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Buck Power Supply GUI System Components

Last modified by Microchip on 2024/06/24 06:32
Contents

The buck power supply Graphical User Interface (GUI) system consists of several components:

  1. MCP19110/11/18/19 MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Graphical User Interface Plug-In:
    • This graphical user interface simplifies the configuration of the MCP19110/11/18/19. It is user-installed and resides within MPLAB X IDE. This user’s guide describes the plug-in installation procedure as well as how to use it.
  2. MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE):
    • This is a complete software development environment that links the software and hardware development. This is a free tool, available from Microchip, that supports device configuration, advanced programming, and debug support. The GUI resides inside the MPLAB X IDE.
  3. MCP1911X – Power Supply Firmware:
    • This firmware is provided by the plug-in. This is standard firmware that has been configured to work with this GUI once it is opened as a project within MPLAB X IDE.
  4. MPLAB XC8 Compiler:
    • The firmware described above is coded in C and thus requires a C compiler. C compilers are available for free from Microchip's website.
  5. MCP19111 – Power Supply Evaluation Board:
    • This board is available from Microchip and provides a method to evaluate the performance of the MCP19111 in the target end application.
  6. PICkit™ 3 In-Circuit Debugger/Programmer, etc.:
    • A programming tool is required to configure the evaluation board. We recommend the PICkit 3 Debugger or ICD3, which is available from microchipDIRECT. In practice, you modify the GUI parameters to provide the features and performance needed in the end application. The GUI modifies the firmware, compiles it with the MPLAB XC8 C compiler, and then loads it through the PICkit 3 debugger into the MCP19111 Evaluation Board (ADM00397), which will then perform as configured.

MCP19111 is a mid-voltage (4.5-32V) analog-based Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controller family with an integrated 8-bit PIC® microcontroller. This unique product combines the performance of a high-speed analog solution, including high efficiency and fast transient response, with the configurability and communication interface of a digital solution. Combining these solution types creates a new family of devices that maximizes the strengths of each technology to create a more cost-effective, configurable, high-performance power conversion solution. The MCP1911X family, when combined with Microchip's Enhancement-Mode FETs, or any low Figure-of-Merit (FOM) MOSFET, produces high-efficiency (> 96 percent) Direct Current (DC)/DC power-conversion solutions.

MCP19111 block diagram

FOM devices focus on minimizing both on-state resistance (Rdson) and gate charge (Qg). They are focused on maximizing power conversion performance, making them ideal for switched-mode power supply applications.

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MCP19111

Target Applications

 MCP19111
Purchase the MCP19111 from Microchip Direct.

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MCP19111 Power Supply Evaluation Board (ADM00397)

The MCP19111 Evaluation Board demonstrates how the MCP19111 device operates in a synchronous buck topology over a wide input voltage and load range. Nearly all operational and control system parameters are programmable by utilizing the integrated PIC microcontroller core. MPLAB X IDE can be used in conjunction with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) plugin to easily configure the MCP19111. Alternatively, you can program the MCP19111 using your own firmware, tailoring it to your application. The evaluation board contains headers for In-Circuit Serial Programming™ (ICSP™) as well as I²C communication, pull-up and pull-down resistor pads, and test point pads on each General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pin, and two pushbuttons for system development.

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MCP19111 Power Supply Evaluation Board (ADM00397)

Features

  • Vin range: 5V to 12V
  • Adjustable Vout range: 0.5V to 3.6V
  • Maximum output current: 30A with proper airflow
  • Programming and I²C communication headers
  • Factory programmed to produce 1.8V from 12V source

MCP19111 Evaluation Board

 
Purchase the MCP19111 Evaluation Board from Microchip Direct.

Resources

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Buck Power Supply Graphical User Interface Plug-In Firmware

Below are many different tasks that are accomplished by the GUI's firmware:

Initialize the Internal Peripherals

At start-up, the firmware initializes the internal operating points of the device. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Switching frequency, phase shift, and maximum duty cycle
  • Output voltage set point
  • Compensation parameters
  • Protection peripherals (over-voltage, under-voltage, etc)

This action is accomplished by writing specific values into the corresponding registers.

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Handle Protection Events

Most integrated analog protection functions can interrupt the main program execution. This ensures that the product and more specifically, the firmware can react to external events as fast as possible.

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Soft-Start Ramp

When the output turns on, the device uses a voltage ramp in order to reach the output voltage target. This ramp is managed by the firmware by increasing the internal reference (OVCCON) step-by-step.

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Environment Monitoring

The device can continually check its environment by using the internal Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC). It can then use this result to make any operating point adjustments. The firmware also handles the GPIO pins’ states.

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