Regulator reduces automotive power drain

An ON Semiconductor product story

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Oct 17, 2006

Linear regulator incorporates reverse battery, short circuit and overload protection with the lowest quiescent current performance specified over a wide automotive temperature range.

New from ON Semiconductor, the NCV8664 is billed as the industry's first linear regulator to incorporate reverse battery, short circuit and overload protection with the lowest quiescent current performance specified over a wide automotive temperature range.

An increased number of onboard automotive system power modules need to meet stringent requirements for ignition-off current.

Many of these modules have specified currents of less than 100uA of current.

Power optimisation in the new NCV8664 enables designers to minimise the quiescent current for the regulation portion of the module, allowing higher system level design for controller-area networks (CAN or LIN), microprocessors, and other system overhead.

The NCV8664 is a low drop out (LDO) regulator with a precision 5V fixed output and an output current capability of 150mA.

Optimised for use in automotive electronics modules requiring tight quiescent currents, the NCV8664 draws only 22uA typical and 30uA maximum quiescent current specified from -40 to +85C.

This is a wider temperature range than most low-quiescent-current regulators on the market.

The output voltage of the LDO is accurate to within +/-2.0%.

The device is also internally protected against input supply reversal, output overcurrent faults, and excess die temperature.

"As electronics have become more pervasive in automobiles, lowering the quiescent current of each power module to minimise overall battery drain has become increasingly important", said Andy Williams, ON Semiconductor Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Automotive and Power Regulation Division.

"ON Semiconductor is committed to developing and delivering versatile, high performance solutions, such as the NCV8664, to help designers meet these ongoing power system challenges".

"During the next few quarters, ON Semiconductor plans to further expand its portfolio of low quiescent current regulators to provide additional family members".

The NCV8664DT50RKG is available in a Pb-free DPAK and priced at $1.00 per unit in 2500-unit quantities.

The NCV8664ST50T3G is available in a Pb-free SOT-223, priced at $1.00 per unit in 4000-unit quantities.