Abstract: This document details the Lakewood (MAXREFDES7#) subsystem reference design, a 3.3V input, ±12V (±15V) output, isolated power supply. The Lakewood reference design includes a 3W primary-side transformer H-bridge driver for isolated supplies, and two wide input range and adjustable output low-dropout linear regulators (LDOs). Test results and hardware files are included.
Abstract: This document details the Riverside (MAXREFDES8#) subsystem reference design, a 3.3V input, 12V (15V) output, isolated power supply. The Riverside reference design includes a 3W primary-side transformer H-bridge driver for isolated supplies, and one wide input range and adjustable output low-dropout linear regulator (LDO). Test results and hardware files are included.
Abstract: Some power architectures require the power supply sequencer (or system manager) to controldownstream power MOSFETs to allow power to flow into branch circuits. This application note explains howSystem Power sequencing and level shifting can be accomplished using a low-voltage system manager
Abstract: A resistive feedback network is often used to set the output voltage of a power supply. A mechanical potentiometer (pot)conveniently solves the problem of adjusting a power supply. For easier automatic calibration, a mechanical pot can be replaced witha digital pot. This application note presents a calibration solution that uses a digital pot, because digipots are smaller, do not movewith age or vibration, and can be recalibrated remotely. This proposed solution reduces the susceptibility of the system to thetolerance of the digital pot's end-to-end resistance, making the solution optimal fordesigners. This application note also explainssome of the equations required to calculate the resistor chain values and to use a digital pot in this way. A spreadsheet withstandard reisistor values is available for easy calculations.
Abstract: It is critically important that lithium-ion battery stacks have a good battery-management system for monitoring many cellvoltages and cell temperatures. Without that monitoring, thermal runaway can lead to a battery explosion. This design idea presentsa low-power circuit that measures the temperature of up to 12 thermistors. It powers and configures the multiplexers, and also putsthe muxes into shutdown to save power when not measuring temperatures.
Multiple-voltage electronics systems often requirecomplex supply voltage tracking or sequencing, whichif not met, can result in system faults or even permanentfailures in the fi eld. The design diffi culties in meetingthese requirements are often compounded in distributedpowerarchitectures where point-of-load (POL) DC/DCconverters or linear regulators are scattered across PCboard space, sometimes on different board planes. Theproblem is that power supply circuitry is often the lastcircuitry to be designed into the board, and it must beshoehorned into whatever little board real estate is left.Often, a simple, drop-in, fl exible solution is needed tomeet these requirements.
Automotive power systems are unforgiving electronicenvironments. Transients to 90V can occur when thenominal voltage range is 10V to 15V (ISO7637), along withbattery reversal in some cases. It’s fairly straightforwardto build automotive electronics around this system, butincreasingly end users want to operate portable electronics,such as GPS systems or music/video players,and to charge their Li-Ion batteries from the automotivebattery. To do so requires a compact, robust, effi cientand easy-to-design charging system
Many system designers need an easy way to producea negative 3.3V power supply. In systems that alreadyhave a transformer, one option is to swap out the existingtransformer with one that has an additional secondarywinding. The problem with this solution is that manysystems now use transformers that are standard, offthe-shelf components, and most designers want toavoid replacing a standard, qualifi ed transformer with acustom version. An easier alternative is to produce thelow negative voltage rail by stepping down an existingnegative rail. For example, if the system already employsan off-the-shelf transformer with two secondary windingsto produce ±12V, and a –3.3V rail is needed, a negativebuck converter can produce the –3.3V output from the–12V rail.
