Controller cuts graphics core consumption

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Oct 20, 2006

Single-phase core controller reduces power consumption and enhances performance of graphics processing units or graphics cores for Intel Santa Rosa computing products.

Intersil has introduced the ISL6263A single-phase core controller.

The device reduces power consumption and enhances the performance of graphics processing units (GPUs) or graphics cores for Intel Santa Rosa computing products.

The ISL6263A dynamically changes the output voltage and operation modes corresponding to the GPU control protocol.

Intersil's Robust Ripple Regulator, R3 Technology stabilises current flow and allows less time between wave peaks in a regulator circuit.

The ISL6263A expands Intersil's portfolio to meet the needs of the latest GPUs requiring dynamic response with VID change on the fly.

The company's PMON feature improves overall battery life and meets and exceeds Santa Rosa specifications.

With the family of core power controllers that have been introduced within the last few weeks, Intersil has complete power solutions for both CPUs and GPUs on Santa Rosa as well as Napa platforms.

The ISL6263A 5bit VID (voltage identification) controller provides 0.5% system accuracy over the entire temperature range, which allows wider tolerance of inductors for platforms using DCR current sensing.

To boost battery life, the controller has the flexibility to go to lower switching frequency at DCM either through internal automatic inductor current sensing or programmed by VID.

Compared with traditional single-phase core controllers, Intersil's R3-based controller provides better transient response and light-load efficiency and is capable of changing the voltage output when the GPU is in suspend or sleep mode.

It reports the GPU power consumption through a highly accurate continuous analogue output signal.

Key features of the device include differential droop voltage sensing, real-time GPU power monitor output, an input voltage range of +5.0V to +25.0V, programmable PWM frequency of 200kHz to 500kHz, internal gate driver with 2A driving capability, 1.28750 to 0.4120V in 25.75mV steps, over-voltage, under-voltage and over-current protection.

Target applications include notebook computers systems, SAN (storage-area network) or NAS (network-attached storage) systems, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and Blade servers powered with Intel's Core Duo or Core 2 Duo.

The ISL6263A is available now in a 32-lead thin QFN package.