Halo converter reduces power for IoT devices

  • May 3, 2023
  • Steve Rogerson

Chinese electronics company Halo Microelectronics has introduced a DC-DC converter to reduce power consumption in standby mode for low-power IoT devices, including wearables, fitness trackers and smartwatches.

Halo makes analogue and power management integrated circuits enabling energy-efficient smart systems. The latest addition to its buck converter product line, the HL7543, is for wearable devices and its efficiency makes it suitable for battery-powered devices.

Input voltage is between 2.3 and 5.5V delivering up to 600mA while maintaining over 90% efficiency at load current as low as 10μA. Its output capacitors can be used to optimise VOUT stability during load transients, and inductors of 2.2μH may be used without affecting loop stability.

The device operates at a frequency of 1.2MHz, reducing the value of the required external components. At moderate to light loads, pulse frequency modulation (PFM) is used to maintain conversion efficiency with non-switching quiescent currents.

It maintains load and line transient responses even with such a low quiescent current. The system automatically switches to fixed-frequency pulse width modulation (PWM) operation at 1.2MHz for reduced VOUT ripple and optimal load transient response at higher loads. In shutdown mode, the supply current drops below 270nA, reducing power consumption.

The device comes in a 1.6 by 0.9mm WLCSP-8 package for applications such as wearables, fitness trackers and smartwatches.

“We are excited to introduce the HL7543 to our buck converter product line,” said David Nam, CEO of Halo Microelectronics. “The smartwatch and the wearable market size is expected to grow to $156bn by 2030, and our proprietary synchronous buck converter with its excellent load and line transient responses, is one of the key reasons we are leading the wearables industry.”