ST's AMOLED power management chip improves visual experience and battery life

     STMicroelectronics' newly developed highly integrated power management chip (PMIC) for AMOLED displays combines low quiescent current with high flexibility to extend battery life in portable devices.

     The STMP30 PMIC has an input voltage range of 2.9V to 4.8V and has three built-in DC-DC converters to provide all the power rails required for AMOLED displays in smartphones and other portable devices. The output voltage of the 550mA VOUT1 boost converter is adjustable, unlike competing products that fix the VOUT1 voltage at 4.6V. The voltage value can be set between 4.6V and 5.0V, which can be increased by 100mV each time, and the screen brightness can be optimized according to the lighting conditions, enabling low power consumption and excellent visual experience under any conditions. When the maximum voltage is set to 5.0V, the screen enters high brightness mode (HBM), which provides an excellent visual experience in brightly lit outdoors.

     The remaining two outputs are a 550mA single-phase buck-boost inverter with a voltage regulation range of -0.8V to -6.6V and a 5.5V to 7.9V 150mA boost converter. The output voltage value is set using the Single Wire (S-Wire) protocol through an external pin. The PMIC can also receive messages through S-Wire, drive the AMOLED screen into always-on (AOD) mode, and continuously display information on the screen with very low power consumption, improving user convenience.

     The PMIC has a true shutdown mode for maximum power savings. Safety features include thermal protection, input undervoltage lockout, and soft-start to limit inrush current. In addition, the high voltage output has a fast discharge circuit and short circuit protection.