TI introduces 50 percent more efficient wireless power receiver chips

Texas Instruments (TI), a semiconductor design and manufacturing company which is well known for developing analogue ICs and embedded processors, has announced what it claims to the “industry’s most power-efficiant 5-watt wireless power receiver” which supports the WPC Qi 1.1 standard. The two new models, bq51020 and bq51021 will allow users to charge their Qi-compliant devices, such as the LG G3, in a faster and more efficient way.

Tylt Vu Wireless Charger

Compared to other available wireless power solutions, the bq51020 and bq51021 benefit from up to 96 per cent power efficiency, whilst the programmable output voltage of up to 8V and low on-resistance MOSFETs can help reduce power loss by as high as 50 per cent.

Other features include a thin chassis, with its single-chip body measuring to 3.6 x 2.9 x 0.5mm, without the need for an inductor and its ability to reduce temperature rises by 35 per cent. The receivers also provide rectification, regulation and digital control and communications to support the Qi 1.1 specification mentioned above.

Wireless Charger Qi Induction

Furthermore, the bq51021 model will allow system designers to add foreign object detection with its I2C interface, whilst its “pad-detect” feature will make it easier for users to align the receiver with the charger.

Having released the industry’s first dual-mode 5-W wireless power receiver which support Qi and PMA specifications, the bq51221, back in February, the two new models joins TI’s product portfolio and are available to designers now in volume production through TI and its authorised distributors. The bq51020 receivers will have a suggested resale price of $2.50 each in 1000-unit quantities, whilst the bq51021 is priced at $2.70 each and bq51221 at $3.00 each, in 1000-unit quantities also.