Fairchild Semiconductor is providing designers of set-top boxes, notebooks, netbooks and ultra-mobile portable devices (UMPCs) a new family of advanced load switches, the FPF23xx series.

Packaged in a dual configuration, these devices offer what the company claims is the industry's tightest tolerance (15 percent) current limit protection, simplify design and accelerate the time-to-market window. The tighter tolerance allows designers to reduce the maximum operating threshold (i.e., the upper current limit), which eases component sizing and application evaluation, while not interfering with the normal operating performance of the design.

The current limit protection design challenge can be seen in multiple-USB port power applications, where designers must protect their systems from excessive loads on the USB interface. USB 2.0, the current standard, specifies a maximum current of 500 mA. Using Fairchild's IntelliMAX, advanced load switches, designers meet this specification by setting the device's minimum current limit to 500 mA, which at 15 percent tolerance, equates to a maximum current limit of approximately 700 mA.

The equivalent performance using a 25 percent tolerance-device is 500 mA minimum and 900 mA maximum, or almost twice the set point. This performance, coupled with its low (<3 uA) leakage current draw and an ultra-fast (<20 us) protection response, make Fairchild's FPF23xx series ideal for providing current-limiting protection in set-top boxes, computing and cell phone applications.

The FPF2300, FPF2302, FPF2303, FPF2310, FPF2312 and FPF2313 are part of a comprehensive family of IntelliMAX advanced load management switches. The devices provide protection and power conditioning for a broad range of computing, consumer and portable applications. With their high-level of integration, the solutions are easy to design-in, save valuable PCB space and reduce overall component count.

Availability and Pricing

Samples are available now with delivery between 12 to 14 weeks. Price is $ 0.82 (each, 1000 pcs).

Datasheet for: FPF2300

Datasheet for: FPF2302

Datasheet for: FPF2303

Datasheet for: FPF2310

Datasheet for: FPF2312

Datasheet for: FPF2313