Product category:
Power Supply ICs and Controllers
News Release from: Allegro MicroSystems Europe | Subject: A4401
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 19 November 2007
PSU controller targets automotive
displays
Automotive-grade quasiresonant discontinuous flyback convertor control IC provides all the necessary control functions for driving a vacuum fluorescent display.
The A4401 from Allegro MicroSystems Europe is an automotive-grade quasiresonant discontinuous flyback convertor control IC which provides all the necessary control functions for driving a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) with the minimum of external components The new device, which supports a wide range of power requirements via appropriate selection of an external MOSFET and magnetic components, is designed to work over the automotive battery voltage range of 7-40V and over an ambient temperature range from -40 to +125C
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 30 Aug 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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Although targeted primarily for use in VFD power supplies, which require multiple voltage rails to drive the anode, grid and filament, the A4401 is also suited to any other automotive applications that require several regulated voltage rails.
The A4401 includes an integrated transconductance amplifier, which can be used to monitor and regulate the voltage on either one or several outputs where good crossregulation is required.
It also includes many other valuable features such as soft-start circuitry, a low-quiescent-current sleep mode and a high-voltage enable pin.
The quasiresonant, discontinuous flyback convertor operates near the critical conduction boundary.
A novel adaptive turn-on control scheme is used to optimise the turn-on and turn-off phase of the MOSFET to reduce EMI emissions and minimise switching losses.
The convertor is self-oscillating, operating at switching frequencies dependent on the input voltage, load and external components.
An onboard linear regulator that is powered directly from the battery provides the housekeeping supply, avoiding the need for complex bias supplies.
Internal diagnostics provide comprehensive protection against overloads, input undervoltage, and over-temperature conditions.
The A4401 is supplied in an 8-pin narrow SOIC package (suffix L), which is lead (Pb) free, with 100% matt tin lead-frame plating.
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