IMS2012 Wrap Up / Testing LTE-Advanced Networks

	Share this Newsletter: July 5, 2012

Issue Highlights IMS2012: Show in review How to test carrier aggregation in LTE-Advanced networks Editor's Note Welcome to this week's edition of the RF&Microwave Designline newsletter. Today's top story includes a review of some of the products I saw at IMS2012. In general, I'd say it was a really good show that offered great opportunities for learning in the technical sessions and for seeing what's new on the exhibition floor. Thanks IEEE/MTT-S. I'd also like to call your attention to a special offer. If you are attending Design East this year (September 17-20 in Boston, MA), you can score 30% off with a special promotion that runs from now until July 14th. Simply use the promo code RFM0627 when you register. In the meantime, please continue passing this newsletter to your colleagues and/or tweeting, sharing, commenting on, and "liking" the articles that appeal to you. If you have an idea for a design article or a short design tip or wish we covered some particular topic or challenge, please send it my way. Until next week...Enjoy! Janine Love, Editor How Tos IMS2012: Show in review Here's a wrap-up of some of the things I saw at the IMS2012 in Montreal June 19-21st, 2012. How to test carrier aggregation in LTE-Advanced networks Implementing carrier aggregation in a network will mean that operators and infrastructure vendors will require a test mobile equipped with carrier aggregation, ahead of real mobile terminals becoming available. Making sounds with analogue electronics - Part 9: Sampling in an analogue environment Part 9 of an excerpt from the book "Sound Synthesis and Sampling" examines tape-based and other analog sampling techniques, such as 'bucket brigade' and acoustic delay lines. Product How To: Multichannel DDS enables efficient FSK/PSK modulation This article describes how two synchronized DDS channels can implement a zero-crossing FSK or PSK modulator. Products New Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA-based Connectivity Kit Use of pre-verified and integrated IP shortens time-to-market, reduces BOM, future-proofs high speed serial designs, and dramatically increases design productivity. Multi-network support is now available for ZigBee PRO networks Ember claims to be the world's first ZigBee technology provider to support multiple interconnecting networks on a single system-on-chip (SoC) or network co-processor (NCP) for Connected Home applications. Fourth-gen TV tuners deliver higher integration, WiFi immunity Silicon Laboratories launched its fourth generation TV tuner product line, which includes devices that offer greater integration, lower power consumption and the highest tolerance to Wi-Fi and LTE interference. Freescale announces first GaN RF power amplifier for cellular apps The AFG25HW355S is a 350W, high-performance-in-package (HiP), 2:1 asymmetric RF power amplifier built with gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Vishay MLCCs feature high Q of 2000 The devices are optimized for filter and matching networks, and amplifier and DC blocking circuits. Peregrine unveils SP3T optimized for low insertion loss At IMS2012, Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation announced the SP3T PE42430 RF switch. News Nordic streamlines code in latest RF chips Nordic Semiconductor announced the first members of its nRF51 family of 2.4 GHz RF chips that take a fresh approach to separating protocol and apps software. Packaging takes front and center stage Cadence has acquired Sigrity, a developer of high-speed board and packaging software... Toumaz buys radio chip firm for $50 million UK chip company Toumaz has agreed to buy fabless DAB radio chip firm Frontier Silicon for up to £32.3 million. Terahertz emitter harnesses 45-nm CMOS Texas Instrument has demonstrated a terahertz-range emitter which could be a step toward creating silicon-based terahertz-range emitters and detectors that could downsize millimeter-wavelength devices for a wide variety of applications beyond airport security including safer medical and dental imaging along with a whole array of industrial and environmental applications aimed at detecting hazardous substances. Future of CMOS hinges on mobile apps This year's VLSI symposium took a hard look at the future of CMOS chip technology and concluded that its future course depends on mobile applications. On Qualcomm's manufacturing options Paul Jacobs doesn't rule out Qualcomm owning a wafer fab. But don't expect Qualcomm to go IDM any time soon. There are a few other options to be tried first. U-blox makes LTE move, buys Cognovo and 4M Wireless Swiss GPS and wireless chip company U-blox is acquiring 4G chip company Cognovo and LTE protocol licensor 4M Wireless for approximately $26 million. Commentary Mr. GPS leaves CSR When an executive resigns from a company, it is announced in a dry press release in which it says that Mr. XYZ "is leaving the company for personal reasons to spend more time with his family." Microcontroller Invasion! A few weeks ago I was cogitating, contemplating, reflecting, and generally ruminating on "this and that" when… Hi-tech swimsuits banned at London Olympics The London 2012 Olympics are to be the first in 16 years where swimmers will be forced to ditch their high-tech body suits and rely solely on technique. UMC looks for boost with IBM license deal UMC is looking to increase its relevance with a license deal that means it could be the only pure-play foundry to offer a 20-nm low power process. Is sequential C dead as a multicore programming language? Is it time for embedded systems developers to leave traditional sequential C programming methods behind when developing applications on multicore platforms and move on to something better? Technical Papers Solving Industrial Monitoring Challenges through Wireless I/O Current Sensing Circuit Concepts and Fundamentals Avago RF VMMK Devices Improve Performance by Reducing Parasitic Inductance and Capacitance CC430 combines the ultra-low-power MSP430 Microcontroller with TI's Low-Power RF Technology Courses and Webinars Fundamentals of the RF Transmission and Reception of Digital Signals The Load-Pull Technique: Theory and Practical Application To RF Power Amplifier Design LTE UE RF measurements - reloaded Fundamentals of Energy Harvesting Fundamentals of Wireless Fundamentals of LTE Physical Layer and Test Requirements The new CC430 SoC combines ultra-low-power MSP430 microcontrollers with sub-1GHz CC1101 RF transceivers Resources Around the Network Events Light of Alien 'Super Earth' Scope Junction: community for test & measurement engineers Wireless Terms Glossary ESC Boston 2012, a DESIGN East summit September 17-20, 2012 Hynes Convention Center Boston, MA Are you up-to-date on the latest products, technologies and practical design information? ESC Boston -- alongside Android Summit, DesignMED, LED Summit and Sensors in Design -- is the most powerful and cost-effective avenue for acquiring the latest knowledge, skills and techniques you need to: Get your ideas from concept to reality as quickly as possible and on spec Accelerate the design and development of your products Facilitate the incorporation of new technologies & techniques into existing and future projects And with the All Access Pass, you'll get unlimited entry to everything: Choose from 100+ sessions & tutorials in 21+ conference tracks Network with visionary keynotes and top industry speakers Attend the Android™ Certificate Program See exciting DESIGN East Theater events like product teardowns Visit 150+ Exhibitors on the Expo Floor showcasing the latest products Enjoy Happy Hours, win Prizes & Giveaways and more! Join thousands of your peers at the center of the engineering universe -- you can't afford to miss this. Register today!