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Wolfson introduces the world’s most flexible and advanced PMIC family
Monday, July 27, 2009
Unique BuckWise™ technology unleashes processor performance for advanced multitasking
Edinburgh, UK, 27th July 2009 - Wolfson Microelectronics (LSE: WLF.L) today announces
a whole new family of market leading Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMICs), building on its existing successful power management portfolio. Processor agnostic and application independent, the new WM83xx family of PMICs deliver unprecedented programmability and unparalleled performance capabilities, offering product manufacturers a no compromise combination of reduced time to market, improved end user experience and lower total cost of ownership.
Sitting beside the application processor at the heart of consumer products, such as mobile phones, navigation devices and media players, PMIC devices intelligently manage and optimise the use of power within the system to maximise battery life. The unique design of the WM83xx family enables limitless configuration options making it compatible with all application and mobile graphics processors, including all ARM based processors, and configurable to address other architectures. Patent pending EEPROM interface technology maximises design process flexibility, allowing product designers to override the “one time programmable” memory of the PMIC as many times as they want, while perfecting their design. Product development and migration needs are easily accommodated, making the WM83xx a future proof choice.
The limitless configurations also mean that the WM83xx family is ideal for use in a wide range of consumer products, enabling manufacturers to consolidate on one PMIC solution across their whole product portfolio, making life simpler for product designers.
“The WM83xx family really is the only PMIC solution designers will ever need”, comments Jess Brown, power management product line manager at Wolfson, “No longer is it necessary to re-design the PMIC circuitry to accommodate a slight change in product configuration or even when switching the processor or applications. The WM83xx PMIC family can easily accommodate any changes and quick modifications can be made without the need to re-approve a new PMIC design, giving designers peace of mind that their power management solution will not be out-of-date with the next generation of processors.”
Introduced with the WM83xx family is Wolfson’s unique BuckWise™ regulator technology.
While managing the system power requirements the PMIC frequently has to cope with step functions in power requirements, as different product functions are switched off and on by the user. Rapid changes in power requirements can cause disturbances in the power supply outputs leading potential disruptions in the operation of the processor. To prevent this, additional large external components are often added, and/or the processor speed is reduced to lower the load current. Wolfson’s new Buckwise™ regulator technology eliminates these problems by having the best-in-class transient performance. This not only removes the need for additional components, saving board space and lowering total BOM cost, but also unleashes the real performance capability of the application processor. This is the key to enabling new levels of user functionality such as the ability to handle high definition audio and video and to run true multi-tasking applications.
The enhanced transient performance also saves power, enabling the processor to run at lower voltages, improving power efficiency. System designers can choose to reduce processor power consumption by up to 25%, over previous generations of regulators, or to increase processor speed by up to 25%. So that, for example, smart phone designers can enable users to multitask for longer with no compromise on gaming, music playback and video resolution.
The BuckWise™ regulators also achieve an industry first by incorporating a Valley Mode Control (VMC) scheme into a PMIC for the first time ever. As process geometries shrink and voltage requirements decrease, Wolfson’s unique Valley Mode technology enables designers to seamlessly transition from node to node with minimum design effort, ensuring compatibility with the next generation of application and mobile graphics processors, without the need to change the power management design.
Incorporating a touch panel capability, real-time clock, LDOs, buck regulator and a boost regulator for backlight, the WM83xx family offer a highly integrated PMIC solution. The WM8310, WM8311 and WM8312 are optimised for PMP, PND and mobile phones respectively, but can also easily support a much wider range of applications, including VOIP phones, digital photo frames and mobile internet devices.
Availability:
The WM8310, WM8311 and WM8312 are available for sampling now. The WM8310 and WM8312 in a compact 7x7mm 0.5mm pitch BGA, ideal for space constrained portable applications, and the WM8311 in a 8x8mm 0.65mm pitch BGA package, ideal for low cost PCB applications such as PND. The 10k prices for the WM8310, WM8311 and WM8312 are $3.75, $3.75 and $3.95 respectively.
- Ends -
About Wolfson Microelectronics
Wolfson Microelectronics plc is a leading global provider of high performance, mixed signal semiconductors to the consumer electronics market.
Wolfson is renowned for its high performance audio and ultra low power consumption, its devices are at the heart of many high profile consumer electronics products, including mobile phones, mp3 players, flat panel TVs and in-car infotainment systems. Wolfson technology enables exciting new end-user experiences by connecting the digital world to the human senses.
Headquartered in Edinburgh, UK, Wolfson has sales and engineering offices in the USA, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and India.
Wolfson Microelectronics plc is listed on the London stock exchange. (LSE: WLF.L)
For more information about Wolfson Microelectronics, please visit: www.wolfsonmicro.com or sign up for Wolfson eNews at: www.wolfsonmicro.com/enews
Contacts
Chris King
EML
Tel: +44 (0) 208 408 8000
Email: wolfson@eml.com
Anne Connolly
Wolfson Microelectronics plc
Tel: +44 (0) 131 272 7000
Email: anne.connolly@wolfsonmicro.com
CONTACTS FOR PRESS RELEASE SUPPORT MATERIALS
CORPORATE
Allan Hughes
VP Product & Solutions Marketing
Wolfson Microelectronics plc
allan.hughes@wolfsonmicro.com
+44 (0) 131 272 7000
US
Al Haun
Precision Communications
al_haun@comcast.net
+1 (508) 876 9400
EUROPE
Laura Moore
PR Manager
Wolfson Microelectronics
laura.moore@wolfsonmicro.com
+44 (0)131 272 7137
JAPAN
David Huerta
Jspin Communications
david@jspin.co.jp
+81 352 691 038
CHINA
Sunray Liu
Beijing New Synergy Consulting
sunray@1and7.com
+86 10 8811 3067
SOUTH KOREA
Terry Kim
Shout Korea Communications
wolfson@shoutkorea.com
+82 255 89890
TAIWAN
Thomas Chou
Access PR
wolfson@accesspr.com.tw
+ 888 2 8773 4277
ROW
Laura Moore
PR Manager
Wolfson Microelectronics
laura.moore@wolfsonmicro.com
+44 (0)131 272 7137
