SMSC Reduces Power Consumption of Automotive Infotainment with Delivery of a Single-Chip Power Management Solution for MOST Network Devices

The MPM85000 offers a small footprint 4x4mm², 24-pin QFN package and can be used for all MOST speed grades and physical interfaces whether an Electrical Physical Layer (ePHY) or Optical Physical Layer (oPHY). The internal 3.3V regulator supplies power to the fiber-optical receiver (FOR) for the plastic-fiber-based oPHY interfaces. While in sleep-mode, the MPM85000's current can be reduced to 30uA, which fulfills today's requirement to lower overall power consumption within a car. Additionally, the monitoring logic detects switch-to-power and wake-up events, and observes temperature and up to three configurable voltage levels. All operational states are reported to the MOST Intelligent Network Interface Controller (INIC) and to an external host controller (EHC).

SMSC's MPM85000 includes an integrated diagnostic LIN transceiver that supports ring-break diagnosis, wake-up and diagnostics communication according to the Electrical Control Line specification (ECL). The internal power-on-reset generator allows a save power up for the INIC, the EHC and, if used in MOST25 and MOST150 networks, also for the fiber optic transmitter (FOT). Implemented in MOST50 devices, the MPM85000 supports network activity detection on the ePHY interface for wake-up via the MOST network.

The MPM85000 focuses on the MOST-specific power management and does not include specific application power supply functionality. This makes it generically useable across all kinds of devices, independent from their specific power supply requirements regarding voltage and power. Therefore, the IC can be used in all types of devices from small node setups such as amplifiers to complex head units.

The MPM85000 offers a highly integrated power management solution for the infotainment network within the car, said Stefan Lux, Product Manager for SMSC's Automotive Information Systems product line. Through a single-chip solution, designers of infotainment systems benefit from board space savings, shorter development times and lower cost regardless of the MOST device configuration. The end result provides designers' an efficient, yet more robust system compared to a solution built solely on discrete components.