Wireless Management

Micrel (News - Alert), Inc. recently unveiled four of its latest offerings that utilize its proprietary Ripple Blocker technology. Compared to the previously launched 200mA Ripple Blocker offerings, the latest offerings, the MIC94305 and the MIC94325/45/55 families, are capable of supporting at least double the output current load.

The latest offerings provide similar revolutionary, extremely proficient noise suppression required by the current extremely sensitive data and image capturing systems.

The enormously challenging portable applications – currently in use like smartphones, tablets, notebooks/webcams, digital still and video cameras, GPS, mobile computing and automotive and industrial applications – will find the Ripple Blocker family perfect.

The MIC94305/25/45/55 have been priced at $0.31 a piece for a minimum of 1000 pieces.

"Like their predecessors, these new high-current LDO linear voltage regulators provide low-frequency ripple attenuation (switching noise rejection) to a regulated output voltage – essential for applications where a DC-to-DC switching converter is required, but where switching noise cannot be tolerated by sensitive downstream circuits,” Brian Hedayati, VP, Marketing for Analog Division, Micrel, said in a statement. “Adding Micrel's Ripple Blocker LDO regulators after the DC-to-DC converters provides unmatched power supply ripple rejection (PSRR) with input voltages operating near the output voltage level to improve overall system efficiency.”

“The essential difference with these new devices lies in their ability to support higher output current loads – a requirement that has become increasingly important for CMOS Sensors in digital still cameras, security cameras and rear view camera for automotive applications," he added.

The lowest noticeable signal capturing for low-light image sensors is enhanced by Micrel's Ripple Blocker technology, launched in Q1 2012, by repressing the system power ripple for the Image System Processor (News - Alert) or ISP. The devices offer increased usable board space as the large LC filter that would normally be needed to decrease ripple in a discrete offering has been removed, thereby housing space-restricted designs.

 The latest families provide an operating input range of 1.8V to 3.6V with outstanding transient performance, extremely low dropout and extremely high PSRR of 80db @ 1KHz. The devices can provide a maximum of 500mA output current, and offer active noise rejection over an extensive frequency band.

The devices also provide current-limit and thermal-limit protection.