Integrated power solution first for Thunderbolt uses

Thunderbolt technology has emerged as the fastest way to transfer data between a PC and peripheral and display devices. The TPS65980 dc/dc switching regulator is the first fully integrated power solution for bus-powered Thunderbolt applications. The IC is the centerpiece of the Thunderbolt single port peripheral reference design, simplifying the power chain and speeding the design of bus-powered applications, such as hard drives, solid state drives and audio and video solutions.

The dc/dc switching regulator receives power from a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 power bus ranging from 2.5 to15.75 V, and generates three separate 3.3-V supply outputs. The output is generated from a switching buck converter when the input voltage is in the high-voltage range. It provides power to the local peripheral Thunderbolt controller and support circuitry.