Here’s a tip app note (PDF) from ON Semiconductor on selecting specs for an TVS diode. There are two important properties of a TVS device during an electrical stress. The TVS must be able to self-protect and survive the stress current, and the TVS must clamp the protected line to a low voltage during the […]
Tag Archives: app note
App note: Sorting through the low voltage logic maze
Here’s how to guide (PDF) from NXP in choosing the right standard logic from various choices that fit your application. Digital systems are running at faster speeds, operating at lower voltages, and they are becoming more highly integrated. Many functions can be integrated into FPGAs or ASICs, however, this does not mean that generic standard […]
App note: Low Voltage Agile I/O GPIO Input/Output Characteristics
App note (PDF) on NXP’s Agile I/O expander, discussing its capabilities and how to use it efficiently. I2C-bus GPIO devices are widely used and expand a control processor’s pins to 8-, 16- or 24- bits of general-purpose input or output. The characteristic of these I/O needs to be accurately known to efficiently use them in […]
App note: Complex power supply sequencing made easy
Power sequencing from Analog Devices using their ADP5134 sequencer IC. App note here (PDF) Power supply sequencing is required for microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors(DSPs), analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and other devices that operate from multiple voltage rails. These applications typically require that the core and analog blocks be powered up before […]
App note: Using the STC3100 battery monitor for gas gauge applications
A battery monitoring chip STC3100 from STMicroelectronics tells you voltage, current, battery temperature and additionally coulomb counter for gas gauge. App note here (PDF) The STC3100 battery monitoring function includes the measurement of the battery voltage and current, measurement of the IC’s die temperature and computation of the battery charge variation (Coulomb counter). An external […]
App note: Introduction to schottky rectifiers
App note(PDF) on schottky rectifiers from Microsemi. Schottky rectifiers have been used for over 25 years in the power supply industry. The primary advantages are very low forward voltage drop and switching speed that approach zero time making them ideal for output stages. This latter feature has also stimulated their additional use in very high […]
App note: What is a silicon transient voltage suppressor and how does it work
A primer app note(PDF) on silicon transient voltage suppressors by Microsemi. Silicon transient voltage suppressors (TVSs) are clamping devices that limit voltage spikes by low impedance avalanche breakdown of a rugged silicon pn jucntion. They are used to protect sensitive components from electrical overstress such as that caused by induced lightning, inductive load switching and […]
App note: Design of a low cost, 45W flasher with short circuit protection using LM2902 (Quad Op-Amp) and CSD18534
App note (PDF) on automobile flashers from Texas Instruments This Application note presents the design of a low cost, flasher circuit with short circuit protection. The design incorporates the entire recommended design feature set for two wheeler flashers and includes low/high voltage operation, half load frequency doubling, and short circuit protection.
App note: Use of MLCC capacitors
App note(PDF) on using Multi-layer ceramic chip(MLCC) capacitors from Altera. Multi-layer ceramic chip (MLCC) capacitors are used quite often in dc-dc converter input and output filters instead of tantalum or aluminum electrolytics. MLCC’s have low ESR, low ESL, and low cost. They also have no major reliability problems associated with them. All these properties make […]
App note: Hiccup-mode current limiting
This is fairly old but interesting over current protection using Hiccup-mode from Microsemi. PDF here. Hiccup-mode is a method of operation in a power supply whose purpose is to protect the power supply from being damaged during an over-current fault condition. It also enables the power supply to restart when the fault is removed. There […]
App note: How not to design analog filters!
An analog filter design by Chris Francis from Analog IC Tips. Link here
app note: A simple current-sense technique eliminating a sense resistor
An old but interesting app note(PDF) from Microsemi on resistorless current-sensing technique. This application note introduces a simple current-sense technique that eliminates that sense resistor, resulting in system-cost reduction, PCB space saving, and power efficiency improvement. Furthermore, the new current sensing mechanism allows higher dynamic tripping current than the static one (built-in low-pass filtering) to […]
App note: Magnetoresistive angle measurement
An angle measurement solution from Analog Devices app note (PDF!). An AMR (anisotropicmagneto resistive) angle measurement solution with 1°angular accuracy over a 180° range. The circuit is ideal for applications where high speed, accurate, non-contact angle measurements are critical. The circuit provides all necessary signal conditioning including instrumentation amplifiers, buffers, and a dual channel ADC […]
App note: Tips for writing bulletproof real-time clock control code
Here’s a good app note from Maxim on writing real-time clock code to get a stable system operation. With the use of proper device initialization and code sequencing, accurate timekeeping and clock alarm operations become a more manageable task.
App note: Water and condensation safe touch sensing with the NXP capacitive touch sensors
App note (PDF) from NXP on water and condensation resistant capacitive touch sensors. This application note explains the unique auto-calibration feature of the touch sensor family from NXP and provides guidelines for enhanced water and condensation safe operation, focusing on applications with capacitive touch buttons.
App note: Switching power supply design with the PIC16F785
An SMPS application using PIC16F785 from Microchip, app note here (PDF). In this application note, we will examine a typical buck topology intelligent SMPS design using the PIC16F785. The design presented here shows an alternative single-chip approach to adding intelligence to SMPS designs. The basic design is really unchanged. There are current and voltage feedback […]
App note: Gas and water metering with the PIC16F91X family
Good app note from Microchip on using PIC micro for metering application. Electronic utility meters are an important step towards automating the utility metering process. Automated utility meters allow many new features that help reduce the cost of utilities to customers and reduce the cost of delivering utilities to the utility provider.
App note: NXP Smartphone Quick-Jack Solution
An interesting app note (PDF) from NXP where you can interface your mobile phone with a microcontroller via the audio 3.5mm jack. Inspired by the University of Michigan’s Project HiJack, the NXP Smartphone Quick-Jack Solution repurposes the standard 3.5mm stereo audio jack found on most smartphones into a self-powered data channel that makes communication with […]
App note: Sending I2C-bus signals via long communications cables
Extend I2C communication distance with this app note (PDF) from NXP. Reliable I2C-bus communication at high data rates, and over many meters, can be achieved using widely available twisted- pair communication cable (e.g. Category 5e and similar 4-pair cables, as typically used for Ethernet communications). The two bidirectional I2C-bus signals, SDA and SCL, are split […]
App note: Power inductors 8-design tips
A practical guide for the selection of power inductors for DC/DC converters from Würth Elektronik. Link to the app note here, alternatively the whole article in PDF can be found here