Electronic Design

  
Reprints     Printer-Friendly    Email this Article    RSS        Font Size     What's This?


[TechView: Digital]
Small Mixed-Signal Memory Chip Packs A Large Punch

Daniel Harris  |   ED Online ID #15650  |   June 7, 2007


Dallas Semiconductor/Maxim brings the memory shopping mall to you. With a 2-kbit (256 by 8) EEPROM, 12 user-programmable I/O channels, a real-time clock/calendar/alarm, CPU reset monitor, 64-bit factory-programmed ROM ID, battery monitor, and watchdog timer, the DS28DG02 (see figure) offers one-stop shopping.

The I/O channels may be configured as inputs, outputs, open drains, or push-pulls. The EEPROM registers allow the I/Os to power up in a defined state. If your system includes a battery backup, the DS28DG02 "actively" monitors the "health" of the battery by applying a 10-µA (typical) test load with a 1-second duration to the battery each hour. It then follows with a programmable battery terminal voltage comparison to a programmable test point. An interrupt output is generated if the terminal voltage is below the programmed threshold.

The voltage monitor is factory-programmed to generate a 328-ms (typical) reset at 3.3 V, with a 2.5% accuracy threshold over the operating range. The monitor's reset output can also be used as a pushbutton I/O with debounce. The watchdog is user-programmable with timeout options ranging from 0.2 to 1.64 s (typical).

Since the device replaces four or more discrete ICs, Dallas Semiconductor estimates it will typically save around 20% printed-circuit-board (PCB) space and reduce bill of materials costs by about 30%. If you consider the overall hardware design aspects of a discrete implementation, typical complications include multidevice bus interfacing, power-supply bypass filtering, and increased PCB layout effort. Communications with the device are performed via the serial peripheral interface (SPI).

All this can be yours for only $1.81 in quantities of 1000. The device is available in a small thin-shrink small-outline package (TSSOP) or quad flat no-lead (QFN) package.

Dallas Semiconductor
www.maxim-ic.com/Memory-IC


Reprints   Printer-Friendly  Email this Article  RSS    Font Size   What's This?


  • Engineers Rely On Internet For Product Info
  • Rochester Electronics Establishes New Design and Technology Group
  • Custom Sources Light Way To 22-nm IC Lithography
  • In EDA, A Year Of Mergers, Failed And Otherwise
  • Software Turns Scopes Into Vector RF Signal Analyzers
  • Couple’s $15 Million Gift Advances Rice Engineering Education
  • November 7, 2008
  • Startup Sets Sail For Speedier Spice Simulation
    1) Ten Top Design Skills For Tough Times
    (6152 views today)
    2) Ultracapacitors Branch Out Into Wider Markets
    (436 views today)
    3) Energy Harvester Perpetually Powers WIreless Sensors
    (399 views today)
    4) Technology Has Been Very Good To Obama, And He Plans To Reciprocate
    (324 views today)
    5) Build A Smart Battery Charger Using A Single-Transistor Circuit
    (315 views today)
    ALL TOP 20



    POST YOUR COMMENTS HERE
    Name:

    Email:
    Your Comments:

    Enter the text from the image below


    Please refresh the page if you have trouble reading this text.

    Search Electronic Design
         
      
     
    Email Newsletter
    Sponsored By:
    Electronic Design UPDATE provides readers with late-breaking news, opinions from industry experts, and timely technology stories. It's a unique opportunity to get your product message in front of engineers, engineering managers, and corporate managers while they're reading about critical information online.

    Enter Email to Subscribe
      

    Electronic Design Europe Electronic Design China EEPN Power Electronics Auto Electronics Microwaves & RF
    Mobile Dev & Design Schematics Find Power Products Military Electronics EE Events Related Resources