POL Converters Support Power Management without External Controllers or Communications Bus

Mar 23, 2005 10:45 AM

Power-One’s “No-bus” Z-1000 Series of self-managed digital point-of-load (POL) converters support the most frequently implemented power-management functions, without the need for external controllers or any system-level bus. With the Z-1000 family, there is no communication required to the host system because Z-POLs’ performance parameters are programmed by pin strapping.

The “No-bus” Z-1000 POLs allow customers to manage sequencing with configurable delays, tracking and cascading between multiple outputs. The POLs also permit optimization of feedback loop compensation parameters for specific application requirements. In addition, designers can accomplish Z-POL frequency synchronization and programmable phase interleave for noise and EMI control.

Other functions include measurement of the converters’ output current and temperature via monitoring pins and the ability to parallel up to 10 Z-POLs. POL output voltage is an adjustable 0.5 V to 5.5 V. Additionally, converters may start-up into a pre-biased output and sink and source current for active bus termination.

Steve Goldman, Power-One’s chairman and CEO, commented, “The “No-bus” Z-1000 Series successfully leverages our investments in Z-One Digital IBA technology into cost-sensitive applications and significantly broadens the market that the Z-One architecture addresses.”

Customers can leverage footprint and pinout compatibility between the “No-bus” Z-1000 and the premiere Z-7000 family to migrate from fully featured to low-end “No-bus” solutions without changing PCB layout. Such an approach allows utilizing the Z-7000 family for system development and characterization and then for production, using the “No-bus” Z-1000 family to eliminate the cost and board-space requirements of power management devices.

“No-bus” Z-1000 POL converters in 5-A, 7-A, 10-A, 15-A and 20-A versions will be sampled to key customers in Q2 of 2005. All Z-1000 family POLs use the same packages and pin-outs as their counterparts in the Z-7000 family POLs. Budgetary OEM pricing for the popular 15-A ZY1115 POL is $11 in 1000-piece quantities. ZY1115 preliminary data sheet is available for download from www.power-one.com.

Production availability will be Q3 of 2005. Z-1000 POL converters also will be available from C&D Technologies, through a recent Z-One Digital IBA license agreement with Power-One.

For more information, visit www.power-one.com.

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus