SIPEX DEBUTS 700MA INDUCTORLESS WHITE LED CAMERA FLASH DRIVER.

Sipex Corporation (Nasdaq: SIPX), has expanded its family of LED drivers with the SP6685, a breakthrough 1x/2x current regulated charge pump delivering 700mA. The SP6685 is an ideal solution for camera flash applications in cell phones, providing two independently adjustable and selectable output current levels for the flash and torch mode.

Operating at an industry leading 2.4 MHz switching frequency, the SP6685 requires only three tiny external capacitors (1uF, 1uF, and 4.7uF), reducing the overall solution footprint to a new level.

"With the size and cost of parts being key concerns for cell phone camera flash designers, the SP6685 is an innovative device that minimizes board space, eliminates the need for bulky inductors and lowers peripheral component cost," said Kevin Plouse, senior vice president of marketing and business development at Sipex.

The SP6685 delivers up to 92% efficiency thanks to a proprietary feature that enables the IC to automatically transition from the buck mode to the boost mode based on the battery input voltage. This also ensures the current does not depend on the LED forward voltage. An extremely low output equivalent resistance and reference voltage allows for the highest white LED flash brightness and an ultra low dropout voltage. The SP6685 also features a very low shutdown current, an automatic soft-start mode to limit inrush current, as well as over current, over voltage and thermal-shutdown control.

SP6685 Key Features (typical) -- Fast 2.4MHz operation allowing for smallest peripherals and low noise -- Current regulated charge pump topology -- No inductor necessary -- Up to 700mA output current -- Two independently adjustable and bit selectable output current levels -- High efficiency operation: up to 92% -- Ultra low dropout voltage -- Low shutdown current: 1uA -- Tiny 10-pin 3x3 DFN package <end_table> Pricing and Availability The SP6685 is available now starting at $1.69 in 1,000 piece quantities. Samples and evaluation boards are also available. Datasheets and additional information on the SP6685 can be found on the Sipex web site at http://www.sipex.com .

About Sipex Power Management Product Line

Power management ICs deliver key benefits to portable power and distributed power applications, providing better power efficiency, increased miniaturization and more power at lower voltage levels. This product group includes low dropout linear regulators, DC to DC switching regulators, LED drivers, PWM controllers, charge pumps, and microprocessor supervisors. Applications for the Sipex power products include personal computers and peripherals, battery powered hand-held devices such as PDAs and cellular telephones, and data communications products.

Sipex Corporation can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sipex.com

For more information, call 408/934-7500.