HIPAC Semi Unveils Cougar-4 Family of DC-DC Modules

HIPAC Semiconductor Inc. (San Jose, CA), a developer of integrated power solutions for battery-powered applications, announced its new Cougar-4 portable power solution reference design, which is based on its HPW7095 multi-channel, pulse-width modulator. The Cougar-4 devices are four-channel, dc-dc modules that are suitable for one-cell, lithium-ion, battery-powered, handy terminal applications such as barcode readers. The Cougar-4 features flexibility (a building block for portable power solutions) and expandability (with room for future expansion).

The widespread use of portable devices with multiple functionalities (e.g., voice, data, imaging and multimedia) has resulted in the requirement of complex and efficient power solutions to prolong battery life. State-of-the-art power management systems are used to provide a set of power supplies from batteries operating over a wide range of voltage variation. At any given time, the required voltage can be higher or lower than the battery voltage, depending on the application, thereby requiring a dynamic buck-boost (step-up and step–down) regulator. For example, in the 3.3 V I/O and USB application, a dynamic buck-boost converter is required to deliver the 3.3 V power from a single-cell, lithium-ion battery operating between 2.7 V to 4.5 V.

Total system solution cost for the Cougar-4 family is under $5 for 1,000-piece quantities.