Flexibility offered in programmable mixed-signal IC architecture

This device is the first in a series of parts designed to create ‘Flexible Power Islands’ (FPI).

Silego originally made this announcement at a press conference held in advance of electronica, ‘the World's Leading Trade Fair for Electronic Components, Systems and Applications,’ in Munich, Germany.

There are many challenges when designing power systems for handheld and wearable devices. In each succeeding generation, power systems are becoming more complex, and yet the overall board area devoted to power components keeps getting smaller. Silego has developed the concept of ‘Flexible Power Islands’ so that using FPIs, designers can divide their complex power system into some number of local power regions (or islands), each of which includes the power control, power sequencing and power regulation needed to support loads in the immediate vicinity. It is believed this technique results in higher performance and a more efficient solution that can be flexibly tailored to the requirements of each individual system.

With the SLG46125, Silego has captured many of these necessary power system functions (power monitoring, sequencing, reset and power switching) in a tiny 1.6x2.0mm 16-pin MSTQFN fully encapsulated plastic package. Using Silego’s GUI based GPAK Designer and GPAK development hardware; designers can quickly and easily implement their unique configuration of the device, thereby customising the functions to match their power requirements.

Director of Marketing, Nathan John stated: “Flexible Power Islands are just what our customers have been asking for to address their challenges in developing power systems for ever-more complex mobile devices.”

John continued: “We want to give customers key functions of their power system in a tiny, low cost device. Each of these devices can service the needs of loads in a local region of the printed circuit board. We believe this advancement in architecture will result in big gains in efficiency, while at the same time driving down cost and board space. We believe this is yet another example of how Silego’s Configurable Mixed-signal IC (CMIC) strategy provides value to customers.”

Since the introduction of the CMIC platform, Silego has developed five generations of CMIC silicon and design tools. As a result, over 1,300 designs incorporating CMICs by Silego customers have gone into production in almost every end market:

• Handheld Devices
• Wearable Electronics
• Computing & Storage
• Consumer Electronics
• Smart Home
• Networking & Communications
• Medical & Industrial