Analog Devices MAX77659 SIMO PMIC with built-in switching charger

Analog Devices’ MAX77659 single-inductor multiple output (SIMO) power management IC (PMIC), complete with an integrated switch-mode buck-boost charger, is designed to charge wearables, hearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices faster and in less space than other PMICs. The SIMO PMIC delivers over 4 h of play time after a short, 10-min charge and uses a single inductor to power multiple rails, which is said to reduce the bill of materials (BOM) by 60% and shrink total solution size by 50%.

The PMIC integrates a switch-mode buck-boost charger and three independently programmable buck-boost regulators, all sharing a single inductor to minimise total solution size. The regulators extend battery life by operating at 91% efficiency during moderate to heavy load conditions while consuming only 5 µA of quiescent current during light load conditions. The PMIC supports autonomous headroom control, which reduces heat dissipation by minimising the voltage drop while providing enough headroom to regulate the charging current.

The device is offered in a tiny, 30-bump wafer level package (WLP) that measures 2.55 x 2.37 mm. Use of a single inductor and integration of the charger reduces the bill of materials by 60% for a total solution size of just 22 mm², small enough for the most compact wearable and hearable applications. The PMIC frees up board real estate to pack in additional features such as expanded memory storage, location tracking and vital sensing demanded by today’s portable consumer and medical devices.