DC-DC power converter solutions improve system power efficiency by up to 35 percent

Altera Corporation announced four new reference designs that leverage the power technology obtained through its acquisition of Enpirion. The reference designs provide FPGA users and board developers turnkey power solutions that increase power efficiency by up to 35 percent, reduce board area by up to 50 percent, and reduce overall bill-of-material (BOM) bulk capacitance costs by up to 50 percent versus competing power solutions. The Altera power-optimized reference designs are offered to customers as downloadable design packages and are demonstrated in hardware on Altera development kits. A design package targeting Cyclone V SoCs is available today for download, with additional design packages targeting 28 nm FPGAs available later this quarter.

Altera power-optimized reference designs take advantage of Enpirion PowerSoC DC-DC converters, which include integrated controllers, high-frequency power FETs and inductors in the smallest thermally efficient package.The ultra-small, high-performance components are optimized to deliver the demanding dynamic performance required to power an FPGA, while fitting into the smallest board area. Enpirion PowerSoCs enable FPGA board developers to simultaneously reduce power converter area by up to 50 percent, while improving system power efficiency by up to 35 percent. Supplying both industry-leading FPGA solutions and innovative power solutions enable Altera to work with its customers to rapidly develop FPGA-based systems that efficiently manage system power and performance with assured reliability.

The Altera power-optimized reference designs offer significant productivity benefits to design teams. Altera optimized the board layout and provides customers detailed schematics that make it easy for board developers to evaluate and integrate power-optimized technology into their FPGA-based system. The reference designs are available as downloadable designpackages, which have been tested by Altera to optimally work with its FPGAs and SoCs. Each design packagecontains the schematics for the FPGA’s power circuits, application notes, bill-of-materials list, power tree layout guidelines and Gerber files for individual power components.This information simplifies board layout, speeds design cycles and ensures board developers achieve first-pass success.

The first power reference design available for download targets the low-power, low-cost Cyclone V SoC, which integrate an ARM Cortex A9 processor system into a 28 nm FPGA. Power reference designs targeting the Stratix V, Arria V and Cyclone V FPGAs will be available later this quarter. Altera will demonstrate its power-optimized technology in hardware on four 28 nm development kits – the Stratix V GX FPGA development kit, Arria V GT FPGA development kit, the Cyclone V GX FPGA development kit and Cyclone V SX SoC development kit. These boards integrate Altera power solutions and demonstrate the capabilities, functionality, power efficiency and board area savings of the Altera power-optimized technology.

Availability
Customers can get started today evaluating and integrating Altera’s power system solutions into their FPGA-based board. A design package targeting Cyclone V SoCs is available now for download. Additional power reference designs will be available later this quarter. Customers can sign up to receive information regarding availability of FPGA development kits that feature Enpirion PowerSoC technology at http://www.altera.com/fpgapower.

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