Components are “virtual” chips represented by an icon in Cypress’s PSoC Creator software that are dragged and dropped into a design. Each component is fully tested and characterized to help customers accelerate their time to market. Cypress delivers Component Packs that provide new components as well as updates to existing components approximately every eight weeks. A Component Pack updates an existing PSoC Creator installation while maintaining the core functionality of the design environment.
Component Pack 3 adds a new Power Monitor component that simplifies voltage and current measurements on power rails. Up to 32 DC power rails can be monitored using a PSoC 3 device with 0.5% accuracy. The Power Monitor component simplifies the complex configuration of the A/D converter, clock frequencies, resolutions, and ranges by abstracting the analog input stage and firmware code into a simple graphical user interface (GUI). System designers enter the voltage and current ranges into this GUI, click the "build" button, and can begin measuring power rails within minutes using the PSoC Power Management Expansion Board Kit (CY8CKIT-035).
The new Fan Controller component offers the ability to independently control up to 16 standard 3- and 4-wire brushless DC fans using a simple GUI tool. The Fan Controller generates Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) outputs to control fan speed and accepts variable frequency tachometer inputs from the fans to allow for the measurement of fan speeds. This component also comes with advanced fan control algorithms that reduce fan noise and regulate fan speeds even with varying airflow and fan loads. It is available as a prototype and can be further developed using the PSoC Thermal Management Expansion Board Kit (CY8CKIT-036).
These new components enable highly reliable hardware-based solutions for the telecommunications, server, and storage markets, where reliability is critical. A detailed datasheet and video for these components are available on the Cypress website.
