Power Integrations Launches Charger/Adapter Reference Designs

Tag : Output Adapter

Power Integrations (Nasdaq:POWI), the leader in high-voltageintegrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, todayannounced three charger/adapter reference designs utilizing thecompany ' s new LinkSwitch-II family of AC-DC switched-mode power conversion ICs. The new LinkSwitch-II devices utilize highly accurate primary-side control to enabletightly regulated constant-voltage and constant-current (CV/CC)modes of operation with at least 30 percent fewer components thantypical secondary-side designs. The new devices exceed theactive-mode efficiency requirements of the new ENERGY STAR 2.0specifications by 10 percent across the entire load range, andconsume 90 percent less no-load power than the allowable limit.
Traditionally, switched-mode power supplies use a secondary circuitto sense the output voltage and feed error signals back to theprimary-side controller. LinkSwitch-II uses a transformer winding to sense the output voltage,eliminating the need for the secondary circuit. This not onlyreduces component count by as much as 30 percent, but also improvesenergy efficiency since secondary-side components consume power. LinkSwitch-II devices further enhance the accuracy of the output voltage andcurrent by compensating for transformer tolerance, input linevoltage variations, ambient temperature, and voltage drop in thecharger output cable.
Power Integrations has produced a reference design kit, aninstructional video and three reference design reports (RDR 157,158 and 159) to help designers of adapters and chargers benefitfrom LinkSwitch-II ' s simplicity and elegant design. A new reference design kit(RDK-160) includes all three complete designs and is intended foruse by anyone trying to build a CV/CC adapter under 5.5W.
The first design (RD-157) complies with the China Charger standardfor CV/CC cellphone chargers, which has been mandated by theChinese government. The new design is accurate, highly efficient,features low no-load power consumption and requires the fewestcomponents of any charger available today.
The second design (RD-158) is a high-power cellphone charger forhigh-end cellphones, PDAs and other portable, personal devices thatneed significant power to charge voracious lithium-ion power packsvery quickly. It offers the same accuracy and efficiency as theother reference designs while providing 5.5W at 5V, +/-250mV.
The final design (RD-159) is an adapter for cordless phones.Cordless phone adapters present unique design challenges since theyare electrically connected to the telephone system, potentiallyworsening the effect of lightning strikes and other high-voltagesurges and transients which may damage the equipment. The RD-159design can withstand 10 kV of surge, yet seamlessly and reliablyprovides power to the phone with an accuracy of +/- 250mV.
Comments Doug Bailey, vice president of marketing at PowerIntegrations: ” Worldwide energy efficiency standards are only going to gettighter. By eliminating lossy components such as the senseresistor, LinkSwitch-II enables power supply designers to easily exceed the ENERGY STAR2.0 specifications for external power supplies, as well as thelimits expected to be imposed soon by the EU on adapters andchargers.
” By slashing component count, LinkSwitch-II reduces manufacturers ' exposure to commodity price increases, spiraling labor costs andinventory management challenges,  Bailey continued. ” LinkSwitch-II also provides outstanding output accuracy even under varying linevoltage, load, component tolerance and operating temperature. 
As well as being extremely energy efficient, all LinkSwitch-II family members are produced in Halogen-free, RoHS-compliantpackaging, which is increasingly being demanded by key OEMcustomers and their power supply sub-contractors.
Power Integrations ' Green Room website ( www.powerint.com/greenroom ) contains information on the issue of energy waste from inefficientpower supplies, as well as tips on how to minimize the amount ofenergy wasted by household and office electronics. The Green Roomalso provides a comprehensive guide to energy-efficiency standardsaround the world, as well as a host of reference designs andsoftware to assist in the design of energy-efficient powersupplies.
About Power Integrations
Power Integrations is the leading supplier of high-voltage analogintegrated circuits used in energy efficient power conversion. Thecompany's breakthrough integrated-circuit technology enablescompact, energy-efficient power supplies in a wide range ofelectronic products, in AC-DC, DC-DC and LED lighting applications.The company's EcoSmart ® energy-efficiency technology, which dramatically reduces energywaste, has saved consumers and businesses around the world morethan an estimated $2.9 billion on their electricity bills since itsintroduction in 1998. Reflecting the environmental benefits of EcoSmart technology, the company ' s stock is included in clean-tech stock indices sponsored by Nasdaq(Nasdaq: CLEN; Nasdaq: CELS) and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX:CTIUS). For more information, visit the company's website at www.powerint.com .