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Nordic Semiconductor PMIC Extends BLE Device Battery Life

Semiconductor Wireless

Nordic Semiconductor, a Norwegian fabless semiconductor company specializing low power wireless connectivity solutions, has announced a new addition to its nPM family of Power Management ICs (PMICs). The nPM2100 PMIC extends battery life time

Purely decorative image appearing in an article on Electronics Industry Monthly entitled
Nordic Semiconductor’s nPM2100 Power Management IC features an ultra-efficient boost regulator, extending battery life in primary cell-powered Bluetooth LE devices for applications such as wireless peripherals, asset tracking, and medical wearables. (Photo Courtesy of Nordic Semiconductor).

in primary (non-rechargeable) battery applications by optimizing energy usage through an ultra-efficient boost regulator and advanced energy-saving features. The nPM2100 is designed for applications such as wireless mice and keyboards, asset tracking, remote controls, and body-worn medical devices.

“Nordic’s PMIC offering plays a vital part in the company’s continued focus on providing the lowest power IoT solutions possible for our customers,” says Kjetil Holstad, EVP – Strategy and Product Management at Nordic Semiconductor. “We are excited to expand our PMIC lineup by offering our first primary cell PMIC and thus unique power saving capabilities for non-rechargeable products. This product serves as a testimony to the incredible skill levels of our engineering teams.”


Power management for SoCs and MCUs

The nPM2100 manages the power supply for low-power Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) or microcontrollers (MCUs) such as Nordic’s nRF52, nRF53, and nRF54 Series advanced wireless multiprotocol products. The PMIC is optimized for maximum efficiency and compact size and is configurable through an I2C-compatible Two Wire Interface (TWI). This interface enables easy access to configure a range of advanced functions, including ship mode and accurate battery fuel gauging. The PMIC also features two GPIOs that can be repurposed to direct control lines to time-critical control functions as an alternative to serial communication.

The nPM2100 targets primary battery applications. Examples of supported batteries are one or two AA/AAA/LRxx batteries (in series), or one 3 V LiMnO2 cell. Single- or dual-cell silver oxide and zinc-air coin-cell batteries are also supported, plus any other primary battery that operates within the nPM2100’s input voltage range.

The nPM2100 features a boost regulator with an output range of 1.8 to 3.3 V, powered from an input range of 0.7 to 3.4 V. The regulator can deliver up to 150 mA maximum current. The regulator also powers a Load Switch/LDO supplying up to 50 mA across an output range of 0.8 to 3.0 V. The regulator features a quiescent current (IQ) of 150 nA and delivers up to 95 percent power conversion efficiency at 50 mA and 90.5 percent efficiency at 10 µA, making it one of the most efficient contemporary boost regulators on the market.


Key Features

Key features include:

  • Ultra-low quiescent current (IQ) of 150 nA
  • Boost regulator output: 1.8 V to 3.3 V (from an input range of 0.7 V to 3.4 V)
  • Load switch/LDO output: 0.8 V to 3.0 V (up to 50 mA)
  • High power conversion efficiency: 95% at 50 mA and 90.5% at 10 µA

The nPM2100 is optimized for 1-cell or 2-cell AA/AAA/LRxx batteries, 3V LiMnO₂ cells, silver oxide, zinc-air coin-cell batteries, and other primary battery types within its input voltage range.

“Not all IoT products can rely on rechargeable batteries or energy harvesting to operate. This means that primary batteries aren’t going away any time soon,” says Geir Kjosavik, Product Director – PMICs, at Nordic Semiconductor. “However, by using the nPM2100, designers will be able to access much more of the energy stored in those primary cells, making products last longer between battery changes or allowing the use of smaller batteries for the same battery life – resulting in more compact, lighter, and less expensive products.”


Low Current Ship- and Hibernate-Modes

The nPM2100 PMIC features a low current ship mode that enables products to be transported with the battery inserted. The ship mode supports a 35 nA sleep current with multiple wakeup options, including a patent-pending ‘break-to-wake’ function. This function allows a buttonless product to wake up from ship mode when an electrical connection is broken.

The PMIC also features an ultra-low power wakeup timer that can run concurrently with ship mode to allow timed wakeups. The timer can be used for a deeper sleep setting than the power-off of a SoC or MCU can provide. The nPM2100’s total current draw in hibernate mode is less than 200 nA. Such a low current draw can extend the battery life of applications that use sporadic Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) advertising—for example, sensors in a sensor network—by up to 3x.

In the case of Nordic’s lowest power wireless SoC, the nRF54L15, waking up periodically to do a Bluetooth advertising, listed below are the battery life improvements expected from the nPM2100’s hibernate mode compared to using the lowest power timed standby mode of the SoC:

    • 2.5-minute wakeup intervals: 25 percent longer battery life
    • 4-minute wakeup intervals: 50 percent longer battery life
    • 9-minute wakeup intervals: doubled battery life

Precise Algorithm-Based Fuel Gauging

The nPM2100 supports precise algorithm-based fuel gauging, a feature not commonly found in PMICs for primary-cell batteries. The common method for estimating remaining energy consists of measuring the battery voltage and using a discharge curve-derived look-up table to estimate remaining energy is inaccurate and often leads to end-users replacing batteries before they are depleted, or worse – running out of battery unexpectedly. In contrast, the nPM2100 supports a voltage and temperature-based fuel gauge running on the host microprocessor that enables more accurate battery level measurements and enables users to access all the energy in the battery with confidence. The software-based fuel gauge places minimal additional load on the battery.


Ultra-Compact Packages & Availability

Sample quantities of the nPM2100 PMIC are now available for customer orders. The device is offered in:

  • 1.9 × 1.9 mm WLCSP package
  • 4 × 4 mm QFN package (available in 1H 2025)

Full volume production is expected in the first half of 2025. Interested parties can contact their local Nordic sales representative for details.


About Nordic Semiconductor

Nordic Semiconductor is a Norwegian fabless semiconductor company specializing in wireless communication technology that powers the Internet of Things (IoT). Founded in 1983, the company has approximately 1,450 employees worldwide. Nordic pioneered ultra-low power wireless technology with its award-winning Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) solutions, later expanding into ANT+, Thread, Zigbee, cellular IoT (LTE-M/NB-IoT), Wi-Fi, and power management solutions.

Nordic’s wireless solutions are used in leading consumer, industrial, and medical IoT applications, including wearable technology, smart home devices, asset tracking, wireless PC peripherals, and industrial automation. The company is a member of the Bluetooth SIG, Wi-Fi Alliance, GSMA, Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Thread Group, and the ANT+ Alliance.

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Source/Photo Credit: Nordic Semiconductor


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