Summit Microelectronics Introduces Hot-swap Controller for Telecommunications Distributed Power Applications

Business Wire, Oct 18, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 2000

Summit Microelectronics, Inc. has introduced the next generation of hot swap controllers for telecommunications systems, the SMH4804. This device was developed to address the increasing power requirements and complexity of distributed power systems offering telecom design engineers an integrated method of controlling multiple converters, with many new features previously unseen on existing hot-swap controllers.

One of the major challenges facing telecom engineers today is to maintain system operation during hot swapping. This means that the hot swap function, which historically was focused on the power transitioning of the individual line card during insertion and removal, now must also prevent disruption of other cards in the system. The SMH4804 not only provides the required soft start and insertion detection circuitry that is required for the most basic Hot Swap implementation, but also features advanced fault detection capabilities which monitor primary side voltage for over and under voltage conditions as well as current consumption of the line card.

Rick Orlando, CEO and president, said, "Simple fault detection is not enough in today's telecommunications environment. Most of the traditional fault-sensing techniques are prone to inadvertent activation during unusual events, such as initial powering of the card, or insertion of other cards into the rack. The SMH4804 was designed to extend carrier-class availability of the system and its real benefits are its ability to ignore spurious events and only react to actual faults. The SMH4804 was also developed with easy-to-use programmable design tools to provide near instant customizable options for varying power management requirements of line cards thereby improving time to market concerns for our telecom customers."

Communications between the secondary side and the hot swap controller are essential in carrier-class designs. Orlando added, "Our customers are facing great challenges in increasing the bandwidth or existing equipment racks while trying to stay within the installed power supply capabilities. Cards that previously required a few amps now require tens of amps from the same supply, greatly increasing the complexity of the hot-swap function. It is not uncommon for a single line card to have greater than 4 supplies, with various combinations of DC/DC converters and LDO's and various voltage sequencing requirements. The SMH4804 represents a major step in the integration of the advanced features that telecommunications designers need today to provide carrier-class solutions to their customers."

Operating from a typical -48V supply, the SMH4804 provides in rush current limiting, but can also provide current regulation, allowing large capacitances to be charge regulated for a defined period. Pin detect inputs are provided to ensure board seating, while programmable delay times ensure that the power is not applied during contact bounce.

The circuit breaker functions include programmable Quick-Trip(TM) values and selectable duty-cycle to latched-mode operation. Another new programmable feature is the non-volatile circuit breaker, which prevents power from being reapplied to a card that has previously had an over current fault.

The SMH4804 controls up to 4 converters, and includes programmable sequencing between successive converters. Another feature is the additional Enable pins that allow the device to hold each successive converter until the previous converter has reached its threshold (via opto-isolation). The sequence timer input can also be enabled, allowing forced shutdown of the -48V source in the event of a fault detected on the secondary of the DC-DC converter.

Programming of the device is accomplished through a standardized programming interface, driven from a parallel port of a PC, and an intuitive GUI, which allows the telecom designer to optimize the various parameters of the SMH4804 for a particular line card. This standardized interface allows the device to be programmed in system, eliminating the need for external programming. The GUI also outputs an industry standard Hex file, which can be used with standard programming or ATE equipment for production quantities. The Hex file can also be submitted to Summit for programming of the components prior to product shipment. The SMH4804 is provided in TQFP48 And is available for full production today, pricing in range of $6.00 - $8.00 depending on quantity. The Summit programming interface cable kit, GUI software, SMH804 video application note on CDROM and complete data sheet are available upon request through the Summit Web site.

About Summit Microelectronics

Summit Microelectronics, Inc. develops semiconductors that manage the power functions in communications systems equipment. These devices detect, localize, predict and analyze failures in line cards to increase overall system integrity. Using Summit's proprietary technology, customers can achieve carrier-class availability, the highest standard of reliability available today for telecommunications and data communications applications.