Buck converter meets power-management needs in automotive power applications

The Texas Instruments LP8756x-Q1 device is designed to meet the power-management demands of the latest processors and platforms in various automotive power applications. The device contains four step-down DC-DC converter cores, which are configured as a four-phase output, three-phase and one-phase outputs, two-phase and two-phase outputs, one two-phase and two one-phase outputs, or four 1-phase outputs. The device is controlled by an I2C-compatible serial interface and by allowing signals. The automatic PWM to PFM operation (AUTO mode), together with the automatic phase adding and phase shedding, maximises efficiency over a wide output current range. The device supports remote differential-voltage sensing for multiphase outputs to compensate for IR drop between the regulator output and the POL improving the accuracy of the output voltage. The switching clock can be forced to PWM mode and also synchronised to an external clock to minimise the disturbances. The device supports load-current measurement without the addition of external current-sense resistors. The device also supports programmable start-up and shutdown delays and sequences synchronised to enable signals. The sequences can include GPIO signals to control external regulators, load switches, and processor reset. During start-up and voltage change, the device controls the output slew rate to minimise output-voltage overshoot and in-rush current.