The power supply solution merges analogue and digital technologies for precise industrial and consumer applications control.
ROHM has introduced LogiCoA, a power supply solution for small to medium power applications (30W to 1kW class) in industrial and consumer equipment. This innovation provides the functionality of digital control power supplies with the power consumption and cost of analogue types. Analog-controlled power supplies, used in industrial robotics and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, face increasing demands for reliability and precise control. Digital power supplies offer detailed control settings but have yet to be widely adopted in the small to medium power category due to higher consumption and costs.
The LogiCoA power solution combines analogue and digital technologies. It includes LogiCoA MCUs to control various power supply topologies. The LogiCoA system, termed “analog-digital fusion control,” integrates a digital control block around the LogiCoA MCU with analog circuitry, including silicon MOSFETs.
This system allows low-bit MCUs to perform functions usually managed by high-speed CPUs or DSPs, enhancing functionality while reducing power use and cost. It corrects performance variations in peripheral components and eliminates the need for extensive design margins, leading to more compact and reliable power supplies. Additionally, the LogiCoA MCU’s nonvolatile memory can record operational data, making it suitable for industrial applications requiring robust troubleshooting logging.
ROHM provides an evaluation kit, the REF66009, for testing the LogiCoA solution in a non-isolated buck converter setup. This kit includes circuit diagrams, PCB layouts, parts lists, sample software, and support documents, with hands-on evaluation facilitated by the optional LogiCoA001-EVK-001 board. Looking ahead, ROHM aims to develop LogiCoA MCUs for various power supply topologies, contributing to more energy-efficient and compact power solutions.
ROHM provides the ML62Q20xx group, equipped with the original 16-bit RISC CPU “U16 Core” for the LogiCoA MCU. This MCU incorporates analogue circuits such as comparators, programmable gain amplifiers, a 12-bit successive approximation type A/D converter, an 8-bit D/A converter, and a PWM circuit operating at 64MHz resolution. Its versatility supports various power supply topologies, making it suitable for controlling switching power supplies.
