Digital Signal Controller Handles Up To 16 DC/DC Converters

3rd October 2006

ES Admin

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Texas Instruments has announced the availability of the TMS320F28044 digital signal controller targeted at multi-channel point of load applications such as telecommunications and networking infrastructure equipment, servers, laptop computers, and industrial equipment. The new F28044 controller is the industry's only device to offer the ability to manage up to 16 DC/DC converter channels using a single programmable controller with 100 MIPS of DSP performance. At only $5.00 in volume, the F28044 device provides full digital loop control and system management for as little as $0.32 per channel.

The F28044 controller provides the performance and integration necessary for a single-chip digital solution for complex point-of-load power management systems. The F28044 controller implements up to 16 channels of TI's unique high-resolution pulse width modulation (HRPWM) technology, each with 150 pico-second(ps) resolution and is based on the fully programmable TMS320C28xT 32-bit DSP core. Also integrated into the F28044 device are a high-speed 12-bit analog to digital converter (ADC),
128KB of flash memory, and multiple communications ports with support for the PMBusT interface.

The programmability of the F28044 controller allows designers to build intelligence into power supply systems and simultaneously manage in real-time the sequencing, margining, phase compensation, and transient response of multiple DC/DC converters. The combined high performance of the F28044 controller and the integrated HRPWM channels provide the full digital loop control and output accuracy necessary at switching frequencies over 1MHz.

Since a single F28044 device performs all of the loop control, sequencing, system management, and communications for up to 16 DC rails, designers can eliminate all of the individual analog converters,
standalone sequencing chips, and communications microcontrollers (MCUs) previously used in these complex point of load applications, resulting in significant cost savings.