Freescale Announces Fully Integrated LIN Control Automotive Alternator Regulator
Improved vehicle fuel efficiency and expanded system diagnostics through enhanced control functions

June 7, 2011 – Freescale Semiconductor (Korea Representative: Yeonho Hwang, www.freescale.co.kr ) announced today the TC80310, a single-chip alternator regulator that integrates LIN (Local Interconnect Network) to provide extended control capabilities for automotive alternators, as a measure to expand its alternator regulator product family.

Since the LIN is connected to the vehicle's ECU (Engine Control Unit) via a single wire, the ECU can control the vehicle's energy management mode, making it a key element in contributing to energy savings for regional CO2 emission regulations. The TC80310 SoC (System-on-Chip), designed to provide the function of an alternator voltage regulator while using limited additional components, also optimizes the alternator's charging system phase.

The TC80310, developed in collaboration with automotive alternator customers, utilizes Freescale’s multi-functional SMARTMOS complex signal processing technology to integrate analog, digital, and power circuits, providing an application-specific standard product with a high level of programmability. It also offers 20 One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory functions, allowing alternator customers to optimize the chip to provide high efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

"The LIN-controlled alternator regulator design meets automotive industry requirements as a standard component while also providing customers with custom design capabilities," said Gavin Woods, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Freescale's Analog, Mixed Signal and Power business unit. "With this single programmable chip, charging system designers can select parameters that deliver the best efficiency improvements for their applications."

Among the programmable features of this IC is a default regulation voltage between 10.6V and 16V, which is set during final testing. This is the value used by alternator manufacturers to control the battery regulation voltage, allowing them to optimize battery life along with overall performance over the vehicle's lifespan. At the same time, the charging system can achieve faster response times when the Load Response Control (LRC) disable frequency is reached. LRC eliminates engine speed fluctuations and vibrations caused by sudden engine torque loads resulting from abrupt electrical load demands at low RPMs.