Publication | Closed Access
A fully-integrated system power aware LDO for energy harvesting applications
17
Citations
0
References
2011
Year
Unknown Venue
EngineeringEnergy EfficiencyEnergy ConversionPower Optimization (Eda)Digital CorePower ElectronicsSystems EngineeringPower-aware DesignPower ManagementElectrical EngineeringEnergy HarvestingPower-aware ComputingEnergy Harvesting ApplicationsComputer EngineeringLow Dropout RegulatorLow-power ElectronicsLdo Current EfficiencyPower IcSmart GridEnergy Management
A digitally enhanced low dropout regulator (LDO) supplying the digital core of an ultra-low-power MCU is presented. By making use of known system power information the LDO digitally adapts its maximum current drivability up to 2.56mA while its quiescent current is as low as 650nA in light load conditions. In this way, the LDO current efficiency remains above 97% over two decades of load current. Energy required for start-up is minimized by drastically reducing capacitance at the LDO output.