with AD9371.”

Microsemi offers a reference design for customers to run the JESD204B Interface on its PolarFire Evaluation Kit using the JESD204B standalone demonstration graphical user interface (GUI) application. The reference design is built using PolarFire’s high-speed transceiver blocks and the CoreJESD204BTX and CoreJESD204BRX IP cores. The reference design and GUI application are available for Microsemi’s Libero SoC PolarFire Design Suite. All customers with a Libero gold (included with kit) or platinum license can access the JESD204B IP cores for no additional fee. 

“Analog Devices’ collaboration with Microsemi on JESD204B interfaces adds to the already strong adoption of our high-performance ADCs and DACs in addition to our RF transceivers,” said Chuck Berry, Director of partnerships and ecosystems, Analog Devices. “With ongoing year-over-year growth in design wins for our JESD204B products, it is critical we create an ecosystem of complementary technologies such as Microsemi’s innovative PolarFire FPGAs. The interoperability efforts completed as part of this collaboration significantly reduces risk for customers using our technologies, and broadens the multi-technology collaboration between Analog Devices and Microsemi.”

Microsemi provides a complete solution for implementing the JEDEC JESD204B, a high-speed serial interface standard for data converters which reduces the number of data inputs and outputs between high-speed data converters and receivers. Microsemi’s CoreJESD204BTX (transmitter) can be used to interface to JESD204B-compliant DAC devices and its CoreJESD204BRX (receiver) can be used to interface to JESD204B-compliant ADC devices.


2017.10.11
Pricing of Its Cash Tender Offers Announced by 3M

This is a good news that in few days ago,3M Company (“3M”) (NYSE: MMM) announced the pricing of its previously announced tender offers to purchase for cash up to $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.70 percent notes due 2037 and 6 ? percent debentures due 2028 (each, an “offer,” and collectively, the “offers”). The terms and conditions of the offers are set forth in 3M’s offer to purchase dated Sept. 21, 2017 (the “offer to purchase”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the offer to purchase.Holders (as defined below) of each series of notes who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw in the offers (each series, a “series of notes,” and such notes, collectively, the “notes”) at or prior to 5 p.m., New York City time, on Oct. 4, 2017 (the “early tender deadline”), as reported by the tender agent and information agent, and whose notes were accepted for purchase by 3M, are eligible to receive the total consideration set forth in the column “total consideration” in the table below. Holders of notes who validly tender and do not validly withdraw in the offers after the early tender deadline and at or prior to the expiration date (as defined below), as reported by the tender agent and information agent, and whose notes are accepted for purchase by 3M, will be eligible to receive the tender consideration set forth in the column “tender consideration” in the table below.

	 	(1)	 	Per $1,000 principal amount of notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn and accepted for purchase in the applicable offer at or prior to the early tender deadline; included in the applicable total consideration for such series of notes.
(2)		Incudes the early tender premium (as defined below) per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each series of notes as set forth in this table.
(3)		
Per $1,000 principal amount of notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn and accepted for purchase in the applicable offer after the early tender deadline and at or prior to the expiration date; included in the applicable tender consideration for such series of notes.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the offers, holders or beneficial owners (“holders”) of notes who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their notes at or prior to the early tender deadline, and whose notes are accepted for purchase by 3M, are eligible to receive consideration, per $1,000 principal amount, equal to the applicable total consideration for such series of notes. The total consideration has been determined in the manner described in the offer to purchase by reference to the applicable fixed spread for such series of notes set forth in the column entitled “fixed spread” in the table above, over the applicable yield based on the bid side price of the U.S. Treasury Security set forth for such series of notes in the column entitled “reference security” in the table above, as calculated by the dealer manager (as defined below) at 11 a.m., New York City Time, on Oct. 5, 2017. The total consideration includes an early tender premium equal to $50 per $1,000 principal amount of such series of notes accepted for purchase (the “early tender premium”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the offers, holders who validly tender and do not validly withdraw their notes after the early tender deadline and at or prior to the expiration date, and whose notes are accepted for purchase by 3M, are eligible to receive consideration, per $1,000 principal amount, equal to the tender consideration for such series of notes. The tender consideration is equal to the applicable total consideration less the applicable early tender premium for such series of notes.
The withdrawal deadline of 5 p.m., New York City Time, on Oct. 4, 2017, has passed and the notes tendered pursuant to the offers may no longer validly be withdrawn, subject to applicable law.
The offers will expire at midnight, New York City time, at the end of Oct. 19, 2017, unless extended or earlier terminated (such time and date, as the same may be extended with respect to one or more series of notes, the “expiration date”).
3M’s obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, notes that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the offers is conditioned on the satisfaction or waiver by 3M of a number of conditions. 3M may amend, extend or, subject to certain conditions and applicable law, terminate any or all of the offers at any time in its sole discretion.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as dealer manager (the “dealer manager”) and D.F. King & Co., Inc. is acting as the tender agent and information agent for the offers. Requests for documents may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. at (800) 330-5897 (toll free) or (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers). Questions regarding the offers may be directed to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (866) 834-4666 (toll free) or (212) 834-3260 (collect). Copies of the offer to purchase, along with any amendments and supplements thereto, may be obtained for free at www.dfking.com/mmm.
This announcement is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to purchase or sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell, with respect to any securities. The offers to purchase the notes are only being made pursuant to the terms of the offer to purchase. The offers are not being made in any state or jurisdiction in which such offers would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. None of 3M, the dealer manager or the tender agent and information agent is making any recommendation as to whether or not holders should tender their notes in connection with the offers.
Forward-Looking Statements 
This news release contains forward-looking information about 3M’s financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “aim,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “target,” “forecast” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic, political, and capital markets conditions and other factors beyond 3M’s control, including natural and other disasters or climate change affecting the operations of 3M or its customers and suppliers; (2) the 3M’s credit ratings and its cost of capital; (3) competitive conditions and customer preferences; (4) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (5) the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; (6) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) due to shortages, increased demand or supply interruptions (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events); (7) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring; (8) generating fewer productivity improvements than estimated; (9) unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the 3M’s information technology infrastructure; (10) financial market risks that may affect 3M’s funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans; and (11) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the 3M’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (the “Reports”). Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under “Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results” and “Risk Factors” in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports). The information contained in this news release is as of the date indicated. 3M assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this news release as a result of new information or future events or developments.


2017.10.12

http://www.electronics-sourcing.com/2017/10/11/panasonic-develops-3d-lidar-sensor-enabling-3d-detection-distances-wide-angle-view/


Panasonic Corporation developed a 3D LIDAR Successfully


Sensor equipment

Sensor equipment that measures distance between the equipment and the object from the round-trip travelling time of the pulse laser that is projected to the object. sensor that accurately measure the direction of and distance to objects with a wide angle of view, which is critical for autonomous operation of mobile robots. Employing Panasonic’s propriety laser-scanning technology, this 3D LiDAR is capable of scanning the laser as wide as up to 60 degrees vertically and 270 degrees horizontally to achieve stable operation of autonomous robots. Sample shipments will start in January 2018.

The wide scanning angle of the newly developed 3D LiDAR helps the detection of objects on the ground precisely as well as the roughness of the ground surface. In addition, the range of scanning angles and the resolution can be tailored precisely by adjusting the rotation angle and speed of the mirrors in the system. This feature gives users accuracy and flexibility to choose the most appropriate conditions for the measurement depending on their usage. That will facilitate the wide-spread use of autonomous robots that navigate inside or outside facilities with moving objects around, including people.

+10.12.1

“Panasonic’s 3D LiDAR is one big step forward in the existing LiDAR ecosystem, with best-in-class wide angle detection range of vertical field of view of 60 degrees, and distance detection of 50m. Our 3D LiDAR will come up with IP65 protection and M12 plug, hence is capable of withstanding all types of outdoor conditions. Therefore, Panasonic’s innovative 3D LiDAR is a big value addition in the field of autonomous navigation. With our 3D-LiDAR, we expect to collaborate together with customers to develop applications for industrial forklifts, AGVs, mobile robotics, construction and smart buildings ecosystem." Sudhanshu Kapoor -- Business Development Manager in Panasonic Industry Europe saied. 

Autonomous robots need to detect the condition of the ground as well as the objects around them since they will be operated inside and/or outside facilities with many moving objects including people. Conventional 3D LiDARs that are designed for autonomous driving of automobiles cannot scan the laser in a wide range of vertical angles. Therefore, they cannot precisely detect the conditions of the ground. For this reason, conventional LiDARs need to be combined with other sensors that can detect the ground condition. This results in complicated configuration and the design of the autonomous robots. Suitable applications are  autonomous robots such as delivery robots, fork lifts, agricultural machinery, construction machinery and security systems.

NEW 3D LIDAR

This new 3D LIDAR from Panasonic has three outstanding features:

1.Wide view angles: 60 degrees in vertical and 270 degrees in horizontal directions
2.Variable detection settings for viewing angles and resolution in vertical
3.Accurate detection under strong sunlight

First:Wide view angles: 60 degrees in vertical and 270 degrees in horizontal directions

Existing 3D LiDARs cannot detect objects around them with wide view angles especially for the vertical direction. Panasonic developed the laser-scanning technologies utilizing its proprietary design of optical system and motor controlling technology to move the mirror that have been developed for the mass production of optical disk drives. The 3D LiDAR employs a single laser and moving mirror for the detection. Laser light travels the same optical path in the original optical system. The mirror moves toward two different directions by two motors. The single-path design and wide angle of the mirror-move enable wide view angles with 60 degrees in vertical and 270 degrees in horizontal directions. The 3D LiDAR does not require any additional sensors for the detection of the objects around including those on the ground, which makes the detection system in autonomous robots very simple.

+10.12.2

Second:Variable detection settings for viewing angles and resolution in vertical

Autonomous robots are required to detect the objects in the specified area. For example, autonomous robots do not need to sense the objects in details when they move on flat surface with less objects in the area. The object detection sensor can be scanned at relatively high speed according to the robot’s speed. On the other hand, in an area with many moving people or objects, it requires high sensing technologies with a wide angle of view. Furthermore, the sensor needs to examine the details of the object’s surface that has been detected. Panasonic’s new 3D LiDAR can easily vary the detection settings thanks to its unique laser-scanning technologies employed. Stable and time-effective operations of autonomous robots can be achieved by choosing the most suitable detection settings depending on the conditions of the areas where they will be used.

+10.12.3

Third:Accurate detection under strong sunlight

Autonomous robots also require the accuracy in detecting objects under strong sunlight. By making the return light follow the same path as the emitted laser, Panasonic has successfully reduced the noise induced by bright sunlight. As a result, the newly developed 3D LiDAR can be operated with high accuracy even under the light intensity of 100,000 lux that corresponds to strong sunlight in summer-time.

+10.12.4



2017.10.13

Vishay made RBSF1500 which rescue Ferris Wheel

It's reported by Vishay that 1.5kw range of all-welded wire-wound resistors have been made. This new resistors named RBSF1500,which spans 0.234 to 303 ohm and offer tolerances down to 1%.They are 508mm long and 63.5mm in diameter and weigh 1.9kg each.
+13.1

There was an accident happened in Wonderfair Wheel,North America's largest travelling Ferris wheel,was due to set-up at the Wisconsin State Fair in August,when,according to Vishay, “it was determined that the Ferris wheel’s existing resistors were failing and required immediate replacement.”

Standing 15 stories high with 36 gondolas, the Wheel relies on braking resistors for smooth deceleration.
Vishay Milwaukee had suitable RBSF resistors in stock and delivered 10 of them the same day – two for each of the ride’s four drives and two for spares.

+13.2

“In such a time-sensitive installation, it speaks volumes to the level of service Vishay Milwaukee provides,” Vishay director of product marketing Jerry Seams. “The RBSF series devices have performed perfectly – our engineers were able to ride the Ferris wheel with their families the following weekend.”
These are silicon-coated resistors. The glass-coated variant is RBEF1500.
It is lit by over half a million LEDs.
+13.3

https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/products/passives/1-5kw-resistors-rescue-ferris-wheel-2017-10/


2017.14
Vision-guided intelligent systems displayed at EVE 2017


At Embedded Vision Europe (EVE) 2017, Xilinx demonstrates responsive and reconfigurable vision-guided intelligent systems. Through conference presentation and demonstrations, Xilinx showcases how its tools, libraries and methodologies infuse computer vision, sensor fusion, and connectivity into vision-guided intelligent systems, enabling users to innovate, differentiate, and reduce time-to-market. Visit Xilinx at stand 9 at EVE, taking place 12th to 13th October 2017, at the International Congress Center (ICS), Stuttgart, Germany.

Xilinx in-booth technology showcase – booth 9:

Semantic segmentation with custom Convolutional Neural Network – Presented by Xilinx 
This demonstration highlights a design example of Semantic Segmentation to recognise the human body in the foreground - overlapped with green colour mask - from the background scene. In addition to the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC device and various I/O peripherals, the design contains a combination of image processing cores and a custom Convolutional Neural Network core with 19 layers and 8-bit fixed point weights based on FCN-AlexNet. The design was developed with the reVISION stack which includes the SDSoC development environment 2017.2 release with Xilinx deep learning libraries (xfDNN) and hardware accelerated OpenCV libraries (xfOpenCV).
Sensor Fusion with Xilinx All Programmable SoCs – Presented by Avnet 
This demonstration implements sensor fusion and image warping with a Python 1300 camera module and a thermal camera module on the Avnet PicoZed Embedded Vision Kit. The tool demonstrates the advantages of running hardware-accelerated OpenCV functions in the programmable logic of Xilinx All Programmable SoC devices.
MJPEG streaming with Avnet MiniZed board – Presented by Avnet
This demonstration features MJPEG streaming over WiFi with the Avnet MiniZed board in combination with a camera PMOD adapter board. This board is part of a cost-optimised development environment enabling the programming of Xilinx Zynq-7000 All Programmable SoC devices with traditional programming languages like C or C++.
Xilinx conference presentation:

Accelerating Embedded Vision and Machine Learning applications at the Edge
13th October 2017, 15.30–16.00pm.
The presentation will first summarise the compelling benefits of responsiveness and flexibility derived from All Programmable technology in embedded vision applications. It will then describe the new reVISION acceleration stack which enables software-defined programming using popular frameworks and libraries, putting those benefits in the hands of all embedded vision designers without requiring them to have access to hardware designers.

http://www.electronicspecifier.com/sensors/vision-guided-intelligent-systems-displayed-at-eve-2017


2017.10.16

Samsung Annouced Two New Image Sensors

As one of the world leader in advanced semiconductor technology,Samsung introduced two new ISOCELL image sensor: 1.28-micrometer (μm) 12-megapixel (Mp) ISOCELL Fast 2L9 with Dual Pixel technology while one is ultra-small 0.9μm 24Mp ISOCELL Slim 2X7 with Tetracell technology.

Depending on their key attributes,Samsung ISOCELL image sensors are devided into four categories--Fast,Slim,Bright and Dual.As market demand for sleeker smartphones with advanced features increases, ISOCELL Fast 2L9 and Slim 2X7 both offer high resolution image sensors in small chip packages, delivering detailed pictures in low-light environments without a camera bump.

ISOCELL Fast 2L9

With Dual Pixel technology, the ISOCELL Fast 2L9 delivers ultra-fast auto-focus at a reduced pixel size from the previous Dual Pixel sensor’s 1.4μm to 1.28μm. Dual Pixel technology employs two photodiodes in each and every pixel of the sensor instead of only one. With 12 million focus detecting pixels, the sensor is able to not only quickly focus on small still objects, but also lock on and track moving objects without losing focus, even in low-light environments. With smaller pixel size, the ISOCELL Fast 2L9 can fit into slimmer camera modules, enabling bump-less designs for smartphones. Dual Pixel technology especially allows depth-of-field effect for taking bokeh, or aesthetically out-of-focused photographs, through a traditional single lens camera.

ISOCELL Slim 2X7

At 0.9μm, the ISOCELL Slim 2X7 is the first sensor in the industry to have the pixel size below 1.0μm. Even with such a small pixel size, the Slim 2X7 is able to provide high color fidelity with less noise due to the improved ISOCELL technology’s deeper DTI (deep trench isolation) that reduces color crosstalk and expands the full-well capacity to hold more light information. In addition, the small 0.9μm pixel size enables a 24Mp image sensor to be fitted in a thinner camera module, allowing premium smartphones to offer high resolution cameras in a very slim and elegant design.

The ISOCELL Slim 2X7 is also packed with Tetracell technology, which lets the sensor take brighter photographs in the dark and more detailed ones in well-lit environments. Tetracell improves performance in low-light situations by merging four neighboring pixels to work as one to increase light sensitivity. In bright environments, Tetracell uses a re-mosaic algorithm to produce full resolution images. This enables consumers to use the same front camera to take photos in various lighting conditions. 

Ben K.Hur,the vice president of system LSI marketing at samsung electronics, said： “Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L9 and ISOCELL Slim 2X7 are new image sensors that fully utilize Samsung’s advanced pixel technology, and are highly versatile as they can be placed in both front and rear of a smartphone. What's more,Samsung plans to further develop the Dual Pixel and 0.9μm-pixel product categories, and expand applicable devices for ISOCELL image sensors that can enhance photographing experiences for consumers.”


https://www.electronicsmedia.info/2017/10/15/samsungs-new-image-sensors-bring-fast-slim-attributes-mobile-applications/