Microchip's Digital-Signal Controllers Suits Digital Power Apps
June 02, 2015
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While I generally don't think about Microchip when I'm thinking about DSP vendors, they do offer some DSP-based products that are aimed at specific ap...
While I generally don’t think about Microchip when I’m thinking about DSP vendors, they do offer some DSP-based products that are aimed at specific applications. Generally, they can simplify a design with their targeted DSPs. Case in point is the dsPIC33EP GS family. They call it a digital-signal “control” rather than a processor.
The family is designed to handle fairly sophisticated non-linear, predictive, and adaptive control algorithms at higher switching frequencies, enabling smaller and more efficient power supply designs. Features include a live update flash capability, which can be used to change an operating supply’s firmware, and up to five 12-bit ADCs with 22 ADC inputs, providing total throughput of 16 MSps, with a 300 ns ADC latency.
Each of the four analog comparators includes 12-bit DACs for higher-precision designs. Two on-chip programmable gain amplifiers can be used for current sensing. Variants of the family are available in 4 mm by 4 mm UQFN packages.
Rich Nass is a regular contributor to Embedded Computing Design. He has appeared on more than 500 episodes of the popular Embedded Executive podcast series, and is a regular contributor to the Embedded Insiders podcast.
Rich has been in the engineering OEM industry for more than 35 years, and is a recognized expert in the areas of embedded computing, Edge AI, industrial computing, the IoT, and cyber-resiliency and safety and security issues. He writes and speaks regularly on these topics and more.
Rich is currently the Liaison to Industry for the Embedded World North America Exhibition and Conference, and has held similar positions with the global Embedded World Conference and Exhibition.
Previously, Rich was the Brand Director for UBM’s award-winning Design News property. Prior to that, he led the content team for UBM Canon’s Medical Devices Group, as well all custom properties and events. In prior stints, he led the Content Team at EE Times, handling the Embedded and Custom groups and the TechOnline DesignLine network of design engineering web sites.
Nass holds a BSEE degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
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