Product Specification of Voltage Controllers

Specifications involve various technical and non-technical parameters that needs to be considered while choosing voltage controllers for a specific industry or for a specific application.

Different types of specification of voltage controllers include :

Performance Specification
It includes parameters that influences the performance of the voltage controller device. Important performance specifications are :

• Regulated Output Voltage : This represents maximum and minimum amount of voltage in continuous DC mode.
• Dropout Voltage : It is the minimum drop in voltage across the voltage controllers that maintains output voltage regulation.
• Output Current : This is measured under specific conditions.
• Quiescent Current : It is the current that flows from the battery to provide power supply to the voltage controller device.
• Operating Temperature : It is the optimum temperature, which is suitable for the operation of the device.
• Switching Frequency : It refers to the frequency of the conversion process.
• Efficiency : This refers to the ratio of the output power to input power.
• Duty Cycle : It is the ratio between the on and off time of the output transistor.

Configuration & Function
This involves specification according to the function & configuration of voltage controllers.

• Step-down (Buck) : These converters are meant for converting a higher DC input voltage to a relatively lower DC output voltage of same polarity.
• Step-up (Boost) : They are meant for converting a lower DC input voltage to a relatively higher output voltage of same polarity.
• Inverting Regulator (Buck-Boost) : It is a combination of Buck-Boost regulator and is used to invert or reverse voltage polarity.

Output Voltage Type :
This is a specification for voltage controllers based on the type of output voltage produced. Output voltage specifications include :

• Fixed : In this type, the controlled output voltage is fixed.
• Adjustable : In this case, the regulated output voltage can be adjusted to a certain limit.

IC Package Type
This includes specification on the basis of the Integrated Circuit (IC) package used in the voltage controller.

IC is used in almost all types of voltage regulators and its size and specification depends on the type of the equipment it is used in and also the industry.

Various types of IC packages are :

• Dual in-line package (DIP)
• Ceramic dual in-line package (CDIP)
• Power packing (PPAK)
• Quad flat packages (QFP)
• Small outline package (SO)
• Small outline J-lead (SOJ)