19 November 2014
News
Power Electronics / Power Management
Linear Technology introduced the LTC3350, a supercapacitor charger and backup controller IC that includes all of the features necessary to provide a complete, standalone capacitor-based backup power solution.
Many applications require reliable, short-term uninterrupted power in the event of a mains power failure. Examples include data backup for solid state drives (SSDs) and non-volatile dual in-line memory modules (NVDIMMs), power fail alarms in medical and industrial applications, as well as a host of other ‘dying gasp’ power fail indicators.
The LTC3350 provides all PowerPath control, capacitor stack charging and balancing, and capacitor health monitoring to ensure that the backup system is capable of reliable operation. It features a wide 4,5 V to 35 V input voltage range and over 10 A of charge/backup current capability, as well as providing balancing and over-voltage protection for a series stack of one to four supercapacitors.
The IC’s synchronous step-down controller drives N-channel MOSFETs for constant current/voltage charging of the capacitor stack at up to 5 V per cell. In backup mode, the step-down converter runs in reverse as a synchronous step-up DC-DC to deliver power from the supercapacitor stack to the system supply to be backed up.
Integrated into the chip is an accurate, 14-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which continuously monitors input and output voltage and current. In addition, the internal measurement system monitors parameters associated with the backup capacitors themselves, including capacitor stack voltage, capacitance and stack ESR (equivalent series resistance) to ensure adequate energy storage and power delivery during backup.
All system parameters and fault status can be monitored via a two-wire I2C interface, and alarm levels can be set to alert the system to a sudden change in any of these measured parameters.
Cost-effective microcontroller series Altron Arrow
DSP, Micros & Memory
The STM32C5 series from STMicroelectronics delivers an excellent balance of performance, efficiency, and affordability for embedded designs that require more capability without increasing bill of materials cost.
Read more...Understanding two key tools for cleaner serial data Altron Arrow
Editor's Choice Analogue, Mixed Signal, LSI
Understanding how pre-emphasis and equalisation works, and when to use one over the other, is critical when designing reliable high-speed systems.
Read more...Ultra-low jitter clocks Altron Arrow
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Skyworks has introduced a new family of ultra-low jitter programmable clocks designed to meet the increasing demands of next-gen connectivity.
Read more...Efficient Bluetooth SoC Altron Arrow
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The EFR32BG29 wireless SoC from Silicon Labs is a highly efficient, high memory, low-power, and ultra compact SoC designed for secure and high-performance wireless networking for IoT devices.
Read more...RTOS – The future of embedded systems Altron Arrow
Edge Computing & IIoT
At the heart of the next generation of embedded devices is efficient yet powerful system-level code, often based on an open-source real-time operating system.
Read more...Reference design for NB-IoT plus GNSS Altron Arrow
Design Automation
ST Microelectronics’ STDES-ST87M01IGN is a reference design for the ST87M01 NB-IoT + GNSS module, implemented on a 2-layer FR4 PCB (90 x 60 x 1,6 mm).
Read more...Gen5 Pro enhances power conversion Altron Arrow
Power Electronics / Power Management
The Infineon Technologies CoolSET ICE501XD and ICE502XD PWM Fixed Frequency Gen5 Pro controllers are advanced solutions for auxiliary power supplies in demanding high-voltage applications.
Read more...RE+ South Africa 2026: From strategy to execution
News
Taking place at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 02 to 04 June 2026, this new addition to South Africa’s energy landscape introduces a focused commercial and industrial energy event within a proven exhibition platform.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.