Powervation Developing Digital Controller for DDR Memory

Through SVID, the CPU can dynamically control the output voltage, slew rates, power states, as well as monitor PV3201 for telemetry purposes. The PV3201 controller concurrently supports SVID and PMBus commands, allowing configuration, control, and monitoring of the VR controller for advanced system power management.

In order to improve efficiency, PV3201 implements Powervation’s Green Modes™ technology, which provides optional modes to reduce power loss during light-load operation and idle conditions. Further efficiency gains are provided as PV3201 enables SVID commands to trigger the adding and dropping of phases, and the use of diode emulation mode. PV3201 implements Powervation’s DSS™ current share bus which enables the paralleling of multiple PV3201 devices for multi-phase, high current loads.

Comments Powervation’s CEO, Mike McAuliffe: “Leveraging our unique digital power IC platform, which provided our PV3012 and PV3101 controllers for the communications market, Powervation has been engaged with strategic computing customers in the development of PV3201 for DDR3/DDR4 memory applications. Customer evaluation has demonstrated the value of our real-time adaptive loop compensation technology, Auto-Control®, to simplify the increasing design challenge of powering multiple DDR3/DDR4 memory configurations, and their inherent impedance spread. Furthermore, the precision telemetry and concurrent PMBus and Intel SVID bus are compelling for customers designing servers and data center equipment where system efficiency and system power management are critical.”

The PV3201 controller is designed to function with all leading driver, FET and DrMOS solutions to allow the designer maximum flexibility when powering DDR memory and other Intel SVID compliant applications for server, storage, communications and VRM applications. RoHS compliant, PV3201 is sampling now to key customers, and is scheduled for full release in 1H 2012.