Project Information

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Project Reference: 100 
Title Notebook Motherboard 3 Phase Vcore Research and Development  
Project Status: inprogress  
 
Proposer's Name: Rhys Philbrick 
Company/University: Semtech 
Phone: +1 9194656411 
Email: rhysphilbrick@semtech.com 
Proposal Date: 10/02/2006 
Brief description
Design and development of a three phase buck switching regulator for the processor supply on a notebook/laptop motherboard. Notebook computers require very high performance switching regulators to control the Vcore rail. The specification is unique as the regulator needs many features. The requirements include: - excellent transient response - very efficient (92% peak) - a very accurate fixed output impedance of 2.1 mohms - cheap - include a 7 bit Dac for controlling the output voltage - transition to different output voltages on the fly with a fixed slew rate - low voltage ripple with a minimum of output capacitance - lossless current sensing The transient response requirement is very difficult to achieve and requires development of a new switching regulator topology. Industry standard buck switcher topologies like pwm, hysteretic or constant on time do not provide fast enough performance. The project will focus on the development of a custom new switching regulator topology that suits the application. Then the product will be developed and tested. Semtech will be reluctant to present a full set of schematics for the device. Some blocks in the regulator will use secret ip that has been developed over a decade of designing these types of devices. Therefore the project is really the topology development including the transistor level design of selected cells.  
Project outcomes
ASIC to be fabricated Yes 
Hardware to be produced Yes  
Software to be produced Yes  
Requirements
Dedicated hardware that will be essential for the project. To be provided by Semtech 
Specialist software that will be essential for the project. To be provided by Semtech 
Staff comments
 

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