AMOLED PMIC improves battery runtime in portable devices

Selecting the right power management IC (PMIC) is critical for mobile device designs to deliver power savings and the longest battery runtime.  STMicroelectronics’ has launched a fully integrated PMIC for AMOLED displays. The three-channel AMOLED PMIC combines a low quiescent current and improved flexibility to extend the battery runtime of portable devices.

The STMP30 PMIC with an input-voltage range from 2.9 V to 4.8 V includes three integrated DC/DC converters to provide all the power rails needed for AMOLED displays in smartphones and other portable devices. The 550-mA VOUT1 boost converter offers an adjustable output voltage, unlike other devices that fix VOUT1 at 4.6 V, said ST. The voltage can be set between 4.6 V and 5.0 V, in 100-mV increments. This optimizes the display brightness for lowest power consumption and best visibility under any conditions with the 5.0-V maximum setting enabling the use of high-brightness mode (HBM) for best viewing in bright outdoor lighting.

The remaining two outputs are provided by a 550-mA single-phase buck-boost inverting converter, programmable from -0.8V  to -6.6 V, and a 5.5 V to 7.9 V 150-mA boost converter. The output voltages are programmed using the Single-Wire (S-Wire) protocol through external pins.

ST said the PMIC also receives S-Wire messages to operate the AMOLED in always-on display (AOD) mode, which improves user convenience by showing information on-screen continuously at very low power.

The PMIC features a true shutdown mode that helps maximize power savings. It also packs safety features, including thermal protection, input under-voltage lockout, and soft-start with inrush current limiting. In addition, the high-voltage outputs feature fast-discharge circuitry and offer short-circuit protection.

The STMP30 AMOLED PMIC, housed in a 2.161 × 2.069 mm  CSP-25, is in volume production now.