Date: 04/11/2010

Multichannel power-supply management ICs from Maxim with fault-logging capabilities

Maxim Integrated Products has unveiled the MAX34440/MAX34441 PMBus-compliant system-management controller ICs offering six channels of power-supply management with sequencing, voltage monitoring, closed-loop margining, and support for current monitoring. These devices suggested for complex systems such as network switches and routers, base stations, and servers, as well as high-reliability industrial and medical equipment.

The MAX34440/MAX34441 incorporate a power-supply manager that monitors power-supply output voltages and constantly checks the user-programmable overvoltage and undervoltage thresholds. The power-supply manager can also margin the output voltages up or down to a user-programmable level. Margining is performed in a closed-loop arrangement, whereby the devices automatically adjust a PWM output and then measure the resultant output voltage. The power-supply manager can sequence the supplies in any order at both power-up and power-down. With the addition of an external current-sense amplifier, current can also be monitored.

Both devices support the capture of up to 15 failure logs in nonvolatile (NV) flash memory on user-defined fault events. Fault events can be triggered by any logical combination of over-/undervoltage, overcurrent, overtemperature, or sequencing errors. Each failure log captures 800ms worth of system history in NV flash memory, including voltage, current, and temperature history. Maxim compared MAX34440/MAX34441 operation to that of airplane flight data recorder, or "black box," enabling rapid root cause determination and system performance improvements.

In addition to its five power-supply management channels, the MAX34441 incorporates a fan control channel. This allows the system fan to be operated at the minimum possible speed. The MAX34441's fault management can also trigger a fault on a low fan speed condition and log fan speed history when any type of fault occurs.

The MAX34440/MAX34441 incorporate a PMBus-compliant, industry-standard command interface (SMBus/I²C) to allow interoperability and software design reuse. The devices implement PMBus-standard commands for sequencing, monitoring, margining, and fault-management functions, which are used across many compliant devices from multiple suppliers.

Package: 40-pin TQFN

Operating temperature range: -40°C to +85°C

Price:
MAX34440: Starts at each US$2.95
MAX34441: Starts at each US$3.45

Avaialbility: Now