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Cypress CapSense™ Solution
Implements Elegant Touch-Sensitive Controls on Leading
Gaggia Coffee Maker Line
Other Topics:
Espresso
Based Specialty Drinks,
Coffee Distribution,
Coffee Sales
Growth,
Coffee Delivery Service,
China
Coffee Market, Fall Coffee Line
Cypress Semiconductor Corp.
December 17, 2007
CapSense Flexibility Also Enables LED Control,
Allows Multiple Machines to Share Common Design
San Jose, CA -- Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:CY)
today announced that Gaggia S.p.A., the best known
Italian coffee machine manufacturer, is employing
Cypress’s PSoC® CapSense™ solution in two models of the
famous “Baby” line of coffee machines. The CapSense
interface implements the distinctive control panel touch
ring that replaces four or five buttons, depending on
the model. The same device also controls indicator LEDs
on the coffee machines. Engineers at Gaggia were able to
use the same basic design on different models, taking
advantage of the unmatched flexibility of the PSoC
architecture. The CapSense solution is waterproof, a
feature that is useful for the coffee maker as well as
white goods such as washing machines and dishwashers,
and industrial equipment.
The Gaggia Baby line was introduced over 30 years ago
and remains one of the world’s leading coffee makers.
The products feature a distinctive, sleek appearance
that is complemented by the new touch ring. The touch
ring provides simple, intuitive controls to make
delicious coffee, espressos and cappuccinos.
The CapSense solution enables designers, with a single
device, to replace multiple mechanical buttons and
sliders, and implement proximity sensing. Engineers can
also take advantage of PSoC flexibility to implement
functions beyond CapSense – a capability called
CapSensePLUS. Such functions include driving LEDs,
backlight control, motor control, power management, I/O
expansion, and controlling accelerometers and ambient
light sensors. These functions, in conjunction with
flexible communication (I2C and SPI), allow for
unparalleled system integration.
“The Baby line is a very important part of the Gaggia
tradition,” said Monica Milanovich, marketing manager
for Gaggia. “Cypress’s flexible CapSense solution
enables us to offer an exciting, sleek design with
outstanding flexibility. It also allowed us to save
engineering resources by using the same design on
multiple models.”
“We are pleased to add value to the famous Gaggia Baby
coffee makers,” said Steve Gerber, business unit
director for Cypress’s CapSense products. “As the
flexibility and integration of our mixed-signal
programmable solutions gain market momentum, we are
seeing PSoC devices in many of the world’s leading
brands.”
About CapSense
A single CapSense device can replace dozens of
mechanical switches and controls with an elegant
touch-sensitive interface, and the solution supports
touch screens and proximity sensing for superior product
differentiation. CapSense-based “button” and “slider”
controls are more reliable than their mechanical
counterparts because they are resistant to environmental
wear-and-tear from temperature change and moisture.
Cypress has garnered well over 100 CapSense design wins
worldwide in applications that include mobile handsets,
portable media players, white goods, computers, printers
and automotive, among others.
Cypress's CapSense solution offers system designers
numerous advantages over capacitive sensing products
built around modules and sub-assemblies, including
increased flexibility, reduced board space and lower
cost. Because of the unique PSoC architecture, designers
can easily integrate multiple functions (e.g., LED
drivers and LCD displays), in addition to capacitive
sensing. The PSoC CapSense solution also delivers
benefits such as easy communications using either I2C,
SPI or USB interfaces, the ability to implement both
touchpad (x-y matrix) and linear slider applications
with the same device, and the ability to make quick
design changes using the flash-based PSoC architecture.
In addition, users can complete CapSense designs quickly
and easily using pre-configured and verified "user
modules" within Cypress's PSoC Designer™ 4.4 Integrated
Design Environment (IDE), and experience real-time
sensor tuning and monitoring with PSoC Express™ visual
embedded system design tool. Learn more about CapSense
online at www.cypress.com/capsense.
PSoC
-- Because Change Happens
PSoC devices
employ a highly configurable system-on-chip architecture
for embedded control design, offering a flash-based
equivalent of a field-programmable ASIC without
lead-time or NRE penalties. PSoC devices integrate
configurable analog and digital circuits, controlled by
an on-chip microcontroller, providing both enhanced
design revision capability and component count savings.
They include up to 32 Kbytes of Flash memory, 2 Kbytes
of SRAM, an 8x8 multiplier with 32-bit accumulator,
power and sleep monitoring circuits, and hardware I2C
communications.
The flexible PSoC resources allow designers to
future-proof their products by enabling firmware-based
changes during design, validation, production, and in
the field. The unique PSoC flexibility shortens design
cycle time and allows for late-breaking feature
enhancements. All PSoC devices are also dynamically
reconfigurable, enabling designers to morph internal
resources on-the-fly, utilizing fewer components to
perform a given task.
Easy to use development tools enable designers to select
configurable library elements for analog functions such
as amplifiers, ADCs, DACs, filters and comparators and
digital functions such as timers, counters, PWMs, SPI
and UARTs. The PSoC family's analog features include
rail-to-rail inputs, programmable gain amplifiers and up
to 14-bit ADCs with exceptionally low noise, input
leakage and voltage offset.
A single PSoC device can integrate as many as 100
peripheral functions saving customers design time, board
space and power consumption while improving system
quality. Customers can save as much as $10 in system
costs. Learn more about PSoC products at
www.cypress.com/psoc and receive free online training at
www.cypress.com/psoctraining.
About Gaggia
Gaggia S.p.A.
is the best known Italian manufacturer of coffee
machines for professional and household use, and its
name is synonymous with tradition and reliability the
world over. The company was founded in 1948 by Achille
Gaggia, the man who invented the modern steam-free
coffee with cream machine. In 1977 Gaggia began
producing coffee machines for the home, launching the
Baby Gaggia, which to this day is considered to be the
ideal family coffee-maker. Visit Gaggia at
http://www.gaggia.com.
About Cypress
Cypress delivers high-performance, mixed-signal,
programmable solutions that provide customers with rapid
time-to-market and exceptional system value. Cypress
offerings include the PSoC® mixed-signal array, USB
controllers, general-purpose programmable clocks and
memories. Cypress also offers wired and wireless
connectivity solutions ranging from its WirelessUSB™
radio system-on-chip, to West Bridge™ and EZ-USB® FX2LP
controllers that enhance connectivity and performance in
multimedia handsets. Cypress serves numerous markets
including consumer, computation, data communications,
automotive, industrial, and solar power. Cypress trades
on the NYSE under the ticker symbol CY. Visit Cypress
online at www.cypress.com.
Cypress, the Cypress logo and PSoC are registered
trademarks and CapSense and PSoC Designer are trademarks
of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. All other trademarks are
property of their owners. |
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