Single-chip solution monitors voltage, current in power inverters

austriamicrosystems announces the AS8002, an integrated solution for voltage and current monitoring in power inverters. This single-chip design offers improved performance and reduced system cost of power inverters while allowing simplified design with a reduced number of components. The AS8002 is especially targeted for grid-connected systems such as solar photovoltaic inverters.

The chip offers advantages over alternative approaches for monitoring electrical power injected into the grid. The AS8002 allows use of low-cost resistors for current and voltage sensing; the sensed voltage and current are directly available in high-resolution digital format. The chip’s flexible front-end provides adjustable gain to accommodate various resistor values, and on-chip calibration allows compensation for external component inaccuracies as well as variations over temperature.

Added features like fast over-current detection provide additional safety. These features make the AS8002 also attractive for other power monitoring applications, such as wind turbines and uninterruptible power supplies.

The AS8002 is available in a 4 x 4 mm QFN-16 package, operates from 3.0 to 3.6 V and is specified for an operating temperature range of -40° to 125° C.

For more information, contact austriamicrosystems USA Inc., 5201 Great America Parkway, Suite 320, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Phone: 408-345-1790.