The following are a listing (with links for the full story) of the most read stories on PowerPulse.Net for 2011, thus providing a window into the "pulse" of the trends and interests in the Power Electronics Industry. This is the final part of a series, culminating in the most read story of 2011.
10: HP & Lenovo Claim Laptops Have 30+ Hour Battery Life
Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Lenovo have announced laptops with a very interesting feature: battery lives of over 30 hours. HP unveiled the HP EliteBook 8460p, which the company says offers 3-, 6- and 9-cell options for lightweight and extended battery run time, and an HP Long Life Battery option for what the company says is the highest-achieving notebook battery lifespan on the market. The notebooks also are compatible with the new HP Extended Life Notebook Battery and HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery. With the new HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook battery, the HP EliteBook 8460p can achieve up to 32 hours of battery life.
The full story can be found here.
9: DC-DC Converter Trends: A Special Report from Darnell Group
System makers are demanding more efficient products in smaller footprints at what is called "cost neutrality" levels. But the broad variety of applications across many diverse industries is allowing the dc-dc converter market to thrive in both traditional and niche segments. On-board solutions are eating away at the module market, yet "the brick is not dead." The following Special Report is based on the findings in Darnell Group’s latest 94-page analysis of this important market.
The full story can be found here.
8: Angstron Materials Invents Graphene-Based Supercapacitor with Ultra High Energy Density
Angstron Materials Inc. announced that it has invented a graphene-based supercapacitor with ultra-high energy density, a feature that permits storage of a significant amount of energy. As a rechargeable energy storage device, supercapacitors can be charged and discharged more quickly than batteries but have been challenged by their inability to store energy in the amounts required by automotive and electronic applications. Angstron states that its graphene-based supercapacitor has demonstrated an energy density that exceeds that of commercially available supercapacitors and is comparable with nickel metal hydride batteries.
The full story can be found here.
7: Semi South Now Shipping High Power SiC JFETs in Commercial Quantities
SemiSouth Laboratories, Inc. has announced that it is now shipping its latest range of vertical trench JFETs – including the world’s first normally-off family of devices to handle up to 50kW – in commercial volume quantities. The company is rapidly expanding production capacity at its state-of-the-art SiC wafer fabrication facility in Starkville, Mississippi. A completely independent, vertically integrated SiC manufacturer with the most advanced SiC epitaxial and vertical trench process technology in the world, SemiSouth utilizes a proprietary and patented self-aligned JFET chip design enabling up to ten times smaller die size when compared to silicon super-junction MOSFETs or the latest trench IGBTs. The company also holds the record for the lowest 1200V power transistor specific on-resistance – under 2.5mΩ/cm².
The full story can be found here.
6: New Power Switches vs. Mature Materials at PCIM Europe
The Wednesday afternoon panel discussion at this year’s PCIM Europe event was organized by Bodo’s Power Systems and designed to focus on the ability of devices such as capacitors and thermal management systems to support the advanced capabilities of new power switches made with SiC and GaN. Panelists represented Cree, CPS Technologies, Infineon, International Rectifier, SBE, SemiSouth, TranSiC/Fairchild Semiconductor and Transphorm.
The full story can be found here.
5: Lineage Power Introduces Fully Regulated Bus Converters; Said to be in Compliance with Recent Court Injunction
Lineage Power has introduced the Barracuda family of digitally controlled, fully-regulated bus converters for dc-dc intermediate bus architectures. The Barracuda series delivers digital power communication and control in standards-based eighth-brick and quarter-brick DOSA footprints.
The full story can be found here.
4: Powermat and Haier Partner to Embed Wireless Technology Into White Goods and Digital Products
Haier (a producer of household appliances, including air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators) and Powermat announced their mutual intent to introduce Powermat wireless capability into white goods and digital products. The deal will further expand the options available to consumers to experience the freedom and convenience of wireless power in all areas of the home.
The full story can be found here.
3: SolarPrint Launches Energy Harvesting Technology for Low-Power Wireless Sensor Applications
SolarPrint, a photovoltaic (PV) energy technology developer, announced that it is expanding the possibilities of next-generation energy harvesting for wireless sensors with the launch of its dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) technology. SolarPrint states that its DSSC technology, which is integrated into wireless sensors to improve harvesting efficiencies of commercial applications, pushes the boundaries of existing PV solutions and increases the power output performance of indoor PV solutions dramatically.
The full story can be found here.
2: iWatt High PFC Digital LED Driver IC Delivers Flicker-Free Dimming for Commercial & Industrial Lighting
iWatt, Inc. expanded its family of digital LED driver ICs with a two-stage, power-factor-corrected (PFC), primary-side-regulated, leading- and trailing-edge-dimmable, ac-dc Digital PWM Controller targeting 120/230Vac offline commercial and industrial LED lighting applications.
The full story can be found here.
1: SynQor Patent Dispute Now Involves Cisco, Ericsson, and Vicor
SynQor filed suit against Ericsson, Vicor, and Cisco on January 28th, 2011 for patent infringement related to the case recently decided in SynQor’s favor (SynQor vs. Artesyn Technologies Inc. et al). The latest SynQor legal action claims that "Ericsson and Vicor infringe the patents at issue in this action when they make, import, use, promote, offer to sell, and/or sell within the United States products including, but not limited to, unregulated and/or semi-regulated bus converters and/or POLs used in intermediate bus architecture power supply systems." The suit contends that Cisco, as a primary customer of Ericsson and Vicor, also infringes the patents at issue.
The full story can be found here.
