Micrel Introduces 'Kickstart' Power Distribution Switches

Micrel Introduces 'Kickstart' Power Distribution Switches

SAN JOSE, California, August 30/PRNewswire/ --

- MIC2014/15/16 Featuring New 'Kickstart' Capability Facilitate Surge
Management

Micrel Inc., (Nasdaq: MCRL), an industry leader in IC analog, high
bandwidth and Ethernet solutions, today added to its family of high-current
protected power switches. The MIC2014/15/16 chips, featuring Kickstart
current limiting, bring a new level of adaptability to peripheral power
management. The chips are part of the family of MIC20xx power distribution
switches introduced earlier this month. The new product line is aimed at
applications requiring current limiting as protection against short circuits,
including PCs, Set-Top-Boxes, Game controllers and USB host devices. The
MIC2014/15/16 are currently available in volume quantities and in two package
options; SOT-23 and 2 x 2mm MLF(TM). Pricing starts at US$0.75 in 1K quantity
for SOT-23 and US$0.85 in 1K quantity for MLF.

Micrel's Kickstart feature enables current limit protection for a wide
variety of devices. Many consumer devices now require an initial burst of
power, well above their steady state operating level, to get up and running.
In turn, this initial surge presents a problem to standard current limiting
switches because they're designed to restrict these sudden surges in current.
Their response is incompatible with the peripheral's needs.

"The advent of portable mass storage devices has changed the peripheral
power landscape," noted Scott Brown, director of Mixed-Signal and RF
Products, Micrel. "Micrel's new family of high-side power switches is
designed to act intelligently in these situations. The Kickstart feature
permits momentary high-current surges to pass through the switch
unrestricted, thereby feeding the device the burst of power it needs. The
result is trouble free peripheral operation without any sacrifice in overall
system safety."

The MIC2014/15/16 all feature Kickstart current limiting. The ICs offer
70mohm typical on-resistance, fault flagging and slew rate control -- all in
the smallest form factors available on the market today. These ICs are
capable of serving multiple (USB) ports to provide both cost and space
savings. Standard features include a 2.5V to 5.5V operating range, output
Enable control input, thermal protection, under voltage lock-out, low
quiescent current and fault masking that prevents nuisance alarms on current
surges or hot plug events.

About Micrel Inc.

Micrel Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of IC solutions for the
worldwide analog, Ethernet and high bandwidth markets. The Company's products
include advanced mixed-signal, analog and power semiconductors; high
performance communication, clock management, Ethernet switch and physical
layer transceiver ICs. Company customers include leading manufacturers of
enterprise, consumer, industrial, mobile, telecommunications, automotive, and
computer products. Corporation headquarters and state-of-the-art wafer
fabrication facilities located in San Jose, CA with regional sales and
support offices and advanced technology design centers situated throughout
the Americas, Europe and Asia. In addition, the Company maintains an
extensive network of distributors and reps worldwide. Web:
http://www.micrel.com .

NOTE: MLF is a trademark of Amkor Technology.

Web site: http://www.micrel.com

Source: Micrel Inc.

Julieanne DiBene, Marketing Communications of Micrel Inc., +1-408-474-1276, or Julie.DiBene@Micrel.com

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