by Dialog Semiconductor LED displays are widely used in systems ranging from digital clocks, counters, timers, electronic meters, basic calculators, and other electronic devices capable of displaying numerical information. Figure 1 depicts an example of a 7-segment LED display which can show decimal numbers and characters. As each segment on the LED display can be […]
FAQ
Understanding stop/start automobile-engine design, Part 3: The battery situation
The stop/start approach has significant implications for the car’s battery and battery management system (BMS). Q: How does the battery charge/discharge cycle function in a non-stop/start vehicle? A: In a car without a stop/start system, starting the engine is a one-time event for the duration of the trip. While the engine is running, it also […]
Want to kill Covid? 30 sec under 285-nm UV-LEDs will do it
Researchers from Tel Aviv University found that UV light at a wavelength of 285 nm was almost as efficient in disinfecting the Covid virus as a wavelength of 265 nm, requiring less than half a minute to destroy more than 99.9% of the coronaviruses. They say this result is significant because the cost of 285-nm […]
Understanding stop/start automobile-engine design, Part 2: The starter motor
The previous part of the article provided the context and rationale for stop/start operation in cars with internal combustion engines. This part will look at its impact on the starter motor itself. Q: Which vehicles need a starter motor and why? A: Electric motors do not need a starter, as they self-start and rotate when […]
Understanding stop/start automobile-engine design, Part 1: The idea
Today’s motor vehicles are vastly different compared to those of just a decade ago. This article will look at a relatively new “feature” (some say an unneeded and unwanted one) called “stop/start” which is increasingly standard on many internal combustion and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Q: What is stop/start? A: It’s a simple idea, at […]
The basics of AC motor drives and controllers
AC drives are used to bring about the process and quality improvements in industrial and commercial applications’ acceleration, flow, monitoring, pressure, speed, temperature, tension, and torque. Most basic AC drives include a rectifier section, a DC link, an inverter, and a control section, usually based on a microcontroller or microprocessor. There are several drive topologies […]
The basics of AC motors and their applications
The two main types of AC motors are induction motors and synchronous motors. The induction motor (or asynchronous motor) always relies on a small difference in speed between the stator rotating magnetic field. The rotor shaft speed is called slip to induce rotor current in the rotor AC winding. As a result, the induction motor […]
Driving brushed and brushless DC motors
DC motors are available in various electrical configurations and, except for brushless DC (BLDC) motors, are relatively simple devices. As a result, driving brushed DC motors is a relatively simple process. As shown below, BLDC motors require a more sophisticated approach. A “motor drive” is not even necessary with brushed dc (BDC) motors in some […]
How to design modular dc-dc systems with modules, Part 5: Load considerations
The previous tutorials in this series addressed the appropriate filtering, stability, and protection concerns for power modules when used as elements of a complete DC-DC power system. This tutorial is focused on the load-specific aspects of a system designed with power modules. It was once possible to conceptualize the load supplied by a DC-DC module […]
Testing power consumption and batteries for wireless IoT nodes and wearables – Virtual Roundtable (part 2)
In this second part of EEWorld’s virtual round table on testing power consumption and batteries for wireless IoT nodes and wearables, our panelists delve into the nuances of complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) testing and predicting actual battery performance. Our panelists include: Janet Ooi (JO), IoT Industry Solutions Lead at Keysight Technologies, Shah Hassan (SH), […]