A number of conventional solutions have been available for the design of a dc-dc converter where the output voltage is within the input voltage range—a common scenario in Li-ion battery-powered applications—but none were very attractive until now. Conventional topologies, such as SEPIC or boost followed by buck, have numerous disadvantages, including low efficiency, complex magnetics, polarity inversion and/or circuit complexity/cost. The LTC 3785 buck-boost controller yields a simple, efficient, low parts-count, single-converter solution that is easy to implement, thus avoiding the drawbacks associated with traditional solutions.
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