Renesas Electronics' High-Efficiency Power Management IC Adopted in Google Coral AI Products

By Perry Cohen

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

January 08, 2020

News

Renesas Electronics, a supplier of semiconductor solutions, announced its ISL91301B Power Management IC (PMIC) is designed into the latest Google Coral products.

Renesas Electronics, a supplier of semiconductor solutions, announced its ISL91301B Power Management IC (PMIC) is designed into the latest Google Coral products. The products include the Mini PCIe Accelerator, M.2 Accelerator A+E Key, M.2 Accelerator B+M Key, and System-on-Module (SoM).

Google Edge Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) coprocessor, which is capable of performing four trillion operations per second (TOPS), using 0.5 watts for each TOPS (2 TOPS per watt), is the basis of Coral. 

The ISL91301B has quad buck regulator outputs, each delivering up to 4A (total 16A) with 94% peak efficiency. The PMIC leverages Renesas' R5 Modulation Technology for single-cycle transient response, tuned compensation, and switching frequency.

These features and a 70mm2 solution size make it easier for power supply designers to design a small AI solution with 2mm x 2mm x 1mm low profile inductors, small capacitors, and a few passive components. The ISL91301B's low quiescent current, superior light load efficiency, high DC accuracy and fast dynamics is well suited for low-power or battery-powered AI products.

For more information, visit renesas.com

Perry Cohen, associate editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content editing and creation, podcast production, and social media efforts. Perry has been published on both local and national news platforms including KTAR.com (Phoenix), ArizonaSports.com (Phoenix), AZFamily.com, Cronkite News, and MLB/MiLB among others. Perry received a BA in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State university.

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