PMIC extends battery life in portable apps

Wolfson Microelectronics has released the WM8320, a highly integrated power management integrated chip (PMIC) that is designed to maximise ARM processor performance and extend battery life in portable multimedia devices, such as netbooks, mobile Internet devices, smart phones, handsets and digital photo frames.

The WM8320 incorporates Wolfson's BuckWise regulator technology, which enables the PMIC to handle shifts in power requirements as different product functions are switched on and off by the user. BuckWise regulator technology eliminates any disturbances in the power supply outputs, which can be caused by rapid changes in power requirements, without the need to add large external components or reduce the processor speed to lower the load current. The WM8320 can also be used in applications where there is no system battery, such as STBs.

The WM8320 has four DC/DC synchronous regulators, two 1.2A, which incorporate BuckWise technology, and two 1A. The two 1A regulators can be grouped together to generate a combined 1.6A output to support large memory banks, or to increase efficiency by pre-regulating any of the ten LDOs integrated in the WM8320.

The enhanced transient performance also saves power, enabling the processor to run at lower voltages, improving power efficiency. System designers can choose to reduce processor power consumption by up to 25 per cent over previous generations of regulators, or to increase processor speed by up to 25 per cent.

Patent pending EEPROM interface technology maximises design flexibility, allowing product designers to override the one-time programmable memory of the PMIC as many times as needed.

Pricing for the WM8320 is Rs.180.85 ($3.72) for 10K volume. The WM8320 is sampling now in 7mm x 7mm BGA package.

- Ismini Scouras
eeProductCenter

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