Controller’s dual power
13 May 2008
The TPS2358/9 dual-slot, hot swap controllers power two mezzanine cards with or without redundancy.
Following the adoption of ATCA open standard in 2002, MicroTCA was developed to extend the ATCA open platform for scaleable applications which require redundancy in distributed environments. As internet capacity and wireless networks continue to grow, more equipment makers and designers are adopting the two standards.
Two controllers from Texas Instruments, claimed to be the only multiple-voltage output, hot swap controllers available, are compliant to both ATCA and MicroTCA.
Analogue comms design is experiencing an increase in system intelligence, in both monitoring and dynamic control. Together with the move towards open standard platforms, which can reduce development cost and time to market, the infrastructure is focused on energy conservation as increased power demands are made with more management shifting to boards.
The TPS2358/9 controllers are for use in 3G, and beyond, wireless basestations and network equipment as well as high-end data communications. The TPS2358 has dedicated output pins and can be configured using external components and, for designers wishing to use a digital interface, there is the I²C programmable TPS2359 hot swap controller option
The controllers power two AdvancedMCs with minimal external components, says the company, claiming it eliminates up to 75 per cent of competitive solutions.
The device has two 3.3V channels to provide inrush control, over-current protection an FET Oring control for seamless plug and play insertion and removal.
Two 12V channels are in place of external FETs and sense resistors. Current limits are factory-set to AdvancedMC-compliant levels at 3.3V although the 12V limits can be programmed using external resistors.
When used with a low RDS on N-channel MOSFET, the controller seamlessly manages power distribution. The 130nsec turn-off response protects from reverse-current or transient events with protects the system from reverse current or transient events.
The I²C interface can be used to digitally configure and monitor the AdvancedMC hot swap over a two-wire bus, using less external components and pins. The interface programs current limit, fast-trip threshold and fault time. The TPS2359 has the facility to enable or disable the Oring, multi-channel, cross connect and auto-retry. Alternatively, the TPS2358 has dedicated output pins for the use of external components for configuration.
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