New Industry Products

Analog Devices Introduces Power Supply Sequencer for Telecommunications Infrastructure Equipment

August 24, 2006 by Jeff Shepard

Analog Devices Inc. has expanded its family of power supply sequencer and supervisory products with a flexible, accurate device that protects against brown out conditions in communications infrastructure equipment. The ADM1185 quad voltage monitor and sequencer is designed for systems with multiple power supplies, like wireless base stations, that require sequencer products to ensure voltage rails are powered up in a controlled manner in order to prevent equipment damage. By providing both a voltage monitoring and sequencing function for up to four power supply rails, the ADM1185 actively controls the order in which the rails are powered up and monitors the system to ensure the rails are quickly powered down if a failure occurs.

The ADM1185 also features precision threshold detection of 0.6V ± 0.8%, 2x more accurate than competing devices, which enables accurate monitoring of supply voltages lower than 1.8V where a high accuracy power supply is needed. The externally resistor programmable inputs enable a power supply designer to have any power up sequence simply by choosing which supply goes into which input. User programmable time delays can be set using external capacitors. The device is also housed in a 10-pin MSOP (mini small-outline plastic) package making it the industry's smallest quad sequencer.

"Analog Devices offers an innovative portfolio of sequencers with products capable of sequentially powering up from two to ten supply rails," said Pat Meehan, Product Line Manager, Power System Management, Analog Devices. "As a result, ADI can address all of our customers' power sequencing needs with products that simplify the monitoring, diagnosis and configuration of power supply rails in a variety of applications, including telecommunications infrastructure, data communications and storage."

The ADM1185 quad channel voltage monitor and sequencer is powered from 2.7 to 5.5V and is capable of monitoring up to four supplies at 0.8% accuracy. In case of a voltage fault, an intelligent fault response feature shuts down the power good output flagging a system fault to the main system controller. The system controller can then power down the supply rails in a pre-determined order to prevent system damage. In the case of a power supply failure on the first Vcc all outputs are switched off. In addition to the ADM1185, Analog Devices offers the ADM106x, ADM108x and ADM6819/20 voltage monitor and sequencer families, which support from 2 to 10 power supply rails.

The ADM1185 is sampling now with full production scheduled for December 2006. The devices are priced starting at $1.20 per unit in 1,000-piece quantities and is specified over an operating temperature range of -40 to +85°C.