Efficient power managment inside a handheld gaming console
Pip is a handheld computer that turns play into learning. Built by Curious Chip, it enables young learners to create their own games and applications, beam them across wirelessly, and play them on a touchscreen with detachable controllers and sensors, with a maker-friendly expansion header.
We implemented a robust power-domain controller that governs how each part of the system is powered up, sequenced and shut down. We engineered it to stay predictable under real-world conditions, including the messy edge cases of a battery-powered device being switched on and off at will.
We also developed a custom bootloader that allows the board controller to be updated safely over the product's life. It brings the system up in a known-good state every time and provides the hooks needed to recover and update the device in the field.