National Semi raises video experience bar in latest handheld multimedia devices

The display, audio and power management products include:

At the heart of the product announcement is the use of National's low-power Mobile Pixel Link (MPL) to stream large quantities of images, video and graphics while maximizing battery life. The LM2512, the newest member of the MPL family, is a high-speed serial host device that supports a video mode interface bridge between the processor and the display. Highly programmable, the LM2512 has a unique built-in look-up table for color correction, so that the designer is able to optimize the viewing experience in displays from multiple manufacturers. The LM2512 is offered in a 49-bump UFBGA package.

The FPD95120 is a high-performance Low Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS) display driver--that National claims is the narrowest glass-mounted device available for half-VGA format. 0.9 millimeters wide, it allows manufacturers maximize the active area of the display glass. It features an MPL deserializer and EEPROM for use across multiple display manufacturers.

RGB LED drivers provide better colors on the display and lower power consumption when compared with white LEDs. The LP5520 eliminates the need for optical feedback, and improves the color gamut from 70% to 100 % of the NTSC standard. The circuitry in the driver adjusts output voltage for the lowest possible power consumption, automatically. LP5521, LP5522, and LP55281 color management products feature an assortment of low-power color LED drivers for a variety of handheld lighting applications.

For high-quality audio, National's LM49100 audio subsystem allows routing of mono voice or stereo music signals to a mono speaker driver or stereo ground-referenced headphone amplifiers (or both) through pre-set modes. It consumes the industry's lowest quiescent current at less than 5 mA, with all channels active.

The LP5552 is an advanced power management IC supporting AVS to enable the processor to adaptively adjust its supply voltage to the minimum level needed, greatly reducing its energy consumption. It is housed in a 36-bump micro SMD package and includes two 800 mA buck regulators and five low-dropout regulators (LDOs).

For powering baseband functions, National's highly integrated LP3919 power management IC is the smallest integrated power management IC on the market that features high-efficiency switching regulators, LDOs and a battery charger. The LP3919 powers the baseband processor and other support circuitry in the system.

In the storage segment, National's LM3668 buck-boost regulator provides a 3.3V output voltage to power the driver motor, and offers more than 90% efficiency in buck and boost modes. The device can be used as a pre-regulator for high-voltage applications in handheld devices.

National's secure digital (miniSD/SD) card interface IC, the LP3929 is the industry's first to provide a robust interface to the outside world by combining level-shifter, power supply, EMI filtering and 15 kV of EST protection into one device. The small 24-bump micro SMD package and feature set free designers from mechanical constraints as they move to smaller designs.

Finally, National's LM3207 DC-DC power supply, optimized for 3G RF power amplifiers, dynamically reduces energy consumption of the power amplifier by tightly regulating the RF power amplifier supply voltage to the lowest possible level while maintaining linearity in the power amplifier.

Available now, the LM2512 is $2.40 and FPD95120 is $3.40 in 1,000-unit quantities. The LP5520, LP5521, LP5522 and LP55281 range from 90 cents to $1.85 in 1,000-unit quantities. The LM49100 is $3.35 in 1,000-unit quantities. The LP5552 is $4.50 and the LP3919 is $2.35 in 1,000-unit quantities. The LM3668 and LP3929 are $2.00 each in 1,000-unit quantities. The LM3207 is $2.50 in 1000-unit quantities.