Smart factory and health embedded tech startup Orca Semiconductor has launched as a provider of analogue semiconductors for industrial and health applications. Founded by veteran analogue IC solution engineers, the company has also announced it is sampling its first product, the OS1000. This is a PMIC (power management integrated circuit) developed for industrial and health wearables, hearables and other connected devices.

“Companies developing vertical solutions are frustrated with the lack of customer support and customization available from ‘Big Analog'” said Andrew Baker, CEO of Orca. “We will address this gap head on. Orca will be nimble and adept at attacking and filling this void. We are committed to delivering industry leading customer service and customized analogue products that will speed time to market for innovative smart health and smart factory solutions.”

A year since forming and starting development, Orca is shipping engineering samples of the OS1000 to customers. The OS1000 is designed for wearable applications that require efficient and low quiescent current operation.

The device contains a linear Li+ battery charge management block, two innovative, DVS capable, low quiescent buck regulators and 2 low quiescent low dropout linear regulators and support features essential on wearable devices. The linear battery charger features step charging with tight voltage and current control to realize the full capacity of your Li+ battery without sacrificing lifetime. The charger also supports power path, JEITA thermal safety monitoring, and multiple safety timers. The buck converters support modern microcontroller with up to 4 DVS voltage levels maximizing battery runtime controlled through either dedicated pins to rapidly transition between voltages or I2C communication.

The OS1000 contains 2 LDOs with an optional load switch mode which will operate down to 0V input with no decrease in on-resistance. The OS1000 also offers system support functions required in applications including a power supply startup sequencer, an extremely low current off or shelf-mode, support for a power button and 4 GPIO pins which the user may assign to alternate functions.

Targeted at wearable devices, health wearables, hearables and other connected devices, the OS1000 delivers the following features:

• Li+ Battery Charge Management
  • 5.5 to +20V charging power source protection
  • Charge Safety: JEITA thermal monitoring and multiple safety timers
  • User configurable Step Charge
  • Power Path
• Two Low Iq Buck Converters
  • 300mA @ 0.5V to 3.0V
  • Up to 4 voltage level DVS controlled through I2C or fast GPIO
• Two Low Dropout Linear Regulators
  • Optional Load Switch mode
  • 100mA @ 0.9V to 3.3V
• System Support
  • 2µA Iq with 2 buck converters operating (no load)
  • 150nA Shelf-Mode
  • Flexible regulator startup sequencing
  • Power button support
  • 4 GPIO with user assignable alternate modes