Ericsson Introduces New Power Design Toolbox to Deliver Board Energy Savings

New ‘3E Design Toolbox’ offers set of five modules that can be interconnected or operated as stand-alone devices
Industry’s first set of interconnected modules to optimize energy distribution reducing energy consumption
New and comprehensive toolbox reduces time-to-learn and time-to-market for implementation of significant board-level power savings
Ericsson has introduced the world’s first ‘toolbox’ that enables systems architects to optimize power profiles and energy configuration prior to implementation in end equipment. The 3E Design Toolbox includes a set of five modules that can be operated as stand-alone devices or interconnected to mirror complex applications requiring multiple power rails with specific configuration profiles such as sequencing, tracking, and load sharing and distribution. The toolbox also includes the Ericsson 3E software, which, via the USB/PMBus interface, can monitor, configure and control any Ericsson 3E or PMBus-compliant unit connected to the boards.

“Energy saving is uppermost in everyone’s mind these days and Ericsson has demonstrated that digital power is an important enabler to achieve lower energy consumption,” said Patrick Le Fèvre, Marketing and Communication Director, Ericsson Power Modules. “The exceptionally high level of interest in digital power among engineers and power architects is extremely encouraging, and we expect that this new 3E Design Toolbox will reduce both learning time and time-to-market, enabling engineers to quickly and easily optimize energy delivered to core components in their board-level designs.”

The Ericsson 3E Design Toolbox includes five modules, each module is furnished with high- and low-signal connectors, local filtering, and low-impedance sockets to host 3E Point-of-Load converters, Advanced Bus Converters and power interface modules. Comprehensive documentation includes user guide, application notes, design notes and various technical papers that can assist systems board designers to optimize the power configuration to reduce energy consumption. The Ericsson 3E Design Toolbox also includes the 3E Software and additional accessories such as the KEP91017 USB-to-PMBus adaptor.

Each board can be purchased separately as a stand-alone product. The 3E design boards are also available to power systems architects for free hire across the duration of their design period, via the Ericsson (Power Modules) 3E Design Registration process.

In June 2008, through close cooperation with board and systems designers, Ericsson was the first company to release a 21st century 3E power architecture composed of PMBus-compliant ABCs and POL converters that can be fully integrated into the rest of the digital chain of processors and associated components.

* 3E stands for: Enhanced Performance, Energy Management, and End-user Value.