Micrel Introduces 'Kickstart' Power Distribution Switches

Micrel Introduces 'Kickstart' Power Distribution Switches

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

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 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 $0.75 in 1K quantity for SOT-23 and $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.

Source: Micrel Inc.

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

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

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