• Great level of freedom for designers to dynamically optimize energy management
• New 3E products able to write and read data via the power management bus
• OEM product design very much simplified reducing time-to-market

In a major product update, Ericsson Power Modules’ BMR450 and BMR451 point-of-load voltage regulators are now able to write as well as read data via the power management bus; PMBus. Customers buying these revision 2A products will have access to the internal memory of Ericsson’s 3E* point-of-load voltage regulators, providing high flexibility to program functional parameters to match specific profiles required by FPGA, ASIC, memories and other components. Revision 2A complies with PMBus read & write modes.

Read-back offered end-users a large range of monitoring options such as output-voltage and current, temperature, power-good. Now with added write-mode it is possible to program the output voltage to a very specific voltage, and to modify this voltage as a function of load condition. It is also possible to sequence modules, and to modify sequencing to account for new configurations that some processors may require. Further, it enables one to adjust current limits and warning levels, to remotely turn modules into sleep-mode, plus many other dynamic features. At its most intimate level, write-mode makes it possible to optimize the compensation loop and many other internal parameters that ultimately contribute to reduce the amount of filtering capacitors and improve dynamic response.

The products are aimed at (but not limited to) the new generation of information and communication technology equipment where systems’ architects are optimizing board designs for optimized control and reduced power consumption. The most important application areas are wireless and fixed networks – optical network equipment – data server and data storage but also in a broad range of industrial applications from medical to process control, and even in automotive applications.

“Now, with access to the central controller of Ericsson’s 3E point-of-load voltage regulators, board and systems’ designers have a great deal of freedom to program, configure and monitor board mounted power solutions that will make it possible for them to optimize energy efficiency at a very low level of their applications, reducing energy consumption and optimizing systems’ performances” said Patrick Le Fèvre, director of marketing and communication at Ericsson Power Modules.

The BMR450 and BMR451 use a highly integrated digital PWM controller. This makes it possible to increase current density while decreasing footprint, and to reduce component count by 50%. Further, thanks to flexibility offered by write-mode, it is possible to reduce power consumption by adjusting critical parameters to match load conditions, resulting in higher efficiency throughout the whole range of operation.

Both devices are digitally controlled and rated at 20 A and 40 A respectively. They feature a high current density in the order of three times greater than an analogue voltage regulator for a similar in/out performance. Indeed, a higher current density and lower footprint are two important factors for designers when considering board space to accommodate other vital components of their core application. Smaller voltage regulators are easier to locate close to FPGAs, DSPs and other processors, reducing power losses and parasitic inductance issues.

In order to assist designers when evaluating Ericsson’s 3E point-of-load digitally controlled voltage regulators, an evaluation kit simplifies their application within PMBus systems. The 3E GUI Silver Edition evaluation kit makes it easy for engineers to monitor (read), program (write), and test the full range of BMR45x-series parts within a representative hardware and software environment. The kit’s software package features a graphical user interface that’s exceptionally easy to use, unlocking the power of these PMBus-programmable devices to make even complex applications easily approachable.

The BMR450 is priced at $11, and the BMR451 is priced at $22, both in OEM quantities.

* Enhanced Performance, Energy Management, and End-user Value.

Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, and Dresden, Germany, 8 March 2010 – SiTel Semiconductor today announced how its successful collaboration with Target Compiler Technologies led to the creation of customized audio DSPs for its SC14452 Green VoIP processor. The DSPs combine extreme energy efficiency with high processing performance, enabling industry-leading audio quality and power consumption. Key components of the SC14452 that won a 2009 Frost and Sullivan Green Excellence Award, the DSPs were developed using Target’s IP Designer retargetable tool suite.

Target’s tools allowed SiTel to develop application-specific Gen2DSPs including a C-compiler, which means customers can program the DSPs themselves. The DSPs operate at low frequency to minimize energy consumption, yet provide high processing power. The SC14552 features two of these DSPs, which together deliver 160 MIPS. At the same time, they help minimize power consumption, enabling in-call power figures below 600 mW.

With these powerful DSPs on-board, the SC14452 delivers outstanding sound quality for crystal clear communications. It can support four concurrent IP connections, independent of the codec chosen. Currently supported codecs include G.711, G.729, G.722, G.726, iLBC and MP3. Highly integrated, this VoIP solution reduces the overall system bill of materials (BoM) for enterprise VoIP desktop phones and IP-DECT base stations. It features integrated DECT, CAT-iq, DECT 6.0 and KDECT support and a dedicated cryptography engine for complete call confidentially.

“SiTel strives to create state-of-the-art chipsets for the cordless telephony and VoIP markets that deliver outstanding audio quality and performance while minimizing environmental impact,” said Mark De Clercq, Product Marketing Manager at SiTel. “The Target tools have helped SiTel achieve this goal by enabling us to develop audio-specific DSPs that deliver lots of processing power while operating at low frequency.”

“As a leading supplier of chipsets for cordless communications, SiTel’s decision to use our IP Designer tool suite highlights the power and flexibility our tools offer. We are extremely pleased to have played a key role in the creation of a DSP that will enable more advanced and environmentally friendly communications products,” said Gert Goossens, CEO of Target.

SiTel’s drive towards more advanced and flexible System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions is the reason behind the company’s choice of Target’s tools. Target’s IP Designer is the leading retargetable tool suite for the design, programming and verification of application-specific instruction-set processors (ASIPs). 

About Green VoIP

Concerns over climate change and fossil fuel supplies have put energy efficiency of all products at the forefront of both consumer and government agendas. For example, the European Commission Regulation on ecodesign (implementing Directive 2005/32/EC) proposes limiting the standby power consumption of domestic and office devices initially to 2 W if the device has a display and 1 W otherwise. A future second phase will further tighten these limits to 1 W and 0.5 W. Similar legislation is currently making its way through Congress in the US.

To help customers respond to these concerns and regulations, SiTel launched the Green VoIP range in 2008. These energy-efficient ICs allow manufacturers to create VoIP solutions that are environmentally friendly and reduce electricity bills. The first Green VoIP product, the SC14450, reduced the net system power consumption for typical applications by 50% to around 800 mW during calls and 550 mW in idle mode. The next Green VoIP processor, the SC14452, pushed down power consumption even further to 550 and 350 mW respectively – meeting the most stringent proposed limits. 

About SiTel Semiconductor BV

SiTel Semiconductor BV was established in June 2005, following a management buy-out from National Semiconductor Corporation. Headquartered in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. SiTel is a fabless IC manufacturer with design centers in The Netherlands and Greece along with regional sales offices in Hong Kong, Japan and the U.S. The company specializes in the design, manufacturing and marketing of high-performance CMOS solutions for digital cordless and corded communication and is the world’s number one DCT supplier for cordless voice, real-time data and VoIP.

For more information, please visit http://www.sitelsemi.com. 

About Target Compiler Technologies

Target Compiler Technologies is the leading provider of retargetable software tools to automate the design, programming and verification of application-specific processor cores (ASIPs). Target’s IP Designer tool suite has been applied by customers worldwide for diverse application domains, including DECT, GSM, WCDMA, HSDPA and LTE handsets, VoIP, audio coding, car infotainment, ADSL and VDSL modems, wireless LAN, hearing instruments, mobile image processing, video processing, and automotive control applications. Target is a spin-off of IMEC, is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, with North American operations in Boulder, Colorado. For more information about Target Compiler Technologies, visit www.retarget.com.