AMD 2-/3-Output Mobile Serial VID Controller

The MAX17480 is a triple-output, Step-down fixed- frequency controller for AMDs serial VID Interface (SVI) CPU and northbridge (NB) core supplies. The MAX17480 consists of two high-current SMPSs for the CPU cores and one 4A internal Switch SMPS for the NB core. The two CPU core SMPSs run 180 out-of-phase for true interleaved operation, minimizing input capacitance. The 4A internal Switch SMPS runs at twice the switching frequency of the core SMPS, reducing the size of the external components. The MAX17480 is fully AMD SVI compliant. Output volt- ages are dynamically changed through a 2-wire SVI, allowing the SMPSs to be individually programmed to different voltages. A slew-rate controller allows con- trolled transitions between VID codes and controlled soft-start. SVI also allows each SMPS to be individually set into a low-power pulse-skipping state. Transient phase repeat improves the response of the fixed-frequency architecture, reducing the total output capacitance for the CPU core. A thermistor-based tem- perature Sensor provides a programmable thermal-fault output (VRHOT).   By Maxim Integrated Products