Tech note from FTDI about adapting their older FTDI USB 2.0 chip on new Type-C USB connectors. Link here (PDF) Type-C USB connectors are often associated with USB power delivery specification where power negotiation may result in power being supplied from the host or the device. Original USB 2.0 FTDI hardware is not designed to […]
Category Archives: app notes
App note: Doing more with buck regulator ICs
More buck regulator designs and other uses discuss in this app note from Renesas. Link here (PDF) One of the most popular switching regulator topologies is the buck or step-down converter. The buck regulator IC typically employs a built-in controller and integrated FETs. Power supply engineers use them for step-down conversion. Nevertheless, they can also […]
App note: Battery protection using low-side FETs controlled by GPIOs
White paper from Renesas on using BFEs GPIO to control or monitor further battery status. Link here (PDF) In an MCU plus battery front end (BFE) controlled battery pack, GPIOs may operate as an alternate protection FET control path where low-side FETs are preferred. Use cases include extending the upper voltage range of battery IC […]
App note: OB1203 pulse oximeter module electrical, thermal, and optical design guide
App note on Renesas’ pulse oximeter basics and its applications. Link here (PDF) The Renesas OB1203 pulse oximeter module optically detects heart rate and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). Respiratory rate and other health information that can be inferred from the optical pulse waveform (PPG) signal. The OB1203 also features a proximity sensor and ambient light […]
App note: Current sensing with low-voltage precision op-amps
Renesas’ app note on their low-voltage precision op-amps ISL28x3x measuring current implementation. Link here (PDF) Sensing and controlling current flow is a fundamental requirement in electronics systems. This application note explains the design of low-side and high-side current sensing circuits using the ISL28x3x family of low-voltage precision op-amps in combination with current sense resistors.
App note: Favorite frequencies and applications
Reference app note from Abracon on all standard frequencies. Link here (PDF)
App note: Digital control of surge voltage and inrush current in battery operated circuits
App note from IXYS on their battery operated surge voltage and inrush current protection circuit implementation. Link here (PDF) Primary concerns with battery-operated devices include battery protection from inrush and short circuit currents caused by connected load, and load protection from voltage spikes when battery load dump occurs, which may cause significant voltage stress on […]
App note: A new IGBT with reverse blocking capability
App note from IXYS on their new modified structure IGBT that have built-in reverse current blocking. Link here (PDF) A new IGBT has been developed, providing reverse blocking capability. This feature is needed in various applications, such as in current source inverters, resonant circuits, bidirectional switches or matrix converters. This paper presents technology of the […]
App note: What are Hall Effect (ac, dc) clamp meters?
Fluke article on Hall Effect used on clamp meters. Link here Hall Effect clamp meters can measure both ac and dc current up to the kilohertz (1000 Hz) range. Like current transformer types, Hall Effect clamp meters use rigid iron jaws to concentrate the magnetic field that encircles the conductor being measured. Unlike current transformer […]
App note: How to clean your Fluke tools
Fluke’s tips on how to clean your test tools. Link can be found here. Reopening the world in the wake of a pandemic brings new health and safety concerns. Much of the emphasis has been on personal hygiene, such as hand washing, social distancing, and face covering. But as industries begin to open, a new […]
App note: Introduction to load switches
App note from Diodes Incorporated on the uses of load switches. Link here (PDF) Integrated load switches are electronic switches used in systems to turn power rails on and off, similar to a relay or a MOSFET. Integrated load switches provide many benefits, including protection features that are too difficult or complex to implement with […]
App note: Practical heat sink design for illumination
White paper from Lumileds on efficient heat sink for LED illumination. Link here (PDF) LEDs are very small light sources that offer great freedom in design for lighting solutions. Within the freedom of an industrial product design, however, one has to make sure that the operating conditions of the LED stays within the ranges as […]
App note: Engineering scaling
App note from Murata about matching the measured voltage to the input of a digital meter. Link here (PDF) It is oftentimes necessary to attenuate “large” input signals down to a level that more closely matches the input range of a selected meter. For example, suppose the signal to be measured is 19 Volts, and […]
App note: 4-20mA current loop primer
Basics of current loop App note from Murata, discussing the basic theory of the 4-20mA current loop operation. Link here (PDF) The 4-20mA current loop is a common method of transmitting sensor information in many industrial process-monitoring applications. A sensor is a device used to measure physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed, liquid flow […]
App note: Conductive plastic technology
App note about conductive plastic used on motion transducers from Vishay. Link here (PDF) The polymer film track has a conductive plastic paste laid upon it. This paste includes an inert filler of carbon black which constitutes the basis of Vishay SFERNICE’s technology for manufacturing precision potentiometers. The resistive track obtained can be used: • […]
App note: Optimizing output power of power op amps
Enhancing the performance of power op amps discussed in this app note from Apex Microtechnology. Link here (PDF) Power op amps are attractive because they reduce circuit design time enormously. Assembly costs of the power op amp design amount to a fraction of the discrete counterpart due to vastly reduced parts count. Careful attention to […]
App note: Migrating from FT2232D to FT2232H
App note on FTDI’s FT2232 USB bridge migration, with full detailed list of capabilities on the newer FT2232H. PDF link can be found here This Application Note details the differences between the FT2232D and FT2232H to help customers design with FT2232H as this newer, high speed USB device has better performance.
App note: Continuous DC current ratings of International Rectifier’s large semiconductor packages
App note from International Rectifier on how to optimize the maximum current handling of power FETs. Link here (PDF) There is a trend within the discrete power component industry of late to increase the dc current rating for low on-resistance devices to levels that historically have not been seen. This trend has accelerated as power […]
App note: AC film capacitors in connection with the mains (≤ 60 Hz)
Suppressing EMI from mains and getting power in-series with a capacitor are just the two main function of these front line capacitors and is discussed in this app note from Vishay. Link here (PDF) Because of the high energy availability and the severe environment of surge voltages and pulses, applications of capacitors in connection with […]
App note: ESD protection for super speed USB 3.0 ports
Design guide app note from Alpha & Omega Semiconductor on USB 3.0 protection. Link here (PDF) USB 3.0 is an enhanced version of the USB 2.0, with up to 5Gbps data rate. USB 3.0 has 10 times the performance over USB 2.0. Legacy device continue to work when plugged into new host connector albeit at […]