Awards and Recognitions

National's LM4562 amplifier and SCAN25100 interface ICs won awards at the first EETimes ACE Awards China.

The LMV951 was named product of the year in analogZone's 2006 list of winners. The LMV951 s a 1V, 2.7 MHz, Rail-to-Rail Input and Output Amplifier with Shutdown Option.

Introduced in September 2006, the LM4562's .00003 percent THD+N exceeds the performance achieved by the hand-built audiophile discrete methodologies used for the last 50 years. The LM4562 also has a wide, 55 MHz gain bandwidth, a 10 MHz power bandwidth, the highest power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) and common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) as well as a very low, 60 MHz 1/f noise corner frequency.

The high-performance audio op amp family includes various package options as well as the LME49710 single op amp and a quad op amp to be introduced in early spring 2007. Many other performance audio products are also in development. These devices are manufactured in Arlington, Texas, and assembled and tested in Melaka, Malaysia. Press Release

LM3370 is a dual step-down DC-DC converter optimized for powering ultra-low voltage circuits from a single Li-Ion battery and input rail ranging from 2.7V to 5.5V. It provides two outputs with 600mA load per channel. The output voltage range varies from 1V to 3.3V and can be dynamically controlled using the I²C compatible interface. This dynamic voltage scaling function allows processors to achieve maximum performance at the lowest power level. The I²C compatible interface can also be used to control auto PFM-PWM/PWM mode selection and other performance enhancing features. Press Release

National's dual, high-fidelity LM4562 audio op amp practically eliminates distortion, with total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of 0.00003 percent. It sets a new level of performance with its remarkably low distortion, low noise, high speed, wide operating voltage and high output drive. These features, including 2.7 nV/rt Hz noise density and 56 MHz gain bandwidth product, make the op amp well-suited for professional and high-end audio applications such as audio/visual (AV) receivers, preamplifiers and mixers, as well as a range of 34V medical imaging and industrial applications.

The LM5071 is the industry’s first single-chip controller specifically designed for PoE devices that operate from alternative power sources such as an AC adapter or the PoE-enabled network such as IP phones or security cameras. Simplifying the design of applications, the LM5071 solves the interface problem encountered by many PoE equipment designers through an integrated Powered Device (PD) front end. This integrated PD front end accepts power from the power sourcing equipment or auxiliary power to a single chip with a DC-DC controller that steps down the input voltage to power various PD loads. Press Release

Representatives from analogZONE, a popular online trade publication, were on site in Santa Clara to present members of the Data Conversion group with a Product of the Year award for the ADC08D1500. Earlier this year, analogZONE announced its list of top products from 2005 and recognized the ADC08D1500 for "best improvement in raw ADC speed."

In an expanded review of the ADC08D1500, the typically hard-to-impress analogZONE editor gushed about the ADC08D1500, saying "This is the kind of adventurous part that makes you want to love National all over again." In addition, he praised the company's pricing strategy, "it is always nice not to have to complain about National giving away parts by leaving money on the table."

"Receiving this Product of the Year Award from the editors at analogZONE is a huge accomplishment for the ADC08D1500 team and great public recognition of a truly industry-leading product," said Antonio Visconti, product line director of National's Data Conversion Division.

The ADC08D1500, announced last September, is a dual 8-bit converter that can sample one analog input at 3 giga-samples per second (GSPS) when operating in dual-edge sampling (DES) mode or two inputs at 1.5 GSPS. It was introduced along with the ADC08D500, a dual, 500 mega-samples per second (MSPS) 8-bit converter; and the ADC081500, a single version of the ADC08D1500. These ADCs join the ADC08D1000 and ADC081000, ultra-low-power gigahertz-speed ADCs introduced last year. For more information visit Ultra High-Speed, Giga-Sample (GSPS) A/D Converters, analogZONE

Company Launches Nine New Op Amps Manufactured on VIP50 BiCMOS Process

EDN Magazine selected National Semiconductor's precision operational amplifiers and VIP50 process from a field of hundreds as analog innovation of the year in its 16th Annual Innovation Awards. EDN announced the winners at a ceremony on April 3 in San Jose, Calif. Instituted in 1990, this awards program honors the outstanding electronic products that have shaped the semiconductor industry over the past year.

"Winning the Innovation of the Year award from EDN recognizes National's continued leadership and creativity in developing advanced analog technologies," said Erroll Dietz, vice president of National's Amplifier Group. Press Release

The first of its kind, National Semiconductor’s PowerWise technology is an energy-saving technique for extending the battery life of feature-rich portable electronic devices, particularly mobile phones. PowerWise technology reduces the power consumed by high data-rate processors up to 70 percent and substantially increases battery life. Ultimately, consumers enjoy data-intensive features without additional charging periods.

PowerWise technology is a comprehensive, system-level solution for reducing processor power consumption in both data-intensive and stand-by modes of operation. During operation, the PowerWise technology ensures that the processor operates at power supply voltages best suited for the environmental conditions, semiconductor process variations or applications software workload. The LP5550 EMU manages specific voltages on the smaller silicon geometry processors so that stand-by power consumption is also reduced. Press Release

Introduced in August 2005, the LMH1251 is the industry's first high-definition component video (YPbPr) to RGB video converter IC that increases compatibility between different analog video standards. The converter eliminates the headaches associated with many discrete designs, which use complex external circuitry and additional chips, and digital devices, which can be expensive and offer poorer video quality. The LMH1251's conversion process is accomplished with analog technology via a color space conversion matrix. Conversion in the analog domain results in a cleaner, crisper decoded video image that is superior to those produced with current solutions. Press Release

The WEBENCH Active Filter Designer speeds the creation of sophisticated filters for data acquisition and signal conditioning applications. Designed by National employees from the ground up, the tool lets engineers design 200,000 advanced, highly customized filters for standard filter types up to ninth order in low-pass, high-pass and band-pass architectures. It provides a powerful component selection system to rapidly search among the company’s portfolio of nearly 200 operational amplifier products, each with hundreds of different electrical parameters, and immediately configure the necessary bill of materials for every design. The Active Filter Designer and its simulators are available free of charge at http://webench.national.com. Press Release

In the analog category, EDN chose National's products based on its VIP50 process technology. National Semiconductor is the first company to develop a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) BiCMOS process optimized for precision amplifier products. This proprietary process dramatically improves the performance of the company’s next-generation precision and low-power, low-voltage operational amplifiers. The first six operational amplifiers built on this new process feature significant improvements in accuracy, low power consumption and voltage noise for industrial, medical and automotive applications. These improvements, combined with the products’ small size, also make them well-suited for portable applications.

The team of design engineers responsible for the VIP50 technology is a finalist in the Innovator of the Year category. Six full product development teams, test, product and application engineers, and marketing management from Santa Clara, Calif., Delft, The Netherlands, and Arlington, Texas, spent more than two years developing the VIP50 process and products. To enable excellent precision performance in a wide variety of small form factor packages, the team had to develop new test and packaging technologies. Press Release

The IEC selected the WEBENCH Active Filter Designer tool as one of three finalists in the system-level design tools category based on its innovation, market impact and benefits to customers. Using the tool, engineers can create a complete active filter design in minutes, greatly reducing the work hours needed to develop sophisticated filters for data acquisition and signal-conditioning applications. Designed by National employees from the ground up, the tool lets engineers design advanced, highly customized filters for standard filter types up to ninth order in low pass, high pass and band pass architectures. Press Release