4G Signal to save Microelectronic SM

STMicroelectronics saves 4G signal...even when the going gets tough.

If you own a smartphone, you've experienced reception frustration. Enter an elevator, hold the phone incorrectly, or drive to Vegas from LA and your smartphone's signal will inevitably suffer. Worse, because the phone has to work harder to find a reception, the battery will drain much faster than it would than in an area with a strong signal.

STMicroelectronics is here with a solution: their new tunable capacitors keep 4G signals strong even when they falter. The capacitors compensate for changing conditions to ensure prime signal-power transfer between the smartphone's antenna and power amplifier. The new capacitors have a 5:1 tuning ratio, which the system can utilize to apply extra correction as needed. STPTIC devices meet linearity specifications of 3G/4G modulation and have high quality factor up to 2.7GHz, which ensures low insertion losses and maximum power transfer while saving battery life.

But the power drainage issue is also addressed by added lower parasitic resistance and inductance, so your device runs much more efficiently. The devices are promising, as 4G is now standard on smartphones and will soon evolve to 5G. The capacitors might save users everywhere from dropped calls and depleting battery.

How to Intel unveils in your device

Intel® unveils Thunderbolt™ 3, the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or peripheral device – including billions of USB devices.

Intel® unveiled the Thunderbolt™ 3, the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or peripheral device – including billions of USB devices.

“Thunderbolt™ 3 is computer port nirvana – delivering two 4K displays, fast data, and quick notebook charging”, said Navin Shenoy, vice president in Client Computing Group and general manager of Mobility Client Platforms at Intel Corporation. “It fulfills the promise of USB-C for single-cable docking and so much more. OEMs and device developers are going to love it.”

Users have long wanted desktop-level performance from a mobile computer. Thunderbolt was developed to simultaneously support the fastest data and most video bandwidth available on a single cable, while also supplying power. Then recently the USB group introduced the USB-C connector, which is small, reversible, fast, supplies power, and allows other I/O in addition to USB to run on it, maximizing its potential. In the biggest advancement since its inception, Thunderbolt 3 brings Thunderbolt to USB-C at 40Gbps, fulfilling its promise, creating one compact port that does it all.

Computer ports with Thunderbolt 3 provide 40Gbps Thunderbolt – double the speed of the previous generation, USB 3.1 10Gbps, and DisplayPort 1.2. For the first time, one computer port connects to Thunderbolt devices, every display, and billions of USB devices. In Thunderbolt mode, a single cable now provides four times the data and twice the video bandwidth of any other cable, while supplying power. It’s unrivaled for new uses, such as 4K video, single-cable docks with charging, external graphics, and built-in 10 GbE networking. Simply put, Thunderbolt 3 delivers the best USB-C.

At 40Gbps, it is the fastest connection to your computer. You can transfer a 4K movie in less than 30 seconds. You can connect two 4K displays with nearly 16 million more pixels than an HDTV.

Connect two 4K 60 Hz displays with astonishing resolution, contrast, and color depth to see your photos, videos, applications, and text with amazing detail.

Best Single-Cable Docking

Now, one compact port provides Thunderbolt 3 data transfer, support for two 4K 60 Hz displays, and quick notebook charging up to 100W with a single cable. It’s the most advanced and versatile USB-C docking solution available.

External Graphics

Gamers can now connect plug ‘n’ play external graphics to a notebook to enjoy the latest games at recommended or higher settings.

Thunderbolt™ Networking

Provides a peer-to-peer connection at 10 GbE speeds to quickly transfer files between computers, perform PC migrations, or set up small workgroups with shared storage.

Solutions and products built to Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 specifications will work with Thunderbolt 3 via an adapter.

Initial products with Thunderbolt 3 are expected to begin shipping before the end of this year, and ramp in 2016.

Technology Features

Thunderbolt™, USB, DisplayPort, and power on USB-C

USB-C connector and cables (small, reversible)

40 Gbps Thunderbolt™ 3 – double the speed of Thunderbolt 2

Bi-directional, dual-protocol (PCI Express and DisplayPort)

4 lanes of PCI Express Gen 3

8 lanes of DisplayPort 1.2 (HBR2 and MST)

Supports two 4K displays (4096 x 2160 30bpp @ 60 Hz)

USB 3.1 (10 Gbps) – compatible with existing USB devices and cables

DisplayPort 1.2 – compatible with existing DisplayPort displays, devices, and cables

Connect DVI, HDMI, and VGA displays via adapters

Power (based on USB power delivery)

Up to 100W system charging

15W to bus-powered devices

Thunderbolt™ Networking

10Gb Ethernet connection between computers

Daisy chaining (up to six devices)

Lowest latency for PCI Express audio recording

SOURCE: Thunderbolt Technology

Learn the origin of the international Digi in the cloud equipment

Who is Digi International?

For 30 years, Digi International has been supplying first-rate electronics for connecting wired and wireless devices (100 million devices to date, actually). They have an extensive line of RF modules, gateways, cellular routers/modems, embedded wireless system-on-modules, and single-board computers, all for connecting any device (Digi or not) across multiple communications networks. They provide off-the-shelf hardware for building (and scaling) an IoT or Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solution.

What is the Device Cloud?

In addition to excellent hardware, Digi International provides an M2M platform-as-a-service known today as Device Cloud. According to their Device Cloud Wiki page, “Device Cloud lowers the barriers to building secure, scalable, cost-effective solutions that seamlessly tie together enterprise applications and device assets. It makes connecting remote assets easy, providing all of the tools to connect, manage, store, and move information across the near and far reaches of the enterprise.”

In essence, Device Cloud provides a turn-key platform to connect devices, thereby shortening the design cycle required of engineering and information technology professionals. With shortened design cycles, developers and system integrators can focus on the functionality of an IoT or M2M solution, without having to develop complex software applications and setup infrastructure to host a platform. Plus, the Device Cloud web interface has ‘White Label’ capability, and can be reconfigured with a company’s brand, logo, color scheme, and hostname.

Is it just another IoT platform?

​No. Digi International has had a platform for many years now. It was simply known as iDigi for several years. But that all changed back in 2012 when Digi International acquired Etherios, Inc, a Salesforce.com Cloud Alliance Platinum Partner and creator of The Social Machine®. After completely overhauling the iDigi platform with the added benefits of Etherios’ world-class cloud computing services, Digi International re-branded iDigi as “Device Cloud by Etherios.” Today it is known as “Device Cloud.” Developers and users of Device Cloud now reap the rewards of Digi International combining forces with Etherios. 

What are the possibilities?

The applications and possibilities for Device Cloud are endless. Whether using Digi International’s hardware or custom hardware with Digi Gateways, any vertical market can leverage the platform to create highly reliable and secure device connections. Digi’s gateways can be accessed through open APIs and programmed in Python, allowing for edge devices to trigger webhooks or user-defined notifications, not to mention numerous automation capabilities.

How do I get started?

To get started with Device Cloud, I strongly recommend purchasing one of their xBee or Wi-Fi Cloud Kits, available at DigiKey. Click here for three options.

You can visit the Device Cloud webpage for more in-depth information.

Stay tuned to AllAboutCircuits.com for a step-by-step guide on getting a Digi Cloud Kit up and running with the Device Cloud platform.

USB 3.1 with visual and new changes in new technologies

Built on the USB 3.1 spec and much smaller than a standard USB-A connector, USB-C can provide enough power to charge a laptop, enough bandwidth to carry a display signal, and fast enough data speeds for almost any normal user.

Apple's new 12-inch MacBook has but a single port — unless you count the headphone jack — and it’s a completely new connector that almost no one has ever used before, breaking direct compatibility with millions of standard USB devices.

That connector, known as USB Type-C or just USB-C, is likely to become one of the most ubiquitous advances in the recent history of computing and consumer electronics. It’s the compact, reversible port that does everything, and this week’s Computex Taipei shows the first signs of it spreading to the wider world.

How's the USB-C rollout going? “We think it’s going great,” says Jeff Ravencraft, president and COO of the USB Implementers Forum, who calls early Type-C devices like the Nokia N1 tablet, the latest MacBook, and the new Google Chromebook Pixel “above and beyond our wildest dreams” for the first products to hit the market. Manufacturers like Asus have got on board with USB-C this Computex, too, and it’s hard to walk the show floor without coming across hubs, adapters, and cables that support the new standard.

“This is the fastest transition we’ve seen in 15 years or more,” says Ravencraft, “so knock on wood everything’s going extremely well and we’re really excited.”

Much of the initial attention around USB-C centered around its reversibility; Apple’s Lightning cables have shown how it’s hard to go back to struggling with asymmetrical USB jacks, and USB-C is the first standard solution to address the issue. But the connector’s potential functionality is just as important as its convenience. Built on the USB 3.1 spec and much smaller than a standard USB-A connector, USB-C can provide enough power to charge a laptop, enough bandwidth to carry a display signal, and fast enough data speeds for almost any normal user.

With the aid of a more sensible and functional hub than Apple’s ludicrous $79.99 MacBook adapter, you could charge your laptop and connect your monitor and peripherals with one single, easy-to-use cable, making for a seamless transition from cord-free mobile use to productive desk work. Just as the original USB connector eventually killed parallel, serial, PS/2, FireWire, and other ports, USB-C could spell the end for proprietary laptop chargers and dedicated ports like HDMI and Thunderbolt.

Intel helped deliver the first blow, announcing that Thunderbolt 3 would adopt the USB-C connector after previous iterations used Mini DisplayPort. Thunderbolt 3 stands on USB 3.1’s shoulders to deliver speeds of up to 40Gbps, letting you run two 4K displays at 60Hz through just one port. It’s a big vote of confidence for USB-C from Intel, and could encourage more PC makers to adopt the standard; Thunderbolt has never quite shaken off its association with Apple, as many others prefer to use HDMI over Mini DisplayPort.

SOURCE: The Verge.

Why It Matters:

Moving to a single cord is one step in the right direction toward becoming completely wireless. The USB-C may be the last iteration of the cord and, if not, it is certainly a fast and powerful enough solution to handle the latest stream of devices.