How to ensure superior power supply design integration

A key to unlocking device innovation is a power supply design that solves critical power challenges, especially the always-present demand to pack more power into smaller footprints.

Designers looking to ensure their device’s power supply integrates well with other device elements should carefully evaluate power management ICs (PMICs) on the market.

Power ICs simplify power supply design and management by integrating key circuit functions into a single chip. This means lower cost with higher reliability, significant power consumption savings and reduced board space.

Power management technologies are evolving to meet the increasingly challenging performance and computational demands required by end users. In the mobile smartphone market alone, users today expect to be able to display high-definition GPS videos and maps, play more engaging 3D games and enjoy artist-to-fan streaming music performances.

PMICs can cost-effectively manage power in devices by merging multiple functions into a single device. This reduces component count and board space, which in turn opens options for better designs for everything from consumer, medical and industrial devices to automotive and Internet of Things (IoT) devices — and beyond.

If you need an even more highly integrated solution, look for experts with System-on-Modules (SOMs) combined with PMICs and industrial-grade microprocessors (MPUs), along with other devices to simplify development and speed time to market.

PMIC benefits evaluation

• Battery life optimization: Multimode, high-efficiency, low quiescent current regulators reduce power consumption in portable devices
• Compact design creation: Small devices include multiple integrated regulators, interfacing, power sequencing logic and fault detection in a single IC to save board space
• Embedded systems integration: Power management solutions are excellent companions for microprocessor-based applications

Protect your design to extend its life

So how do you design now for applications of the future that may require even more computational heft in smaller footprints?

Estimating battery and power needs for new applications, especially high-power wireless radios or devices like mobile phones, takes a great deal of experience and planning.

It’s helpful to turn to power management experts who are well acquainted with the latest technologies and design options, and who have reference designs tailored for your application. Look for experts who know how to evaluate these benefits.

With next-generation edge devices, the computational power is rising exponentially to deliver the needed functions for data gathering, processing, communications and running complex security algorithms.

These requirements present challenges when combined with the shrinking size of electronics.

By consulting with experts well versed in the latest technologies, designers can better plan for power management systems that extend device life. Power management solutions enable designers to stay within optimal battery discharge specifications and actively monitor charge levels to design-in alternative system characteristics.

Often, special signal switching and filtering is needed to implement the proper power management for an application. This may include feedback into a control loop to respond to the changing physical characteristics of the system — for example, angular velocity on a motor shaft or temperature in an oven.

Choose suppliers with the right design tools

Designing a power management system or sub-system requires an expert balance of many considerations. You need high efficiency and low standby power, and you may also need high power density, reliability and safety.

Regardless, hiring experts who understand the key enablers and features of today’s solutions can speed your time to market and help meet your targets.

To get there, look for experts who deliver a comprehensive range of reference designs, development tools, hardware and software evaluation.

Striking the right design balance at the beginning is especially challenging in devices whose eventual use is unknown. For example, no one knew 20 years ago all the things mobile phones would be required to do today. The same may be true for your device.

The best experts in power electronics spend many years designing power management solutions for industrial, communications, healthcare, transportation and lighting applications. They share reference designs specific to your application and matched to your processor, programmable logic, memory and analog signal chain.

Find the right experts to help you design your dream while leaving the power puzzle to the power experts.