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5 Qorvo 2021 DC Battery Configurations The type of power management subsystem that an electronic device uses depends on its power source. These sources can include AC, DC, or ultra-low-power DC sources such as solar power. Many of our devices get their DC power from individual batteries or battery packs containing multiple batteries. These batteries can be arranged in various ways to provide different current and voltage outputs. In the Figure 1 example: Arranging batteries in series increases a battery pack's peak voltage and increases its capacity. Arranging batteries in parallel doesn't increase the voltage, but it does increase the battery packs' overall current capability and capacity. Configuring batteries in series and in parallel increases voltage, current, and capacity simultaneously. Types of DC Voltage Regulators In some battery-powered applications, the system components might not be able to use the battery's power directly, so DC-DC converters are used to monitor and stabilize the voltage delivered to the system. These converters are also called voltage regulators because they regulate and adjust the supplied voltage. Voltage regulators are classified into two main categories, depending on the voltage conversion method they use. Linear regulators convert an input voltage (V in ) to a different voltage output (V out ) using a linear (resistive) component to regulate V out . They are typically used for lower power output applications. Linear regulators provide low noise output, so they are suitable for sensitive analog components such as sensors. One drawback is that they are not very efficient. In contrast, switching regulators are efficient, flexible, and small, but they emit high-frequency noise. Switching regulators use Field Effect Transistors (FET) to transform the DC input voltage into an AC waveform, which is then converted back to DC at a different output voltage using capacitors and inductors. Switching Regulators Switching regulators are classified according to the relationship between their input and output voltage. Buck switching regulator: V out is less than V in . Boost switching regulator: V out is greater than V in . Buck-boost switching regulator: V out is variable: it could be lower, higher, or the same as V in . Figure 2 below compares the four commonly used regulator topologies: Low-Drop linear regulators (LDOs) and the three switching regulators —buck, boost, and buck-boost. Figure 2: A comparison of four commonly used regulator technologies. (Source: Qorvo).