ON Semiconductor Corporation (ON Semiconductor) has introduced a new integrated bi-directional overvoltage protection (OVP) device, NCP370. The new NCP370 with positive and negative (+/-) OVP is for cell phones, MP3/4, PDAs and GPS systems, and overcurrent protection (OCP) for portable accessories like FM transceiver, load speakers and flash modules. The new device is available with many overvoltage thresholds to address the maximum rating of the downstream applications.

This fully integrated solution simplifies and streamlines design in portable electronics by eliminating the need for external components that have until now been necessary to protect vulnerable portable devices against electrical surge damage from wall adapters and accessories, unsuitable after-market AC-DC adapters, and problems caused by inverting polarity in some USB cables.

Features and Benefits:

The new NCP370 improves the front end protection of the portable devices by offering positive protection up to +28 volts (V) and negative protection down to -28 V. Utilizing a new architecture, this single device also provides OCP for the external accessories, which are connected on the bottom connector and supplied via a lithium-ion battery.

Integrated low on resistance (Ron) N-channel MOSFETs effectively support the direct high charge current up to 1.3 amperes (A) requested by the portable electronics industry’s latest lithium battery charge levels. The NCP370 is one of the company’s new OVP generation products. Additionally, the device offers a second reverse mode, enabling the regulation of the reverse current coming from a portable device’s battery to supply the external accessories such as an FM transceiver, audio functions or flash capabilities universally connected on the bottom connector of the portable devices.

The device is designed to internally limit current up to 1.6 A – a value that can be externally decreased by a pull down resistor – thus eliminating the need for an external OCP device in the application, reducing production costs and lessening the required PCB area in the final portable application. The standby current of the device, which is lower than 1 micro-ampere (µA), avoids any battery discharge when the wall adapter is unplugged or when the phone is off, and so increases battery life and limits recharge iterations.

The NCP370 is a key addition to the portfolio of the company’s products targeted at the four primary subsystems typically found in portable applications. This device specifically addresses the challenging requirements within the interconnect subsystem. The company also offers solutions for the display and lighting, power management, and audio/video subsystems for handheld portable devices.

Packaging and Pricing:

The NCP370MUAITXG is available in a 3 mm x 3 mm x 0.55 mm LLGA-12, lead-free (Pb-free), restriction of hazardous substance (RoHS) compliant package, and is budgetary priced at $0.80 per unit in 3,000 unit quantities.