Distributed-Power Open Standards Alliance (DOSA) Defines Digital POL MICRO Standard
The Distributed-power Open Standards Alliance (DOSA) recently approved specification standards for the "Third Generation, High Density, Non-Isolated MICRO converter" for the MICRO (11.4 x 20.3mm) format.
The third generation standard is based on the addition of new interconnects and enlarging existing power pads to enable higher density, new features and digital communication while maintaining the integrity of the second generation connections and dimensions. This allows the highest design flexibility with the opportunity to use previous generation products on the new footprint, or alternatively use new generation products with existing circuit board footprints. While the standard establishes the new connectivity for digital communication, it is not restricted to digital POLs. The standard applies to both analog and digital non-isolated POLs.
Following in the footsteps of the PICO standard, the MICRO standard is intended for solutions at higher current and power levels than the PICO. The MICRO standard is also designed to interlock with the PICO standard such that a single nested solution may be implemented by the board designer. This allows rapid migration between PICO and MICRO packages without necessitating a board re-layout. The flexibility of the DOSA-based nesting significantly reduces design risk and creates the opportunity for cost optimization throughout the development cycle.
The new standards include provisions for an I²C bus which may be implemented with Power Management Bus (PMBus™) protocol functionality. Digital power provides access to critical load information, including current and voltage, enabling the system to monitor the power consumption at the highest possible resolution – at the processor or load. It also allows for control of the module enabling system optimization at a previously inaccessible level. The benefits of digital power are still being defined, but this standard allows for the rapid, low risk exploration of the benefits of this new capability. The standards also allow for improved thermal de-rating by increasing the thermal coupling between a module and a customer’s board, enabling higher current densities without significant current de-rating at higher temperatures.
"It is encouraging to see DOSA standardize additional digital footprints for increased capacity in dc-dc point-of-load (POL) converters," said Linnea Brush, Senior Research Analyst, Darnell Group. "DOSA standards-based digital power converters enable power design engineers worldwide to reduce risk and accelerate development schedules while leveraging multi-vendor sourcing efficiency."
