1394-Automotive Specification Approved
DALLAS — The 1394-Automotive specification is complete and ready for publication following unanimous approval by the 1394 Trade Association's Board of Directors. Developed jointly with the IDB Forum and also known as IDB-1394, the specification establishes the fundamental architecture, plastic optical fiber and copper connector specifications for a 1394 multimedia backbone. It enables consumers to connect 1394-equipped portable consumer electronics products, such as games or computers, in their cars or trucks. The Automotive Working Group and the Cables and Connectors Working Group of the Trade Association considered all primary manufacturability, compatibility and environmental issues while developing the specification, including all physical and power management requirements.
A key element of the specification is the customer convenience port (CCP), which allows users to plug consumer electronics equipment into the vehicle network through a single 1394 cable/connector. The CCP ensures platform interoperability, portability and scalability, and enables users to link legacy electronics products. Using plastic optical fiber cable, the network allows communications at up to 400 Mbps between devices, including satellite radio, audio/video servers, navigation systems and on-board electronics.
"1394-Automotive provides the most flexible and convenient high-speed network backbone for distributed audio and video in vehicles," said Max Bassler, Vice Chairman of the 1394 Trade Association. "The specification design is based on the requirements of the automotive OEMs and their suppliers, and can accommodate almost all of the 1394-equipped computer and audio/video devices now in the market."
"Automotive OEMs and suppliers have asked for an open standard supported by the industry, and that's what we have with 1394-Automotive," said Arlan Stehney, Executive Director of the IDB Forum. "We see this technology as a key enabler in the development of highly integrated, in-vehicle electronics functionality."
"We are now moving to define an automotive electrical physical layer supplement to the existing 1394 automotive specification," said Brad Little, the Automotive Working Group's Chairman. "This will lead to a lower cost implementation of the standard that meets the automotive industry's demanding EMI [electromagnetic interference] requirements. This work is expected to be completed during the first half of 2003."
FCI and Teradyne Connection Systems Join HSBI
ETTERS, Pa. and NASHUA, N.H. — FCI and Teradyne Inc., Connection Systems Div., have both joined the High Speed Backplane Initiative (HSBI), a group of communications companies developing serial link technology capable of sending data at rates of 4.976 to 6.375 Gbps across a backplane environment up to a distance of 30", including two connectors.
According to John Burkett, FCI Product Manager, "System designers anticipate employing signal speeds of up to 10 Gbps in the next few years. This drives the need for enhanced hardware to cope with the signal integrity requirements of these systems. This hardware often includes silicon-based signal conditioning techniques, which compensate for losses in PCBs. FCI is working with silicon companies to develop the best combination of silicon and interconnect that will meet the future needs of its customers."
Teradyne's high-speed, high-density connectors currently support data rates up to 10 Gbps. "Teradyne is committed to driving technology forward in response to our customers needs," said Tom Pitten, Development Engineering Manager at Teradyne Connection Systems. "Our participation in HSBI is further demonstration of our commitment to providing integrated system solutions."
Standard for Transceiver Modules Created
OTTAWA, Canada and PALO ALTO, Calif. — Zarlink Semiconductor and Agilent Technologies Inc. have announced a multi-source agreement intended to create a common standard for pluggable four-channel parallel optic transceiver modules that offer an aggregate bandwidth of up to 10 Gbps.
Known as POP4 (Pluggable Optics 4-channel), the agreement promotes flexible and reliable system design by ensuring that customers have access to multiple sources for four-channel transceivers used for high-bandwidth, optical interconnections in next-generation switches, routers and other networking equipment.
Agilent and Zarlink will design standardized packaging, optical and electronic interfaces for their respective four-channel transceiver modules, currently under development. The companies also will work to encourage the POP4 specification as the global industry standard for four-channel parallel optic transceivers.
Places & Faces
Yazaki North America Inc. (YNA; Canton, Mich.) has made several management changes. Tetsuro Suzuki stepped down as Chairman and CEO of YNA to return to Japan as General Manager, Automotive Toyota Business Unit — Worldwide. Satoshi Negishi was appointed to YNA's Board of Directors and George R. Perry was promoted to President and CEO of YNA.
Methode Electronics Inc. agreed to acquire the business assets of its automotive sales representative, Kill & Bolton Associates International Inc. (Southfield, Mich.).
Peabody, Mass.-based Tru-Connector Corp. has changed its name to Tru Corp. The name change reflects the broader nature of the company's business.
Tyco Electronics will manufacture components at Flextronics International Ltd.'s Industrial Park in Doumen, China. As part of the agreement, Tyco will lease manufacturing space from Flextronics and will manufacture a variety of components including connectors and cables. Additionally, Tyco Electronics and Xanoptix Inc. (Merrimack, N.H.) formed a joint strategic business agreement to promote Xanoptix's XTM series of optical transceiver products.
LaFox, Ill.-based Richardson Electronics Ltd. has been named an authorized industrial electronics distributor for Tyco Electronics. In other company news, Richardson opened a new branch office in Beijing, China.
Alpha Wire Co. (Elizabeth, N.J.) appointed Norm Davieau as National OEM Sales Manager. Davieau is responsible for the development of new sales for strategic customers.
Sinbon Electronic Co. (Taiwan) has established a U.S.-based management and sales headquarters, called Sinbon Technologies (New York).
Transceiver Use to Reach $3.26 Billion in 2006
SAN MATEO, Calif. — According to an ElectroniCast Corp. market study, the global consumption of 10 Gbps data communication transceivers will rise from $68.7 million in the recessionary baseline year 2001 to $3.26 billion in 2006. ElectroniCast's study provides analysis of transceiver type and growth opportunities by market application, wavelength physical layer (PHY) type, and source for 2001 to 2011.
"With the emergence of 10 Gbps datacom transceivers, the datacom and telecom markets have converged at approximately the same data rate for the first time. As a result, there will be technology and product sharing across these two market segments. Initially, the 10 Gbps technology and transceiver modules that have already been developed for telecom will find use in datacom applications. However, datacom will always be asking for low-cost connectorized transceiver modules," said ElectroniCast President Stephen Montgomery.
ElectroniCast's report presents forecasts by transceiver type. Six varieties of 10 Gbps datacom transceivers will compete for a slice of market share. According to the analysis, three different 850 nm transceivers will consume approximately half the unit volume total unit during the 2001 to 2011 forecast period. This is substantially less than the 85 percent dominance of multimode solutions at 1 Gbps. The study addresses the increasing market movement of 1,310 nm singlemode serial transceivers. Two additional serial transceiver versions, 1,310 nm wide wavelength division multiplexing (WWDM) and 1,550 nm, add increasing shares to the totals.
