AUSTIN, Tex. — Cirrus Logic Inc. here today announced a joint-marketing and development alliance with International Rectifier Corp. to create complete system-level solutions for digital Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) power amplifiers.
Cirrus Logic said it has developed a new digital PWM technology for audio systems that reduces power requirements for audio amplifiers. The power reduction results in dramatic improvements in sound quality, lower cost and simplifier designs for audio applications, according to the Austin-based company.
The "true digital" PWM technology solves many of the problems associated with electromagnetic and radio frequency interference, which is often encountered with existing Class D amplifiers and hybrid analog/digital PWM technologies, according to Cirrus Logic. The company said its new digital PWM technology increases the efficiency of amplifiers from the industry's norm of about 50% to near 90%. Consequently, existing systems that require 1,000 watts input to the amplifier to deliver 500 watts to the speakers will be able to deliver the same speaker input with 900 watts using the new technology, said Cirrus.
Under its new alliance, Cirrus Logic said it will work with IR to incorporate power driver ICs and MOSFETs from the El Segundo, Calif., company for complete system-level solutions using the new digital PWM amplifiers. The two companies also said they plan to co-develop a new power driver IC optimized for PWM and will develop additional products to meet customer needs.
"From power-conscious products that conserve every milliwatt of energy all the way up to high-end consumer and non-consumer systems that require multiple killowatts of power, this agreement will allow us to provide our customers with a complete end-to-end solution, including software and hardware support, so they can get their products to market faster," said Jason Carlson, vice president and general manager of Cirrus Logic's Consumer Products Division.
The two companies plan to create reference design using "existing standard products as well as cutting-edge products to be developed in the future," said David Tam, vice president of IR's Power IC Group.
