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Big Questions For Smart Meters: Energy Auxiliary Solutions Embedded World
Big Questions For Smart Meters: Energy Auxiliary Solutions Embedded World
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Contents
06 News
The latest developments, including a new ultra-low power MCU
10
31 Match Making
The benefits of integrating discrete components in to a single chip
Auxiliary Solutions
34 A round-up of some of the latest essential components
34
Editor: Ad sales: Head Office: Copyright 2013 Electronic Specifier. Contents of
Electronic Specifier, its publication, websites and
Philip Ling Ben Price ElectronicSpecifier Ltd newsletters are the property of the publisher. The
phil.ling@electronicspecifier.com ben.price@electronicspecifier.com Comice Place, Woodfalls Farm publisher and the sponsors of this magazine are
not responsible for the results of any actions or
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Designer: Publishing Director Kent. ME18 6DA publication. In particular, no liability can be ac-
cepted in result ofany claim based on or in rela-
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electronicspecifier.com 3
Editor’s Comment design
Operational A
Operational mplifiers
Amplifiers Low Dropout
Low Dropout Regulators
Regulators
MCP6441/2/4 MCP1710
Ŷ 450 nA quiescent current per Ŷ 20 μA quiescent current
channel Ŷ 2 × 2 mm DFN package
Ŷ Operating voltage down to 1.4V Ŷ Ceramic capacitor stable
Ŷ Small SOT-23 and SC-70
packaging Analog-to-Digital
Analog-to-Digital Converters
Converters
MCP3421 W
MCP3421 eight SScale
Weight cale Demo
Demo Board
Board
MCP342X ((MCP3421DM-WS)
MCP3421DM-WS)
Switching
Switching R
Regulators
egulators Ŷ 145 μA quiesc ent current
MCP16251/2 Sync Boost Regulator Ŷ Up to 18 bit rresolution
Ŷ 0.8V start-up voltage
Ŷ Operating voltage down to 2.7V
Ŷ < 4 μA quiescent current
Ŷ True load disconnect or Input to
Output bypass
Ŷ > 100 mA output with 1.2 VIN 3.3 VOUT
The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, dsPIC, MPLAB and PIC are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners.
©2013 Microchip Technology Inc. All rights reserved. ME1033BEng/04.13
News design
Cloud-based carer A quality sensor data needed by IoT applications and uses
A cloud-based self-learning algorithm is An environmental sensor combining internal calibration and compensation,
at the heart of a new Senior Lifestyle pressure, humidity, temperature and allowing it to detect VOCs in the ppm
System developed and launched by indoor air quality, based on MEMS range.
GreenPeak, using a network of ZigBee- technology, and measuring just 3.0mm The sensor is equipped with both SPI and
based sensor nodes distributed on each side, has been added to the I2C interfaces, as well as three power
throughout a home. The sensors relay Bosch Sensortec family. It can detect a modes, and proven configuration settings
back to a gateway which in turn broad range of gases, including Volatile are available for specific applications, such
connects to the algorithm that features Organic Compounds (VOC) from paints, as weather logging or indoor navigation.
advanced behaviour patter recognition. cleaning supplier and even office
It uses the algorithm to ‘learn’ the equipment.
normal daily activities of the people Bosch Sensortec has positioned the
being monitored, and raises an alarm sensor for the IoT, targeting personalised
when it detects abnormal behaviour. weather stations, indoor navigation, fitness
The solution doesn’t require people to monitoring, home automation and more.
wear devices, or use cameras, and so The combination of four sensors is
remains unobtrusive, says GreenPeak. intended to provide the kind of ‘real world’
6 electronicspecifier.com
design News
Debugging made simpler BLE for You and Me! well as getting to grips with the key
A patent for a power supply heatsink Future Electronics is running a series elements of the BLE protocol stack.
construction technique developed and of workshops to give designers a To register to attend a workshop, visit
submitted by TDK- Lambda has been chance to get hands-on with Cypress www.futureelectronics.com/en/promo
approved by the UK Intellectual Semiconductor’s new PSoC 4 BLE tions/EventsAndSeminars/Pages/inde
Property Office. It comprises traditional solution, which integrates its x.aspx or contact your local Future
surface mounted power components configurable mixed-signal platform representative.
and lead-based power with a Bluetooth Low Energy radio.
semiconductors on a traditional IMS The workshops are running across
(insulated metal substrate) board, but Europe between January and April.
uses double-sided adhesive tape that As well as providing tuition and a free
is both thermally conductive and Pioneer kit, attendees will learn about
insulating; no mechanical fasteners are the constraints and challenges
used. The board can subsequently be involved with developing low power
soldered to a main circuit board. sensor-based systems for the IoT, as
electronicspecifier.com 7
Market & Trends design
Complexity threatens growth in the IoT
The IoT needs a stronger focus on strategy. For consumers, they broaden the
choice of products available and greatly simplify
customers’ needs, the customer experience
the smooth integration of new connected
and the creation of partnerships, leveraging devices in their home. For manufacturers and
collaborative business models. By Jon service providers, such platforms offer APIs,
Carter, UK Head of Business Development – SDKs, tools and best practices, which reduce
development cycles and lead to a faster time-
Connected Home, Deutsche Telekom
to-market.
The connected home is often cited as the most The industry has already recognised the
compelling consumer-facing market in the importance of a joined-up approach to the
domain of the Internet of Things (IoT). While market. Google’s Nest recently announced the
much of the technology has been at our inclusion of 15 new partners into its smart home
disposal for some years, the market has yet to offer. Apple and Samsung have done likewise.
take off. Questions like ‘does this uplighter Deutsche Telekom has also built an open
support Zigbee, Z-Wave or Bluetooth? Will the connected home platform in Germany,
motion sensors be able to link to my lights and QIVICON, which is utilised by over 30 partners,
heating system?’ are set to become quite including Samsung, Miele, Philips, Osram,
common in our homes, unless we see a change Sonos, and Huawei. Nonetheless, there are still
from the route that the industry is going. I believe many segregated solutions and offers in the
that without simple and compelling propositions, market that are too focused on technology. To
and a focus on simplifying the technical drive mass market adoption, we as an industry
integration, much of the growth that the industry need to prioritise the customer’s needs and
is hoping to see realised, will not materialise. expectations. Offers have to answer clear
customer needs and be more than gimmicks
Admittedly, the connected home is a complex and gadgets.
ecosystem – both from a technical and a
commercial perspective. For example, I strongly believe that innovative and
manufacturers are increasingly confronted by collaborative business models will be the key to
multiple different communication standards and success. Mutual collaboration leads to a higher
protocols. An increasing range of companies degree of compatibility across devices and
across telecoms, energy, retail, construction and services, which in turn can create a larger set of
insurance have started their own initiatives to possible cross-connections and enhanced
explore the market’s opportunities. The end value for customers. Heating systems interact
result of all these efforts: a growing set of with door and window sensors, security
connected devices that can’t be connected systems and smoke detectors influence
outside their own segregated silo; further insurance tariffs. Why should I pay extra for my
confusing the market and limiting the value to home insurance, if I’ve made sure I have
the customer. In order to avoid this functioning smoke alarm, when others haven’t?
fragmentation, we believe a collaborative It’s the connections between previously
approach is needed. separated components, which constitute the
core benefits of a connected home. Here lies
Interoperable platforms constitute the the real value, which can only be unlocked by
foundation of a promising connected home mutual collaborations. t
8 electronicspecifier.com
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This year marks the 13th Embedded World Arrow Electronics (Hall 5, Stand 351) has adopted
Exhibition & Conference and, according to the a theme of ‘Intelligent Systems’ and will present
organisers, it is once again set to break its own a range of solutions on its stand, as well as its
record for attendees and exhibitors. The theme vision of intelligent systems that sense, connect
for this year’s event is simple; ‘We are the and control. Visitors to Arrow’s stand will be able
Internet of Things’, highlighting the importance of to see how its solutions apply to industrial,
embedded systems in a connected world. automotive and high-end applications. This will
The conference programme focuses on the key include a range of ARM Cortex-A and Cortex-M
elements of a networked society; quality, safety SoCs, FPGAs and module-based products,
and security. Spanning all three days, highlights along with intelligent power management,
include The McGuire Class on Open-Source Risk storage and memory solutions.
Management, the Ultra-Low Power Workshop,
and the Panel Discussion on Car-2-X During the show, Perforce Software (Hall 4, Stand 408)
communication. The programme overview will be debuting a new product specifically aimed at
provides further details of all presentation topics. the multi-domain simulation and model-based design
Meanwhile, we provide here a short preview of environment; Mathworks Simulink. It is intended to
some of the highlights from the exhibition floor, help design and test engineers to cooperate using
giving you a taste of things to come! models that are both protected and versioned.
10 electronicspecifier.com
design Preview
The Qt Company (Hall 4, Stand 308) will be low-power Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Smart, ZigBee and
showing off the latest release of the cross- Thread. Tuttle believes 2015 will be a ‘tipping
platform application and user-interface point’ where advances in low-energy design,
framework; Qt 5.4, at its stand. With this wireless protocols, application layer standards
release, the framework introduces a and SoC integration will converge to drive large-
Chromium-based browser engine called Qt scale deployments across all IoT segments.
WebEngine, which supports HTML5 hybrid Silicon Labs will also be presenting a number of
development to provide ‘future-proofing’ of papers throughout the conference, including
web technologies in an embedded application. ‘How to Design a Winning Wearable Product’
Represents from Qt Company will be on hand (Thursday, 3:30 - 4:00PM). It will also be giving
to demonstrate other enhancements to the away EFM32 Gecko MCU, 8-bit MCU and
framework, such as an improved 2D renderer Sensor development kits from its stand to
plugin that allows it to run on low-end devices qualifying developers.
that don’t have any GPU support.
Improvements to productivity are also Drawing from the strength of its ecosystem,
highlighted, thanks to an updated IDE. Xilinx (Hall 1, Stand 209) will be demonstrating a
range of All Programmable solutions for vision
As well as highlighting its latest hardware and applications, including a simultaneous
software solutions for the IoT, Silicon Labs (Hall localisation and mapping algorithm which is ‘key’
4A, Stand 128) CEO, Tyson Tuttle, will be to enabling self-parking vehicles. Another
delivering the opening day keynote, entitled demonstration, currently on display at the
‘Engineering the IoT, An RF Expert’s View on Museum of Mathematics in New York City, will be
Technology Trends and Challenges’. In addition available on the stand, which shows how high-
to discussing ultra-low power embedded resolution image processing contributes to a
wireless platforms, the keynote will also explore precision positioning system. There will also be a
the diversity of wireless technologies including number of demonstrations focusing on the
Conference overview:
electronicspecifier.com 11
Preview design
Smart Factory, and Xilinx will also deliver three
presentations during the conference.
12 electronicspecifier.com
design Preview
BIG IDEAS
IN MIND?
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innovations is here to help you take it to the next level.
toshiba.semicon-storage.com/eu/wearables
Preview design
With a focus on complete IoT solutions for
Industry 4.0, Unitronic (Hall 5, Stand 354) will be
demonstrating two examples on its stand; one
for Smart Homes and one for Industrial
applications. The company’s experts will be on
hand to discuss all the steps necessary in
creating a complete solution, from selecting the
sensors to storing their data on an optimised IT
structure. Individual steps will be illustrated using
sensors to collect data, wireless gateways to
aggregate the data and a server to process it.
from its suppliers. A wide selection of
development kits will also be on show, inviting
visitors to get ‘hands on’ with the technology.
One of the prizes on offer will be its own
WunderBar IoT Starter-Kit.
14 electronicspecifier.com
design Preview
Exhibition Floorplan:
Parkhaus Ost
Parking
Fachmesse · Exhibition
Fachmesse
Q Hardware, · Exhibition
Distribution, Dienstleistungen ServicePartner
Center
Hardware, distribution, services
Q Hardware, Distribution, Dienstleistungen
Hardware, distribution, services
Q Tools, Distribution, Dienstleistungen
Tools, distribution, services
Q Tools, Distribution, Dienstleistungen 12 11 10 8 7 7A
Tools, distribution, services NCC West Franken- S 10 NCC
Mitte 9 S 8/9 VIP
Ost 1
Q Anwendungs-Software, Distribution, Rotunde
halle
S9
S 6/7
S7
NCC Mitte
Dienstleistungen
Q Anwendungs-Software, Distribution,
S 11
Mitte
NCC
Mitte
S9
6 Ost
Application software, distribution, services
Dienstleistungen Mitte
Eingang
Messepark AusstellerShop
ExhibitorShop
S 5/6 NCC Ost Eingang
Entrance
Entrance
Application software, distribution, services Service-
VIP
Center
Mitte
S1
Mitte
S1
5 S4
VIP
Ost 2
West/
Mitte Funktions S 4/5
S 1/2
Q electronic displays Area
Center
1 4 4A
Q electronic displays Area U-Bahn / Subway Betriebshof
2
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Q M2M Area S 2/3/4 S 3/4
Q M2M Area Ot
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to order a cup of coffee, while Maxim Integrated’s new module aimed at the support of new IEEE
beer mug factory (first seen at electronica last P1687 (IJTAG) compliant devices that are
November) will also be present, which is
ew2015_Plan+Legende_v4_09-04-2014.indd 1
2015_Plan+Legende_v4_09-04-2014.indd 1
currently under development. Devised as an 09.04.14 13:35
09.04.14 13:3
empowered by Maxim’s Micro PLC platform. evolutionary extension to the basic IEEE 1149.1
and IEEE 1500 standards, it describes how
Test and debug tool vendor, JTAG Technologies embedded (test) instruments within a device or
(Hall 4, Stand 578), will be presenting SoC may be accessed using the conventional
CoreCommander and JTAG Translator for 4/5 wire JTAG port.
FPGAs. The former offers direct access to
memory and peripheral controllers in FPGAs, for RS Components (Hall 4, Stand 348) will be
testing, debugging and in-system programming showcasing the latest versions of its design
purposes, while the latter in an IP module that software packages DesignSpark PCB and
provides a JTAG interface to the internal IP DesignSpark Mechanical, as well as the very
connection bus of an FPGA, to which peripherals latest Raspberry Pi and Arduino boards and
and peripheral controllers may be connected. other open-source platforms. Visitors to the
In addition, there will be a demonstration of a stand will also see demonstrations of the
distributor’s 3D printing portfolio.
electronicspecifier.com 15
Energy design
16 electronicspecifier.com
design Energy
mean more investment in base stations. “Who is Another problem crops up in urban areas for
going to pay for a base station for one or two the short-haul transmissions with the different
farms?” asked Olivier Amiot, Marketing Director types of housings, and blocks of flats are
at Sierra Wireless. causing particular headaches. “Small houses
are relatively easy to cover,” said Lewis. “But
In urban areas, it may make more sense to use blocks of flats can have all their meters in one
optical fibre or have local hubs and use a short- room on the ground floor and you have to go
haul communications standard to link them with up through several floors to get to the displays
homes. Given short-range radio will be used in in the flats. One way is to use powerline
many cases within the home, this has its technology, but that is more expensive. The
attractions. But there is not even agreement on other is to use a sub-gigahertz version of
the best way to link the homes in neighbourhood Zigbee and that is being defined, but flats will
area networks, with proponents of both mesh still be the most difficult to cover.”
and star topologies.
The problems are exasperated because in a
“The advantage of star topology is it is better connected home the different meters – water,
suited to battery operated devices,” said Jon gas and electricity – may also need to
Lewis, Operations Director at Senaptic. “With a communicate with each other and maybe with a
mesh network, each node has to relay central hub, which brings with it questions of
messages, so that means each node will have interoperability. “Each region is picking a different
more traffic and its receiver has to be on all the frequency,” said Vivek Mohan, Senior Product
time. For electricity meters with their own power, Manager at Silicon Labs. “You need true
that is not so much an issue, but for battery- integration with different vendors’ meters talking
powered meters it is.” to each other. This can be quite difficult.”
electronicspecifier.com 17
Energy design
protect against malicious hacking that could requirements of these devices are less than
bring down the electricity network. what the smart meter needs. It comes down
to what the consumer will pay. They are not
“There are also concerns about the data being going to pay a lot for a door or window sensor.
used to learn about the use habits of people,” If they are too expensive, they will not be
said Jim Aralis, Chief Technology Officer at viable. So, do you need the same level of
Microsemi. “People can see this as an invasion security in home automation? That is a big
of privacy, especially if the smart meter is talking question and people are arguing both sides of
with your appliances in a connected home.” it. I think in five years we will have a common
Even though some of these security risks may be security protocol for this.”
remote, Aralis still believes they need to be taken
seriously: “With a meter, the potential of stealing The other problem on the meter side is the
an operator’s power is there,” he said. “But it is security has to be good for the life of the meter,
not huge. For the network, you need multiple which as said could be 15 to 20 years, or maybe
levels of security to stop people turning off the longer. But David Hughes, CEO at HCC
grid or overloading it. You need hardware and Embedded, believes the security that is available
software to stop this.” today is good enough: “Very few algorithms have
been cracked in recent years,” he said. “Most of
In home networks, there will also be different the hacks have been down to poor coding
security requirements at different parts of the standards rather than the algorithms used.”
network, which will make the communications
trickier. “People talk about common security He said that as long as people used higher
between, say, a thermostat and the smart coding standards, there would not be a problem:
meter,” said Mohan. “But the security “The communications side is not a problem as
18 electronicspecifier.com
Board Mounted Power
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20 electronicspecifier.com
design Energy
The smart meter programme will have the issues. For example, the noise on the networks
difficulty of still being in the development phase will be different because they have been
as it is rolled out and some of the early adopters designed differently.”
are going to find problems that have not yet been
considered. “There will be lessons learned from The key, he said, will be being able to adapt
the initial installations,” said Darchy. “There will be quickly to these discoveries: “We are not just
some surprises and difficulties to overcome. No going to be able to ship something and have it
country is the same and each will have their own work in every case,” he said. t
electronicspecifier.com 21
Energy design
22 electronicspecifier.com
design Energy
electronicspecifier.com 23
Energy design
Smart Grids must also be Streetwise
The use of sophisticated information money by reducing the need for field staff, it also
allows real-time data gathering that can increase
technology to control nation-wide utility
efficiency. With the move to ‘green energy’ it
delivery increases efficiency but introduces becomes all the more important to respond
new hazards. There are lessons to be learnt quickly to changing consumer demand and
from those with long experience of testing faults, and a smart grid makes that possible.
such critical infrastructures, according to
An electrical grid is fundamental to electricity
David Hill VP EMEA, Spirent delivery, but the use of electrical control grids
Communications extends to a whole range of national services:
transport, water and waste, gas supply and
According to the British government’s energy.gov industrial control systems all rely on instructions
website, the term ‘Smart grid’ generally refers to transmitted from a central controller to outlying
a class of technology people are using to bring switches or traffic signals. And in every case
utility electricity delivery systems into the 21st there will be potential benefits from upgrading
century. It’s a great idea, but with one major these into two-way smart grids allowing, for
drawback: the 21st century is becoming a example, the immediate detection of leaks in a
dangerous place for innocent newcomers – water main.
however smart. According to a US Defence
Secretary, attackers are targeting the computer Vulnerability
control systems that operate chemical, electricity What sort of communication is used on a smart
and water plants, and those that guide grid? The default option for most computer
transportation throughout the country, a cyber- communication is Internet Protocol, so that the
attack perpetrated by nation states or violent smart grid becomes an intranet linking all its
extremist groups could be as destructive as the parts. And when it comes to connecting
terrorist attack of 9/11. individual homes and far-flung sites it makes
good sense to connect via the ubiquitous
The idea of a smart grid is being applied across a Internet rather than lay new cables. This is exactly
wide range of public utilities, transport and where the greatest vulnerability can arise –
industrial control systems, but the most obvious welcome to the 21st century!
example is electricity, where a ‘national grid’
delivers power to homes and business via wires, In theory a utility smart grid could be totally
substations transformers and switches. This is independent of the Internet, running on its own
largely a one-way transfer, from power station to dedicated cabling across the nation. But in
the consumer. Meanwhile data from the users practice it often makes sense to use existing
and network infrastructure has traditionally been telecommunication lines rather than laying new
gathered by sending out staff to read meters, cables, especially to far-flung sites. The same
and engineers to inspect the system for broken thing has been happening in business
cables or faults. organisations, where previously independent
systems such as fire and burglar alarms, smoke
A smart grid, however, uses two-way detection, and industrial control systems
communication and computer processing to increasingly run across the same corporate IT
gather such information. This not only saves network.
24 electronicspecifier.com
design Energy
But even if an attempt is made to quarantine the So, consider this ‘thought experiment’, imagine
smart grid from the Internet, it is not easy to that you have won a prize to be the first civilian to
maintain that state. Corporate IT networks have fly to the moon. It’s exciting, but also scary. So
for years been facing the challenge of ‘network the NASA team spends a whole day showing
permeability’; whereas the earliest networks you the blueprint of the spacecraft and explaining
consisted of isolated computers linked by cables, all the fail safe and security provisions built in.
today’s networks have to cope with mobile staff That is encouraging, but still pretty scary. Now
plugging in their laptops anywhere on the imagine that you are also told that the same
network, also with wireless access from space ship has flown hundreds of moon
smartphones and with data transfer via USB missions and never once failed. That is far more
memory sticks. reassuring, because we humans do have an
innate sense of complexity and know that,
So, instead of sealing the network from the however smart the design, a complex system
Internet, the main focus has been on ways to run can only be proven by repeated testing.
secure services over the Internet. A host of
solutions are available, including firewalls, intruder And that is how it is with today’s complex IT
detection systems and deep packet inspection networks: you design in all the safety and security
devices to examine all the traffic on a network features that are needed, but you then submit it
and look for anomalies. These forms of to rigorous testing under realistic operating
protection are very necessary, especially for a conditions as well as extreme loads and attack
nation’s critical infrastructure where so much is at situations in order to make sure it is secure and
stake. Don’t be fooled by the argument that also to allow fine- tuning of the network for
public utilities rely on highly customised systems, optimal performance.
with no two alike, so that hacking them would be
impossible without insider knowledge. Hackers This sort of testing is critically important for the
have long known how to get such knowledge. sort of smart grids being planned for our national
Specific instances where intruders have utility infrastructure. The good news is that there
successfully gained access to these control are companies that have long experience in
systems are well documented. We also know testing IT and telecoms networks, and
these disruptive influences are seeking to create sophisticated tools are available to facilitate
advanced tools to attack these systems and testing of highly complex networks under real-
cause panic, destruction, and even the loss of world conditions. The first lesson from years of
life. However, as everyone with experience in IT network testing is that you need two types of
networks knows, every addition to a network, test: Security testing and performance testing.
however necessary, increases its complexity. And
that makes it harder to predict. The need for security testing against attacks and
system faults is obvious, what is less obvious is
The testing imperative that a complex network can develop surprising
So the real challenge for any national smart grid problems under varying loads. A telecoms
is this: how can we secure a highly complex network, for example, might be able to handle
system? Unless the engineers managing the grid hundreds of gigabits of data per second during
have long experience with complex networks – file transfers and yet fail at a much lower
the sort of experience gained over decades by bandwidth when handling a mix of different types
telecommunications and IT network engineers – of traffic – e.g. video and voice over IP. So it is
it is easy to underestimate this challenge. necessary not just to test its greatest data
Security vendors will assure you that their capacity but also to test how it performs under a
products will make the network utterly secure, whole range of realistic traffic scenarios and
and provide good reasons to justify their claims. combinations of traffic.
electronicspecifier.com 25
Energy design
Security testing should include three main unknown vulnerabilities, and today’s smart
stages. First the sort of assessment that test solutions have the flexibility to allow
might be provided by those security very detailed testing around the boundaries
vendors: an experienced eye looking over of normal operation. For example: what
the existing or planned grid for obvious happens when a system requires a long
weak points or vulnerabilities, and making pass-code to be input and an operator
sure they are protected. mistakes a capital ‘O’ for a zero? Does it
simply report an error, or does the wrong
The second stage is to simulate actual type of character crash the system? The
attacks under real-world operating best test solutions allow for ‘fuzz testing’ –
conditions. Today’s sophisticated test tools testing such variations from normal
not only simulate all combinations of normal behaviour to anticipate problems that might
operating conditions but also combine accidentally arise.
these with state-of-the-art malware attacks.
Most relevant to a national grid are the so- And then we come to performance testing.
called Denial of Service attacks that could Today’s networks have to carry many types
cut off users from the service and cause of traffic – data, video, voice, control signals
widespread panic. The most advanced test etc – and a range of different protocols for
tools are integrated with a cloud database each. It is not enough just to know the
that is kept up to date with every new maximum bandwidth capacity but also how
attack or virus as they occur, rather than the network behaves under a whole
waiting days or weeks for patches to be spectrum of different operating conditions.
distributed. The right test solution in the hands of an
experienced network test engineer will be
The third stage is to explore further for able to test the network to all its limits, and
26 electronicspecifier.com
design Energy
provide clear reports to show where infrastructure, including power plants, water
problems could occur. treatment facilities, and gas pipelines.
The ideal is, of course, to have a grid that In Britain, The Centre for the Protection of
can handle every operating condition and National Infrastructure is collaborating with
survive any type of attack or local fault, but the British Standards Institution to create
this is hardly realistic. The real value of a standards addressing a number of critical
comprehensive network test report is often concerns such as mail and food and drink
that it spells out the system’s limits, rather security. The Office of Energy Delivery &
than saying it is perfect. So, during a crisis, Energy Reliability’s Energy Delivery Systems
when a certain type of traffic is surging, the Cybersecurity web page also offers useful
grid operators know where the danger point guidelines for securing the grid.
lies and can take precautionary steps
before that point is reached. Meanwhile, it makes a lot of sense to speak
to any company that has spent years in the
What sort of standards exist for the security business of testing the performance and
of a nation’s critical infrastructure? In the security of the world’s most critical financial,
USA, the Department of Homeland Security government, medical and corporate
is working with service providers. But networks. Today’s utility grids are getting a
information sharing alone is not sufficient. It lot smarter, but to survive in the 21st
is essential to work with the business century they also need to be streetwise –
community, to develop baseline standards and that demands a whole lot of
for our most critical private-sector experience. t
electronicspecifier.com 27
Energy design
in pow
g- er ge
ldin n
ui erati
B on
Pictured: A new What if a building could generate its own material is doped and a ‘sandwich’ of n- and p-
BIPV facade at electricity, without the addition of external solar type materials is created. This single junction is
Hanergy HQ in panels? BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) covered with a layer of glass to protect it from the
Beijing, China. This is the idea of integrating photovoltaic materials environment. Efficiency for monocrystalline cells
facade, designed to into the fabric of the building itself, rather than is up to 25%, dropping to a maximum of 20.4%
resemble dragon installing separate solar panels. These systems for multicrystalline, but low light conditions and
scales, generates replace non-active parts of the building, such as high ambient temperatures can negatively affect
about 20% of the window glass or roof tiles, with modules that can performance.
total energy used by capture energy from the sun.
the building. In direct contrast, most BIPV modules use a
BIPV is a different concept to PV in a lot of ways. second-generation PV technology called thin-film.
In contrast to standard PV solar panels, BIPV In this technique, a photovoltaic material is
modules are dual-purpose – their mechanical deposited onto a glass, plastic or metal substrate,
function as a construction material complements in a film that’s between a few nm to tens of
their electrical function. Generating electrical microns thick. PV materials that are used for thin-
power from the environment therefore needs to film PV cells include cadmium telluride (CdTe) and
be considered right at the start of the copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS).
architectural process. Another way that standard Because there is so little material involved, the
PV differs from BIPV is in the technology used. cells are thin to the point of transparent,
lightweight and can even be manufactured on
The most commonly used technology behind mechanically flexible substrates. Other than the
traditional PV panels today is crystalline silicon, material and thickness of the layers, cell structure
which comes in two flavours: monocrystalline is similar to crystalline silicon, with n- and p-
and multicrystalline. Monocrystalline silicon uses doped layers forming a junction protected by an
wafers cut from a single, very large crystal of encapsulation layer, such as glass. R&D in recent
silicon, whereas the most common type, years has brought efficiency up to around 21%,
multicrystalline, is slightly less efficient but more however, some of the materials and
cost effective. In both cases, the crystalline manufacturing processes are toxic.
28 electronicspecifier.com
design Energy
Crystalline silicon prices have fallen dramatically station’s roof structure is made of thin-film PV
in the last few years, so rather than trying to panels; a no-brainer when you consider that
compete, thin-film solar has begun to focus Perpignan gets 220 days of sunshine every year.
more on niche applications like BIPV where the
unique properties of the technology are an The world leader in thin-film solar technology for
advantage. These attributes (mechanical BIPV is Hanergy, which claims its BIPV
flexibility, light weight and transparency) allow the components have superior low-light
price differential to be justified in these performance, high temperature resistance,
applications. customisable shapes and colours, stable light
transmittance, and improved malleability over
Growing market traditional panels. The company is based in
According to the latest market research from Beijing, China; as the country industrialises, the
market analysts Lux Research, Inc., the total applicable area for BIPV in China’s urban areas is
market for new thin-film products in 2024 is expected to reach 1.79 billion square metres in
1.2GW, driven primarily by BIPV. Solar roofing the next five years, with an estimated electricity
products have the most traction in BIPV today, generation of 61.5 billion kWh. According to
accounting for 425MW (around half the BIPV Hanergy, if BIPV can fill all these square metres, it
market), but facade modules will grow faster, will lead to the reduction in carbon dioxide
reaching 407MW in 2024. emissions of 52 million tons, equivalent to
planting 2.9 billion trees or offsetting the exhaust
A common example of a facade installation of emissions of 16 million cars.
BIPV is the CIS Tower in Manchester. This 118m
tall building was retrofitted with BIPV panels in Hanergy recently completed the first phase of a
2004 after its original facade deteriorated due to project to cover its Beijing HQ in BIPV modules
age. The photovoltaic panels generate around that look like dragon scales, with a generation
180,000kWh of energy a year (averaging 20kW), capacity of 600kW, which is 20% of the
which is fed into the National Grid. BIPV on a electricity demand of the building. These thin-film
roof might be exemplified by the installation in PV ‘scales’ have different shapes, colours and
Perpignan SNCF Station in the South of France, light transmittance rates, maximising visual
designed by Belgian architects ISSOL. The impact. When complete, the installation capacity
Figure 1: Heliatek’s
organic PV devices
use a tandem cell,
which allows
absorption of a
broad spectrum,
thanks to the two
different materials.
electronicspecifier.com 29
Energy design
will equal the energy demand of the building create domes that are energy self-sufficient by
(3MW), using BIPV in curtain-walls, skywalks, 2016. They plan to extend the PV material to
flexible roof installations and a carport. cover a quarter of the available surface and add
an energy storage and control system.
A special type of organic thin-film photovoltaic
material has been developed by Heliatek in Also expected to be up and running in the near
Dresden, Germany. This material uses future is the EU-sponsored SmartFlex project,
oligomers (small molecules), building on the which involves the building of a production line
success of oligomers in the OLED industry. for PV facade modules in Vilinus, Lithuania. Since
The company claims its materials are higher architects often find that their BIPV designs for
efficiency and longer lifetime than PV materials facade elements are either technically impossible
based on printed polymers (long molecules). or too expensive to be implemented, the project
Heliatek’s world record is just 12% efficiency includes specially-created design software used
for its solar cells, but the company says its to design BIPV modules in a variety of shapes
organic materials perform better in low light and colours, with the data sent directly to the
and at high temperatures than crystalline production line.
silicon and thin-film PV.
Initiatives like the SmartFlex project are making
Heliatek devices use tandem cells (two cells BIPV easier for architects to specify, while the
stacked on top of each other). The cells use development of new PV materials by companies
different materials which absorb at different like Heliatek is pushing the science forward.
wavelengths, making it possible to absorb Someday all built structures may be able to
energy from a broad spectrum using devices as produce their own electricity, but in the mean
thin as 500nm. A recent test application of time, BIPV projects are providing significant
Heliatek’s technology placed its organic solar amounts of renewable energy for consumers,
cells on the PVC membrane of an airdome in offices and industries. t
Berlin. These domes are used for sport, events
or emergency accommodation but they are
notoriously energy-hungry, requiring big fans.
This test project used 2m x 2m squares for a
A Paranet air- total coverage of 50m2, and produced 1.4kWp
dome with
Heliatek organic (peak) of energy, which is 5% of the energy
PV film integrated
into the demand of the dome. Heliatek, along with
membrane. In this the dome’s manufacturer,
test installation,
the green areas Paranet, expect to
provide 5% of the
energy required be able to
to sustain the
dome.
30 electronicspecifier.com
design Auxiliary Solutions
Match Making
There can be little debate about the benefits of the overall space needed and
the miniaturisation of electronics devices and drastically reduce the undesired
their ever-increasing functions, but they can give parasitic effects of the metal lines
designers headaches; when marketing (parasitic resistor, inductor and
departments freeze the form factor and capacitor). Designers working on
specifications of the end-device, designers and EMI rejection know a low-parasitic
pc-board layout experts must deal with it, making solution is crucial to avoiding
their jobs a balancing act. Once the core ICs multiple design and layout iterations
have been selected and placed on the board, and matching the specified pattern.
they must design basic, but essential, circuits for
impedance matching, ESD protection, line Integrating passive and active
termination, and filtering. components in a single package
additionally benefits the tolerance
Traditionally achieved with discrete devices, new range due to semiconductor
integrated solutions offer significant space process control. Matching components
savings compared to standard-size components processed on the same die from the same wafer
like 0402, 0201 or even 01005 Surface Mount is far easier than matching discrete components
Packages (SMD). The right trade-off between manufactured separately. For instance, ESD
flexibility and overall space savings is critical. protection on differential high-speed lines (HDMI,
Benefiting from their accrued in-depth application USB 3.0 …), matching the capacitance of the
knowledge, semiconductor companies have differential lines is far easier to achieve when
developed products for many design cases that using dual-line ESD protection (single package)
don’t compromise performance or board space. than two single-line ESD protection devices (two
separate packages from different lots). The use of
This space saving, won by integrating discrete integrated passive and active devices simplifies
components into a single chip, is the result of simulations and reduces the parameters involved
three factors. First, when integrating separate in corner-lot analysis. By replacing discrete
components on a die, semiconductor engineers components with an off-the-shelf solution,
can use a single bandgap to cover the complete designers accelerate time-to-market with an
die. Second, mounting a component on a pc- improved form factor and better performance.
board leaves a gap – called pitch – between
nearby packages to evacuate solder excess, As an example, STMicroelectronics’ ECMF02-
avoiding the ‘tombstoning’ phenomenon or other 3HSM6 – Common-Mode Filter embedding ESD
common assembly defects. Third, protection – or BAL-SPI-01D3 - outsmarting
interconnecting discrete components on a board ultra-miniature balun, which integrates matching
devours millimetres of metal lines and space- network and harmonics filter — enables 50% to
consuming vias, while semiconductor engineers 80% space saving on the pc-board and perfectly
can interconnect the discrete components on matches integrated components. Liberating the
silicon die with micrometers of metal lines. These constraints on pc-board size, these devices
tiny interconnections created by the speed up time-to-market and reduce both BOM
semiconductor process contribute to decreasing count and the cost of assembly. t
electronicspecifier.com 31
Auxiliary Solutions design
32 electronicspecifier.com
design Auxiliary Solutions
switching threshold which allows the interface to 2.5, 1.8, 1.5, 1.2, and down to 0.8 V.
slowly changing analogue signals without risk of
false triggering or oscillation. Single-gate AUP and AXP
configurable logic have
Inventory management a maximum static
A primary benefit of configurable logic is the number current
of Boolean functions it represents. In just about any dissipation of
development effort, the inclusion of control logic 0.9 μA and
generally occurs near the end of the project. Only 0.6 μA
after the key chip set decisions have been made respectively.
does it become clear which glue-logic functions are They have
required. In the past, to avoid delays in obtaining dynamic power-
samples of the correct function, a supply of all dissipation
standard functions must be maintained. With performance (CPD),
configurable logic, one device represents several of 3.1 pF and 2.9 pF
standard and non- standard functions. Therefore, respectively. These ratings show that AUP and AXP
the number of different devices required in stock can are the lowest-power logic solutions in the industry.
be greatly reduced. The same approach can be
taken to reduce the total number of items on a bill of Advanced packaging
materials, simplifying manufacturing logistics. It can Another concern is reduced footprint, especially
also be extended to component qualification: if for mobile and portable designs. Configurable
several functions are all configured from a single logic is available in a 10-pin TSSOP package, as
device, only one component requires qualification. well as in smaller footprint, leadless 10-pin XSON
and XQFN packages. The XSON10 represents
Saving power is one of the major concerns facing an 89 % footprint reduction compared to the
design engineers today. Designers are also looking to leaded TSSOP10. This footprint reduction
increase performance, by adding features like increases flexibility in space-constrained layouts.
graphical user interfaces, wireless connectivity, and It also allows the use of smaller PCBs and the
longer battery life. NXP’s configurable logic is available potential cost reductions they enable.
in the low-voltage CMOS (LVC) family, the advanced
ultra-low-power (AUP) family, and in the advanced, By realising multiple functions within a single
extremely low-voltage and power (AXP) family. The package, configurable logic increases design
LVC family has a wide supply voltage range of 1.65 V flexibility, reduces inventory cost, and enables
to 5.5 V. It is fully specified at supply nodes of 5.0, 3.3, faster qualification in end-user applications. Now,
2.5, and down to 1.8 V. For power-sensitive with NXP’s new dual PCB configurable logic
applications, the AUP family has a supply range of devices - single-package solutions each
1.1 V to 3.6 V. It is fully specified at supply nodes of containing two configurable logic devices -
3.3, 2.5, 1.8, 1.5, and down to 1.2 V. For further engineers have an even greater degree of
power savings, the AXP family has a supply range of freedom when it comes to finding a low-cost
0.7 V to 2.75 V. It is fully specified at supply nodes of way to use glue logic in a design. t
The Dual PCB Configurable Logic product line is the centrepiece in a design contest featuring products from
NXP Business Units, including Logic, Smart Analog, Load Switches, Protection and Filtering, Small Signal
Mosfets, Small Signal Diodes, and more. The Dual PCB Configurable Logic Contest will be this year’s entry
in the 2015 Big I.D.E.A. (International Design Engineering Award) sponsored by NXP and Mouser. The con-
test launched worldwide in January 2015 with huge cash and merchandise awards for the most creative design
using all the NXP products together in one application solution. The contest entails engineers navigating from
the sign-up process, through an on-line schematic tool, to working with a demo board in the final submission.
Prizes are awarded at every stage of the contest, so more engineers can qualify, regardless of how far they
progress in the contest. www.thebigidea2015.com
electronicspecifier.com 33
Auxiliary Solutions design
A pre-charge relay aimed
specifically at heavy-load
battery powered systems,
such as electric and hybrid
vehicles, has been developed
by Omron. It aims to reduce
very high inrush currents
typically experienced on start-
up, it achieves this by
switching on briefly to charge
the capacitors in the
controller and inverter circuits
through a current-limiting
resistor.
supports customer-
specific contact variants.
34 electronicspecifier.com
design Auxiliary Solutions
A new series of medium power film Targeting mobile and consumer devices,
capacitors from AVX, the FLA Series, has Cypress Semiconductor has introduced
been designed specifically for AC filtering in what it believes is the industry’s
power converters, UPS systems, and solar smallest USB 3.0 Hub Controller;
and wind inverters. They feature ‘self-healing’ measuring just 6mm x 6mm. The EZ-
properties and an internal overpressure USB HX3 can be configured via I2C
disconnector. They also exhibit high ripple eeprom or slave, or via GPIO, allowing
current and extremely high dielectric strength developed to configure the PHY drive
in operating temperatures spanning -40 to strength, number of downstream ports,
+80°C. Unlike aluminium capacitors, the power switch polarity, LED indicators
polypropylene capacitors do not have a and more. It also offers a ghost
catastrophic failure mode; as film capacitors charging mode for charging devices
they simple experience a parametric loss of without a host, as well as supporting
capacitance of around 5% but continue to the USB-IF Battery Charging V1.2
operate. specification. It’s also the first
SuperSpeed USB hub controller to offer
an Accessory Charger Adaptor Dock
(ACA-Dock) feature, says Cypress.
electronicspecifier.com 35
Auxiliary Solutions design
The new Han M Plus range of
connectors from Harting incorporates
effective protection against extreme
environmental influences, through the
use of an additional polyurethane
coating which not only increases its
impact resistance but also protects it
from extreme mechanical and
chemical influences.
Getting power to a board can always be a competitive products, says Molex. Nano-Fit
challenge, so developers might be interested to connectors offer a 2.5mm pitch rated at up to
learn that Molex has increased its range of wire- 4.0A; an effective PCB space saving of 69%,
to-board connectors with the Nano-fit and while the Ultra-Fit mix a 3.5mm pitch with 12.0A
Ultra-Fit families. They address size and current rated current; equal to a 20% saving. Both
density, and pitch and row spacing, to deliver families use the company’s Micro-Fit, Mini-Fit and
more power per linear and square millimetre than Mega-Fit connector systems.
36 electronicspecifier.com
design Auxiliary Solutions
electronicspecifier.com 37