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| Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) allows for the collection of utility consumption data via a range of communication technologies including customers’ telephony, radio frequency devices, power-line, and satellite communications. Data collected by utility company decision-makers can be used to better manage operational efficiency and improve customer service. |
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| Advanced metering applications |
| Advanced meters can provide two-way communication, allowing customers to actually see their energy consumption cost—in real time—and enable them to lower thermostats or turn off unnecessary lighting for immediate cost saving. Utility companies can encourage lower energy usage during peak-demand hours by adjusting rate structures or providing pricing incentives during low demand times. |
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| Low-cost prepayment electricity meters are being widely deployed in developing countries of the world. These meters are based on the pre-payment scheme where the home user must pay for electricity in advance. F-RAM is ideal for nonvolatile storage of data such as meter identification, customer’s remaining credit, and operational data. |
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| Why use F-RAM? |
| Today’s designers of utility meters and data collection systems face complex demands as the need for sophisticated utility distribution management grows. Whether you’re designing AMRs for water, natural gas, or electricity utility systems, Ramtron’s ferroelectric random access memory (F-RAM) offers: |
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- Fast write capability that eliminates the need for a write-back pipeline, requiring management at power down.
- Virtually unlimited endurance for the life of the advanced metering device. F-RAM retains its memory integrity, unlike floating gate technology that is destructive during the write process, leading to failure in as little as 1E5 write cycles.
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| F-RAM is the perfect nonvolatile memory for advanced metering solutions that require reliable, fast storage of data without an external power source. |
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- Low power operation that does not require battery backup like SRAM devices.
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| Unlike EEPROM memory devices that write to a page buffer, F-RAM performs read and write operations at bus speeds of 70ns access time or better. Ultra fast write speed is significant during a power outage. Typical utility meters can suffer lapse in data recording during power outages. Multiplying the effects of this data loss across a power grid can result in significant monetary loss for a utility provider. |
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| Ramtron's high-value semiconductor F-RAM is ideal for today’s demanding advanced metering applications. | |
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| To capture the attention of today's savvy game user, casino and video arcade games require highly reliable computers with uncompromising display quality and high-end multimedia effects. Touch-driven applications are frequently used in most gaming hardware found in bars, casinos, and amusement parks. As the competition for the entertainment dollar increases, sophisticated casino videos require more robust hardware. |
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| F-RAM superiority over SRAM |
| A common design component in the casino video game is the single slot Single Board Computer or SBC due to its small form factor and power efficiencies. Parallel F-RAM memory is a superb fit for the SBC due to its low power consumption, which makes it superior to older battery backed SRAM designs that required a lithium backup battery. If an SBC calls for banks of SRAM chips, each bank requires a separate backup battery, adding significantly to the overhead power requirements. F-RAM, by contrast, is a highly cost effective memory solution in video gaming computers because they obviate the need for a separate power supply. |
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| F-RAM for metering functions |
| F-RAM memory is perfect for metering functions in casino video integrated circuitry. Security features can be integrated using F-RAM to log date and time for intrusion detection or logging system resets when brownout events occur. |
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| Responsible gambling |
| Ramtron's Processor Companions with F-RAM and integrated Real-Time Clock (RTC) offer excellent feature sets for gambling controls, which are designed into the latest casino video electronics. These controls are designed to help curb addictive gambling behaviors. Here are a few examples of Responsible Gambling (RG) features that are being designed into video casino devices: |
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- A permanent on-screen clock showing the time of day
- Pop-up reminders of time spent during continuous play
- A mandatory cash-out after a specified period of continuous play
- Mandatory selection of session length before play begins
- Reducing maximum bet size
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| F-RAM can also be used with Data Encryption Standard (DES) cards in casino video game computers to save unique undiscoverable keys, user programmable, non-discoverable keys, like RSA, SHA-1 or MD-5 encryption; or outcomes of a random number generator. |
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| F-RAM: the memory of choice |
| For today's demanding, high-performance casino video gaming, F-RAM is the widely considered the memory of choice with incomparable write speeds, high endurance, and low power benefits that eclipse older floating gate technologies. |
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| The contactless smart card is widely accepted by consumers the world over, with highest concentration in Asian countries. The principal advantage of contactless technology in a payment application is convenience and speed. In the mass transit arena, riders no longer have to fumble for change when getting aboard a bus or train. The smart card eliminates the need to put a ticket or card into a slow mechanical reader, which requires proper orientation to work correctly. In systems that utilize radio frequency identification (RFID) to communicate with the card reader, smart cards can even be read without removing them from the user’s wallet. Mass transit authorities show an increased throughput of 15 – 20%, according to statistics gathered by Hong Kong’s highly popular Octopus card. |
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| F-RAM: smart memory for smart cards |
| In a retail setting, there are distinct advantages to contactless payment for the cashier as well. Contactless technology speeds throughput, resulting in fewer queues and reduced staffing counts. Studies have shown that contactless smart cards can reduce transaction time by 64%. F-RAM is the ideal chip design for contactless technology. Its high endurance and no battery requirements mean no maintenance, perfect for contactless transaction systems in unattended terminals like vending machines, toll booths, parking meters, and transit stations. |
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| Benefits of F-RAM |
| POS terminals that are enabled with RFID technology can benefit from F-RAM. Low energy access is critical in RFID systems because the energy emitted in the field declines exponentially with distance. The contactless smart card or key fob must be close enough to the field to induce the minimum amount of energy to write and it must extract the energy while in the field. F-RAM is perfect for these RFID applications because they can improve write distance, lower sensitivity to motion (time in the field), and lower the RF power required for the transmitter and receiver. F-RAM has these key benefits: |
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- Fast write
The F-RAM memory chip has no write delay, offering superior 70ns or better write speed. By contrast, floating gate technology like EEPROM has to write to a page buffer, resulting in significant delays. | |
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| The worldwide market for contactless cards is growing at twice the rate of contact smart cards. Contactless devices are found in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from traditional plastic cards to key fobs and more. F-RAM’s fast write, high endurance, low power operation, and make it an the perfect IC solution for contactless POS terminals. |
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- High endurance
F-RAM won’t wear out like floating gate memory devices. F-RAM has virtually limitless write endurance—in excess of 1E12—making it a highly durable memory solution.
- Minimal energy requirements
F-RAM’s low power consumption makes it the right memory choice when designing for contactless POS systems. F-RAM uses minimal current: 15mA active current and 15µA standby current. | | | -popular product - |
