Active-Semi provides turnkey power solution for Atmel eMPU SAMA5 and SAM9 SeriesARM processors

Active-Semi announced reference design solutions for Atmel’s ARM Cortex A5 and ARM9-based eMPUs (Embedded Micro Processor Units) using Active-Semi’s ACT8865 and ACT8945A PMICs (Power Management Integrated Circuits). This embedded solution offers high differentiation, in particular for low-power applications such as smartwatches, wearables, POS (Point-of-Sale) and HMI (Human MachineInterface). These turnkey, highly integrated power IC solutions from Active-Semi fit well with Atmel’s eMPU platform approach by reducing design cycle-time up to 80% and enabling the lowest standby power (under 2mW), critical in conserving battery life in portable applications.

“Working with Active-Semi to develop the ACT8865 and ACT8945A Family of PMICs has helped to further simplify our customer’s system design and reduce the number of power components by as much as 80 percent”, according to Jacko Wilbrink, Senior Product Marketing Director of ARM eMPU & Secure at Atmel Corporation. Wilbrink continues, “This approach supports our efforts to decrease the embedded processor platform solution size whileincreasing the reliability.”

Active-Semi’s ACT8865 and ACT8945A PMICs integrate the complete voltage regulator requirements of Atmel eMPU-based systems, including 3 step-down DC-DC converters and 2 low-dropout (LDO) linear regulators while leaving free 2 additional LDO for auxiliary customer-specific functions. The devices also include pre-configured power rail sequencing that removes the associated design complexity of discrete solution alternatives. The ACT8945A further offers an integrated battery charger and ActivePath™ power path management to efficiently manage battery charging. Both products offer serial communication interfaces to configure and control the operation of the PMICs.

“We see tremendous market opportunity for high density and energy efficient microprocessors such as Atmel’s SAMA5 and SAM9 that are enabling a new class of consumer and industrial embedded applications.” Mark Cieri, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Active-Semi. Cieri adds, “Our ACT8865 and ACT8945A devices have proven valuable as they enable up to a 50% reduction in both size and totalcost of the power solution but at higher performance than the discrete alternatives.” 
ACT8865 and ACT8945A are in production today.

Atmel