Asia Weekly IT News Roundup for the First Week of October


Maxim Supplies Battery Monitoring ICs to Nissan EV Leaf
On the 4th, Maxim Integrated Korea announced that it will supply a single-chip battery monitoring IC compliant with the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) D standard to Nissan's next-generation zero-emission EV, the 'LEAF'. The Maxim battery monitoring IC is capable of both capacitor and transformer isolation and supports ISO 26262 and ASIL D requirements. It reduces component costs and failure rates through internal cell balancing using capacitor isolation and differential UART communication. It provides a stable distributed and centralized cell monitoring controller (CMC) architecture with flexible UART, even in noisy environments. Furthermore, it meets Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and hot plugging requirements. It also provides comprehensive diagnostic capabilities that comply with BCI (Bulk Current Injection) requirements.


ST Supplies Fingertips to Xiaomi Flagship Smartphones
STMicroelectronics announced on the 4th that its touchscreen controller, "Fingertip," has been adopted in all three models (Standard, SE, and Explorer) of Xiaomi's latest smartphone, the Mi 8. The Fingertip touch controller, which can be mounted on both sides of the screen, supports the high sensitivity required for AMOLED displays and provides consistent touch performance across the entire display panel. The main processor features a 32-bit ARM Cortex M3 core and can simultaneously detect, distinguish, and track 10 finger touches. "ST's fingertip touchscreen controller technology is a single-chip solution for all panels, including curved screens and AMOLED displays," said Giuseppe Noviello, Senior Vice President at ST. "It enables the implementation of uniform, high-sensitivity multi-touch UI on various devices, making it perfectly suited for the latest smartphone designs."


GSMA Urges Allocation of 700MHz Bandwidth to Indonesia
On September 28, the GSMA announced in a report that for Indonesia to fully realize its goal of becoming a digital powerhouse in Southeast Asia, it must provide essential frequency bands to mobile operators. According to the GSMA report, "Accelerating Indonesia's Digital Economy: Allocating 700 MHz Bandwidth to Mobile Broadband," it is estimated that allocating 700 MHz of frequency to mobile broadband could bring economic benefits amounting to US$11 billion to the Indonesian economy between 2020 and 2030. This is equivalent to a 1% increase in Indonesia's GDP. Brett Tarnutzer of GSMA said, “The 700 MHz band is essential to extend internet reach to unreached areas in Indonesia and to improve education and medical services in rural areas.”


Panasonic Proposes Technology to Taiwan Smart Meters Implemented in December 2018
On September 27, Panasonic proposed its HD-PLC high-speed powerline communication technology to the Taiwan Power Company (TPC) as a communication system to be utilized in next-generation smart meters. Panasonic's HD-PLC technology meets the high-performance requirements demanded by the TPC, and smart meters based on this technology are scheduled to be pilot-tested in approximately 260,000 households in major Taiwanese cities starting this December. The TPC has been receiving proposals regarding communication system technologies since June of last year. Compatibility testing for the latest wireless and powerline communication technologies was conducted in Taipei this September. Smart meters require a high level of communication stability for precise control matching power demand and for the collection of large volumes of data. HD-PLC technology meets these requirements. It is expected to contribute to the expansion of smart cities in the future.


Toshiba Releases Output Current Limiting Motor Driver IC
On September 26, Toshiba released an integrated dual H-bridge DC brushed motor driver IC featuring an output current limiting function at 50V/3.0A. The new product, TB67H401FTG, monitors motor status and can control applications when feedback is required. It can be used in office equipment, ATMs, home appliances, and robotic vacuum cleaners that incorporate DC brushed motors. Until now, the safety of DC brushed motors was controlled by limiting the upper value of the motor current through constant current limiting. However, this increases the number of components and makes the circuit more complex. The integrated IC, TB67H401FTG, is assembled using Toshiba's BiCD process and features an integrated flag output circuit that monitors when the current status reaches the upper limit. Therefore, it eliminates the need for external electrical networks, enabling the production of low-cost, high-efficiency motors.