October 24, 1996 Table of Contents

October 24, 1996

Design Features

EDN Hands-On Project - USB: a neat package with a few loose ends
The USB for PCs can automatically configure and power peripherals. But, as I learned in this hands-on project, early USB adopters may face a substantial system-level design effort. They also need to carefully examine USB data-bandwidth characteristics.—Richard A Quinnell, Technical Editor

Learn to live with the European EMC Directive (it won't go away)
The EMC Directive embodies some sound ideas. Unfortunately, it also involves a Byzantine and quintessentially Old World bureaucracy.—Dan Strassberg, Senior Technical Editor

Choose termination and topology to maximize signal integrity and timing
Termination techniques improve noise margins and reduce signal reflections, but they require that you balance trade-offs among conflicting goals. Understanding your choices and their design impact helps you produce a more reliable and cost-effective design.—Mai Vu, Harris Computer Systems Corp

HDL basic training: Top-down chip design using Verilog and VHDL
Increasingly complex ASIC and FPGA chips require you to shift from schematic-based design to design based on Verilog or VHDL. Understanding the basics of these languages and how you use them for designing ASICs and FPGAs will help you go with the HDL flow.—Douglas J Smith, VeriBest

Out in Front

Leading edge: What's hot in the design community	PLL family slashes power consumption, reduces phase noise	Toshiba'sµCs tap into onboard flash
Companies unveil more USB designs	Spread-spectrum LAN bridge features flexibility, dual-band operation	Software checks chip testability at early design stage
New Alpha architecture smashes performance barrier	Chip BIST moves to MCMs and pc boards	Signal-conditioning assemblies match notebook size, weight
Low-cost touch pads cut power drain by 85%	UHF ICs form core of simple, effective AM receivers
New tool for early hardware/software codesign	PCI comes to PC/104

Design Ideas

Clock-fail circuit switches to alternate clock	LDO circuit provides smart power monitoring	D/A-converter ASIC uses stochastic logic
RS-232C line-driver IC drives power MOSFETs	PC printer port programs AT89C51

Columnist

What's new in Zadehan-logic references
—by David Brubaker, Contributing Editor

Products

Electronic Design Automation	Integrated Circuits	Test & Measurement
Embedded Systems	Power Sources Showcase

Departments

Editorial	Business Staff
Editorial Staff	Signals & Noise

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Table of Contents

October 24, 1996

Design Features

Out in Front

Design Ideas

Columnist

Products

Departments