Infineon TLE4276GV50 5V Voltage Regulator: Features, Applications, and Design Considerations

The Infineon TLE4276GV50 is a robust, low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulator designed to deliver a fixed, precise 5V output from a higher input voltage. As a critical component in power management systems, its combination of reliability, integrated protection features, and efficiency makes it a preferred choice for automotive, industrial, and consumer applications.

Key Features

The TLEER4276GV50 stands out with a suite of features engineered for demanding environments. Its very low current consumption in standby mode makes it ideal for battery-powered applications. The regulator offers a precise 5V output voltage with an accuracy of ±2%, ensuring stable power for sensitive microcontrollers and sensors. A critical capability is its low dropout voltage, typically 450 mV at full load (450 mA), allowing it to continue regulating even when the input voltage dips close to the output level.

Furthermore, it is packed with protection mechanisms. Integrated safeguards include overcurrent protection, overtemperature shutdown, and reverse polarity protection. The device also features an error signal output (ERROR pin) that warns the microcontroller of undervoltage conditions at the input or output, enabling safe system shutdown. Designed for the harsh automotive environment, it is qualified according to AEC-Q100, offering high immunity to electrical transients and a wide operating temperature range.

Primary Applications

The robustness of the TLE4276GV50 dictates its primary use cases:

Automotive Electronics: Powering body control modules (BCMs), instrument clusters, infotainment systems, and sensors where stable voltage is crucial despite a fluctuating battery voltage.

Industrial Control Systems: Providing clean, regulated power for PLCs, microcontroller units, and interface modules in electrically noisy environments.

Consumer Electronics: Used in applications requiring a reliable 5V rail from a variable source like a 9V or 12V adapter.

Essential Design Considerations

Successful implementation requires attention to several design factors:

1. Input and Output Capacitors: Stability is ensured by using specific types and values of capacitors as detailed in the datasheet. A minimum 10µF tantalum or 22µF aluminum electrolytic capacitor on the output is typically required for stability and transient response.

2. Thermal Management: While the device includes overtemperature protection, effective heat dissipation is critical for reliable operation at high load currents. The exposed pad on the DDPAK (TO-252) package must be soldered to a sufficient PCB copper area to act as a heatsink.

3. Error Handling: The ERROR pin is an open-drain output that requires an external pull-up resistor. This signal should be connected to a microcontroller's interrupt pin to initiate diagnostic routines or safe-state operations.

4. Dropout Voltage: Designers must ensure the minimum input voltage always remains above the sum of the output voltage (5V) and the dropout voltage under all load conditions, especially during cold-crank scenarios in automobiles.

ICGOOODFIND

ICGOOODFIND: The Infineon TLE4276GV50 is a highly resilient and feature-complete 5V LDO regulator. Its automotive-grade qualification, comprehensive protection suite, and diagnostic capability make it an outstanding solution for designers building robust systems where power integrity is non-negotiable. Careful attention to thermal design and external component selection is paramount to unlocking its full performance.

Keywords: Low-Dropout (LDO) Regulator, Automotive Grade, Reverse Polarity Protection, Thermal Management, Voltage Regulation