With an incorporated dc-dc controller for power supply tools, Silicon Laboratories (News - Alert) Inc., a major company dealing in high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs, has proclaimed the industry’s maiden dual-function, single-port Power over Ethernet controller. By deftly merging these two roles, the Si3460 remarkably makes simpler development endeavors, diminishes system expenses and removes specification compliance difficulties for designers of a wide array of potential PoE operations for example in home gateways, cable modems, set-top boxes, Voice over IP systems as well as DSL modems.

 

While existing single-port support furnishes simply a PSE interface, the Si3460 incorporates a dc-dc digital power controller to economically produce a negative 48V PSE supply, guarantying safety extra low voltage compatibility with legacy telephony ports inside the system. The Si3460 diminishes the entire PSE solution expense to less than US$2.00 and sustains the utilization of low-cost, 12V power supply adapters and typical point-of-load dc-dc converters. As well as making available IEEE 802.3af-compliant detection, categorization and disconnect operations, the Si3460-EVB reference design, consists of all the suggested external mechanism for a comprehensive single-port PSE design.

 

The Si3460 controller offers wide-ranging safeguards like inrush current control, input under voltage lockout, short circuit defense and current limiting to guarantee safe and smooth application during all working situations. The Si3460 additionally provides necessary back up to Fast or 10/100 Mbps and Gigabit Ethernet endpoints and midspans and is pin configurable to sustain utmost power to the tune of 15.4W, Class 0, PSEs, or restrict power to IEEE (News - Alert) class levels one through three.

 

Dave Bresemann, vice president of Silicon Labs said in the press release,” The Si3460 uniquely solves the two main challenges facing PSE systems designers: implementing a fully compliant IEEE 802.3 PSE interface and easily and safely generating the negative 48V PSE power supply from an existing low-voltage supply”. He further added, “In combination with the Si3400/01 controller for PDs, Silicon Labs provides end-to-end solutions for PoE.”

 

Silicon Laboratories occupies an important position in the advancement of high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs. Guided by a highly trained engineering team with proven expertise in mixed-signal design, Silicon Labs’ varied range of highly-integrated, customer friendly products provides appreciable benefits in performance, size and power utilization. With its headquarters located in Austin, TX, Silicon Labs is a major international organization with operations, sales and design activities taking place all across the globe.