http://www.cypress.com/?rID=72148

Register today. We are also going to have some of our premier design partners exhibit in a state of the art virtual trade show environment.

Register today: http://www.psocworld.com

http://www.engineeringtv.com/video/Cypress-Semiconductor-PSoC-T-56

If you are a Cypress design partner and you would like to show case your PSoC based products in our show contact us at designpartners@cypress.com

We recently completed our annual recertification of partners to four membership levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Member. The membership levels are updated by Cypress annually based on the customer design activity and number of solutions developed by the partners using Cypress products. This ensures that only the partners with the best capabilities are recommended.

http://www.cypress.com/go/designpartner

Capabilities and contact info of our authorized partners worldwide are listed here: http://www.cypress.com/?id=1389

Capabilities include PSoC, Apple MFi, Sensor Interfacing, Factory/Buidling Automation, USB, Capsense, True Touch, Wireless Connectivity, Medical, Automotive, Industrial, Consumer applications etc.

Off-the-shelf and ready-to-go solutions from Partners:

Apart from offering design services, our partners also offer off-the-shelf and ready-to-go solutions using Cypress products. The types of solutions include Turnkey Reference designs, Evaluation kits, System level modules etc.  These solutions from design partners can be accessed here: http://www.cypress.com/?id=4225

If you want Cypress to recommend design partners based on your custom needs, please email us at designpartners@cypress.com

http://www.eetimes.com/electrical-engineers/education-training/webinars/4375389/Cypress-USB3-0-Solution-with-Altera-FPGA-Evaluation-Kit

In this 45-minute webinar, you will get insights into hidden technical trade-offs and costs associated with current interfaces between image sensors, FPGAs and host processors in your imaging, machine vision or data acquisition system. You will then learn about an industry solution that has emerged to address these challenges: USB 3.0 SuperSpeed.

This webinar will also showcase a development platform from Arrow Electronics developed by Nuvation, a platinum design partner certified for design development using Cypress FX3 device controllers.

This part is going to be a big hit in the design partner community due to broad applicability in a lot of industrial and medical applications.

http://www.cypress.com/?rID=51181

Six years back, I was an Applications Engineer handling broadcast video customers who were using Cypress HOTLink family of SERDES devices in broadcast video networks. I loved going to the NAB show (http://www.nabshow.com) since the entire food chain of the industry (from component vendors to content creators) gather to show case their latest technology related to broadcast video.  

One of the video applications where the new Cypress EZ-USB FX3 differentiates itself is Broadcast Video. The FX3 device is a very efficient and cost-effective way to deliver uncompressed HD video from a professional broadcast studio network to a PC-host via a SuperSpeed USB3.0 link. USB3.0 is a straightforward way to bring in uncompressed HD video from the studio network into a PC-host without a lot of hardware. For example, the Cypress EZ-USB FX3 can used in conjunction with FPGAs to bridge between other studio-video formats like SD-SDI and HD-SDI to USB3.0.

At NAB 2012 (http://www.nabshow.com) held from April 16-19^th, Nuvation, a platinum design partner certified for Cypress EZ-USB FX3 will be showcasing new USB 3.0 technology based on Cypress Semiconductor s new EZ-USB FX3 device.  The NAB show is a large convention of the entire video broadcast industry held yearly at Las Vegas. Nuvation s demonstration will show uncompressed HD video being sent into a PC for display and processing at high speeds over a USB 3.0 link.  This lightweight design showcases both a cost-effective and high throughput architecture that allows high-end video transport. Stop by Nuvation s booth N3536 at NAB 2012 to see this demonstration running live.

If you have any questions on this topic please contact designpartners@cypress.com

Thanks,

Palani

The partner solution of this month is developed and supported by one of our design and module partners, Redpine Signals. The RS-CY8C001-220X Wi-Fi Expansion Board Kit (EBK) is an expansion board that is designed to work with the Cypress PSoC3® and PSoC5® development kits that have an expansion connector CY8CKIT-001 (PSoC3/5), CY8CKIT-030 (PSoC3) and CY8CKIT-050 (PSoC5). It allows you to jump start your PSoC Designs that requires Wi-Fi (wireless) connectivity with an easy-to-use Wi-Fi component for Cypress's PSoC Creator , or altering sample projects provided with this kit. The Redpine Wi-Fi module present in this kit simply connects to PSoC3/5 devices using a serial interface (UART or SPI). The FCC certified Wi-Fi module present on this kit runs a TCP/IP stack and contains RF front end also, thereby offloading the entire WiFi interface to the module, which leads to quicker development cycles. The expansion board kit and the Wi-Fi module (for production purposes) are available for sale from Redpine Signals (through their distributors, Arrow and Future Electronics). The PSoC Creator component is also available for download along with example projects at the Redpine Signals Website (http://www.redpinesignals.com/cypress/psoc).

Features:

• Expansion board designed to work with the Cypress PSoC3® and PSoC5® development kits that have an expansion connector
• Based on the Redpine Signals Connect-io-n module - RS9110-N-11-22
• Fully self-contained IEEE 802.11bgn based wireless device server
• Includes all the protocol and configurations functions for WLAN connectivity in Open and Secure modes of operation
• Payload data through Serial Interface and SPI
• Terminates TCP and UDP connections, and offers transparent serial modem functionality
• Integrated antenna, frequency reference and low-frequency clock
• Ultra-low-power operation with power-save modes
• Ad-hoc and infrastructure modes for maximum deployment flexibility
• Single supply 3.1 to 3.6V operation

Would like to know your thoughts on how you would use Wi-Fi in your embedded designs. Top 3 ideas will receive a dev kit of your choice.

For more information on collateral, please visithttp://www.cypress.com/?rID=54643.

For more details on other Design Partner Solutions visit www.cypress.com/?app=search&searchType=advanced&keyword=&rtID=432&id=0&applicationID=0&l=0

For more details on the Design Partner Program visit: www.cypress.com/?id=1088&source=home_support

Feel free to drop in any questions to designpartners@cypress.com

Thanks,

Palani

Please check out the following links for more information:

http://www.amulettechnologies.com/news/226-amulet-cypress-partnership

http://www.cypress.com/?rID=59497

http://www.amulettechnologies.com/images/stories/Articles/Capacitivemoduleweb.pdf

With this module, embedded designers can add a capacitve touch display to their design very easily. The module will connect directly to an embedded host processor through a simple serial interface.

Signing off! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

By the way, I know that a lot of you have expressed interest in participating in the ARM Cortex M3 PSoC5 Design Challenge. If you have not submitted your entries. The deadline is coming soon (January 17, 2011). For more details: http://www.cypress.com/go/challenge

Palani

If you are a registered design partner, you will be receiving a separate newsletter about the new program by email. If you have not received this email, please contact us at designpartners@cypress.com

- Palani 

1. Content – The amount of quality content available on-demand from content providers like Netflix and Hulu that stream movies, documentaries and soaps are on the rise. The monthly subscription for these services is way less (and in some cases free) than what I used to pay as late fees if when I forgot to return my DVD rental from the store down the street.
2. Internet connection speed – DSL and Cable Modem connections are fast enough to stream uninterrupted good quality video, which looks pretty good even in a large screen (and this is through a Wi-Fi connection within the home).
3. Apps – Google TV is Android based, which means app developers around the world can develop applications meant for TV. I enjoy applications like Pandora radio already which allows me to listen to internet radio. In addition, I can also listen to music from websites that stream internet radio like last.fm and raaga.com (Indian and Bollywood music). Developers can also leverage apps developed for Smart Phones and Tablets to customize them a TV screen. I eagerly await the release of more apps created by various developers around the world and available through a market place.
4. Almost all new TV’s, blue-ray players and set-top boxes have either a wired connection (Ethernet) or wireless connection (Wi-Fi) with the ability to connect to the internet. Most of them also ship with some native Apps installed. In fact, I also saw some Apps pop-up in my cable TV set-top box after the most recent firmware upgrade.

1. Need for more buttons – Think Keyboard. Imagine selecting alphabets from my TV screen using just the up, down, left, right and select buttons and typing all the interactions I want to have on Facebook and Twitter. Even typing the name of a website takes quite a bit of time using just up-down-select style navigation.

2. On-board finger tracking device for on-screen cursor navigation: For the TV to be an effective internet browsing device, the need for a cursor that can be moved freely anywhere in the screen is important. The traditional remotes have no way to move a cursor with fine resolution across the screen. This is going to drive the need for optical navigation finger tracking devices on the remote. The alternate approach is to also use a touch-pad similar to the ones you will find in laptops, if size is not a constraint.  For remotes that are space constrained laser-based optical navigation tracking sensors would be ideal. Unlike the PC industry, where the mouse and keyboards can be on separate devices, in these remotes they need to be on the same device.

3. Go RF – No more IR. You are going to be holding and typing on the remote using both your hands. Pointing the remote to ensure line-of-sight with the internet connected TV appliance simultaneously will be ergonomically challenging. In some cases the remote control human interface device might be resting on a surface while typing, making IR an unsuitable option.

Palani

http://www.cypress.com/?rID=51110

The CAN expansion board is available for order entry now. This board will work with CY8CKIT-001 and any other PSoC3 or 5 board that hosts the same expansion connector. Yes we CAN!

CY8CKIT-017 CAN/LIN Expansion Board Kit

The CY8CKIT-017 CAN/LIN Expansion Board Kit (EBK) allows you to evaluate and develop projects using the PSOC® 3 and PSOC 5 integrated CAN 2.0A/B peripheral in conjunction with the easy-to-use CAN 2.0A/B component in Cypress's PSOC Creator™ Integrated Development Environment. Provided with the EBK are example CAN projects to help you get started quickly and the expansion board which includes transceiver circuits for 1 CAN and 2 LIN interfaces.

For more information and to order the kit, please visit www.cypress.com/go/CY8CKIT-017

Also, the PSoC Insiders have video blogged about implementing CAN interface in a nice video: http://www.cypress.com/?rID=51281

We have significantly revamped the design partner program based on feedback from partners themselves, our sales force and our customers. The new program will allow partners to better promote their products and solutions using Cypress channels to a broad base of customers. You will see communication from us on the new program very soon.

If you are a customer, the new design partner program will allow you to leverage the partner solutions and services better.

Signing Off!

Palani

I met with Artaflex (located in Markham - Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada) last week for the first time since I took responsibility of the program in 2010 (A visit long overdue). They have been a good Cypress partner for multiple years now. They are a turn-key design and electronics manufacturer. They have separate wireless products division. This is one of their specialities. They are one of the few design partners in the world that specialize in CyFi, a Cypress propreitary radio solution, for low-power wireless connections at 2.4GHz. They also have off-the-shelf wireless modules for Cypress radios. Apart from using their wireless modules you can also consult them to solve your embedded wireless problem.

To learn more about their product offering see http://artaflexmodules.com/

They recently announced a new product based on Cypress CyFi(TM) technology: http://artaflexmodules.com/?q=news-falconseries

They also have domain expertise with Cypress' CapSense(TM) technology for implementing touch interfaces.

Signing off

Palani

I went to Europe in Mid-February and spent two weeks traveling from UK all the way to Germany with multiple stops on the way. Then I attended the Cypress sales conference event at Maui in early March. Last week I was at North-East US meeting some potential partners. I will not be on the road for a couple of months and will have time to post about some interesting and useful things I learnt from partners that can be shared.

Signing off!

Palani

- ARM Cortex M3 32-bit CPU (looks good on your resume)

- Analog integration (you can design complete analog signal chains with ultra high precision, all within PSoC).

- Programmable logic that allows you design your own or use pre-designed peripherals

- an IDE (PSoC Creator) that allows IP re-use (In fact this will be the first platform in the world with the ability to create re-useable mixed signal IP that encapsulates both hardware and firmware)

- Powerful DMA engine that off-loads CPU for all operations that require high throughput between different peripherals. The word DMA here is misleading since we can also do peripheral to peripheral transactions apart from peripheral to memory.

- By now you are thinking "This is going to be one power-hungry device due to all the features and flexibility". Not true. The power numbers are competitive with stand-alone MCU devices.

With such an architecture the possibilities of the various applications it can be used with are endless. Sky is the limit. As we are already starting to see some out of the box ideas as abstracts, join the band-wagon while it is still early.

Be the first set of Engineers out there to use PSoC5 and also win some cash and kits as part of the ARM Cortex M3 PSoC5 Design Challenge.  To start go to http://www.cypress.com/go/challenge

See what my colleague Bobby has to say about the contest in this short video at (scroll all the way down): http://www.cypress.com/?id=3271

For example: See what our CyPros partner Rolf Nooteboom has done using the PSoC Architecture: http://www.cypress.com/?rID=40358

The same platform can be used to work in a variety of applications: Portable Medical, Audio (iPod, iPhone, iPad) docking, Internet Radio, System Management Control (Thermal Management and Power Management), Home Automation, Factory Automation, Security and Surveillance, Human Interface Touch Panels and Displays. etc.

PSoC Rocks!

Palani

The PSoC® Expansion Board Kit For iPhone & iPod Accessories speeds up your development of accessories tremendously by offering both a hardware development kit and a pre-developed and tested software component that takes care of 2-way communication with the iPod or iPhone device. Drag and drop the component in PSoC Creator and start developing with the development kit. The kit and the component are available only to licensees of Apple's Made for iPod program, through Apple’s authorized Made for iPod component distributor. For more information on the Made for iPod program, visit http://developer.apple.com/programs/ipod

My friend and colleague, Leon Tan, explains the benefits of this development in an elegant video at http://www.cypress.com/?rID=40218. If you are type who likes iPhone applications, he also demonstrates a cool iPhone Application that shows our development kit communicating in both directions to the iPod or iPhone device.

If you are in the design community and are thinking about or you have thought about development of accessories for iPod or iPhone you are at the right place.

-Palani

I run the CyPros program for Cypress. I just recently took over the management of the program at Cypress. 

Thanks to Nick, who runs our Web systems, who has me hooked to write a blog. Although I have been thinking about writing for a while (I have been with Cypress for over 9 years now), now I got a hook and a reason to write now.

You will hear from me more as we go along. 

If you are in the embedded design community either helping Cypress customers design our PSoC and USB products or interested in developing solutions or IP for Cypress, I am the guy to talk to.

PSoC presents a huge opp for design consultants and independent design houses since it is a programmable product where this section of the value chain can really add value. Since it has programmable hardware it improves your IP protection. It will be hard for people to look at a PCB and decipher your design. Comments welcome.

If you are already a CyPros partner and want to give me feedback on the program, drop me a line and we will put you on the list of people to fill out our next round of surveys. 

-Palani