Just imagine you wouldn’t need to press button anymore? Just with a soft fingertip you’ll start the car, point where you want to go or start the infotainment system by intuitively using your fingertips to quickly and easily adjust temperature, change audio volume, or find a location on the map. This all could be possible, promises Cypress Semiconductor as the company has introduced the “world's broadest Automotive-Qualified Touch-Sensing Portfolio featuring industry's first capacitive touchscreen solution”, acclaims Hassane El-Khoury, Automotive Business Unit Manager at Cypress.
Being aware that drivers want safer, simpler access to everything that their vehicle offers, e.g. navigation, entertainment, mirrors, HVAC, dome lights, occupant detection, passive keyless entry and other applications, Cypress has put much effort in providing devices like capacitive touch sensing, touch screen and proximity sensing solutions. At least, for about ten years now, Cypress devices have been designed into some demanding automotive applications like engine control. Now Cypress offers a broad portfolio of automotive-quality A-grade and E-grade products for use in body electronics or under the hood.
The company announced automotive qualification of its TrueTouch touch screen and LIN capable CapSense touch-sensing controllers : They are based on Cypress’s PSoC programmable system-on-chip architecture and meet the AEC-Q100 standards, giving Cypress the “industry’s broadest portfolio of automotive-qualified capacitive touch-sensing technology, while the TrueTouch controllers mark the industry’s first automotive-qualified capacitive touch screen solution”, affirms Hassane El-Khoury. The CY8C2x345 CapSense controllers combine analog resources with automotive industry standard LIN communication support: That makes them suitable to interface with analog and capacitive touch-sensor inputs, and to control backlight LEDs and haptic actuators while communicating over the LIN bus.
The automotive-qualified TrueTouch controllers – which are available in single-touch, multi-touch gesture and multi-touch all-point offerings – provide the ability to track multiple fingers simultaneously. They are able to control screen sizes up to nine inches and were designed for use in control panels, GPS and infotainment displays. At least, the semiconductor manufacturer emphasizes that its capacitive touch-sensing applications has replaced more than 2.5 billion buttons to date.
The CapSense devices enable functional interfaces with, depending on the applications, improved durability over mechanical buttons and sliders. In addition, their reliability, noise-immunity and water-resistance make them suitable for the harsh automotive operating environment. CapSense proximity sensing offers a detection range up to 25 cm, saving power by activating an interface only when needed. The devices are made for interior automotive applications such as audio, navigation, AC control and lighting control, as well as exterior applications such as trunk release and passive keyless-entry buttons.
“We are excited to bring our capacitive touch interface portfolio to the automotive market with AEC-Q100 qualification of our devices,” comments Hassane El-Khoury. “This is a result of our focus and investment in the automotive segment which has created a dedicated business unit and a quality organization with a zero defect mindset. Our CY8C21X34 CapSense devices are already in production with some of the world’s top automobile manufacturers. We are building upon this proven success with our newly qualified TrueTouch and LIN-capable CapSense devices that bring sleek human machine interfaces into next-generation vehicles.”
The CapSense devices offer dual-channel scanning, delivering faster scan times for multiple IOs. These devices offer automotive industry standard LIN 2.0 and 2.1 communication support. Cypress offers two types of automotive devices: A grade (-40 °C to 85 °C) and E grade (-40 °C to 125 °C). Available on-chip analog resources include a SAR ADC.
The TrueTouch solution allows designers to implement differentiated features and make last-minute design iterations without board changes. They have a choice of using touch sensors (glass or film) and LCDs from preferred partners, and can develop innovative mechanical designs ranging from flat to curved surfaces of varying thickness.
The CY8CTMG120 multi-touch gesture and CY8CTMA120 multi-touch all-point controllers are available for sampling in 56-pin QFN packages. The CapSense products include the LIN-capable CY8C2x345 devices, available for sampling in A grade (-40 °C to 85 °C) in 28-pin SSOP packages with the 48-pin SSOP packages planned in Q3 2010. All products are expected to be in full production in Q3 2010.
Cypress also announced that Grace Semiconductor in Shanghai, China has been qualified to fabricate automotive-grade CY8C2x345 CapSense controllers that adhere to the AEC-Q100 standard, ISO/TS 16949 quality management standard and Cypress’s Zero Defect manufacturing system. “Grace has been our partner for our Flex Fab strategy and has a proven track record in supplying automotive grade wafers to the industry at large,” said Sabbas Daniel, Executive Vice President of Quality at Cypress. “Cypress can now offer automotive devices with an additional wafer fabrication source to our Fab 4 facility in Minnesota, and both fabs adhere to our Zero Defect quality controls.”
All pictures credits: Cypress Semiconductor
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