Fujitsu Launches High-Efficiency Power Management LSI for Ultra-Mobile PCs

Tokyo, September 18, 2007

Fujitsu Limited today announced the development of a one-chip system power management LSI for ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs), to supply power to the system, memory, and chipsets in UMPCs. Sample shipments for the new LSI product, MB39C308, will start from November 2007.

As an industry first for one-chip integration, this LSI complies with the next version of the LPIA (Low Power Intel Architecture) specification proposed by Intel as a low power platform for UMPCs, and meets the next LPIA platform requirement of a 6 channel DC/DC converter⁽¹⁾ control circuit, while also integrating other peripheral components onto the same single chip. This enables the power management system to be reduced to less than one-third (1/3) the size compared to current products from other companies. Increased efficiency of power supply of this LSI can contribute to extending the operating time of the UMPC's battery.

UMPCs are ultra-compact mobile PCs that despite their small size can run the same OS as regular-sized PCs. UMPCs were launched in 2006, and the market size is forecast to reach 5 million units in 2008 (Fujitsu estimate).

For UMPCs, it is necessary to supply differing voltages to the processor, chipset memory, and other parts. To extend the operating time of the battery, reduction of power consumed by the processor and high-efficiency of the power management LSIs are required. Thus, there is a need for power management LSIs that can enable size reduction of the overall power supply system, including control circuits that can supply a large current with high efficiency from the lithium ion battery.

This new LSI was developed based on such needs, and is the industry's first one-chip power management LSI that conforms to power supply systems specifications necessary for UMPC, as outlined by Intel in the 2008 version of the LPIA platform for UMPCs. This product was jointly developed with Fujitsu VLSI Ltd.

Sample Pricing and Availability

Sales Target

150,000 units per month

Key Features

1. One-chip DC/DC converter control circuit, compliant with next LPIA platform for UMPCs

DC/DC converter control circuits, which generate voltages across 6 different channels and which support power for memory (excluding the processor), the chipset and external systems (various applications such as wireless LAN) as outlined in the 2008 version of the LPIA platform, have been integrated onto a single chip.

2. Realizes high-efficiency power supply required for UMPCs

By utilizing a new LDMOS⁽²⁾ technology and revising the transistor structure, this new LSI makes it possible to supply power from a lithium ion battery as a large current at high efficiency rates, without dispersion.

3. Reduced size and simplified design of power-managing system through reduction of peripheral components

For the memory and chipset, by integrating into the power management LSI a switching FET⁽³⁾ capable of driving a large current of 1.5 Amperes to 3.5 Amperes, the number of necessary peripheral components has been reduced. This enables a size reduction of the power management system to less than one-third (1/3) that of conventional products from other companies. In addition, by optimizing various setting components so that they are compliant with the LPIA platform, and embedding them into the power management LSI, effort that had been required in the past to set voltage or current when designing power management systems is now alleviated.

Future Developments

In accordance with growth of the UMPC market, hereafter Fujitsu plans to expand the line-up of its power management LSIs for UMPCs.

Specifications of the MB39C308