Asia PR News

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 1 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

Micrel Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRL), an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth
communications and Ethernet IC solutions, today launched the MIC2298, the
industry’s tiniest and most powerful LED driver for portable applications. The
device is a 7W, high-efficiency boost DC-to-DC converter housed in a tiny 3mm x
3mm MLF(R) package. Targeting photoflash and torchlight applications in mobile
phones, PDAs, and digital cameras, the MIC2298 is available in volume with
pricing starting at $1.65 for 1K quantities.

"Mobile phones and PDAs have dramatically increased the camera resolution
they offer consumers," noted Ralf Muenster, Micrel’s marketing director for
power products. "However, even these high resolution cameras continue to
perform poorly in low light situations. Micrel’s new MIC2298 LED driver gives
designers the ability to enhance their integrated cameras with a powerful high
brightness LED flash that consumes only minimal board space and battery life."

The MIC2298 offers a guaranteed switch current of 3.5A allowing the device
to deliver 1A into two high brightness WLEDs connected in series. This enables
a powerful flash that improves picture quality, particularly in 2 Mega pixel
and higher cameras. The LED brightness can be dynamically controlled by
applying a voltage or PWM signal to the brightness pin. The IC operates at a
fixed 1MHz switching frequency with greater than 86 percent efficiency. The
high efficiency enables longer battery life and, when combined with its
extremely small footprint, makes Micrel’s MIC2298 the best solution for driving
high brightness LEDs in advanced mobile phone and PDA applications. The MIC2298
solution requires only a tiny 2.2uH inductor and small ceramic capacitors
making the footprint very compact while minimizing solution cost. Additionally,
the solution operates from an input voltage range of 2.5 - 10V, consistent with
the operating range of single and dual cell Li-Ion batteries.

About Micrel Inc.
Micrel Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of Power, Connect and Protect
IC solutions for the worldwide analog, Ethernet and high bandwidth markets. The
Company’s products include advanced mixed-signal, analog and power
semiconductors; high performance communication, clock management, Ethernet
switch and physical layer transceiver ICs. Company customers include leading
manufacturers of enterprise, consumer, industrial, mobile, telecommunications,
automotive, and computer products. Corporation headquarters and
state-of-the-art wafer fabrication facilities located in San Jose, CA with
regional sales and support offices and advanced technology design centers
situated throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. In addition, the Company
maintains an extensive network of distributors and reps worldwide. Web:
http://www.micrel.com

Note: MLF is a registered trademark of Amkor Technology.

SOURCE: Micrel Inc.

CONTACT: Julieanne DiBene
Marketing Communications, Micrel Inc.
+1-408-474-1276
Julie.DiBene@Micrel.com

Web site: http://www.micrel.com

(MCRL)