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Switching power supplies are now even more popular than traditional linear power supplies, generally because they can offer higher efficiency than traditional linear power supplies. They can step-up, stepdown, and invert. Some designs can isolate output voltage from the input. The AN2031 application note from Maxim/Dallas outlines the different types of switching regulators used in DC-DC conversion. It also reviews and compares the various control techniques for these converters.

This app note explains basic DC/DC topologies:

• Buck converter topology
• Boost converter
• Inverting topology
• Transformer flyback topology

Beacause traditional linear regulators are now less and less popular, it is good to learn basic swithing power supply theory, and how to use DC/DC converters in our designs. More information in the AN2031 application note.

Renesas Technology informed about plans to develop a next-generation CPU architecture for 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers. The new architecture will offer revolutionary enhancements over existing 16- and 32-bit CISC CPUs and is expected to achieve the best overall performance: the best code efficiency, processing performance, power consumption, and cost competitiveness. Products based on the new CPU core will be available in Q2 2009.

The new CPUs will combine high code efficiency of the M16C and R32C CISC CPUs and the high-speed data processing capability of the H8S and H8SX CISC CPUs. While maintaining compatibility with the existing CPUs, the new products will offer stronger performance, better code efficiency and lower power consumption.

New CPU will be possitioned on the architecture roadmap somewhere between R8C Tiny and Super H microcontroller families.

Maxim published new application note “Using the MAX7359 for Multifunctional and Gaming Keys on PDAs/Smartphones: A Programming Guide.”

The MAX7359 is a special-purpose key-switch controller suitable for cell phones, printers, and other portable applications. It implements up to 64 keys and separate keypress and release codes are assigned for every key. Multiple keys can be pressed simultaneously and/or held and released in different orders. Up to 16 keypress and release entries can be held in a FIFO register and it is read through an I²C interface at one keypress or release entry per byte.

Drawing 1. (large view)

The AN4054 application note is available for download from the Maxim website.

The i.MX27 processor is newest Freescale product. Based on ARM® core technology and designed for use in smartphones, wireless PDAs, mobile entertainment and many other mobile wireless applications, Freescale’s i.MX family is engineered to offer smart speed—low power consumption with MHz performance to spare, and a high degree of integration to reduce a design time significantly. Board support packages are available for a broad range of popular operating systems.
The i.MX27 processor combines Freescale’s Smart Speed™ technology, an H.264 hardware encoder/decoder, USB, Ethernet, security features and a powerful ARM926EJ-S core, an on-chip Ethernet MAC, the H.264 D1 resolution video codec, and Smart Speed architecture.
The i.MX27 multimedia applications processor can be now ordered direct from Freescale or through its distributors. Suggested resale price is $14.86 (USD) for 10K quantities.
More information at Freescale website.

Maxim released new application note “SPI/I²C Bus Lines Control Multiple Peripherals”. This application note compares two common serial, digital interfaces: SPI™, and I²C and shows advantages or disadvantages for many designs, depending on criteria such like needed data rate, space availability, and noise considerations. This application note discusses the differences between these two serial interfaces and presents examples to demonstrate each interface in detail.

Full application note 4024 is available at Maxim website.