Ambient-Light Sensors Hack Down Power Consumption

The MAX44007 and MAX44009 digital ambient-light sensor ICs employ a unique adaptive-gain block and allegedly consume 100x less power than comparable devices. They offer a unique interrupt function that constantly measures the amount of light and reports to the microcontroller when the measurement passes the threshold. This functionality extends power savings by reducing the frequency of I²C communications. The sensors can be adjusted from 6.25 ms to 800 ms. A default integration time of 100 ms ensures reliable 50-/60-Hz rejection. Other shared features include an operating current of 0.65 mA while operating from 1.7V to 3.6V supply voltage. Available in six-pin, 2 mm x 2 mm x 0.6 mm UTDFN-Opto-EP packages, prices for the MAX44007 and MAX44009 start at $1.20 each/1,000. MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, Sunnyvale, CA. (800) 998-8800.