Atomic clocks have shrunk from room-sized assemblies to PC-board mountable modules, admittedly with lower performance than their big siblings but still far better than crystal-based timing alternatives. Atomic clocks are based on the transitions of energy states of specific elements such as cesium, ytterbium, rubidium, and others under specific and tightly controlled conditions. They are […]
FAQ
Catch that glitch: Finding race conditions
Among the problems circuit designers have to contend with in their fast and complex electronic environment are race conditions. The term used to be exclusively applied to electronic logic problems but has now been adopted by software engineers working on multithreaded programs. Briefly, software race conditions arise in multithreaded software when multiple threads attempt to […]
Battery safety standards and testing
Lithium-ion battery (LIB) safety is a major concern for designers. LIBs are generally safe to use if they have been properly manufactured and are integrated correctly into systems. However, the use of sub-standard materials and the possibility of manufacturing or design defects can result in hazardous conditions. As a result, there are many global safety […]
What is EMI and how can you prevent it?
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is an electromagnetic emission that causes a disturbance in another piece of electrical equipment. EMI can be attributed to a wide span of the electromagnetic spectrum including radio, DC and even microwave frequencies. Because anything that carries rapidly changing electrical currents gives off electromagnetic emissions, it is quite common for one object’s […]
Magnetics for Power over Ethernet
Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) delivers power to remote powered devices (PDs) over twisted-pair Ethernet cables up to 100 meters long. Over time, the standard has evolved and can now deliver up to 71W, making it useful for a wide variety of applications, including network routers and repeaters, VoIP phones, IP security cameras, wireless and Bluetooth access points, […]
Transformers for ultrasonic sensing applications
Ultrasonic sensing is used in various automotive and industrial applications ranging from liquid level sensing to robot obstacle detection and automated parking assistance. Transformer-based designs can produce highly accurate solutions with maximum ranging distances. This FAQ will review several applications for ultrasonic sensing, compare the capabilities of transformer drive with direct drive solutions, and then […]
18650, 21700, 30700, 4680 and other Li-ions – what’s the difference?
There are many sizes of cylindrical lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells, and the number of sizes continues to grow. Some are optimized for use in simple devices such as toys and flashlights; others are mainly found powering portable electronics and electric vehicles. This FAQ begins by reviewing the broad landscape of cylindrical Li-ions, including protected and non-protected […]
Electronic engines valves: an idea whose time has come…and gone?, Part 4: The camless outlook
The electronically controlled, cam-free internal combustion engine seemed like a good idea, but technical and market realities stifled its acceptance. The camless engine is more than just a dream. In addition to working prototypes Sturman, Camcom, and Freevalve, manufacturers such as International Truck and Engine Corp (part of Navistar) had planned to use it in […]
Gate drive transformer specifications and applications
Gate drive transformers are often a good solution for providing galvanic isolation in high-voltage and high-frequency applications where fast and accurate signal timing is critical. A gate drive transformer is optimized to handle fast-rising and fast-falling rectangular pulses to turn power switches “on” and “off” in switching power converters. Although many gate drive transformers have […]
Don’t touch that! Things they don’t teach you in circuits lab
The domain of most electronics engineers these days is confined to voltage levels ranging from microvolts on up to a few hundred volts. But when electronic equipment fails or there’s a problem with facility wiring, these same engineers may, in a pinch, be called upon to do basic troubleshooting of power levels far beyond their […]
