ST power management IC helps portable devices achieve low-power communication

zbz0529

ST power management IC helps portable devices achieve low-power communication [Copy link]

STMicroelectronics (ST) recently announced a small single-chip power management device STw4810, the new product can be used for portable products including ST's STn881x Nomadik processor (such as PDA and mobile phone) multimedia application processing engine (APE). In addition to multiple DC-DC converters and programmable regulators, STw4810 also integrates a complete USB-OTG (USB plug and play) module and mainstream memory card interface, as well as processor power monitoring and reset monitoring components.

　　According to reports, due to the highly integrated power management function and basic support for multimedia products, STw4810 can minimize component costs and circuit board area and simplify printed circuit board design. To achieve similar integration, previous solutions require several discrete devices and other components, but these solutions are more expensive and less reliable.

　　The new chip integrates various analog and mixed-signal functions in a small 4.6mm×4.6mm VFBGA84 (fine pitch ball grid array) or 6mm×6mm TFBGA84 (thin flat ball grid array) package. With only a few external components, it can perform the main energy management functions in APE products.

　　The STw4810's two independent DC-DC step-down converters provide 1V to 1.5V at 600mA for the core supply and 1.8V at 600mA for I/O functions and general functions. Three low-dropout programmable regulators power auxiliary devices and peripheral interfaces.

　　The USB OTG standard addresses the market's requirement for portable devices such as mobile phones, cameras, PDAs and MP3 players to communicate with each other under low power consumption conditions without connecting to a host. The STw4810 integrates a complete mobile application USB-OTG module, which includes a full-speed (12Mbps) and low-speed (1.5Mbps) transceiver, 100mA USB cable power transmission function and linear regulator. This interface is compatible with CEA-936-A automotive components.

　　The new product has multiple built-in level converters and a linear regulator to support market standard external memory cards including SD, MMC (52MHz high speed) and SDIO. The SDIO (Secure Digital Input Output) standard provides an interface for connecting multimedia peripherals such as cameras. The STw4810 also has processor power monitoring and reset functions, as well as two I2C (Intelligent Interface Controller) control interfaces. Typical applications of the new chip include mobile phones, multimedia players, GPS navigation products, PDAs, cameras, game platforms, and single-power lithium battery-powered products.

　　Engineering samples of STw4810 have been delivered to major customers for testing, and sample production and full production will begin at the end of the first quarter of 2006. The unit price is US$3.00 for an order of 1,000 pieces.