Along with the rapidly growing popularity of digitally controlled power supplies, due to their configurability for a variety of operating conditions and topologies, power system designers also have an increasing need for the ability to report telemetry and conduct two-way communication (typically for monitoring and fault reporting), via standard communication interfaces such as PMBus.

Additionally, the recently released USB charging specifications (USB Power Delivery and the USB type C connector) include variable charging voltages, which allow for rapid device charging, but add potentially difficult hardware requirements.

By integrating a supervisory microcontroller, the MCP19118/9 devices can create programmable power supplies. Key system settings—such as switching frequency (100 kHz to 1.6 MHz), current limits and voltage setpoints—can be adjusted on the fly during operation by issuing write commands to the registers in the device.

One design can then be reused for additional applications, using firmware updates to change the configuration, which minimizes design, production and inventory requirements across multiple platforms.

Additionally, the integrated MCU core can be used to monitor other parts of the application to sequence startup operations; intelligently manage faults, under-voltage or brown-out conditions; perform housekeeping functions; adjust power outputs in response to load requirements (such as battery charging or USB port power); and assisting with the module’s external interfaces (monitoring or delivering signals to the user or system).

With integrated linear regulators, PWM generators, ADCs, MOSFET drivers, analog error amplifiers and control-loop compensation, the MCP19118/9 devices provide a very compact circuit solution.

Properly implemented, this system is capable of high conversion efficiency and excellent transient response for reduced system power losses, smaller heatsinks and longer battery life in portable applications. These DEPA devices can also provide data over the I2C™ interface, using customized SMBus or PMBus compatible commands.

“This is another example of the award-winning innovation found in Microchip’s digitally enhanced power analog product family,” said Bryan J. Liddiard, marketing vice president of Microchip’s Analog and Interface Products Division.

“No other semiconductor company offers this level of flexibility and configurability in its DC-DC controllers, and no other product solution provides this level of functionality for power-conversion, battery-charging or LED-drive applications.”