Motor driver adds efficiency to multimedia applications
( 01 May 2003 )
Asha Yoon in South Korea
ASIC company Interpion Semiconductor has introduced a 5-channel motor driver IC that can be incorporated in multimedia devices such as CD, DVD and VCD players. The IP4504 actually integrates two motor driver ICs to reduce production costs, power consumption and heat problems. According to Young Gyu Lee, manager of the company’s Field Applications Engineering Dept, the IP4504 is the industry’s first chip to operate 5 motors with a current feedback circuit. The usual practice is to separate the 4 channel drivers from the logic-loading driver, he says.
Packaged in a 28-pin SSOP, the chip consists of a 2-channel BTL (balanced transformerless) driver, a 2-channel BTL driver with current feedback, and a 1-channel forward/reverse controlled dc motor driver. This structure permits more precise control of the motor, especially for high-density DVD players.
The IP4504 controls torque through managing the current rather than the voltage. As Lee explains, most CD players require high voltage at start-up, and initial operation can be unstable. The IP4504 maintains a steady current for more stable operation. The company also claims that the IP4504 maintains a surface temperature 10°C lower than competitive products of equal functionality, without requiring a heat sink.
The loading driver includes a speed control pin, so the designer can apply voltage to alter the speed at which the disk drive opens and closes.
The IP4504 was developed for use in a Japanese CD player. Interpion expects that many manufacturers of multimedia products in Asia will be interested in the device; the company anticipates annual sales worth up to US$3 million.
ASIC company Interpion Semiconductor has introduced a 5-channel motor driver IC that can be incorporated in multimedia devices such as CD, DVD and VCD players. The IP4504 actually integrates two motor driver ICs to reduce production costs, power consumption and heat problems. According to Young Gyu Lee, manager of the company’s Field Applications Engineering Dept, the IP4504 is the industry’s first chip to operate 5 motors with a current feedback circuit. The usual practice is to separate the 4 channel drivers from the logic-loading driver, he says. 
