First buck converter IC to feature intelligent and adaptive power sharing

Silanna Semiconductor has released the world's first buck converter Power IC to feature intelligent power sharing. The new SZPL3002A buck converter IC has a built-in USB PD/FC port controller that will significantly lower the number of components required to implement 65W fast charger and adapter applications, offering up to four ports.

The company focuses on the ultimate Power Management challenges with solutions that combine best-in-class power density and efficiency with excellent BoM savings. The new device satisfies these demands by combining a high-efficiency synchronous buck converter and an advanced port controller into a single QFN package measuring only 5mm x 5mm.

The new IC is constructed on the company’s proven wide-voltage, high-frequency point-of-load DC-DC converter technology, which functions with efficiencies of over 98%. The integrated port controller provides full support for USB PD V3.0 Type C interfaces and QC2.0/3.0/4.0/5.0 support for Type A/C connections. Aiding power sharing and port power re-balancing functionality across two, three or four ports, the controller assures that port power adapts to the requirements of a particular device, irrespective of when connections are made.

“Silanna Semiconductor is known by our mantra ‘Power Management Re-Imagined’ and this unique Power IC is the world’s first to feature intelligent power sharing using a fully integrated USB-PD controller, MCU and VCONN cable communications protocol within this highly efficient DC/DC buck converter,” said Mark Drucker, CEO of Silanna Semiconductor. “Built using the flexibility of our AnyPort architecture, we are delighted with customer reactions which have resulted in a large number of early design wins. We are building a stable number of CO2 Smart Power devices and it is exciting to see our design teams focus on the end-to-end power solutions with complementary DC-DC and AC/DC product families that achieve best-in-class efficiency.”

The new device provides five selectable pre-loaded power contract configurations so OEMs may employ a single device over multiple product designs. Power re-balancing allocates under-used power on previously connected ports, while protective power throttling automatically lowers current when temperature thresholds are reached.

Hubie Noto, Silanna Semiconductor’s director of product marketing comments: “Traditional charger PD ports offer a selection of fixed contracts to a device based on available power. These are programmed into the port controller and are based on various voltage and current levels a device might use when connecting. Each port has different power contracts for different power. The SZPL3002A offers one fully programmable contract set plus four pre-programmed sets that are selected with an external resistor value.”