Online tool accelerates design of multiple load power supplies

National Semiconductor Corp. introduces its new WEBENCH Processor Power Architect, an online design tool to model and optimize power supplies for Atmel Corp. and Freescale Semiconductor Inc. ARM processors in minutes.

National’s new WEBENCH Processor Power Architect design tool, supporting the company’s latest high-efficiency point-of-load regulators and SIMPLE SWITCHER modules, will be demonstrated in its booth throughout Avnet Electronics Marketing’s global technical seminar series, with stops in North America, Europe, and Asia through September 2011.

WEBENCH Processor Power Architect incorporates the detailed supply requirements of more than 50 of the newest ARM processors from Atmel and Freescale. Modern power supply systems, including ARM processors, are complex to design, often incorporating multiple unique loads to drive precisely specified voltages. In addition to the required voltages and currents, each load may have specific limitations for ripple, noise filtering, synchronization and separation of supplies, as well as start up definitions (soft start).

The power supply designs delivered by WEBENCH incorporate comprehensive power requirements published by the ARM processor manufacturers, giving designers confidence that their power supplies will meet these constraints while saving critical time in the process. To accommodate the low currents associated with ARM processor loads, the designer can select from over 50 low drop-out (LDO) regulators in addition to high efficiency switching regulators.

For more information, contact National Semiconductor Corp., 3689 Kifer Road, Santa Clara, CA 95051. Phone: (800) 272-9959.