Micrel cuts power requirement for Ethernet connectivity in half

SAN JOSE, USA: Micrel Inc., an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth communications and Ethernet IC solutions, has introduced the KSZ8051/8031 family of ultra low-power, small package single-port 10/100 Physical Layer Transceivers.

The ICs provide the MII or RMII interface to transmit and receive data over standard CAT-5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable or fiber. The solution is based on Micrel's enhanced mixed-signal design which enables power consumption to be reduced by half compared to the prior generation.

The devices feature high integration (on-chip termination and integrated regulator), reduced system cost and simplified system design. The ICs also feature higher performance and an extended feature set all in very compact package options. The ICs are currently sampling with volume production expected in the third quarter of 2010. For pricing, contact your local Micrel sales office.

"Energy efficiency and compliance to important green standards such as ENERGY STAR are becoming paramount in the digital home making Micrel's new devices a key enabler for the pervasive adoption of IP connectivity in devices such as Digital TVs, Set-Top-Boxes and media players," noted Wiren Perera, Micrel's director of Ethernet Products.

"The low emissions and Micrel's signature high reliability and quality also make these devices suitable for connectivity applications in the fast growing industrial automation and automotive markets."

Full compliance to the IEEE 802.3/802.3u standard ensures that the devices will work seamlessly with other standards compliant, already deployed devices. The ultra low power design satisfies the green requirement in today's consumer, industrial and automotive Ethernet applications. On-chip termination not only eliminates components, simplifies PCB design and reduces system BOM, but also improves overall signal integrity and EMI emissions.

The single external power supply (3.3V), with integrated regulator, enables core operation at 1.2V with IO at 1.8V/2.5V/3.3V. The KSZ8051MLL/FLL comes in a 48-pin LQFP package and provides a MII MAC interface with the option to interface to copper or fiber media. The KSZ8051MNL/RNL is a copper transceiver housed in a 32-pin QFN with the option for a MII or RMII MAC interface.

The KSZ8031RNL offers the smallest package, 24-pin QFN, with an RMII MAC interface. Auto MDI/MDIX crossover support eliminates the need for a cross-over cable, thus reducing installation costs. Easy to use, the LinkMD TDR-based cable diagnostics allow for identification of common cabling problems, including those not addressed by IEEE standards. This simplifies network deployment and reduces network downtime.