Power Integrations Expands LinkSwitch(R)-II Family of Primary-Side-Controlled Offline Switcher ICs

Power Integrations Expands LinkSwitch(R)-II Family of Primary-Side-Controlled Offline Switcher ICs

New Power Supply IC Delivers Lowest BOM Cost for Five-Star-Rated and USB-Compatible Cellphone Chargers; Aids Development of 3 W Offline LED Light Bulbs

SHENZHEN, China, Feb 25, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Power Integrations (Nasdaq:POWI), the leader in high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, today expanded its popular LinkSwitch-II product family with the introduction of LNK632DG. Designed for applications with up to 3.1 W of output, the new device enables manufacturers to meet all worldwide energy-efficiency and no-load regulations for low-power chargers and adapters, such as ENERGY STAR(R) EPS v2.0. Further, the LNK632DG enables the industry’s lowest BOM cost for cellphone chargers designed to achieve a five-star efficiency rating with no-load power consumption of 30 mW or less. It also cuts the cost of USB chargers and LED light bulb designs by eliminating the need for clamping circuitry, therefore reducing component count.

Introduced in 2008, LinkSwitch-II simplifies the design of accurate-output CV/CC converters by eliminating the need for optocouplers and all secondary-side CV/CC control circuitry, as well as all control-loop compensation circuitry. The original LinkSwitch-II devices achieve output CV and CC tolerances of +/-5% and +/-10%, respectively. The newer LNK632 part relaxes the CC specification to +/-18% while increasing the system power output by operating in continuous conduction mode. Accuracies are achieved over a 0-100degC temperature range by incorporating precision-enhancing features that compensate for transformer inductance tolerances, input line variations and external component temperature variations. All LinkSwitch-II devices offer frequency jittering to greatly reduce EMI filter costs.

The star-rating system was recently launched by top cellphone makers: Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and LG Electronics. Ratings for no-load energy consumption range from five stars for the most advanced chargers consuming just 30mW in no load mode down to zero stars for units consuming the most energy, making it easy for consumers to compare and choose the most energy-efficient chargers.

Comments Doug Bailey, vice president of marketing at Power Integrations: “PI’s new LNK632DG power supply IC will enable cellphone charger manufacturers in the sub-three-watt bracket, including the China-charger specification and other USB charger designs, to trim component count by up to nine parts – reducing cost while still achieving the coveted five-star rating.”

The LNK632DG includes sophisticated protection and safety features including auto-restart, output short-circuit protection, and hysteretic thermal shutdown. IEC 60950-1 HV creepage requirements are met between the drain pin and other pins, and all single-point failures are safely handled.

Housed in a simple 8-pin surface mount package, LNK632DG devices are available immediately from $0.42 each in 100,000-unit quantities.

About Power Integrations

Power Integrations is the leading supplier of high-voltage analog integrated circuits used in energy-efficient power conversion. The company’s innovative technology enables compact, energy-efficient power supplies in a wide range of electronic products, in AC-DC, DC-DC and LED lighting applications. Since its introduction in 1998, Power Integrations’ EcoSmart(R) energy-efficiency technology has saved an estimated $3.1 billion of standby energy waste and prevented millions of tons of CO2 emissions. The company’s Green Room web site (www.powerint.com/greenroom) provides a wealth of information about “energy vampires” and the issue of standby energy waste, along with a comprehensive guide to energy-efficiency standards around the world. Reflecting the environmental benefits of EcoSmart technology, Power Integrations is included in clean-technology stock indices sponsored by the Cleantech Group (Amex: CTIUS) and Clean Edge (Nasdaq: CELS). For more information, please visit www.powerint.com.