INTELLIGENT POWER: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF INCREASINGCOMPLEXITY

摘要

Since the advent of 0.35 _m geometries and the 3.3 V power for theseintegrated circuits power systems have been becoming more complex. The trendcontinues with core voltages dropping below 1 volt and complex integrated circuitsrequiring as many as five voltage rails. Increasingly power system performance isbecoming a critical factor for overall card functionality. This is manifested in the growingdemands for very fast transient response, tighter voltage tolerance and sophisticatedpower management functions. Intermediate bus architectures, the proliferation of point ofload converters and the placement of power management functions in converters andmanagement integrated circuits has provided a solution so far. These rapid changesrepresent a point of inflection in the industry. This paper examines the continuing trendsthat drive the complexity of power systems and the impact to future power systems andoverall card performance to provide insight into the optimal solution. The powerconverter and power management industry has historically been reactive in its response tothe demands placed upon it. It is time to define a proactive strategy to meet thechallenges head on and to offer system architects the tools required to deal with everincreasing functional density.