Cameras integrated into mobile phones used to be a selling point. Now, they’re just a standard feature in even the most basic model. The same can be said for many of the features now standard on most smartphones. At the same time that the demand for performance continues to rise, the expectation for power usage is that it continues to shrink.
The need for increased battery life and lower energy consumption is leading designers to search for the latest power-saving solutions. To gain a clearer view of the new technological advancements shaping the energy-efficient future, we looked to Mouser Electronics, a leading global semiconductor and electronic components distributor that works with design engineers and buyers. Known for its rapid introduction of the latest products and advanced technologies for prototype development, the company is keenly positioned as a foremost design-fulfillment distributor inspiring a new generation of energy-friendly solutions.
Delivering more with less
One way that Mouser is helping design engineers tap into better energy efficiency is with their Low Power application training site. Engineers looking to stay within ever-lower power budgets can quickly review new products and technologies, get details on a specific application, or access a library of cutting-edge, low power design resources.
“Much of today’s advanced design solutions require more than a list of part numbers in stock. The web experience also needs to be an informative one. Not only does it need to contain the latest in low-power advancements, trends, and supporting product information, the site needs to let engineers access information in as few clicks as possible. The one component engineers have in short supply is time,” shares Kevin Hess, Mouser Vice President of Technical Marketing.
New low-power advancements
Recent game-changing developments seen at Mouser are the new low current 32-bit embedded microcontrollers (MCUs) that are steadily replacing former 8-bit applications. The end-result is a richer-featured product with greater efficiency at familiar price points. A key player for innovative solutions has been NXP Semiconductors, a company whose scalable MCU series is well positioned in the world of green solutions.
NXP’s long-term strategic relationship with ARM allows early access to next-generation IP. This has led to the phenomenal flexibility of the LPC800, which includes a switch matrix that enables engineers to assign lean on-chip peripherals to any pin with a single line of code or click-in configuration. Additionally, this solution provides thoughtful features such as decoupling the SPI and processor clocks so the SPI can obtain data at speeds independent of the CPU clock. NXP has further challenged the status quo in power management with an I2 C bus that allows the LPC800 to wait at near-zero power consumption without a system clock, and wake up upon a simple address match. NXP’s innovative line of MCUs finds energy savings in creative ways.
To learn more about Low Power Technology, visit www.mouser.com/low_power. ■
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