Microchip launches online power supply design center

Chandler, Arizona – Microchip Technology today announced an online Intelligent Power-Supply Design Center. This site provides tools and resources for everything from analog power supplies to digitally-controlled Switch-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS). The Design Center offers access to Microchip's power-supply application notes and reference designs, as well as links to Microchip simulation tools such as the Mindi simulation tool for battery charger and power-supply circuits.

The Intelligent Power-Supply Design Center offers design tools at each of four levels of digital integration into power supplies. Level one involves an 8-bit microcontroller used to implement simple functions, such as soft start. At level two, the loop is still analog, but an 8- or 16-bit microcontroller provides basic proportional control. At level three, the loop remains analog but an 8- or 16-bit microcontroller or Digital Signal Controller (DSC) can modify the topology of the power supply. At level four, the power-conversion loop is fully digital and managed by a DSC with specialized peripherals. The site features the recently announced (dsPIC30F1010/2020/2023) family of dsPIC DSCs.

Microchip Technology Inc., 1-888-MCU-MCHP, www.microchip.com/power