San Jose – a Thriving Resource for Electronic Engineering

Electronic engineering encompasses a broad range of services and technologies – and the field is constantly expanding. Nearly every industry relies on technology to some extent:

• Automotive – from diagnostic sensors and on-board computers to manufacturing technology.
• Medical devices – test equipment, monitors, and even implant devices.
• Mobile devices – smartphones, laptops, GPS systems.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has taken over in applications that were inconceivable about a few short years ago:

• Manufacturing equipment that summons maintenance teams when problems arise – or even in advance.
• Doorbells that not only monitor visitors but also provide crystal-clear video images across the internet.
• Self-driving vehicles, powered by sophisticated electronics and software.

San Jose and Silicon Valley are renowned for advancements and development in electronic engineering and software integration. Emerging technologies across multiple industries have earned the region accolades for its contributions to quality engineering and career opportunities.

How Electronic Engineering in San Jose Advances Technology

Electronic engineering is what has made many modern advancements and product development possible:

• Voice-response devices that are now in use in many homes for controlling HVAC equipment, lighting, and entertainment systems.
• Smartphones, tablets, and wireless laptop computers.
• Advances in aeronautics, including drone-based applications.

Each of these devices and their capabilities require increasing levels of sophistication in electronic components and skilled technicians to design the circuits that power them.

In the San Jose area, there are hundreds – even thousands – of positions available for a wide variety of electronic engineering talents. This demand demonstrates the value that professionals in this field offer for customers and the technology industry.

Circuit Design – A Critical Element in Electronic Engineering

San Jose electronic engineers apply the latest technology and software tools in designing and manufacturing reliable electronic circuits. This means continuous updating of skills and the use of the latest tools to provide reliable, leading-edge products.

CAD tools to design and test circuits before they’re manufactured now offer many advantages:

• Faster turnaround from concept to design and prototyping
• Speed time to market
• Ensure reliability
• Reveal any potential manufacturing issues (design for manufacturing)
• Enable collaboration between engineers and customers
• Reduced cost

Circuit design is a critical factor in providing quality electronic devices that are efficient, reliable, and meet all functional requirements.

San Jose is a Leader in FPGA Design Services

Flexibility is a key factor in the development of many electronic devices. Diagnostic equipment, heating and cooling equipment, and monitoring technologies, for example, must be capable of being reconfigured dynamically to respond to varying requirements.

Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) design satisfies such demanding electronic functionality through its inherent properties that permit customization in the field. FPGA integrated circuits provide the capability for designers or end users to modify configurations when desired.

Architecture of FPGA Circuits

FPGA design includes multiple programmable elements:

• Logic blocks – consisting of thousands or even millions of transistors, logic blocks perform the logic functions of the circuit design.
• I/O blocks – these connect the logic blocks of the circuit using external components
• Interconnections – routing paths between programmable logic blocks utilizing electronically programmable switches

There are several types of FPGAs, with different properties such that some can only be programmed once, and others can be reprogrammed as needed, or a limited number of times.

FPGA circuits are becoming a more frequently utilized technology, but they still require specialized training and skillsets.

FPGA design services in San Jose offer such development as high-speed circuits that increase computing, networking, and sensor processing capabilities.

Where demand for continuously faster throughput was previously addressed with additional CPU power, FPGA-based electronic accelerator cards can improve storage performance and other processing as much as 10-100 times.

San Jose electronic engineering services are the source of many significant advances in the application of FPGA designs.

Wireless Design Services in San Jose

IoT and today’s mobile workforces rely on effective, high-performance wireless devices that take advantage of miniaturized components and printed circuit boards. Powerful smartphones, GPS systems, and appliances such as smart TVs and home security systems rely on light-weight, durable wireless designs. Additional factors that impact wireless designs include:

• Flexibility to support new technology such as 4G or 5G cell integration
• Compatibility with a wide range of WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity
• Battery life – designs must consider the useful life of the devices based on power consumption
• Security against unauthorized access or hackers

Security issues are emphasized where wireless vulnerabilities have been uncovered that could impact medical devices such as implanted pacemakers. Associated with Bluetooth Low Energy technology, this gap in security could allow hackers to pause or even disable pacemakers or glucose monitoring units.

These are issues that further emphasize the requirement for knowledgeable and efficient electronic design for wireless devices.