The new product family delivers up to 60 watts of power for devices ranging from video screen phones and WiMAX transmitters to pan-tilt-zoom cameras, thin-clients and laptop computers. Both devices feature external power FETs, enabling switch manufacturers to build switches that can drive 36 W for every two-pairs and interface to devices consuming up to 30 watts, with ongoing currents of 720 mA, as required by IEEE802.3at-draft 1.0.

Applications requiring up to 60 watts can use the same Microsemi integrated circuits in a 4-pair configuration. The new ICs support Layer-2 Classification and 2-event classification, which reduces the software resources required to implement PoE switches and is essential for building IEEE802.3at midspans.

Both the PD69012 and PD69008 include all of the features found in lower power PD64012G and PD64004A circuits and in the pre-standard PD64012GH and PD64004AH, including detection of pre-standard devices, dynamic power management and emergency power management. In addition, the new devices also add support for power management based on Layer-2 classification.

The PD69012 and PD69008 can be configured on a port-by-port basis to work in IEEE802.3at mode or 100% IEEE802.3af compliant mode. Both PoE Managers can be used standalone or with the PD69000, which enhances the power management support and provides a backwards compatible interface with the PD63000 and PDIC66000.

Availability: The PD69012 and PD69008 are sampling now and will be available in volume production in second quarter of 2008.
Product information: PD69000 and PD69008, PD69012

Microsemi Corp., www.microsemi.com