Intelligent Power

In addition to Level 1 control features, it is possible to control output voltage, voltage limits, current limits and thermal limits. At this level, most of the operating parameters of the analog power supply can be digitally controlled and monitored. Different soft-start profiles and current limits can be programmed to suit the application and the output voltage can be fine-tuned to provide coordination between multiple power supplies in a system.

Depending on the system I/O requirements, 8-bit solutions in the PIC12, PIC16 or PIC18 device families can provide the ideal solutions, while larger systems may require more of the peripherals found in our 16-bit PIC24 device family. The PIC12F family is available in small 8-pin packages, while PIC16F variants are offered in 14-pin through 64-pin packages. These family devices are suitable for proportion control (Level 2 integration). Some variants in the PIC16F family have one or more Enhanced Capture Compare PWM (ECCP) modules that can be used to generate references for analog control loops. Built-in ADCs can be used to monitor input/output voltage and current and temperature. Comparators can be used to monitor fault inputs. Communication peripherals like UART, SPI and I²C™ can be used for remote monitoring and control.

The PIC24F product family is Microchip's entry level 16-bit PIC^® microcontroller. It can operate at speeds up to 16 MIPS and has a hardware multiplier for fast calculation of control algorithms. The PIC24F family offers devices with multiple UART, SPI and I²C serial communication channels for remote monitoring or control.

Microchip’s broad line of microcontroller solutions combined with our analog controllers and external drivers offer an intelligent and powerful power supply solution.