LDOs, Texas Instruments, TPS780xx

TI linear regulator said to cut MSP430 standby power consumption in half

News Release from: Texas Instruments
04/03/2008

Texas Instruments has introduced 150-mA, low-dropout linear regulators (LDOs) with dual-level voltage output for MSP430 microcontroller-based, battery-powered devices. Consuming the lowest quiescent current in the industry at 500-nanoAmps, the LDO's voltage select (VSET) pin gives designers the ability to switch between two voltage levels to customize and cut power consumption in half during operation.

TI’s new ultra-low power TPS780xx LDOs with selectable dual-level output voltages allow designers to dynamically shift to a lower voltage level in a battery-powered design when the microprocessor is in sleep mode. The two voltage levels are preset at the factory by applying a unique architecture using EPROM, which provides multiple output voltage options.

The LDO requires no external parts to implement the device’s dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) feature for an 8-bit or 16-bit MSP430 or other microcontroller design. The TPS780xx is stable with any output capacitor greater than 0.1uF. The devices come in a 6-pin, 2 mm x 2 mm, SON package, which is targeted at portable applications, such as mobile handsets, digital still cameras and MSP430 microcontroller-based applications that require low power, while maintaining a small footprint.