A while back a viewer of our 60-W LED bulb teardowns posted a comment about the complexity of the power supplies found in the bases of these bulbs. We talked about some of the reasons these bulbs contain switching supplies in a previous article. But our latest post elicited this comment from another reader: Well, […]
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Controller handles dual dc/dc switching circuits simultaneously
A new Digitally Enhanced Power Analog (DEPA) product for DC-DC power conversion is now available from Microchip Technology Inc. The single-chip solution controls DC-DC converters and is capable of accepting a high voltage input (up to 42V) while simultaneously regulating a wide output voltage range (300 mV to several hundred volts, depending on topology). The […]
Top power electronics threads on EDAboard.com – February
(editor’s note: Intrigued by these power electronics problems? Have a question or another solution? Then click the “Read more” link and follow the conversation on EDAboard.com or log in to EDAboard and participate in the power electronics forum thread.) Circuit to detect 240 or 380 V AC – I need to make a circuit that can […]
Advanced motor-control tool includes auto tuning and self-commissioning capability
An advanced motor control software plug-in for Microchip’s MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with auto tuning and self-commissioning capability is now available from Microchip Technology Inc. The plug-in, called motorBench™ Development Suite, is a Graphical User Interface (GUI)-based tool with automatic tuning of feedback control gains and offline accurate measurement of critical motor parameters […]
The tough problems in power design
Leland Teschler, Executive Editor lteschler@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @DW_LeeTeschler An annual ritual takes place in the upper echelons of the power electronics world. At the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC), considered a premier forum for applied power electronics, researchers present new ideas for power converters. Typically, these ideas are neither straightforward nor easy to understand. And […]
Bumpless control for power factor correction
It can be difficult to correct for power factor in converters that have different conduction modes. A special technique can make corrections smoothly. By Joel Steenis, Alex Dumais, MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY, INC. DESIGNERS of power factor correction (PFC) circuits will invariably notice distortion as the input current approaches zero. The distortion problem becomes progressively worse at […]
High interest in low-energy communications
Advances in the Internet of Things depend on emerging wireless technologies that use little energy and fit in cramped quarters. It looks as though the success of wearable technology such as smart watches and fitness bands could hinge on low-energy versions of wireless communication technology. The low-energy technology getting the most attention is Bluetooth 4.1 […]
5 kohm Digital Potentiometers With Specified 36V Operating Voltage
Microchip Technology Inc., a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, expanded its 36V digital potentiometer (digipot) portfolio with two new volatile, I2C devicestheMCP45HV31 and MCP45HV51 (MCP45HV31-51). These are the industrys first digipots to offer a 5 kohm resistance with a specified operating voltage of 36V. Additionally, they provide 10V to 36V analog operation […]
