14 DAY TRIAL // While NVIDIA is supposedly adopting a special IC meant to enhance Tegra 2 energy efficiency, Fujitsu has detailed a certain power management IC of its own, one that is aimed at more or less the same sort of mobile products.
Not long ago, it was revealed that Wolfson had created a certain processor that could boost the energy efficiency of mobile devices.
The report implied that NVIDIA had adopted the processor for its Tegra 2 reference designs, since that SoC, while capable, does not excel in terms of power draw.
Regardless, Fujitsu has now issued a press release in which it details its own such solution, dubbed MB39C326 PMIC.
It is a low-noise, synchronous, high-efficiency buck-boost DC/DC converter that works at 6 MHz and will be showcased at MWC (February 14-17) in Fira de Barcelona-Recinto Montjuic.
When a Li-ion battery is fully charged, it starts with a high voltage that declines as the energy is discharged, until the power it provides is no longer sufficient for the host device.
To lengthen battery life, the Fujitsu IC automatically switches between stepping down the voltage (when fully charged) and stepping it up (when battery is discharged), so as to make the power supply more stable.
Basically, the battery will deliver a more consistent voltage level for a longer period of time.
"The market for mobile and smart phones, e-book readers, and other handheld mobile devices is demanding higher application performance and higher data transfer rates in the smallest form factor possible," said Akio Nezu, senior manager of marketing, Fujitsu Semiconductor America.
"To meet this demand, manufacturers are aggressively trying to miniaturize components and reduce board space without impacting performance. Typically, one of the largest components is the passive inductor. Because the new Fujitsu MB39C326 buck-boost DC/DC converter operates at an industry-leading 6MHz, manufacturers can use a much smaller inductor. This cuts the board space requirements for the power management circuits by as much as half, while increasing battery life and efficiency."