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PMBus is Longest Continuous Sponsor of Darnell’s Power Forum "Advancing Power Technologies that Matter"

June 29, 2011 by Jeff Shepard

Again in 2011, PMBus™ is a Platinum sponsor of Darnell’s Power Forum (DPF ’11). DPF ’11, to be hosted in San Jose, California, September 26-28, is an exciting event that focuses on "advancing power technologies that matter" for the successful development of next-generation power systems. Digital Power is a common thread in most areas of advanced power conversion and is always a key focus of Darnell’s Power Forum. DPF ’11 is broadly focused on power management, energy efficiency, advanced components, energy storage, smart grid innovations and more.

"One of the first organizational meetings for the PMBus Organization took place at the inaugural DPF in 2004 and we have worked closely together ever since," stated Jeff Shepard, President of Darnell Group. "Digital Power continues to be a key focus for DPF and working with PMBus enables DPF to give delegates access to the latest practical developments. Digital Power technologies are underpinning new system power architectures, supporting advanced power management, driving higher energy efficiencies, and enabling the smart grid," Shepard concluded.

Darnell’s Power Forum will feature several primary areas of focus: Advanced Components, Digital Power, Energy Harvesting, High-Efficiency Power Conversion, Developments in PwrSiP/PwrSoC Technologies and Innovations for the Smart Grid. Within each of these broad areas will be multiple topics and application areas. A call for papers has been issued for:

Advanced Components: Topics may include: Latest developments in power conversion components to support advanced designs such as, semiconductor devices, advanced packaging, interconnect, thermal management, magnetic devices, capacitors, batteries, ultracapacitors, sensors, new materials, integrated passives, and so on.

Digital Power: Topics may include: Technology-focused discussions including controllers and control loops, communications, power management, stability analysis, efficiency optimization, design tools, simulation and modeling, topologies, system partitioning between analog and digital, power quality and EMC, and so on.

Energy Harvesting: Topics may include: energy harvesting technologies, thin-film batteries, long-life secondary batteries, energy storage, advanced power conversion, micro fuel cells, optimizing system energy efficiencies, mesh networks, wireless sensor and control systems, industrial/building automation, system integration issues, RF powering considerations, system architectures, and so on.

High-Efficiency Power Conversion: Topics may include: High-frequency power conversion, high-temperature operation, power system-in-chip solutions, power system-in-package solutions, high-density packaging developments, optimizing converter efficiencies, new topologies, advanced (analog or digital) control techniques, parasitics, EMI/EMC considerations, and so on.

Innovations for the Smart Grid: Topics may include: Integration of distributed generation resources, micro grids, power systems communications, power quality, instrumentation and monitoring, enabling demand side management, supporting plug-in hybrid vehicles, large-scale energy storage, and so on.

PwrSiP/PwrSoC: Topics may include: miniaturization and integration of passive components, advances in highfrequency power conversion, new topologies and architectures, developments in packaging, multi-Megahertz switching, efficiency optimization, and so on.

In each case, the types of papers being sought include: Case studies/industry examples, Design techniques and tools, and Technology developments.

The DPF ’11 web site is here.