Atmel Corp has announced the release of its AT73C203 Power Management standard product for 3G wireless platforms. The AT73C203 has been developed to provide an integrated solution for portable and handheld applications based on microprocessors that require 'smart'power management functions.
The AT73C203 features the complete set of power supplies and interfacing systems that is used in a device based on Intel XScale processors. The device includes an integrated dual battery charger designed to supply both internal and external batteries, allowing pre-charge, fast charge and top-off charge with programmable current and voltage thresholds. Dual battery operation is extremely important because it allows customer to double operating time for a high current consumption device, especially a PDA.
Power from upstream USB can also be used to recharge batteries; the AT73C203 manages the negotiation with the host processor for charge current selection. A real time charge inhibit option allows charge suspension during radio transmit periods. In addition, the AT73C203 integrates an 8-bit ADC with embedded temperature and voltage supervision.
The AT73C203 also provides the full voltage supply range (1.8 or 3.0V), the level shifters for a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) interface compatible with ETSI standard GSM11.12 &11.18 and the ISO7816 UART compatible interface macro.
'We are enthusiastic about being one of the first single-chip suppliers for 3G power management applications,'commented Michele Casetta, Marketing Manager for Atmel's Power Management Product Line. 'This highlights Atmel's power management strategy in targeting markets where power consumption, flexibility and portability are key issues for making successful products. The AT73C203 enables Atmel to become a market leader in the smart phone and PDA power supply market. We also aim to leverage this leadership to a broader market. By reusing the IP blocks developed for the mobile phone market with AT73C202 and the datacom market with AT73C203, we want to make Atmel's power management product line prominent in a wide range of handheld products such as digital cameras, MP3 readers, Bluetooth(R) modules and GPS handheld devices.'
Atmel offers the AT73C203 in a 9 x 9 mm, 100-ball ultra-thin BGA in order to satisfy portable device manufacturers' minimum space requirements. It is available now mounted on a reference design board or as engineering samples."
Posted to the site on 7th January 2004
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