Product category:
Analogue and Mixed Signal ICs
News Release from: Catalyst Semiconductor | Subject: CAT5241 and CAT5221
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 10 July 2003
Digital potentiometer ICs cut power and
cost less
New quad and dual digitally programmable potentiometer ICs are designed to replace mechanical potentiometers.
New quad and dual digitally programmable potentiometer ICs are designed to replace mechanical potentiometers The quad CAT5241 and dual CAT5221 digital potentiometer ICs have 64 wiper positions
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 7 Feb 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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Digitally programmable potentiometers to take over
Catalyst Semiconductor has added two new digitally programmable potentiometer (DPP) ICs to its AE2 (analogue EEPROM) mixed-signal product line.
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Catalyst Semiconductor has expanded its AE2 analogue EEPROM mixed-signal product strategy with the CAT116x series of microprocessor supervisory circuits with serial 16Kbit EEPROM.
The linear-taper, nonvolatile DPP ICs are controlled over a 400kHz, two-wire interface.
"The CAT5241 and CAT5221 give engineers a low cost, low power alternative to industry parts such as the pin-compatible Xicor X9241A and X9221A digitally controlled potentiometer (XDCPT) ICs", said Catalyst Product Marketing Manager Gary Craig.
"Standby power is 5uW maximum at 5V, ideal for battery powered equipment, and 500 times lower than competitive solutions.
Further reading
Speedy EEPROMs have choice of interfaces
Catalyst Semiconductor has two new high-speed serial EEPROMs: the CAT93HC46 with a Microwire interface operates at 3MHz, and the CAT24FC32 with an I2C interface operates at 1MHz.
Product guide highlights recent additions
Catalyst Semiconductor has a new product guide covering its EEPROM and mixed-signal digitally programmable potentiometers and microprocessor supervisor integrated circuits.
Lead-free EEPROMs are greener alternative
Catalyst Semiconductor now offers lead-free packages for its popular SPI, I2C and Microwire serial EEPROMs.
In 10,000 piece volumes, the CAT5241 is priced at $0.40 per digital pot and the CAT5221 price is $0.60 per pot.
Recent design wins at digital camera manufacturers and other volume users of digital potentiometers have validated our low cost, high performance market penetration strategy".
Craig added: "Compared to other industry pin-compatible devices, the CAT5241 and CAT5221 operate from a single power supply voltage that can range from 2.5 to 6.0V.
Our maximum wiper resistance is a low 150ohm at 5V operation.
We also specify a maximum wiper resistance of 300ohm at 3V operation".
Target applications for digitally programmable potentiometer ICs include fibre-optic transceiver modules, RF amplifier bias and protection circuits, digital and film cameras, LCD display brightness and contrast control, transducer calibration and programmable power supplies.
With multiple pots per package, DPP solutions are lower cost and easier to mount on printed circuit boards than mechanical potentiometers.
Digital potentiometers allow traditional analogue functions to be adjusted, trimmed or controlled digitally.
Compared with mechanical potentiometers, they offer a more efficient means of automating the control, calibration and manufacturing of electronic systems.
This includes the advantage of being much more tolerant of hazardous system environments.
The CAT5241 and CAT5221, quad and dual DPP ICs, have 64 tap positions each or 6-bit resolution.
Tap positions can be stored in embedded EEPROM registers and automatically recalled upon power up.
Each potentiometer is controlled from an independent 6bit digital control register and its associated four independent EEPROM registers.
The value in one of the associated nonvolatile registers is recalled on power up.
Nonvolatile registers and each wiper control register can be written and read directly.
Tap settings stored in the nonvolatile registers can be transferred to the wiper control registers independently or globally for faster system control operations.
Four device address pins allow as many as 16 devices or a maximum of 64 pots to share a common two-wire bus for maximum system efficiency.
The CAT5241 and CAT5221 can effectively replace other more costly potentiometer and DAC solutions.
The 64-tap quad CAT5241 and dual CAT5221 are available in 20-lead SOIC packages.
Lead-free, halogen-free "green" packages are also available.
Four resistance options, 2.5, 10, 50 and 100kohm, are offered.
Commercial, 0 to 70C, and industrial, -40 to +85C, temperature range devices are offered.
Prices start at $1.19 in 10,000-piece quantities.
Devices are available for sampling now and production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2003.
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