Eaton has expanded its 9PX lithium-ion uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with a 6-kVA power rating model, with the same capabilities of the existing 9PX lithium-ion power supplies, including remote software upgrades and integration with leading HCI and virtualization platforms. The 9PX single-phase online lithium-ion UPS family offers power ratings from 1000 – 3000 VA and is compatible with lithium-ion UPS batteries 40 percent smaller than VRLA batteries with twice the lifespan, said Eaton.

The lithium-ion UPS family delivers longer, more reliable battery backup for IT applications and is suited for edge computing environments, educational institutions, healthcare IT and light industrial.

Lithium-ion battery technology is transformative for UPSs in distributed “edge” environments, according to Eaton. The “longer battery life enables a set-it-and-forget-it approach with little on-site support from IT staff, data center professionals or maintenance personnel necessary.”

Available in tower or rack form factors, the UPS comes with the same features as the lead-acid UPS including load segments providing prioritized shutdown, remote power on (RPO), remote on/off (ROO) and output relay ports to increase control capabilities. The UPS measures 5.12 x 17.33 x 28.43 inches.

The lithium-ion battery is up to 40% lighter than lead-acid batteries and has a battery life of 8-10 years, said Eaton. Users can add up to four 2U extended battery modules for additional runtime.

The 9PX 6-kVA UPS is currently available with a 5-year warranty covering the UPS and its batteries.

Nexperia has expanded its analog and logic product portfolio with the introduction of a new load switch family. The new line includes the NPS4053, an integrated 5-V load switch, which is designed with a small footprint and increased system protection.

“Load switches are essential components in the operation of a wide array of modern electronic systems,” said Nexperia. “They play a crucial role in managing current/voltage in a controlled manner from source to the load.”

Nexperia said the NPS4053 is positioned closest to the load, in a typical power chain, for power sequencing and inrush-current control and shutting off power islands to conserve power. This is a benefit in battery-operated equipment.

In addition, the load switch simplifies circuit design and has an 85% smaller PCB footprint than a comparable network of discrete components, according to the company. This makes them suited for portable devices such as notebook computers, docking stations, desktops and automotive infotainment systems.

The NPS4053 operates with an input voltage of 2.5 V-5.5 V and contains a 55-mΩ self-protected MOSFET, which manages the flow of power to the load. A key feature is the programmable current-limiting circuitry, which enables precise control of the load current over a range of 110 mA to 2.5 A with an accuracy of +6%. Other features include support for “true” reverse current blocking for end-to-end system protection and an integrated fault indicator pin that alerts the host controller of a fault event.

The NPS4053 is UL 62368 recognized and an automotive AEC-Q100 qualified version is also available. The device is offered in both leaded and leadless (HWSON 6) packages.

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) has unveiled its new MRigidCSP packaging technology for battery management applications. The new packaging is reported to decrease on-resistance, while increasing mechanical strength. It will be initially available for the AOCR33105E, a 12-V common-drain dual N-channel MOSFET. Target battery applications include smartphones, tablets and ultra-thin notebooks.

The MRigidCSP packaging resolves a few key challenges around fast charging, which calls for lower power loss in the battery management circuit.

“As the charging currents increase, ultra-low electrical resistance is needed for improved performance. In standard wafer-level chip scale packages (WL-CSPs), the substrate can be a significant portion of the total resistance when back-to-back MOSFETs are employed in battery management applications,” AOS explained. “A thinner substrate reduces the overall resistance but drastically reduces the package’s mechanical strength.”

AOS said the reduction in mechanical strength can result in more stress during the PCB assembly reflow, which could cause warping or cracking in the die as well as application failure.

The AOCR33105E is designed with the latest trench-power MOSFET technology in a common drain configuration. It features ultra-low on resistance and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection to improve performance and safety in battery management, such as protection switches and mobile battery charging and discharging circuits. The device is RoHS 2.0 compliant and halogen-free. Click here for more product resources.

The AOCR33105E in the MRigidCSP package is available in production quantities with a lead time of 14-16 weeks. The device is priced at $0.405 in quantities of 1,000.

STMicroelectronics has introduced its SPSB081 automotive power-management IC (PMIC) to simplify the design of car-body controllers. Called a Swiss Army Knife of features, the SPSB081 PMIC variants include a main fixed-voltage low-dropout regulator (LDO), a secondary programmable LDO, four high-side drivers, a CAN FD transceiver and an optional LIN transceiver.

“The power sources and transceivers available on-chip help simplify the design of car-body controllers for a sunroof, seats, tailgate, doors and lighting modules,” said ST. The controller also can be used in gateways, HVAC controllers, passive keyless entry systems, telematic control units and control panels.

The SPSB081 system basis chips feature multiple standby modes with very low quiescent current and programmable local or remote wake-up to help minimize power consumption. The SPSB081C3 and SPSB081C5 include a 3.3-V or 5-V fixed LDO, respectively, with one CAN transceiver, while the SPSB0813 and SPSB0815  offer an additional LIN transceiver.

The secondary LDO, included in all variants, can be programmed through the PMIC’s SPI port to operate as an independent 3.3-V or 5-V regulator or to track the main LDO. The four high-side drivers can source up to 140 mA to power LEDs and sensors, with current monitoring and a 10-bit PWM timer for each channel.

The PMICs also include built-in protection and a diagnostic output pin for fail-safe signaling. All outputs provide overcurrent protection and open-load fault indication. The primary (fixed) LDO features overvoltage protection and thermal protection circuity while the secondary (programmable) LDO feature overload, overtemperature, short-circuit and reverse-bias protection. Both have short-to-ground monitoring at startup and continuous regulator-failure monitoring.

ST said the protection features make them suited for applications that must meet functional safety requirements in accordance with ISO 26262, even if not designed as a safety hardware element.

The SPSB081 family is AEC-Q100 qualified, specified from -40°C to 150°C, and can operate up to 175°C. All variants are in production and available in a thermally enhanced 5 × 5 × 1 mm QFN32L package. Prices start from $1.80 for orders of 1000 pieces.

Designed for use in the front end of a receiver chain in TDD-based systems, pSemi Corp., a Murata company, introduced two multi-chip modules – the PE53230 for 3.3–3.8 GHz and the PE53231 for 3.5–4.0 GHz. Each module combines two switches and two low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) for high- and low-band frequencies.

The dual-channel switch LNA modules claim the lowest noise figure in the industry, at less than 1 dB. This enables best-in-class receiver sensitivity and performance while handling 20-W average input power, eliminating the need for external circuitry, said pSemi.

Targeting applications across wireless infrastructure including TDD-LTE macro and micro cells, 5G massive MIMO (mMIMO) systems and TDD-based communication systems, the modules can operate as a failsafe with unexpected high-power signals coming in from Tx, while improving receiver channel sensitivity with low noise figures, said the company.

Thanks to the high level of integration of the receiver front end, the modules can deliver high power handling, high linearity and a low noise figure for 5G mMIMO active antenna systems, said pSemi, and with high linearity (IIP3) and low power consumption, the highly integrated modules do not require any external matching networks.

Key features of the modules include a high gain of more than 36 dB, fast switching time of less than 600 ns and low power consumption of less than 500 mW/channel. They also claim the highest average input power handling at 20 W.

The PE53230 and PE53231 dual-channel switch LNA modules are housed in a 6 × 6-mm LGA package. Samples are available now, followed by commercial availability in the first quarter of 2024.

An energy-harvesting evaluation kit using an all-solid-state battery was developed through a collaboration between Maxwell Ltd. and Rohm Co., Ltd., including Lapis Technology, a Rohm Group company. The low-current evaluation module kit uses Lapis’ ML9077 charge control IC for energy harvesting, Rohm’s BD88133NVX DC/DC converter IC Nano Energy ultra-low current consumption technology and Maxwell’s PSB401010H and PSB401515H ceramic-packaged all-solid-state batteries. Rohm’s and Maxwell’s products are currently under development. The kit specifically addresses solar electric generation.

The kit provides easy examination of the charging solution for the all-solid-state battery, said Maxwell.

The Maxwell all-solid-state batteries inherently exceed conventional batteries in longevity and heat resistance, making the battery suitable for applications that were once inaccessible due to the limitations of conventional lithium-ion batteries. They offer several advantages including high-temperature resistance that allows them to withstand elevated temperatures without significant performance degradation.

Other benefits include long life and a high degree of safety, alleviating concerns related to battery-related incidents, according to Maxwell. The battery is compatible with power generation from sunlight and indoor lighting. By eliminating an external power supply, it can be used in a variety of industrial applications and consumer products.

Key features include low quiescent current (at non-switching) of the voltage boosting DC/DC converter IC (BD8B133NVX) at 180 nA (typical), high temperature resistance at an environment temperature of up to 125°C, and a high degree of safety evidenced by no firing or smoking in various safety tests such as 200°C heating, nail penetration and external short circuiting.

The evaluation module targets companies interested in adopting all-solid-state batteries and energy harvesting-compatible power supplies, enabling feasibility and performance evaluation.

Indie Semiconductor has introduced a highly integrated automotive wireless power charging system-on-chip (SoC) for Qi-based automotive in-cabin portable device charging. The iND87200 wireless charging SoC is compliant with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi 1.3 standard and supports the emerging Qi 2.0 for improved “on-the-move” charging. It is qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 2.

The emerging Qi 2.0 standard features the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP), which offers faster and more reliable charging by automatically aligning smartphones with an inductive charging coil, said the company.

The iND87200 features an integrated boost converter that can deliver up to 15 W of power across the entire VBAT operating range. It also integrates advanced power sensing circuitry that monitors system impedance and phase in real-time, which allows system designers to optimize tuning and algorithms, enabling intelligent features such as adaptive foreign object detection, according to indie.

The high levels of semiconductor and software integration reduce the bill of materials by almost half, compared to discrete solutions, while reducing system complexity and improving overall reliability, said the company.

The iND87200 dual-core design features an Arm Cortex M4F processor with 2 MB of embedded Flash and 256 kB of SRAM with a dedicated Arm Cortex M0 processor for the WPC stack.  “This approach frees SoC compute resources to execute user-specific software without timing and interrupt constraints related to the WPC stack,” said the company.

The wireless charging solution also integrates all necessary power management, DC/DC converter, signal conditioning, WPC inverter drivers and power FETs as well as LED and fan drivers.  It also offers a range of serial interfaces, including CAN 2.0B, LIN, I2C and UARTs for multiple connectivity options to the vehicle and other peripherals.

The iND87200 is sampling to customers.  Advanced application-oriented reference designs also are available.

Nordic Semiconductor has launched its highly integrated nPM1300 power management IC (PMIC), comprised of two ultra-efficient buck converters, two load switches/low dropout voltage converters (LDOs) and integrated battery charging. Targeting battery-operated applications, such as advanced wearables and portable medical devices, the PMIC reduces the bill of materials by combining circuitry that typically requires five or more discrete components into a single chip, said Nordic. An evaluation kit is also available.

A key feature of the PMIC is its unique system management features and accurate fuel gauging for low-power wireless applications. This includes an algorithm-based fuel gauge functionality that uses voltage, current and temperature monitoring for higher accuracy than voltage-based fuel gauges, according to the company. It also maintains the PMIC’s own power consumption lower than coulomb counter-type fuel gauges. Nordic said it is the first company to achieve this balance between high accuracy and low power consumption.

The nPM1300 operates from either a 4.0 to 5.5-V external power supply or a battery voltage down to 2.4 V. It features four controllable power rails. Two power rails are regulated by separate DC/DC buck converters that are configurable between 1.0 and 3.3 V and up to 200-mA maximum current, while the other two power rails operate as load switches, switching currents of up to 100 mA from external sources, which can also operate as LDOs when powered directly by the nPM1300.

When operating as LDOs, these power rail outputs are configurable between 1.0 and 3.3 V with a maximum output current of 50 mA, said Nordic, and the unregulated input voltage is also available as an output from the nPM1300.

The nPM1300 charges single-cell Li-ion, Li-poly and LiFePO4 batteries with a linear charging module that supports up to 800 mA charge current and programmable 3.5 to 4.45-V termination voltage. The battery charger features automatic thermal regulation with programmable maximum chip temperature during charging.

Other features include three LED drivers, five GPIOs, USB port detection with automatic current limits of 100 mA or 500 mA through standard USB or up to 1500 mA through USB-C, dynamic power path management, which automatically switches to battery power if mains power is removed and ultra-low current ship- and hibernate-mode with a programmable wake-up timer.

The PMIC also features an I2C-compatible two-wire interface (TWI) for configuration of advanced system management functions, including integrated hard reset functionality from one or two buttons, battery fuel gauging, system-level watchdog, power loss warning and recovery from failed boot.

The nPM1300 evaluation kit (EK) and the nPM PowerUP PC app make it easier to evaluate, configure and implement the nPM1300 without having to write any code, said Nordic. It works by connecting the EK to the nPM PowerUP app found in the nRF Connect for Desktop (development software for Nordic products), where the settings for the nPM1300 can be configured through an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). The configuration can then be ported to the system-on-chip or microcontroller used for the IoT application.

The EK features two USB-C connectors for data and power connection, JST battery connectors for batteries with or without an internal NTC thermistor and male pin headers for access to all the nPM1300’s connections. It also includes three LEDs and four pushbuttons that can be used to evaluate the GPIO and LED driver functionality of the PMIC.

Samples of the nPM1300 PMIC in QFN and CSP packages are available now through Nordic sales, followed by mass production in October 2023. The nPM1300 EK is available now through Nordic’s distribution partners.

Claiming the industry’s first coin-cell battery life and power boosters, Nexperia has introduced the new NBM7100 and NBM5100 battery life booster ICs that extend the life of a typical non-rechargeable lithium coin cell battery by up to 10× compared to competing solutions. They also increase the peak output current capability of coin cells by up to 25× compared to coin cells without a battery booster.

Nexperia said the new battery management ICs “will reduce the amount of battery waste in low-power IoT and other portable applications, while making coin cells a viable power source for applications which could previously only operate from AA- or AAA- batteries.”

CR2032 and CR2025 lithium coin cells, with higher energy density and longer shelf life, are commonly used in low-power applications, including devices with low-power Wi-Fi, LoRa, Sigfox, Zigbee, LTE-M1 and NB-IoT transceivers, said Nexperia, but because of their relatively high internal resistance and chemical reaction rates their usable capacity when under pulsed-load conditions is reduced.

The new NBM7100 and NBM5100 devices solve this problem with two high-efficiency DC/DC conversion stages and an intelligent learning algorithm. The first conversion stage transfers energy from the battery to a capacitive storage element at a low rate, while the second stage uses the stored energy to provide a regulated (programmable from 1.8 V to 3.6 V) high pulse (up to 200 mA) current output, explained Nexperia.

In addition, the intelligent learning algorithm monitors the energy used during repetitive load pulse cycles and optimizes first stage DC/DC conversion to minimize the residual charge in the storage capacitor. When not performing an energy conversion cycle (standby state), these devices consume less than 50 nA.

Both devices feature a low-battery indicator and brownout protection, which inhibits charging of the storage capacitor when the battery is near the end of life. They also include a serial interface for configuration and control by a system microcontroller (I2C for the NMB7100A and NBM5100A and a serial peripheral interface (SPI) for the NMB7100B and NBM5100B versions). The operating temperature range is -40°C to 85°C, making them suitable for commercial indoor and industrial outdoor environments. The NBM5100A/B also includes a capacitor voltage balancing pin for super-capacitor-based implementations.

Both devices can extend the lifetime of lithium primary batteries, including coin cells, lithium thionyl (ex: LS14250 1/2 AA) and emerging paper printed types, which reduces maintenance by extending the time interval between battery replacements. The NBM5100A/B and NBM7100A/B battery boosters are available in a small DHVQFN16 package measuring 2.5 × 3.5 × 0.85 mm.