EETimes - January 1, 2007 - (Page 55) Warning : session_start : The session id contains invalid characters, valid characters are only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 in /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 9 Warning : session_start : Cannot send session cache limiter - headers already sent output started at /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php:9 in /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 9 Warning : Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by output started at /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php:9 in /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 10 ee ProductCenter For more information, go to www.eeProductCenter.com Light Sensors By Gina Roos Ambient sensors lessen eye strain cited by suppliers AMI Semiconductor, Avago Technologies, Capella Microsystems, Osram Opto Semiconductors and Vishay Intertechnology. Riding the innate versatility of their products, manufacturers in some cases pitch their ambient-light sensors for both mobile devices and automotive applications. The AMIS-74980x ambient-light sensor from AMI Semiconductor Pocatello, Idaho , for example, automatically adjusts a display’s brightness based on its operating environment and works equally well in natural sunlight or under fluorescent, conventional incandescent or halogen lamps, AMI said. The device’s low dark current enables the controller to adjust the brightness of a display even in low-light environments. the company said. Similarly, Osram Opto Semiconductors San Jose, Calif. said the adaptability of its ALS SFH5711 ambient-light sensor makes it suitable for mobile devices and automotive applications. The device accurately matches or imitates the sensitivity of the human eye, the company said, enabling more-precise adjustment of device displays and their brightness. The ALS SFH5711 is suitable for cockpit dimming and headlight control, according to Osram. The “human eye” properties of the ALS SFH5711 make it easier for users to read the displays on mobile phones, Capella Microsystems designed its power-saving Filtron family to appeal to designers of portable products. PDAs and other mobile terminals used ith their ability to react and adjust to the amount of light in their environment, ambient-light sensors are applicable to a broad range of systems, from consumer electronics and automotive apps to LCD backlighting controls. They lend themselves particularly well to mobile-device applications, since they can adjust automatically to a display’s brightness, conserve system battery life and operate in lighting conditions provided by all kinds of light sources, from natural sunlight to fluorescent and incandescent lamps. One common theme in recent product announcements is that ambient-light sensors can match or mimic the human eye in their ability to respond to surrounding light. That goes a long way toward reducing eye strain in LCD viewers. Such benefits have been W AMI Semiconductor’s AMIS-74980x can adjust a display’s brightness to compensate for poor lighting conditions. as handhelds or in cars in a variety of lighting conditions. The properties were developed through a new material that replaces traditional silicon, Osram said. The logarithmic amplifier integrated circuit can detect a wide brightness range, from 3 lux to more than 30,000 lux, with great accuracy and without the need for various series resistors, enabling smaller and moreaccurate system designs, the supplier said. Avago Technologies Inc. San Jose specifically designed the APDS-9004 ambient-light photosensor to control the backlighting of mobile-device displays. Notebooks, DVD players, digital cameras and mobile phones can all save power and extend the lives of their LCD screens by tapping the sensor’s automatic adjustment feature. The device controls backlighting based on predetermined conditions set by the manufacturer. CO N T I N U E D ON PAGE 60 Cam phones hit 3 Mpixels By Gina Roos Seoul, South Korea — Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. says that its 3-megapixel CMOS image sensor with a 0.25-inch lens aperture and 1.75-micron pixel can deliver digital still camera picture quality to mobile handsets. Suitable for ultraslim camera phones, the device combines Samsung’s highresolution sensor technology with a high-speed interface, while reducing a camera’s module size by 30 percent over a conventional 3-Mpixel CMOS image sensor with 2.25-micron pixels and 0.33inch lens aperture. The small form factor also means the image sensor can replace a 0.25-inch, 2-Mpixel CMOS sensor module because they share the same footprint. The image sensor shows no degrading in picture quality compared with the 3-Mpixel model, Samsung said. The device, set for mass production in the first quarter, will be fabricated in 90-nm copper process reduces distance between the microlens and photodiode. Samsung’s proprietary 90-nanometer copper process. The technology cuts the distance between microlens and photodiode, maximizing light-gathering efficiency to overcome the potential decline of image quality as the pixel size scales down. www.samsung.com Top 10 hot products These were the most popular products last week on eeProductCenter.com, ranked by page views. Enter the article ID number into the Web site’s search field for more information on a given product. 1 2 3 4 5 Thermal gap filler cools hot pcb components Article ID: 196700245 Conversion module puts RS-232-to-USB in a connector Article ID: 196700830 3.5-inch SOG LCD module displays high-definition images Article ID: 196701290 Microchip packs 18-bit deltasigma A/D in SOT-23 package Article ID: 196604074 ARM-equipped modules acquire GPS signals, generate reference Article ID: 196700488 6 7 8 9 10 10GbE serial transceiver employs DSP equalizer technology Article ID: 196701145 ARM9 MCU touts 41.6-Gbit/s on-chip bandwidth Article ID: 196603113 PCI Express switches solve I/O connectivity challenges Article ID: 196602951 Clock oscillators deliver low jitter Article ID: 196700222 Dual 14-bit A/D supports 3G and WiMax basestations Article ID: 196700642 www.eetimes.com January 1, 2007 | Electronic Engineering Times 55 Warning : Unknown : The session id contains invalid characters, valid characters are only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 in Unknown on line 0 Warning : Unknown : Failed to write session data files . Please verify that the current setting of session.save_path is correct /var/lib/php/session in Unknown on line 0 http://www.eeProductCenter.com http://eeProductCenter.com http://www.samsung.com http://www.eetimes.com Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of EETimes - January 1, 2007 Contents My new HDTV is sharp - for watching ’50s B&W 802.11n becomes spec for home video stream ConsumerSpecial Consumer electronics' winners for innovation Crosstalk Power draw becomes issue for data centers Pair of DSPs tune in to high-definition audio Free modeling tool aims for small firms Ada enhances embedded effort UndertheHood HotProducts LightSensors Ceramic caps change design, double ratings EETimes - January 1, 2007 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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