Microchip's new dsPIC33EP ‘GS’ family is optimised for digital power applications

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Microchip Technology Inc, a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, has announced the 14-member dsPIC33EP GS family of Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs).

The dsPIC33EP GS family delivers the performance needed to implement non-linear, predictive and adaptive control algorithms at higher switching frequencies. These advanced algorithms enable power supply designs that are more energy efficient and have better power supply specifications. Higher switching frequencies enable the development of physically smaller power supplies that offer higher densities and lower costs. Compared with the previous generation of DSCs, the new GS devices provide less than half the latency, when used in a three-pole three-zero compensator, and consume up to 80% less power in any application.

This new GS family includes advanced features such as live update flash capability, which is especially helpful for high-availability or ‘always-on’ systems. Live update can be used to change the firmware of an operating power supply, including the active compensator calculation code, while maintaining continuous regulation. Variants from this new digital-power-optimised DSC family are available in an industry's-smallest, 4 x 4 mm UQFN package for space-constrained designs.

Other key features of this family include up to five 12-bit ADCs with as many as 22 ADC inputs, providing total throughput of 16 Mega samples per second (Msps) with a 300 ns ADC latency. The dsPIC33EP ‘GS’ devices include 12-bit DACs for each of the four analog comparators, for higher-precision designs. The two on-chip programmable gain amplifiers can be used for current sensing and other precision measurements. The device also reduces the number of external components required, thereby saving cost and board space.