HomeProductsProducts Details

Scalable digital power solution from IDT for multi-core processors

Date: 26/04/2013
Integrated Device Technology (IDT) has unveiled what it calls intelligent, scalable, distributed power management solution for portable multi-core application processors. IDT has used its patented technology to add incremental output current without modifying the controller power management IC (PMIC) to overcome PCB routing and thermal challenges in powering processor chips.

IDT says its scalable solution minimizes development time and risk with a single PMIC that can be re-used and re-optimized to support the evolving power requirements of various processor platforms. In addition, the distributed nature of the add-on power sources offers tremendous advantages for point-of-load regulation, circuit board routing, and thermal distribution, adds IDT. IDT suggests this solution for advanced portable devices, such as tablet PCs, clam shell devices, smartphones, ebooks, high-end digital cameras, client solid-state drives (SSD), and set-top boxes. The IDTP9165 PMIC and IDTP9167 companion power source are IDT’s first devices to offer this technology, claims IDT.

“IDT’s scalable approach to power management brings a new level of performance and flexibility to the fast-paced market of consumer portable electronics,” said Arman Naghavi, vice president and general manager of the Analog and Power Division at IDT. “When our customers design a new platform of portable devices, it’s difficult to predict exactly how much output power will be needed to optimize each system. As a result, PMICs are typically overdesigned, making the systems costly, inefficient, and physically larger. By providing our customers a flexible power management platform to mirror the needs of their processor platform, they can now focus their attention on a single PMIC, and simply scale the output power to optimize each system. In addition, this modular approach offers invaluable thermal benefits by allowing the designer to spread the power dissipation across the board – a serious challenge in today’s ultra-compact portable devices.”

The IDTP9165 includes five integrated synchronous step-down DC/DC regulators, 11 LDOs, a real time clock (RTC), a 10-bit ADC, multiple GPIOs, and a high-speed I2C interface.

IDT explains the below advantages and features of this power solution:
"The IDTP9167 add-on power sources are controlled by the IDTP9165 PMIC, allowing the designer to command up to eight external devices as though they were integrated into the main PMIC itself. Each optional device efficiently provides up to 6 A of additional peak current, distributing heat across the board and greatly simplifying PCB routing and stack-up requirements near the PMIC – an area that is often a challenge to design. In addition, the transient currents and voltages of the additional phases are contained to the external power sources’ immediate areas, helping to minimize EMI and avoid inductive interference."

"An innovative control system leverages a proprietary two-wire interface without sensitive analog feedback traces or individual pulse width modulation (PWM) line connections. This minimizes the number of PCB traces and avoids potential signal coupling issues, allowing the customer to easily scale the number of add-on power sources required for each application. Furthermore, automatic signal integrity calibration practically eliminates proximity and trace length concerns, allowing customers to separate the host PMIC and power sources as needed to optimize the system."

Availability: Now in samples to qualified customers only