Maxim Introduces MAX20310 Ultra-Low Quiescent Current Power Management Integrated Circuit

Maxim Integrated Products Inc. has unveiled the Max20310 ultra-low quiescent current (I_Q) PMIC that would aid primary cell wearable medical and fitness applications designers to bring down the solution size by 50% while extending the battery life. The wearable MAX20310 supports a low input voltage of just 0.7V for common Alkaline Battery architecture, as well as, new high-energy density battery architectures such as Zinc Air and Silver Oxide. 

 

While designing applications for medical and fitness wearables, one has to take into account a lot of factors like ultra-small form factor and a long battery life. However, building a sophisticated power tree requires a lot of board space, high quiescent current and high battery consumption in the sleep mode. Moreover, clinical environments encounter additional challenges as the rechargeable solutions involve contacts, clips, and charging ports where germs may be found. 

 

 

 

To encounter such issues, the MAX20310 makes use of a novel single-inductor multiple output architecture so as to integrate four power outputs from a single inductor, each with ultra-low quiescent current performance. This, in turn, reduces the solution size by 50% as compared to other discrete solutions, thus consuming over 40% less quiescent current while helps in improving the battery life. 

 

As far as the clinical environments are concerned, primary cell architectures can create hermetically sealed units for safe disinfection between or complete disposal to inhibit patient-to-patient infection. The PMIC is suited for applications like non-rechargeable medical patches, discrete sensors for industrial IoT, and environmental and equipment monitoring. 

 

The wearable PMIC has the following features:

 

• Operates over -40 degree Celsius to +85 degree Celsius temperature range.

• Available in SIMO dual buck-boost architecture with single external inductor.

• Reduces solution size by 50% as compared to the discrete solutions. 

• Supports Zinc Air, Silver Oxide, and Alkaline battery systems with low input voltage of 0.7 V to 2V. 

• Consumes 40% less quiescent current in sleep or standby mode.