Advances and Trends in Embedded Memories

This presentation will give an insight into the current state of embedded memory. Starting with an overview of memory technologies, it will then touch on various memories like DRAM, SRAM, Flash as well as areas such as FRAM, MRAM, Phase change and Carbon Nanotube memories.

It will provide a quick snapshot of the major memories in question, with emphasis on technology status, adoption factors, competing technologies, and some key innovations in the same.

Efficient, Reliable Digital Power Conversion: A New Paradigm

Power supplies not only face extremely high standards for efficiency and power density, but also for maintaining communication with other systems, taking appropriate action in emergencies.  Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) with specialized on-chip peripherals now enable the implementation of numerous digital power-conversion topologies and control schemes, in order to meet these high levels of performance.  This paper will present practical tips that designers can use to achieve these goals, beginning with selection of the appropriate hardware architecture.  The effects of Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) switching speeds, Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) conversion rates, and analog comparator capabilities on system performance will be discussed, as will a software-driven Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) algorithm.  Modern Switch-Mode Power Supply (SMPS) topologies will be presented, including a DC/DC dual buck converter and a pure sine-wave inverter, to demonstrate how peripherals and control schemes can be implemented for optimal digital power conversion.

Test Solutions for Debugging in a Mixed Signal World

As the complexity of today's electronic designs rises with the increase in digital and serial contents, engineers are working with 'mixed-signal' designs which conain substantial mix of both analog and digital technology and designers are increasingly requesting for equipment that allows them to time-correlate both the analog and digital domains in a single instrument. This session aims to address the different challenges engineers face when attempting to measure analog, digital and serial in a single design.

Visual Modeling Technologies on Embedded System Development

The demands on systems and software developers for real-time embedded applications have been growing at an alarming pace. There is mounting pressure to create more complex applications in shorter development cycles, with fewer resources and reduced budgets. Manual methods of analysis, design, implementation, test, documentation and deployment are too slow and error prone to maintain a competitive position in the global economy. Faster, better and less expensive methods of developing complex applications are critical to meeting market demands and staying ahead.