SMSC Unveils New Fan Controllers

EMC2100 Family Aids Designers in Managing Thermal Conditions Arising from Use of High-Performance ICs in PC and Mobile Applications

Engineers building products that use high-speed processors for advanced desktop PC, mobile, graphics and embedded applications are faced with a challenging design issue. The more powerful the processor, the more intense the heat generated by the chip. These "hot" ICs force design trade-offs to accommodate their increased heat output. To meet the thermal requirements of these high-speed applications, SMSC (Nasdaq: SMSC) today announced the EMC2101 and EMC2102 fan controllers. Incorporating SMSC's Resistance Error Correction and Auto Beta Compensation techniques, these new devices can offer better fan control through accurate temperature measurement.

"Designers no longer need to sacrifice accuracy to meet certain price points for designs that require sophisticated thermal monitoring and protection from overheating and damage," said Mark Beadle, Product Line Director of Analog Products & Technology at SMSC.

EMC2101: Simple and Flexible 8-Pin Fan Controller

The EMC2101 fan controller offers engineers a simple and flexible 8-pin option for general-purpose advanced temperature measurement requirements. It maintains fan control with an 8-entry lookup table that relates fan drive to temperature setpoints associated with the remote temperature sensor reading.

For system flexibility, the EMC2101 also allows for external temperature overrides to drive the fan. The EMC2101 has an option for loading setpoints from an EEPROM, making it highly suitable for systems lacking a host configuration. These systems now have access to full-featured fan control. In addition, the EMC2101 has an Automatic Beta Compensation for different diodes and advanced processors, which allows for precise measurement of a variety of systems without diode configuration. The EMC2101 includes the added benefit of SMSC's Resistance Error Correction, reducing the need for system characterization time to fine-tune system accuracy. This saves engineering time and speeds time-to-market.

Key Features of SMSC's EMC2101:

- Beta Compensation - automatic or user programmable
- Resistance Error Correction - automatic up to 100Ω
- User Adjustable PWM output with multiple frequency options
- Linear fan drive option - 6-bit DAC output at Fan pin
- Auto register load via EEPROM
- Fan control with off-chip software forced temperature

EMC2102: Thermally Enhanced, Compact 28-Pin Notebook Fan Driver

A thermally-enhanced, compact 5x5, 28-pin lead-free fan controller, the EMC2102 integrates linear fan control, four temperature sensors and hardware shutdowns in a small form factor to save space and cost. The device includes shutdown logic and start-up safeguards that are software independent and meet the challenges of critical thermal events.

The EMC2102 uses a closed-loop RPM control to operate the fan. This checks the TACH and ensures that the fan set points are met. This is especially important to avoid resonant points in enclosures and to maintain the right speed in aging fans. The linear fan controller integrates common components off the board such as MOSFETs and op amps to reduce component count. The EMC2102 also provides fan power-up flexibility by allowing for a start speed of 0, 60, 75 percent or full speed. The central shutdown feature on the EMC2102 fan controller enables users to operate hardware shutdown from one central location, eliminating additional temperature switches and increasing system savings. The features include inputs for "power good" and an external Thermtrip.

Key Features of SMSC's EMC2102:

- Closed-loop RPM based fan control
- Integrated linear fan driver - 600mA
- Hardware configured thermal shutdown
- Three external sensors +/- 1°C (60°C < TDIODE < 100°C)
- Beta Compensation and Resistance Error Correction
- Programmable temperature limits for ALERT output

By SMSC