Analog power IC market competition, the focus shifted much grace

Profit margins because of the relatively stable and LTC201ACS datasheet and relatively high market threshold, had been shrouded in digital chip technology halo simulation technology to become the major chip manufacturers to re-focus information. At this point, TI and LTC201ACS price and ADI recent performance of the most eye-catching. Even if the tightening in many companies today, the former is still in the implementation of its ongoing acquisition strategy, the power management company is the main acquisition target. The latter has recently proposed the "effectiveness of the entire signal chain and LTC201ACS suppliers and power management" concept, and pointed out that, with more than 40 years in solving real world signal processing experience, ADI in this area has unique advantages.

TI: non-stop acquirers

According to Databeans reports that TI 2008 results by 48.6 billion won 14.1% of the global analog IC market, market share, continue to maintain a leading role. And although 14.4% of the previous year as compared to a slight decline, and although the analog Zhangaigongsi only about 40% of total revenue, but profit of 2.5 billion in total, there are 1.1 billion in the analog business . In other words, the companys analog products, digital products more than make money. No wonder the company has said in 2007, analog service will be the focus of its future business development.

Since June 2000 to cost 7.6 billion won after the Burr-Brown, TI to lay its future as the worlds largest analog chip supplier base. In fact, through acquisitions to strengthen the competitiveness of analog IC market is continuing the implementation of TI has been the main strategy. Prior to the Burr-Brown, the company also acquired Unitrode, Power Trend and other companies. In 2006, TI will be $ 200,000,000 for the acquisition of Chipcon. After two years, Integrated Circuit Design Inc, Powerprecise Solutions, Commergy Technologies and Innovative Design Solutions have also joined the family of TI analog products division.

Even today such a slump in the industry, this 2008s fourth-largest semiconductor manufacturers worldwide are still willing to use precious cash reserves to buy other companies. The news from the EETimes, TI want to be able to simulate the field near a "big deal." Just at that long ago, the company has just announced the news of the acquisition of start-ups Ciclon.

Information, from the Irish Ciclon company mainly engaged in power MOSFET and RF-base LDMOS power semiconductor development, for its business computers, servers and communications markets. NexFET its unique technology by reducing the MOSFET gate charge to improve performance and optimize the size. TI said the deal to fill the gap in the market in MOSFET help TI analog power management market as a one-stop supplier.

Closer look, not difficult to find - except in a very individual, but in the past 10 years, TI acquired the objects in the simulation area are mostly in the power technology development company. This is not difficult to understand, only power management chips, the analog IC market in the proportion as high as 40%. Which is precisely for this reason, TI in 2008 to restructure its analog business, in addition to high-performance analog and high-capacity analog logic devices, but also added a power management business unit, and will have 19 years experience in semiconductor industry Steve Anderson appointed as department heads. Show its power management business, unlimited expectations.

ADI: the entire signal chain, power management

Compared with TI, ADI can be regarded as a more complete supplier of analog semiconductor products: In 2008, 2.6 billion of its total revenue, in addition to about 10% of the proportion of DSP products, the rest are analog devices . However, ADIs two main product lines converters and amplifiers occupy 65% of its total revenue is about, leaving the share of power management products is less than 10%. The good news is, however, in the past few years the growth rate of the power line is the highest. Affected by this promotion, between 2006 and 2009, the companys investment in power management, increased by more than 40%, and have been in Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Finland, established a new R & D centers of power.

"ADI main concern in power management products in the industrial / instrumentation, infrastructure, portable devices and displays, and other key markets." ADI Power Management Peter Henry, vice president and general manager, said in Shanghai recently, in 2006 the company Power products are also mainly in the areas related with the PC, but now it has become a leader in efficient power management products supplier. "In the field of power management, ADIs mission is to help customers achieve faster time to market launch of their customers want." Henry said.

The goal is not empty talk. In achieving this mission, ADI must clearly their own advantage. The company believes that they have observed industry trends will help to find it - Henry said power management industry to meet higher power, lower voltage (limited by process technology), more rails, more reliable resistance / supply capacity and lower overall costs and a series of new demands, power management technology provider can no longer confined to the Power itself. "It requires more system-level knowledge, such as signal processing for system-level understanding of the power management and signal processing together." He said, "In other words, the entire signal chain up to manage power consumption and efficiency."

Found in other competitors and is ready to proceed to cater to this trend when, ADI that they are already there. "In the past 40 years, ADI has been committed to solving real world signal processing problems and has been playing the role of technology leader." Henry said, "We believe that when the development in line with the overall design of power management solutions , ADI on a deep understanding of mixed-signal design is critical. "

Some examples might be able to prove it. Since the noise problem exists, in the past for a long period of time can not be the same high-performance ADC with the use of switching regulators, and must be less efficient linear regulator for power supply. ADIs ADP2114 introduced to solve this problem, such as such as the AD9268 high-performance signal chain product supply. Another example occurred in the communications infrastructure. Reported in all applications, the base station signal chain and power management for the most demanding. "Anywhere in the world every wireless call ADI data converters need to support." Henry said, "a deep understanding of the signal chain, so that we can provide the same time both efficient and system monitoring function power management solution for base stations . "He said the company used to improve the energy efficiency of wireless base stations, digital power controller has been China, telecommunications equipment suppliers to help reduce energy consumption by 30%. He also referred to a four-channel voltage monitor ADM1186, the device reportedly provides up to twice more than the accuracy of competing products, thus improving system reliability.

ADI also dimming LED display systems, wireless mobile devices, portable computers, digital cameras and many other applications in high-performance power management solutions. Use their knowledge of the entire signal system, these products exhibit different levels of industry-leading power efficiency and performance, both on the integration and cost advantages. In addition, the company in Shanghai, the United States and Ireland Limerick Collins Design Power Laboratory of the three systems are challenged to define the specific system of power system solutions. Finally, the company also has the only performance of the controllers power supply design tools to support ADI simPower, can cost, size, or number of components to optimize efficiency.

Figure caption: With the non-digital (other than Moores Law) technology, the evolution of semiconductor technology has become increasingly diversified.

Of: Wang Yan