Technical Features

    February 2013
    Transformer Design Comparisons for Mitigating EMI in Gate Driver Circuits

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Gate driver circuit diagram with a Bourns transformer

    While gate driver-based converters deliver improved efficiency, speed and signal integrity, their high frequency switching features can produce elevated levels of conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI), posing challenges to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and overall system reliability. To solve this
    Date:
    03/29/2026
    The power-semiconductor switches used in power supplies and inverters are based on two technologies, namely MOSFETs and IGBTs. MOSFETs can operate at relatively high switching frequencies significantly above 30 kHz but, unlike IGBTs, they have a very large chip surface area. A new generation of IGBT modules f
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/15/2013
    Measuring wireless-power charging systems for portable electronics

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Qi wireless-charging system simplified block diagram

    Mobile electronics can be found everywhere—homes, hospitals, schools, purses, and pockets. With the explosion in portability, consumers have come to expect and demand long battery life. Energy-efficient
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/13/2013
    Hall-effect sensors deliver higher efficiency in brushless-DC motors

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Hall-effect sensors can mount in three locations: inside the motor, at the end of the motor's shaft, and around the rotor shaft's ring magnet.

    As energy efficiency and cost savings become the biggest drivers in the design of electronic equipment, BLDC (brushless-DC) motor manufacturers must adapt to these new requirements, and deliver motors
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/13/2013
    Increasing efficiency in LED streetlight power supplies

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Shoot through due to drive-signal timing mismatch

    Solid-state exterior lighting requires a regulated AC to DC power supply to drive LED loads which can vary in size from 1 W to over 500 W. To ensure a good return on investment, these power converters
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/13/2013
    Extend battery life with auxiliary charge-pump circuits

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Low-cost power supply providing a regulated 1.8 V and 2.5 V using a step-down converter and auxiliary charge pump

    In many low-power battery-powered applications, cost is king. If the cost to produce a device is above a certain threshold, determined by the device's functionality and the market, that device simply
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/13/2013
    Two methods for increasing AC-distribution efficiency

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Transformers that utilize the auto-zigzag construction can perform the delta to wye transformation without the efficiency loss of an isolation transformer.

    The most common options for increasing data-center energy efficiency, including elimination of the PDU (power-distribution unit) and converting to DC power, require disruptive, expensive, and time-consuming
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/13/2013
    Smart and efficient cities

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: The SignalGuru application from MIT and Princeton, saves drivers an average of 20% fuel costs compared to those that had to stop at traffic lights.

    A city by its very nature tends towards chaos. As the population of the world continues to grow, so does the population living in urban areas. The need to maintain all of the essential services
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/13/2013
    Flash corruption: software bug or supply-voltage fault?

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Typical CPU section and firmware memory map

    Embedded systems commonly use Flash memory to store firmware. Occasionally, the firmware stored in the Flash memory in some systems is accidentally corrupted, preventing the system from booting up
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/27/2013
    Convert a buck regulator into a high-current LED driver

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Projected relative cost of LED Luminaire and percentage due to the cost of LEDs (Source: DOE SSL 2011 Manufacturing Roadmap)

    LEDs promise to change the world, and few doubt that they will. However, a key limiter to more rapid adoption is the cost of the LEDs themselves. The cost breakdown of LED luminaires varies, but it
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/26/2013
    90-W plug-n-play Power over Ethernet over 100-m CAT-5e cable

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: A typical PoE system

    PoE (Power over Ethernet) has been increasing in popularity due to its flexible and cost-effective method of delivering both power and data over a single Ethernet cable. This allows equipment to be
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/21/2013
    Five considerations for deploying Ethernet in wind farms

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: A network topology for wind-farm applications makes use of redundant devices and cabling to maximize system uptime and minimize the operational consequences of single points of failure.

    Data is a key element to the successful operation of a wind farm. Real-time data access allows operators to monitor wind turbine uptime, performance, and power output—even from remote locations. This
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/21/2013
    Modeling and simulation for wind and solar energy

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Shading and current distribution inside the solar module

    The market for green and renewable energy is growing, but also presents numerous new challenges when it comes to technology, environment, and acceptance. Concerning technology, these challenges require
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/20/2013
    Such a dense power grid however may not be as vulnerable to power outages as some experts fear. One might assume that it is much harder to synchronize the many generators and machines of consumers,
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/20/2013
    The smart grid surrounds us these days. In the U.S., approximately 36 million smart electricity meters have deployed since 2007 (reference 1). In Europe, both Italy and Sweden have each achieved complete
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/19/2013
    Renewable energy prices; weather driven and volatile

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Wholesale energy prices will be increasingly driven by the weather.

    Pöyry Management Consulting has conducted a series of studies over the last two years to investigate how European energy markets would need to evolve in the face of the radical changes expected from
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/19/2013
    Optimizing output noise through low-noise power design

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Micrel's MIC94300 integrated design reduces the combined footprint of filter and load switch by as much as 65%.

    The proliferation of portable connectivity devices over the last decade has seen most of us become more reliant on technology than ever before. At home and at work, as we embrace technology, we demand
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/09/2013
    Active network management offered as grid panacea

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Active Network Management creates a new layer of grid management.

    The power industry faces some significant future challenges: to create a more visible and controllable electricity grid to deliver power more reliably, efficiently, and cost effectively and find smarter
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/09/2013
    Properly implemented, galvanic isolation is an effective defense against disturbances in the ground plane often referred to as ground loops, which occur as a result of varying electrical potentials. Physical limitations require that electrical components on a PCB connect to the ground plane at different physical
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    01/03/2013
    Power inductors and peak-current handling capability

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Inductor-current waveform

    As high-tech electronic products and their power supplies continue to shrink in size, design engineers should look closely at the peak-current handling capability of power inductors. Design engineers
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    12/23/2012
    Thermal design considerations for thin power MOSFETs

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: SOA (a) and ZthJC (b) charts for the BSC014N04LS

    Thermal challenges accompany almost all advances in power-electronic designs. Load cases not covered under a datasheet's parameters are often particularly problematic. Each new MOSFET generation
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    12/19/2012
    String central inverter system

    Click image to enlarge

    Planners of photovoltaic power plants are no longer bound to string inverter concepts if multiple MMP(maximum power point)-trackers are required. Central inverter systems are, today, standard for
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    12/18/2012
    Designers of solar power—photo-voltaic or PV—generating systems face some of the same problems as their counterparts in any other power-related technology: the need to constantly improve performance, reliability, longevity, and—above all—efficiency. As with any engineering endeavour, improved performance re
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    12/12/2012
    Designing a DiSEqC-antenna phantom power-supply

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: The DiSEqC application circuit

    The DiSEqC (digital satellite equipment control) standard is a communication protocol developed by Eutelsat used between a satellite receiver (decoder), defined as the master, and satellite peripheral
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    12/04/2012
    New technology and acquisitions benefit wireless sensing

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Emerson Rosemount's 3051S series wireless instrumentation exemplifies the benefits WSN brings to industrial applications: It can reduce total installation costs by 45% and total deployment time by as much as 75%, eliminating design and installation time and cost associated with wiring, conduit, cable trays, and junction boxes.

    Wireless sensing is the most important new technology in process measurement to appear in decades. For this reason alone, it has attracted the sustained attention of ARC Advisory Group and other industry
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    11/27/2012
    Making the switch to silicon carbide

    Click image to enlarge

    Table 1: SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT comparative specifications

    To demonstrate the advantages of silicon-carbide MOSFETs versus silicon IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors) when used in high-power, high-frequency circuits, it is necessary to employ a test
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    11/19/2012
    Medical applications demand mixed-signal ICs for high reliability

    Click image to enlarge

    Table 1: The LTC2376 through 2380 pin-compatible family of differential, no-latency SAR ADCs are available in 16- and 18-bit versions.

    Advances in medicine and medical treatment bring the promise of more-accurate diagnoses, new treatment methods, and more patient-friendly medical care. From high-resolution imaging systems to drug-delivery
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    11/08/2012
    Measure VSWR to quantify transmission-line imperfections

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Transmission line circuit illustrating the impedance mismatch boundary between the transmission line and the load. Reflections occur at the boundary designated by ?. The incident wave is V+ and the reflective wave is V-.

    Impedance mismatches in an RF transmission line causes power loss and reflected energy. The VSWR (voltage standing-wave ratio) is a way to measure transmission line imperfections. In an RF electrical
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    11/07/2012
    Designing with digital power for optimum system performance

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Optimising transient response parameters via a digital-power GUI.

    Digital power has emerged to satisfy the need for power supplies capable of handling the complex and rapidly changing power demands of high-performance computing subsystems. These include equipment
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    11/01/2012
    Enhancing medical-product usability with IEC 62366

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: General usability-engineering design cycle

    Manufacturers are required by the 3rd edition of IEC 60601-1 to avert the poor usability risks involved in identification, marking, and documents, which can be achieved by an "application of usability
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    10/30/2012
    Power management of an artificial hand

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Southampton hands. Across each palm can be seen a dc motor with a worm and wheel to rotate the thumb. Five other motors flex and extend the fingers and thumb. The fingertips have touch (force), slip/texture, and temperature sensors.

    For an upper extremity amputee, mass is a main factor when choosing an artificial hand. A hand should be lightweight so that high pressure points do not develop inside the plastic socket that attaches
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    10/25/2012
    Optimize data rates in isolated SPI buses

    Figure 1: The 8-bit data registers in the SPI Master and Slave devices link through the MISO and MOSI signals to form a 16-bit control register. (Click image to enlarge.)

    The simple SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus is a popular serial interface commonly employed in automotive, industrial-control, and communication applications. To provide isolation and minimize
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    10/21/2012
    Reliability of copper wire bonding for power devices

    Click image to enlarge

    Table 1: Process-control measures

    Though copper wire bonding developed nearly 30 years ago, it has only recently gained in popularity due to the rapid increase in the price of gold, which is now about 7,000 times that of copper (Reference
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    10/19/2012
    The 60-W TV

    Figure 1: The local-dimming function saves 10 to 20% of power on edge-lit systems (left) and 20 to 30% of power on direct back-lit TVs (right).

    TVs in households are regular companions for many people around the world. It is common that people have the TV on in a living room while preparing a meal in the kitchen. In many cases, the TV is
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    10/18/2012
    Reducing standby power consumption for LED Lighting
    LEDs provide high-efficiency, environment-friendly characteristics, and a long life compared to conventional lighting sources. Therefore, they are becoming a primary light-source choice to reduce
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    10/16/2012
    Integrated Current Sensing
    Competitive markets put pressure on OEMs to improve energy efficiency in their product designs. Accordingly, it is important to be able to monitor accurately currents through critical paths
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/21/2012
    Performance vs power in off-chip DDR SDRAM

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Relative active power

    To deliver new features and higher performance in consumer-electronic products, SoC developers constantly look to integrate more functionality into their designs. SoCs with more features
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/12/2012
    How high-TJ TRIACs benefit your applications

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1a: Two TRIACs operating near their Tj(max): The BTB16-600CW standard TRIAC (a) and the T1635H-6T high-temperature TRIAC (b).

    High-temperature TRIACs present several benefits particularly useful in applications demanding high current density or imposing high-temperature environments. These applications include
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/12/2012
    IEC 61850 increases grid reliability

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Redundant 8.46 kV lines power an industrial customer's facility.

    A power industry consultant recently asked for assistance solving a reliability problem for a municipal utility. The utility had recently experienced disturbances on its system, negatively
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/10/2012
    Test today your PV inverter for tomorrow

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Micro-inverters convert direct current from individual solar panels into alternating current for the electric grid.

    An increasing number of DERs (distributed energy resources), which include storage systems, are connecting to the grid by means of inverters. This is already evident in countries with dedicated
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/10/2012
    Securing the life cycle in the smart grid

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: A conscientious life-cycle design will consider threats at every step of product development and manufacturing.

    Investment in smart meters and smart-grid end equipment continues to grow worldwide as countries try to make their electric delivery systems more efficient. As critical as the electric delivery
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/07/2012
    Improving electric-motor testing techniques

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Each stage of embedded-software validation for electric-motor simulation introduces new challenges for test engineers such as high-speed processing and high-power signals.

    The growing adoption of electric motors in the automotive industry creates new challenges for embedded-control-system developers and test engineers. Control algorithms for electric-drive
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/05/2012
    New power electronics based on GaN MISHEMPTs

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: EpiGaN deposits a unique in-situ SiN capping layer, grown by MOCVD on top of HEMT epi wafers.

    GaN appears to be a highly suitable material for power switching devices operating at high frequencies without suffering major losses. The Promise of GaN This is due to the drastically
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    09/04/2012
    Estimating bond wire current-carrying capacity
    Semiconductor manufacturers use wire bonds extensively to connect a chip's I/O pads, including power, to its package's external pins. Wire bonding processes typically use gold wire because
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/28/2012
    High-side automotive battery monitoring

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Functional blocks for amsï½s two-chip sensor interface for high-side automotive battery current sensing.

    Manufacturers are electrifying more functions within a car, reducing the mechanical load on the internal-combustion engine. These functions include water, oil, and fuel pumps; valve actuation;
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/28/2012
    Current sensing in an automotive environment

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: An example of a shielded air-core open-loop current sensor from Raztec provides a strong combination of high performance in a small package and at low cost.

    The Automotive industry has long been the ultimate test ground for electronic components. Few terrestrial environments present such a combination of demands as does the under-hood locale
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/28/2012
    Improving engine stop-start system design

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Integrated gate driver with external passive components.

    Automatic engine stop-start is effective in helping reduce CO2 emissions from private cars. When integrated in an otherwise conventional combustion-engine power train, engine stop-start
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/24/2012
    Non-contact driver�s ECG monitoring system

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Block diagram of a typical EPIC sensor

    EPIC (Electric Potential Integrated Circuit) is a very-high-impedance electric-field sensor that measures the ambient electric field with minimal disturbance. EPIC sensors are suitable for
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/19/2012
    Hall effect current sensing in HEVs and EVs

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Typical HEV system block diagram

    Consumers are embracing environmentally friendly green cars due to the rising cost of fossil fuels and a growing concern for the health of the environment. Sales forecasts predict that green
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/19/2012
    Sleeping Conserves Energy

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: CAN network with partial-networking controllers during the transmission of a message to ECU7 (without partial-networking support)

    Minimizing energy consumption has become a major factor for any new product design in recent years. Hardly any industry can afford to disregard this issue in the definition, development,
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/19/2012
    Flexible power management for complex PCBs

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Communication line card primary ICs and power supply requirements

    The number of power supplies on a board depends on the VLSI chip complement, the communication speed between them, and the number of other devices that require unique supplies. This
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/18/2012
    Designing with low-leakage tantalum and niobium oxide capacitors
    DCL (direct current leakage) is an effect common to all capacitors. DCL values and behavior under varying electrical and environmental conditions relate to the capacitor's dielectric. The leakage
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/13/2012
    Battery-charger trends in portable power products
    The first trend requires increased battery capacities. Unfortunately, users are often impatient and charge systems must recharge these increased capacities in a reasonable time, which leads to
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    08/09/2012
    Safety and reliability in home alternative-energy systems

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: A typical AES design includes power sources sharing a common high-voltage DC Link, an inverter for generating AC, and a system controller ensuring coordinated operation.

    Solar- and wind-power-based home AESs (alternative energy systems) are becoming more popular among consumers. To achieve the product lifetime that consumers demand and ensure user safety,
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    07/25/2012
    Consumer-Friendly Power Design

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Step-down converter efficiency used to power the main processor in a set top box

    The intricacies of power design are not conversation pieces for electronic-product consumers. Nor should they be. Consumers care about visible signs of power design in the product, including the
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    07/24/2012
    Improving battery-fuel-gauge accuracy

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: The principle of fuel gauging based on coulomb counting: The stored energy represents state of charge. A circuit measures the in- and out-flowing current.

    For simplicity, you can imagine the battery as an energy storage device analogous to a fuel tank. However, measuring stored energy from an electrochemical device is far more complex than that comparison
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    07/20/2012
    Input-line-current synthesis in PFC control

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Converter input power vs. line current with a symmetric conduction angle, constant current peak and resistive load.

    Traditionally, PFC (power-factor-correction) controls present a purely resistive behavior with respect to the power line. By means of multiplier or equivalent blocks, front-end converters draw
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    07/13/2012
    Smart Activation circuit protection in li-ion battery applications

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: The activation steps of the MHP device

    Li-ion technology with smaller, lighter-weight, and higher-power batteries is now replacing nickel-cadmium or lead-acid batteries in high-discharge-rate battery applications. Meanwhile,
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    07/09/2012
    Reduce stand-by power loss in ACDC supplies
    Over the past decade, controller-IC manufacturers have worked to reduce so-called vampire or stand-by power consumption. Organizations such as Energy Star in the US, Blue Angel in Germany, and CNIS
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    07/01/2012
    Next-generation commercial building network-connected lighting systems

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Lighting controls for next generation lighting.

    A significant percentage of a building's energy consumption is due to its lighting. Historically, lighting was a coarsely controlled power load, managed manually with a simple on-off switch. With
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/21/2012
    What to expect from your LED driver

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Incandescent light bulbs (blue curves) are purely resistive, LEDs (red curves) are not.

    LEDs are gaining significant traction in the lighting market due to their long operating lifetime, low running cost, and ease of control for specific applications. However, in order to realize
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/20/2012
    LED-driver ICs lead to a broad spectrum of lighting

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: The LT3791 Driving a 3 A LED Array at up to 100 W

    Incandescent light bulbs waste 90% of the energy they consume in the form of heat. The light outputs from HB (high-brightness) LEDs have already exceeded the critical milestone of 100 lm/W. In fact,
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/20/2012
    Smart and simple sensor interfaces

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Modern robotic systems featuring sophisticated multi-axis arms are adding to factory productivity and safety. Simply picking up an object can require several sensors.

    Automation is providing improvements in safety, accuracy, and convenience for many everyday applications. Consider the precision and advantages of computer-assisted surgery or the array of automation
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/20/2012
    High-power LED-lighting drivers

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Resonant driver for high-power LED-lighting applications.

    Solid-state lighting applications such as streetlights and industrial lighting demand drivers that offer better efficiency than the traditional flyback topology in the 50—250 W power range. As
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/19/2012
    Flicker and dimmer challenges in LED-lamp design

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: One-Stage Approach: The driver converts an AC-rectified line voltage to the necessary DC current through a flyback transformer and filter. Unfortunately, the rectified voltage contains ripple at twice the line frequency (100 or 120 Hz).

    The SSL (solid-state lighting) industry is in a state of excitement mixed with trepidation. With the obvious need for lighting more efficient than traditional incandescents, key market drivers
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/19/2012
    Closed-loop voltage scaling

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Development of CNA ASICs

    For some designs, reducing circuit-board power dissipation by 25% to 30% would just be a nice outcome. For other designs, it's an absolute necessity. Designers of products using the latest high-performance
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    05/19/2012
    MCU with FPU allows advanced Motor Control Solutions

    Click image to enlarge

    Table 1: Test comparison for PI Loops

    Motor control algorithms for efficient motors often employ vector and sensorless vector control involving complex transformations and control loops for speed and position. Industrial applications
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/24/2012
    The Status of GaN based Power Device Development at International Rectifier

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1 : Measured efficiency of a high frequency 12 Vin to POL buck converter, including output filter losses, using low voltage GaN based power devices.

    There are relatively few opportunities in one's career to participate in the development of a truly revolutionary technology in a chosen field. The past 8 years have been such an opportunity
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/15/2012
    Setting New Efficiency Benchmarks for Next Generation Motor Control Applications

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: AMIS-30522 Functional Block Diagram

    Electric motors are continuing to evolve, as market requirements grow for more compact, higher performance solutions which exhibit greater resilience to the often harsh environmental settings in
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/15/2012
    Sensors, Smart Sensors and Sensor Control Electronics

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1. Block Diagram of the ISL29028A ambient light and proximity sensor

    For safety, accuracy and convenience, automation is providing improvements in everyday applications. Consider the precision and advantages of computer-assisted surgery or the array of automation
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/15/2012
    Easy to use Digital PFC

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Different PFC circuits

    Many AC powered systems above a certain power consumption level require power factor correction (PFC). This is demanded by either utility companies or by governments. PFC sits right at the
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/15/2012
    Industrial Control

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Example PLD, with 12 inputs, 8 product terms and 4 macrocells
    PLDs can have hundreds of macrocells with up to 16 product terms driving each macrocell. The AND and OR gates within the product terms can be interconnected to form highly flexible custom logic functions. The macrocells are typically clocked, and their outputs can be fed back into the product term array. This allows state machines to be created.

    In most microcontroller architectures, there is a ‘smart' CPU surrounded by a set of relatively ‘dumb' peripherals. Peripherals have limited functions; converting data from one form to
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/15/2012
    Saving Power Using Closed Loop Voltage Scaling Control

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1 - Development of Converged Network Adapter ASICs

    Wouldn't it be nice to save 25% to 30%, or even more, in circuit board power dissipation in your next design? While for some designs such a savings would just be nice to have, for others it's
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/10/2012
    Enabling More Effective Battery Charging Over USB Interconnects

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Difference between a DCP and SDP

    Developed in the mid 1990s, USB has gone on to become the most widely used data interface on the planet. Its huge popularity has certain additional upshots which are also now being realised. Market
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/06/2012
    Efficient Boost Conversion

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Typical application circuit, using 2 AA batteries and a regulator IC, the AS1337, to produce a 3.3V output

    Small, battery-powered medical analysis equipment presents a challenge to the power circuit designer. In meeting this challenge an understanding of the way boost conversion is implemented
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    04/04/2012
    Flyback Controller Incorporates Active PFC into a Single Stage Converter

    Click image to enlarge

    Table 1. IEC 61000-3-2 Classifications

    Any power system operating from the AC mains has an associated power factor defined as the way it draws current from the source. The power factor of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/26/2012
    Understanding Common-Mode Noise in Low-Power Offline Supplies

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1. A flyback converter's main common-mode noise sources and transfer paths.

    Yet the ruggedness of the underlying technology makes the core designs attractive to a much wider audience, such as industrial users who need low-power supplies for DIN-rail and similar equipment.
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/16/2012
    Inverter Efficiency

    Click image to enlarge

    At least two power reactors are needed for solar inverters: one in the boost converter (step-up chopper) and one at the ouput of the inverter for EMC filtering. Besides the IGBTs, the losses in the reactors are a major determining factor of the overall efficiency of the inverter

    Low-loss and high saturation flux density core materials in reactors and transformers are a key determining factor for the efficiency of inverters. The new TDK PE90 ferrite is a cutting-edge
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/06/2012
    Efficient Power Protection

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: NetRiver desired a solution capable of easily scaling to match its unpredictable future growth.

    NetRiver, the leading provider of collocation and interconnection services in the state of Washington, has been making data center managers green with envy — racking up hefty utility rebates, generating
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/06/2012
    Wiring for Safety and Efficiency
    This article describes a unique spacer cable system designed to power an industrial renewable energy plant pipeline. When the L'Anse Warden Electric Company in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/06/2012
    Multiphase DC/DC Converters

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: High output current 1.5V/50A application schematic

    The data centers' incremental overhead power consumption, due to inefficiencies and cooling systems is estimated to be equal to the amount of power that is consumed by servers, storage and networking. The
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/06/2012
    Industrial Control

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Example PLD, with 12 inputs, 8 product terms and 4 macrocells
    PLDs can have hundreds of macrocells with up to 16 product terms driving each macrocell. The AND and OR gates within the product terms can be interconnected to form highly flexible custom logic functions. The macrocells are typically clocked, and their outputs can be fed back into the product term array. This allows state machines to be created.

    In most microcontroller architectures, there is a ‘smart' CPU surrounded by a set of relatively ‘dumb' peripherals. Peripherals have limited functions; converting data from one form to
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/05/2012
    Industrial Applications Control

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: With the new XMC4000 family - starting with the XMC4500 series - Infineon addresses three high-level trends for microcontrollers in industrial applications: higher energy efficiency, enhanced connectivity and reduced software complexity

    Infineon has taken their wealth of know-how in microcontroller design for real-time critical control applications to combine it with all benefits of an industry standard core. The unique
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/05/2012
    The Power Output Stage

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1

    Power electronics subsystems are often divided in a control and a power circuit, where the power output stage components strongly determine the characteristics of the whole application, like efficiency,
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/05/2012
    Safe System Operation

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Optocoupler Construction

    Isolation components such as optocouplers that are used in applications that have user safety issues as a key aspect must not fail under continuous high-working-voltage bias conditions. Safety
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/03/2012
    Simplified POL Design

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Five steps of working with the SupIRBuck® Online Design Tool

    Fast and reliable design and evaluation of Point of Load (POL) circuits is a major factor to reduce the product development cost and time for electronics industry. Switching power supply
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/03/2012
    Challenge of Automotive Audio

    Click image to enlarge

    Fig. 1 - The ON Semiconductor NCV47701 Current Sense Regulator Implementation

    In the age of connectivity, increasingly demanding consumer expectations are driving the evolution of in-vehicle infotainment, resulting in greater demands on the infotainment system power supply.
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/02/2012
    Powerful Ideas

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1. How intellectual property, intellectual assets and intellectual capital work together

    An inventor caught up in the thrill of developing a new product, or an engineer trying to source parts from other companies to complete his new design, may understandably not have legal matters
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    03/02/2012
    Digital Power

    Click image to enlarge


    Compared to traditional analog PWM controllers, Digital power controllers provide an extremely high level of flexibility and programmability over the serial interface bus. The designer
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    Efficient Utilization

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Harmonic Performance

    As a designer and manufacturer of critical power systems used in airborne, shipboard and ground-based applications in the defense and commercial markets, Excelitas Technologies recognizes the
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    Energy Saving

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Development of Converged Network Adapter ASICs

    Wouldn't it be nice to save 25% to 30%, or even more, in circuit board power dissipation in your next design? While for some designs such a savings would just be nice to have, for
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    High Power solutions

    Click image to enlarge

    Many applications in power management are based on buck topology. The purpose of this application note is to describe a technique to overcome the current limitation of these solutions. The
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    Energy Efficient Micros

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Power budget

    Although power consumption is the product of operating voltage (Vcc) multiplied by the current consumption (Icc), current consumption is usually the only parameter considered when describing the power
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    Innovative Drives

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Internal structure of the ITRIP and RCIN sections

    The megatrends in consumer drive systems are unbroken: The numbers of units are growing and so are the number of comfort features and quality requirements for the drive. With Infineon's
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    White Goods Efficiency

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1. CAPZero high-level functional diagram

    Recent studies have indicated that standby power consumption can range as high as 10 percent of all domestic electricity usage. Over the last few years, multiple programs - including
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/03/2012
    Circuit Protection Design

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Typical solar power system diagram

    Increasing demand for clean electrical power has led to a focus on renewable energy sources such as solar power. Solar power systems are independent power generation systems meant to power
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/02/2012
    Renewable Energy Parking

    Click image to enlarge

    A new solar carport transforms the parking space into a provider of green power that should delight designers and owners of electric cars alike. Fitted with innovative lightweight solar
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/02/2012
    Optimized Design for High-Temp Operation

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure1: The test circuit used for all turn-off measurements Lcomm= 3.2 μH?Configuration 1: Cclamp = 10 μF, Rclamp = 0.625 ?, L? = 330 nH?Configuration 2: Cclamp = 20 μF, Rclamp = 0.37 ?, L? = 325 nH

    A 4.5 kV IGCT (Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor) with extraordinary high Safe Operating Area (SOA) at 140°C is presented. The improvements for the IGCT were achieved by optimizing the corrugated
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/02/2012
    Monitoring the Energy

    Click image to enlarge

    National Wind Energy Centre

    NEL is a world-class provider of technical consultancy, research, testing, flow measurement and programme management services to the energy, oil & gas manufacturing industries and government. The
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/01/2012
    Inverter Efficiency

    Click image to enlarge

    At least two power reactors are needed for solar inverters: one in the boost converter (step-up chopper) and one at the ouput of the inverter for EMC filtering. Besides the IGBTs, the losses in the reactors are a major determining factor of the overall efficiency of the inverter

    Low-loss and high saturation flux density core materials in reactors and transformers are a key determining factor for the efficiency of inverters. The new TDK PE90 ferrite is a cutting-edge
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/01/2012
    Solar Battery Charger

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Typical off-grid PV system

    Photovoltaic cell technology over the last few years has reached levels of cost and efficiency that enable its use in new markets. Due to the varying sunlight conditions, energy storage
    . . . Learn More
    Date:
    02/01/2012

    Power Systems Design

    146 Charles Street
    Annapolis, Maryland 21401 USA

    Power Systems Design

    Published by Power Systems (PSD) serves all aspects of the Power Electronics market including but not limited to Power Conversion, Power Management, Intelligent and Embedded Motion, Automotive, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Lighting. PSD is published 10x per year in English with separate print editions for Europe and North America and is published 6x per year in China. PSD Apps are available for Android & iOS. Additionally qualified power engineering professionals may subscribe and receive PSD daily PowerSurge newsletters.