Switching power manager

Linear Technology has announced the LTC4160 and LTC4160-1, the latest members in a family of power manager ICs for single-cell Li-Ion/polymer battery-based applications, including media players, personal navigation devices, digital cameras, PDAs and smart phones.

The LTC4160/-1 features a bidirectional switching power manager which can power an application and charge the battery from USB. Operating in reverse, the same switching regulator can take power from the battery to generate 5 V and deliver up to 500 mA for USB on-the-go applications without any additional components.

The device includes automatic load prioritisation when powered from USB, input overvoltage protection, a standalone battery charger and a diode.

The device offers a 4.1 V battery float voltage, allowing high temperature safety margin, while the LTC4160 features a 4.2 V final charge voltage for optimised battery run time.

The on-chip switching regulator also features programmable input current limits of 100 and 500 mA for enhanced USB compatibility, as well as a wall adapter input current limit setting up to 1.2 A.

For fast charging, the LTC4160/-1 converts nearly all the 2.5 W available from the USB port to charging current, enabling up to 600 mA of charge from a 500 mA limited USB supply and up to 1.2 A of charge current from a wall adapter.

The device provides an overvoltage protection control circuit that prevents damage to its input from the accidental application of high transient voltages.