Analogue / Linear / Mixed Signal ICs

Rohm is aiming at sensor applications in automotive systems such as ECUs and power-trains with a range of noise-tolerant comparators. “Advancements in computerisation and increase of densely packed electric devices have increased the amount of noise in electric vehicles and cars equipped with driver assistance systems,” according to the firm. “However, evaluation of noise performance of individual boards and systems, and ...

Amazon has qualified the VocalFusion 2-microphone development kit from XMOS for use with Alexa voice services in smart TVs and set-top boxes. “Amazon is seen by many as the leader in the world of voice, and our engineering expertise will be helping to transform the way consumers interact with everyday devices like TVs,” claimed XMOS CEO Mark Lippett. The kit is ...

Texas Instruments has announced a low-dropout (LDO) linear voltage regulator, with what it claims it “industry’s lowest quiescent current of sub-25nA. The regulator features low Iq control at light loads even in dropout conditions”. Called TPS7A02, it can accept inputs across 1.5 – 6.0V and is available with fixed outputs between 0.8 and 5.0V (50mV steps) – at up to 200mA. ...

Thingy:91 is a cellular and GNSS IoT prototyping platform with world-wide coverage across 700MHz to 2200MHz, created by Nordic Semiconductor and Fractus Antennas. Based on Nordic’s nRF9160 SiP multimode LTE-M/NB-IoT system-in-package with GPS, the battery-powered Thingy:91 comes with a roaming SIM card, 16 sensors and a nRF52840 for short-range wireless communication with Bluetooth 5, Thread, Zigbee and ANT. The SIM is a Nano ...

Silicon Labs is aiming at switching industrial loads with a family of quad 24V 700mA isolated 145mΩ switches for resistive or inductive loads – solenoids, relays or lamps, for example, in programmable logic controllers (PLCs). “The switches are capable of providing up to 0.5A of IEC61131-2 compliant continuous current in a quad channel configuration,” said the firm. “Each switch has ...

Texas Instruments has introduced a reset chip for voltage rails between 1.5V and 10V, that can work on 24V rails with additional resistors (see below). Called the TPS3840 family, supply current is typically 300nA, and is 700nA max over temperature. Threshold voltage is fixed, and versions are available from 1.6 to 4.9V in 0.1V steps – accuracy is 1% typ (1.5% max). ...

Power Integrations is aiming at larger home appliances needing to meet IEC60335 with an X-capacitor discharger that can empty 6µF in under a second. X-capacitors are part of the EMC input filter of power supplies (see diagram right), that are essentially connected directly to the appliance’s mains plug and, uncontrolled, are left with up to the peak ac voltage (~340V) ...

Dialog has automotive-qualified one of its GreenPak family of one-time-programmable chips with multiple analogue and digital functions – intending it to replace multiple devices in navigation, infotainment and driver assistance systems, as well as display clusters and body electronics. Called SLG46620-A, it comes in a 6.4 x 6.5mm TSSOP-20 and is AEC-Q100 Grade 2. “In today’s automotive market, manufacturers are required to ...

Renesas has announced its fourth-generation lithium-ion battery management IC for electric vehicles – promising “unmatched lifetime accuracy”, which it quantifies as ±6mV (at ±6σ) 15-year board level accuracy. Called ISL78714, the chip monitors and balances up to 14 series connected cells with initial ±2mV accuracy (14bit ADC) across 1.65V to 4.28V and -20ºC to +85ºC, which drops to ±2.5mV post board ...

Toshiba Electronics has announced the launch of a sensorless control pre-driver IC for brushless DC (BLDC) motors used in industrial and automotive applications. The main applications will include electric pumps for water, oil and fuel as well as electric fans. The TB9062FNG pre-driver can control BLDC motors using a simple pulse-width modulation (PWM) input, without the need for high-performance MCUs ...