Author Archives: DP

XR2206 function generator

“Presented here is XR2206 function generator with multiple waveform selection and a frequency readout display. The diagram on the right shows the internal workings of the XR2206 in the form of a block diagram. Essentially the chip contains A VCO (voltage controller oscillator), wave shaper and buffer. The XR2206 frequency generator diagram frequency of the […]

Ubiquity of NFC-enabled phones leads to strong brand protection

Here’s an app note from Maxim: Ubiquity of NFC-enabled phones leads to strong brand protection Counterfeiting has grown tremendously over the last decade. Fortunately, there are several anticounterfeiting solutions. Of these, an authentication based on challenge-response allows a much stronger protection than secure printing or unique ID RF tags. This application note presents the benefits […]

App note: USB OTG like connector implementation

USB OTG like connector implementation (PDF!): The USB OTG (On-The-Go) is an interface to communicate with portable USB devices. In the SAM9x5 Series (SAM9G15/G25/G35/X25/X35) and SAMA5D3x products, the USB host and device share one transceiver. The shared USB transceiver can be controlled either by the USB Host Port Controller or by the USB Device Controller. […]

Will the SMD resistors marking become a history?

Will the SMD resistors marking become a history? Company YAGEO announced its intention to remove marking of RC/AC 0603,0805,1206 SMD chip resistors from July, 1-st, 2013. Everything implies, that the situation with marking of chip resistors (0603/0805/1206) will soon be similar to chip capacitors – i.e. no marking on the top of the component. The […]

Biostamp temporary tattoo electronic circuits by MC10

MC10 scientists have developed Biostamp temporary tattoo electronic circuits to monitor health: Materials scientist John Rogers and his firm MC10 have developed flexible electronic circuits that stick directly to the skin like temporary tattoos and monitor the wearer’s health. The Biostamp is a thin electronic mesh that stretches with the skin and monitors temperature, hydration and […]

The EthNode – ATMega based Ethernet board

Mark McKillen shared his EthNode – ATMega based Ethernet board in the forum: Taking inspiration from the good folks at Nanode and an Instructable I saw recently, I’ve come up with “another” AVR based Ethernet board that can be programmed and used like an Arduino. It’s a simple design based on the ATMega and Microchip’s ENC28J60 […]

DIY programming pen

Anthony documented his programming pen build: One minor annoyance when programming microcontrollers in-circuit, is that often quite a bit of PCB space is lost due to the programming connector. Furthermore, when you have to program many chips, repeatedly reconnecting the programming cable quickly becomes a chore. So when I found an article about constructing a […]

Script to query Gerber file outer dimensions

Script to query Gerber file outer dimensions: At Wayne & Layne, we design a lot of circuit boards. During the request-for-quote (RFQ) process for getting a PCB fabricated, the outside dimensions of the PCB are an important driver of the overall per-unit price. As part of the W&L “prepare PCB for RFQ” process, we have […]