How Can I Extend My Application’s Battery Life without Sacrificing Performance? Silicon Labs’ SiM3L1xx ultra-low-power 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) devices integrate a dc-dc buck converter that can reduce a system’s entire current consumption by up to 40 percent without sacrificing performance. Decreased power consumption results in longer battery life, and, in some cases, enables the use of a smaller, less expensive battery. Traditional MCUs perform the voltage conversion with inefficient linear regulators, which waste energy and create excess heat. The following example compares a traditional MCU using a low drop-out (LDO) regulator to the SiM3L1xx MCU using the on-chip dc-dc converter. In this example, the dc-dc converter is used to power the SiM3L1xx 32-bit microcontroller as well as the external radio frequency (RF) transceiver at 1.8 V. By powering both components with the dc-dc converter, the application can use the high efficiency conversion and decrease overall current consumption from the battery from 23 mA to 13.5 mA. The dc-dc converter also enables battery flexibility, supporting a wide input voltage range from 1.8 V to 3.8 V. For any application with stringent battery life requirements, the high-efficiency dc-dc converter provides a flexible, easy-to-use and power-saving solution. # # # Silicon Labs invests in research and development to help our customers differentiate in the market with innovative low-power, small size, analog intensive mixed-signal solutions. Silicon Labs' extensive patent portfolio is a testament to our unique approach and world-class engineering team. Patent: www.silabs.com/patent-notice © 2012, Silicon Laboratories Inc. ClockBuilder, DSPLL, Ember, EZMac, EZRadio, EZRadioPRO, EZLink, ISOmodem, Precision32, ProSLIC, QuickSense, Silicon Laboratories and the Silicon Labs logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Silicon Laboratories Inc. ARM and Cortex-M3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of ARM Holdings. ZigBee is a registered trademark of ZigBee Alliance, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. Silicon Laboratories, Inc. Rev 1.0 1