Text preview for : 5991-0519EN Download the application brochure c20141003 [12].pdf part of Agilent 5991-0519EN Download the application brochure c20141003 [12] Agilent 5991-0519EN Download the application brochure c20141003 [12].pdf
Back to : 5991-0519EN Download the | Home
Keysight Technologies
Enhance the Battery Life of
Your Mobile or Wireless Device
Get the tools you need
to measure and analyze
dynamic current drain from
sub-microamps to amps
Powering the wireless revolution
The success of the wireless revolution is visible in the number of devices we use
every day: smartphones, tablets, e-readers, GPS units, wearable patient monitors,
heart-rate monitors, and many more. Some attribute this success to the long-
awaited convergence of highly integrated technology, wide bandwidths, application
rich content, and attractive pricing.
Of course, the insatiable demand for anytime, anywhere access leads to end-user
expectations that increase the pressure on product designers. As an example, visit
any product-review page and one of the biggest issues--or opportunities--becomes
clear: battery life.
The power challenge stems from two shared issues. One is the need to use power
from a battery or low-power DC bus. The other is long periods of standby operation
between bursts of intense RF activity. The resulting current drain is pulsed with
extremely high peak current, low duty cycle and low average values. Accurately
measuring the proile of dynamic current drain can be dificult and challenging with
many of today's existing tools.
Scaling the measurement challenge
To maximize battery life, you may use a variety of advanced power-management tech-
niques. For example, subcircuits can be rapidly turned on and off to help reduce overall
power consumption. As the device transitions between different operating states, this
creates dynamic current consumption that ranges from sub-microamperes to amperes.
Measuring these dynamic changes is essential to understanding power consump-
tion and battery life. However, handling a 1,000,000-to-1 ratio between minimum and
maximum current levels is not possible with typical tools: digital multimeters (DMMs),
oscilloscopes, current probes, conventional source/measure units (SMUs), or multiple
shunt resistors. Using these tools can result in poor results, inaccurate understanding
and daily frustration.
Figure 1
Wireless temperature sensor current
drain. After the Initialization current 10 mA/Div
pulse the sensor reads/transmit
every 4 seconds. Initialization Read/Transmit current pulses (23 mA)
current
Standby
current (24