10th September 2008

POWERVATION UNVEILS NEW CLASS OF DIGITAL POWER IC SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTING AND CONSUMER APPLICATIONS

PALO ALTO, Calif. and LIMERICK, Ireland,

September 10, 2008—Powervation, an innovator of digital power integrated circuits (ICs), today unveiled its unique Auto-control™ power-conversion technology—a move that marks a fundamental shift in the analog/digital power-management playing field.  The new chip is targeted for electronic systems used in communications, computing and consumer devices.  Early test results reveal system efficiency gains of up to 30 percent, along with a 50 percent improvement in transient response.  A tiny footprint adds to the advantages which also include a 65 percent reduction in overall system components when compared to analog solutions.  The new chip will be available in the first quarter of 2009.

Founded in January 2006, Powervation counts some of the world’s most distinguished digital power technologists among its executive ranks.  These technologists came together to develop a new class of power-conversion technology—one that could surpass the capabilities of traditional analog and existing digital approaches to transform the way power is delivered and managed.  Powervation’s Auto-control solution is the result of that effort.

The technology hits the market at a time of surging demand for digital power conversion technologies.  In fact, in a recent statement, digital power market research firm, Darnell Group, noted, “The portion of the power supply market that will employ some form of digital loop control is expected to grow at an average annual rate of about 45 percent for the next five years.  By 2013, the digital power converter market is projected to exceed 1.4 billion units.” 

According to Powervation’s chief executive officer, Antoin Russell, “Manufacturers of communications, computing and consumer devices are increasingly turning to all-digital power-management solutions as a means of keeping pace with their own innovation.  This trend ignited our efforts to develop a solution that could exceed the performance of conventional analog/digital technologies while offering truly unique features that enable eco power-smart systems.  Our results confirm that we’ve found the right formula and we’re excited to bring this new technology to a broad range of customers.”

Powervation’s Auto-control™ and Plug-and-Power™ Advantages

At the heart of Powervation’s solution is Auto-control—a digital control algorithm, implemented in firmware, which provides a true adaptive adjustment of the converter to take into account all system variations, while guaranteeing stability of the converter.  Where conventional analog/digital solutions require complex calculations to compensate the controller, Powervation’s Auto-control capability regulates controller behavior on a cycle-by-cycle basis, searching for any modification in the system operation.  The entire system parameters are estimated and contained in a single parameter—“MOJO”—which allows a simple adjustment knob for performance enhancement and guaranteed stability.

Powervation’s unique Auto-control algorithm means that the power converter is truly self-contained.  It can be plugged directly into the motherboard and immediately operate at peak performance without user intervention.  This Plug-and-Power capability enables smart and simple power delivery with outstanding performance.  The simplicity also means that advanced expertise in control theory, firmware coding or running complex simulations, is unnecessary.
 
To learn more about Powervation and its technology, please visit the company at Digital Power Forum (DPF), Sep. 15-17 2008 at the Hyatt San Francisco Airport Hotel, booth #212. 

About Powervation
Powervation provides a new class of Auto-control™ digital power IC solutions that optimize power-supply performance and efficiencies for manufacturers of electronic systems used in computing, communications and consumer applications.  In a simple yet revolutionary Plug-and-Power™ package, the company’s unique technology delivers a reliable, scalable solution that reduces design complexity and cost, and accelerates time-to-market of eco power-smart devices.  Powervation maintains corporate offices in Ireland and Palo Alto, Calif., with sales centers located throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S.  To learn more, please visit www.powervation.com

Auto-control™ and Plug-and-Power™ are trademarks of Powervation.