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Modern semiconductor devices enable highly efficient conversion of electrical power. Together with the microcontroller, they are the key elements for generation of the alternating currents from the car's DC supply that are necessary to drive high-performance units such as starter-alternators. These allow the combustion engine to crank up in several 100 ms and deliver up to 15 kW of electrical power. Smart driver ICs such as the TLE6280 enable the fast development of the interface between the microcontroller and the power switches. Currents of some 100A can be handled with the new OptiMOS FETs. Their rugged and ultra-low ohmic technology and their innovative packaging concepts, such as Power Modules and Power-Bonded MOSFETs, allow the building of compact and efficient control units.

The Engine Control Unit (ECU) for small engines is facing challenges with regard to performance, size and cost. In many instances, the customer requirements often contradict each other. Examples include higher performance at lower cost or smaller size, both of which can cause thermal challenges. In order to meet varying performance requirements in a platform approach, the ECU must provide a wide range of functionality. Providing a solution that can meet these flexible requirements will result in an increased component count and larger ECU size. An optimized feature set in the right package can help alleviate these issues. The ECU must be impervious to a wide range of environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and vibration. Restricted air flow must also be considered when designing an ECU. Existing approaches often apply the use of large aluminum housings to provide a strong mechanical support with good thermal performance.