Japanese Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1999-0090

Fujitsu Introduces New DC/DC Converter ICs for Lithium Ion Battery Chargers

-Industry's first automatic current control ICs reduce in-use recharging time by two-thirds-

Tokyo, May 10, 1999 - Fujitsu Limited today began sample shipment of four new DC/DC-converter ICs for lithium ion battery chargers. Developed together with Fujitsu VLSI Limited, the new ICs (MB3874/75/76/77) are equipped with the industry's first automatic current control function for more efficient in-use, or "dynamic" recharging.

As lithium ion batteries have gained acceptance in notebook PCs and mobile terminals, AC adapters have become smaller and lighter, thus creating a need for more efficient and better performing ICs to enable rapid recharging while the equipment is in use. With conventional ICs for this purpose, the amount of recharging current was "fixed" according to the equipment's maximum power consumption during "in-use" and "not-in-use" periods. In contrast, the new ICs continuously monitor the AC adapter and voltage during operation and automatically adjust the supply of recharging current in the most optimal fashion. Thanks to this increased efficiency, the new ICs reduce in-use recharging time to only one third of that required up to now.

The new ICs assure highly accurate output voltage control within +/- 0.8%, and they feature a "soft-start" function to prevent malfunction from power surges during boot-up. They can be used for 3-cell or 4-cell lithium ion batteries with either DC or AC current, making them appropriate for virtually all notebook PCs and mobile devices on the market.

Sample price: 800 yen (Japan)
(Please contact local representatives for prices outside Japan)

Volume shipment: MB3874/75 from June 1999, MB3876/77 from July 1999

Sales target: 300,000 units per month (in second half of FY2000)

Fujitsu Limited

Fujitsu Limited is a leading provider of information technology products and solutions for the global marketplace. Founded in Japan in 1935 as a telephone equipment maker, the Fujitsu Group had consolidated revenues of $37.7 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998. With over 500 group companies, including Amdahl and ICL, Fujitsu is one of the world's largest suppliers of computers and information systems solutions, telecommunications and semiconductor products, software and services. The Fujitsu Group has over 180,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 100 countries.
Homepage: http://www.fujitsu.com/

Press Contacts:
Fujitsu Limited, Public Relations  Chiaki Kuwahara, Bob Pomeroy, Scott Ikeda  Tel: +81-3-3215-5236 (Tokyo)  Fax: +81-3-3216-9365 Customer Contact:  Fujitsu Limited, Communications & Network System LSI Division  Tel: +81-44-754-3382  Fax: +81-44-754-3626  e-mail: query@sales.ed.fujitsu.co.jp