Project Analog - December 2007 - (Page 3)

viewpoint Why it kEEPs going and going and going… The need for power management has become acute because the power requirements of handheld devices such as digital cameras and MP3 players are vastly different from those of portables of yesteryear. The amount of power required from modern batteries can vary greatly over a brief period of time. In just a few seconds, for example, a digital camera must operate an electronic image sensor, light an LCD screen, process and store photo data files and provide a surge of current to feed a power-hungry flash strobe. Film cameras, by comparison, only needed to open and close a shutter, advance the film and perhaps charge a flash bulb. Unfortunately we live in a world where advances in digital technology are reported in the morning paper and analog technology, well, if you By Murray Slovick mslovick@hearst.com use the term “analog” around most consumers, with the exception of a few audiophiles who maintain a fondness for tube amps and turntables, it conjures up perceptions of something antiquated. Oh, well. We engineers know the crucial and necessary role analog plays in portable products and how it allows consumers to get the most play time for their money. The issue of Project Analog you are now reading demonstrates our understanding of the importance of managing power. Among its pages you’ll find: “charging lithium-ion batteries: system considerations” by Scott Dearborn of MicroChip Technology, who tells you what you need to know about the charging characteristics of batteries and the key requirements to be considered when designing an appropriate and reliable battery charging system. Contents Viewpoint Charging lithium-ion batteries New trends in battery-powered portable devices ”some new trends in battery-Powered Portable devices.” Linear Technology’s Tony Armstrong focuses on how to best provide the necessary voltages and power levels to provide optimum system performance for Personal Media Players (PMP), while ensuring that the power drain on the battery is minimized during normal operation. ”runtime measurements for a hybrid Power source.” TI’s Garry Elder Paglia brings you up to speed on how a hybrid battery (as a combination of a fuel cell and a battery) works and how to measure runtime. Enjoy the amount of power required from modern batteries can vary greatly over a brief period of time. Low power design: LDO thermal considerations Analog news Microchip analog page Battery charger overview Sample center microchipDIRECT Reference designs/ app notes Technical training 3 · prOject AnALOg · Dec 07 http://www.microchip.com http://www.microchip.com/analog http://www.microchip.com/analog http://www.microchip.com/batterychargers http://www.microchip.com/batterychargers http://sample.microchip.com/Default.aspx?testCookies=true http://www.microchipdirect.com/catalogselection.aspx?returnURL=default.aspx http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1469&filter1=function&redirects=appnotes http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1469&filter1=function&redirects=appnotes http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1423

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Project Analog - December 2007

Project Analog - December 2007 Contents Viewpoint About Project Analog Sponsor4 Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries: System Considerations New Trends In Battery-Powered Portable Devices Low Power Design: LDO Thermal Considerations Runtime Measurements for a Hybrid Power Source Battery-Powered System Design Considerations Analog News—Analog News from Multiple Sources Enter to Win an iPhone Contact Project Analog Sponsor Mindi™ Battery & Power Circuit Simulator Microchip Advanced Parts Selector (MAPS)

Project Analog - December 2007

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