Motorola (Germany)

The need to see compelling evidence before adopting new methods looms greater in large organizations because of their complexity and the need to integrate new technologies and processes with existing ones. To further evaluate agile methods and their underlying software development practices, several Software Experience Center (SEC) member companies initiated a series of activities to discover if agile practices match their organizations' needs. Although each organization evaluated agile methods according to its specific needs, here we attempt to generalize their findings by analyzing some of their common experiences in the particular context of large organizations with well-established structures and processes. We base this analysis on experience collected and shared among four SEC members namely ABB, DaimlerChrysler, Motorola, and Nokia.

Let G(V, E) be a directed graph in which each vertex has a nonnegative weight. The cost of a path between two vertices in G is the sum of the weights of the vertices on that path. We show that, for such graphs, the time complexity of Dijkstra's algorithm (E.W. Dijkstra, 1959), implemented with a binary heap, is O(|E|+|V|log|V|).

Digital receivers still employ analog components in the demodulation process causing amplitude and phase imbalances between the I and Q branches. This article describes a novel digital compensation scheme for orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) receivers based on adaptive frequency domain filtering to remove the IQ imbalance effects.

A massive increase in the number of mobile devices and data-hungry vehicular network applications creates a great challenge for mobile network operators (MNOs) to handle huge data in cellular infrastructure. However, due to fluctuating wireless channels and high mobility of vehicular users, it is even more challenging for MNOs to deal with vehicular users within a licensed cellular spectrum. Data offloading in the vehicular environment plays a significant role in offloading the vehicle's data traffic from congested cellular network's licensed spectrum to the free unlicensed WiFi spectrum with the help of roadside units (RSUs). In this article, an intelligent reward-based data offloading in the next generation vehicular networks (IR-DON) architecture is proposed for dynamic optimization of data traffic and selection of intelligent RSU. Within the IR-DON architecture, an intelligent access network discovery and selection function (I-ANDSF) module with Q-learning, a reinforcement learning algorithm is designed. The I-ANDSF is modeled under a software-defined network (SDN) controller to solve the dynamic optimization problem by performing an efficient offloading. This increases the overall system throughput by choosing an optimal and intelligent RSU in the network selection process. The simulation results have shown the accurate network traffic classification, optimal network selection, guaranteed quality of service, reduced delay, and higher throughput achieved by the I-ANDSF module.

Abstract Qualification frequently is a time‐critical activity at the end of a development project. As time‐to‐market is a competitive issue, the most efficient qualification efforts are of interest. A concept is outlined, which proactively integrates qualification into the development process and provides a systematic procedure as a support tool to development and gives early focus on required activities. It converts requirements for a product into measures of development and qualification in combination with a risk and opportunity assessment step and accompanies the development process as a guiding and recording tool for advanced quality planning and confirmation. The collected data enlarge the knowledge database for DFR/BIR (designing for reliability/building‐in reliability) to be used for future projects. The procedure challenges and promotes teamwork of all the disciplines involved. Based on the physics‐of‐failure concept the reliability qualification methodology is re‐arranged with regard to the relationships between design, technology, manufacturing and the different product life phases at use conditions. It makes use of the physics‐of‐failure concept by considering the potential individual failure mechanisms and relates most of the reliability aspects to the technology rather than to the individual product design. Evaluation of complex products using common reliability models and the definition of sample sizes with respect to systematic inherent product properties and fractions of defects are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Since European and national legislation is shifting responsibility for discarded products more and more to the producer, the need for efficient tools to evaluate and improve products with regard to their environmental impact is increasing. In this paper, the results of a beneficial cooperation between industry and university in the area of environmental evaluation and optimization of products is presented. The developed Design for Environment (DFE) tool "Green Design Advisor" (GDA) is currently implemented as a best practice DFE-tool into industry. As the knowledge about the end-of-life behavior of a product is essential for the environmental evaluation, a specific method for the end-of-life simulation is an important issue of the paper. Furthermore, the integration and enlargement of this end-of-life related evaluation into a DFE-method is described. The resulting tool also includes features to detect environmental product design weaknesses, by using special characteristic values that have been developed. Those allow, along with a tailored integrated optimization sequence, the efficient use of the software to achieve significant design improvements.

Telecommunication providers and telecommunication manufacturers are getting ready to implement the third generation (3G) mobile telecommunication systems known as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) in Europe. Next to the technical problems involved, no statement regarding the sustainability of the UMTS can yet be made. In a joint effort Motorola, Swisscom, Deutsche Telekom and ESU-services have carried out an evaluation of the environmental sustainability of the UMTS mobile communication system in Switzerland by means of a life cycle assessment (LCA). A baseline environmental impact profile across the full life cycle of the UMTS mobile communication system and its predecessor, the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) is presented. The baseline assessment was a necessary first step to evaluate the environmental impacts of the mobile communication systems use and growth and thus permitting the evaluation of its environmental sustainability. The analysis showed that the manufacturing of electronic components, the life time of the appliances and energy consumption are key parameters influencing the environmental profile most. From this baseline, necessary environmental improvement strategies on the technical level, such as design for environment for products (e.g. cellular phone and base stations) and LCA improvement assessments (e.g. combined devices) are developed so as to show ways towards sustainable mobile communication.

Intrinsically, semiconductor fabrication processes contain expensive and environmentally sensitive processes. The high purity requirements of input materials coupled with the extreme cleanliness of the processing environment provide a great challenge in managing the potential environmental impacts of this industry. High energy and water consumption and the throughput of hazardous auxiliaries give rise to additional environmental concerns. This paper presents a methodology for a life cycle inventory analysis (LCI) employed for a Motorola wafer fab. The LCI focuses on the generation of a complete data set of mass and energy flows for a wafer fab and the identification of environmentally significant aspects in wafer processing. Process modules within the infrastructure and the fab processes are identified as environmentally significant according to the consumption of energy, raw water, chemicals, gases and the origin of waste, wastewater, and emissions. The use of infrastructure facilities by fab processes is taken into account. The practical methodology worked out by Fraunhofer IZM and Motorola is a guideline to combine ecological and economical aspects and can be applied to realize environmental improvements within a company. The LCI data set is a basis for an impact assessment to gain LCA data for one of the most important processes in semiconductor fabrication. Corresponding methodologies for impact assessments are discussed.

A 240mW direct-conversion DVB-H receiver in a 0.35 /spl mu/m BiCMOS process is presented. The receiver covers UHF bands IV and V, and exhibits a nominal 80dB gain, 8.5dB NF, and 8.5dBm IIP3. The IC includes an LNA, dual quadrature mixers, baseband filtering, three 4/spl times/ VCO, an integer PLL, and a reference oscillator.

Semiconductor packaging and interconnect technologies today focus more and more on system solutions with increased modularity and functionality. As an example, mechanical relay replacement by semiconductor solutions rely on the additional control, diagnostic and communication functions that cannot be provided by power devices alone. For cost, thermal performance and mechanical reliability reasons multi chip solutions with separate control and power functions are required. Associated high integration packaging with a high power density can yield critical temperature states in the sensitive semiconductor devices. Enhanced thermal concepts are needed in order to avoid overheating and provide the necessary package performance. The definition of certain junction to case or junction to ambient thermal resistance values alone does not satisfy these needs. Profound understanding of the heat transfer mechanisms at any steady or transient loading is essential for the development of new assemblies. The temperature rises in all dice have to be known at any combination of electrical loading functions. It is practically impossible to replicate all possible field conditions in a laboratory environment. Thermal RC-networks, representing the heat transfer behavior of a multi chip package, help to overcome that issue. Arbitrary stimulus functions can be applied in order to simulate the time dependent temperature responses. The required network parameters can be identified with transient temperature measurements or even finite element simulations.

To develop comprehensive design guidelines, models and experiments cannot overlook process-induced imperfections in the flip chip on board (FCOB) assemblies. The following items were noted as being significant factors which were used for modeling and by thermal cycling tests: (a) varying standoff-heights and alternative bump sizes, (b) underfill-particle settling, (c) underfill-void effects, (d) underfill-to-bump coverage, (e) asymmetrical fillets vs. symmetrical fillets. A detailed numerical and experimental reliability study of perfect and imperfect flip chip assemblies has been completed. Experimental studies of the failure modes and of the mean cycles to failure are in good agreement with the failure modes and life time, as predicted by FEM for the different technological variants. A hierarchy of influences was worked out in three levels (important, medium, negligible). Most important imperfections resulting in a strong reliability decrease are particle settling, asymmetrical fillets and small and big voids.

This paper presents a novel o/e-MCM-L/D concept for fully integrated opto-electronic MCM-packaging aiming at: very low cost, very high interconnect density and high performance. The polymer thin film materials technology allowing the integration of optical waveguides and high density electrical interconnects in just 3 thin film layers is also discussed in terms of chemistry, processes and properties. Very good processability and planarization of the new inorganic-organic photo-polymers, ORMOCERs, (ORganically MOdified CERamics) in combination with a much lower post-curing temperature (120/spl deg/C-170/spl deg/C) than alternative materials (such as polyimide and benzocyclobutene) enables the use of low cost polymer substrates such as FR-4 epoxy. Novel surface mountable waveguide-connectors for passive precision alignment, compatible with standard MT-opto-connectors can be used for coupling light in and out from the o/e-MCM-L/D's. In the demonstrator, laser-arrays (VCSEL's) and photodiode-arrays are flip-chip mounted above UV-excimer laser ablated 45-degree mirrors in the waveguides. Driver-chips and passive components are wirebonded and surface mounted respectively. The modules are also supplied with microvias in the FR4-epoxy-substrate connecting to a ball grid array (BGA) underneath. The need of any extra package for connection to next packaging level is thus eliminated. In conclusion the versatility and the low-cost potential of the presented technologies are emphasized.

Experimental and theoretical investigations of the initial and saturated buildup on single spheres are presented here. It is found that the time dependence of the initial accumulation radii can be expressed in terms of power laws and also that the saturation buildup can be well described by the static equilibrium model if the particle radius is used as a fitting parameter. Furthermore, a characteristic asymmetry of the buildup in the transverse configuration is reported and found to be of hydrodynamic origin.

The Internet of Things will enable connectivity for virtually any physical object that potentially offers a message, and will affect every aspect of life and business. This article looks at the concepts and technologies in three application areas that Motorola is contributing to now and in the coming years.

A new simple method is presented for determining the average moisture content in walls based on a time-domain reflectometer. Using such a microwave locating reflectometer, it is possible to perform non-invasive measurements in masonry with access from only one side. The spatial resolution of the reflectometer is improved by the use of a pole extraction algorithm. To obtain accurate results for the moisture content in every layer of the wall, it is only necessary that the geometry of the wall is known, which is normally the case.

Past research on the spillover, compensatory, and no-relationship models has not helped to discover the structural relationships among facets of work, nonwork, and general well-being. A more comprehensive approach is presented and illustrated with data from three empirical studies of German workers. Work is shown to be a less important contributor to general well-being than other facets of life space. Implications for quality of work life interventions and research are discussed.

This paper presents the design of a VCO and a frequency divider integrated together with a phase-frequency detector and a mixer on one transceiver chip for a 24GHz FM-CW radar system. The VCO is a differential varactor-tuned microstrip oscillator with 1.25GHz tuning frequency, which delivers a flat output power of 7dBm at each of the two differential 50/spl Omega/ loads over the entire frequency range. Additional differential RF-outputs drive the inputs of the receiver circuits, a frequency divider with a division ratio of 32 and a single-balanced-mixer. The transmitter circuit has been fully integrated in the Motorola production 0.35/spl mu/m SiGe-BiCMOS technology.

New package innovations are needed to address the next generation system requirements of the automotive market. Enhanced system functionality from semiconductor components and overall cost reduction demands drive multichip package solutions. The use of semiconductor devices to switch, control and monitor high current loads will integrate logic and power devices on a common substrate with requirements for effective power dissipation, current carrying capability and fine width conductor features for the control device and interconnections. To achieve these goals Motorola's Advanced Interconnection Systems Laboratory, Munich, has developed a new package concept, a multichip mechatronics power package, utilizing flip chip die attach technology and electroplated eutectic SnPb solder bumps. With the goal to deliver an advanced package platform to cover different power levels in the system architecture,the several substrate technologies were evaluated.

After giving a short description of the underlying principles of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) as a representative of a multicarrier modulation (MCM) system, this paper sets the main emphasis on investigating the effects of IQ imbalance caused by the analog signal processing in the tuner. A mathematical description of the resulting distortions is given. Special attention is paid to the description in the frequency domain. This is the prevailing level of digital signal processing in OFDM receivers to extract useful information from the received signal. An OFDM 64 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) transmission chain according to the European DVB-T (terrestrial digital video broadcasting) standard has been simulated in order to evaluate the impact of the tuner imperfections on the constellation diagram and the bit-error rate (BER). In the framework of the DVB-T system possible strategies to equalize these imperfections are briefly suggested.

The reliability of semiconductor devices in automotive environmental conditions requires optimized package design with respect to geometry, materials and manufacturing processes. Process steps at high temperatures can result in high package stresses at operating temperatures due to mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients of the package compound materials. Device failure may occur caused by failure modes, such as delamination of material interfaces or bulk material fracture. This paper addresses the predictability of silicon bulk fracture in microchips in electronic devices. The typical scatter of silicon strength data requires a probabilistic approach. Weibull theory is applied for the evaluation of the stress state and the computation of fracture probability in a microchip.