Conexant’s power management IP enables low power consumption for high performance audio, video products

NEWPORT BEACH, USA: As the demand for consumer electronics with enhanced audio and video performance increases, so too does the need for longer battery life and smaller size. Longer battery life solutions require ultra low power audio and video products to meet the challenge, but they still must meet user demand for a heightened experience in sound and image quality.

Conexant Systems Inc., a leader in audio and video markets, is recognized for its innovative power management integrated circuit (PMIC) technology that can be integrated with media processors, digital audio processors and audio codecs. Conexant’s PMIC IP is deployed in its audio/video designs to bring marked improvements in power consumption, as well as reduced PCB footprint and bill of materials (BOM) costs.

Targeted to low power audio and video processors and component products, Conexant’s PMIC can be customized to support specific third party CPUs or application processors.

Conexant’s inductorless DC/DC converters for integration into ultra-low power audio and video products are state of the art. The efficiency of typical capacitive DC/DC converters varies significantly as a function of input and output voltages. Conexant has developed a unique charge-pump architecture employing novel control techniques to support a wide range of input and output voltages while maintaining high efficiency and minimizing switching artifacts.

Field proven, Conexant integrated its PMIC IP into its own media processors, the CX92745 and CX 92755, which have been selected by Datawind for the cost-effective Aakash and the Ubislate 7+ platforms, cited as amongst the most cost-effective tablets in the world. Conexant’s media processor with integrated PMIC was an integral component for the new tablets.

“In today’s competitive audio and video IC market, having the capability to help customers reduce power consumption and BOM costs is as important as offering the best in class audio and video quality,” said Sailesh Chittipeddi, president and CEO, Conexant. “Conexant’s experience integrating leading-edge PMIC functions in our products gives us a competitive advantage and enables us to offer our customers higher value solutions.”

Making use of its own technology to bring power management functionality to its media processors and digital audio processors, Conexant points to the recently announced CX20805, a dual-core 32-bit, high-performance, low-power digital audio processor. The CX20805 is targeted to applications with the most demanding audio requirements and is based on the Conexant Audio Processing Engine (CAPE) architecture, which lays the foundation for the company’s future audio chip innovations. In addition to the CX20805, Conexant has also integrated PMIC IP into its CX92755 media processor.

Chittipeddi adds: “Power consumption is a primary concern for the consumer electronics industry as a whole. Conexant remains steadfast in its commitment to providing customers with solutions that can be customized to meet the needs of their specific designs. The Aakash and Ubislate 7+ tablets are an example of our power management capabilities, and our media and digital audio processors also showcase our advanced power management designs. We will continue to innovate in this area and have plans for more power management functionality as we move forward.”