NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR INTRODUCES THE WORLD'S LOWEST DROPOUT DUAL 150MA LDO REGULATOR FOR WIRELESS AND PORTABLE APPLICATIONS

March 1, 1999 - National Semiconductor Corporation? today expanded its line of low-dropout (LDO) regulators with a new dual high-current micropower device for circuits requiring up to 150mA from each output. Applications include wireless and portable equipment such as pagers, cellular phones and GPS receivers. The LP2966 operates with a new category low dropout voltage of 135mV at 150mA load current. With this ultra-low dropout voltage, system designers can connect the device directly to the battery and eliminate the need for costly buck/boost converters. Output voltage accuracy is an exceptional ?1% at room temperature.

"National continues to push the envelope on LDO performance by offering our customers maximum power and functionality with the unique feature set of the LP2966," said Venkatesh Shan, National's power management marketing director. "The ultimate benefit is extended battery life and prolonged system-on time between battery charges," he added.

For fast customization, the device provides sixteen different voltage options for each output. Excellent line and load regulation (0.1mV/V and 0.12mV/mA respectively) make LP2966 suitable for powering sensitive application circuitry.

A power-saving sleep mode reduces quiescent current to less than 1?A (max). The combination of small package size (MSOP-8) and low power consumption makes the LP2966 ideal for a variety of portable and battery-powered systems, including hand-held meters, cellphones, flat panel displays, wireless modems, PDAs and GPS (global positioning satellites) handhelds.

The LP2966 includes a built-in error flag for each output that goes low when the corresponding output drops 10% below nominal. CMOS logic-compatible shutdown controls enable each regulator to be switched on and off independently. The logic-controlled shutdown (on/off pins) prolongs system-on time between battery replacement or battery charges. Over-current and thermal-limiting features protect the LP2966 against fault conditions. The LP2966 has fixed outputs from 1.8V to 5.0V.

Price and Availability
The LP2966IMM is offered in an 8-lead MSOP package, which is the smallest physical size for this level of product capability and performance. The device is priced at $.79 each in quantities of 1000.

For more information on the LP2966 visit our website at http://www.national.com/pf/LP/LP2966.html, or contact National's Customer Response Group at 1-800-272-9959.

National Semiconductor provides system-on-a-chip solutions for the information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of the-art digital technology, the company's chips lead many sectors of the personal computer, communications, and consumer markets. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National has annual sales of approximately $2.5 billion and 11,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.