Integrated pressure sensors for automotive use

A new family of fully integrated and programmable pressure sensor solutions has been introduced by Melexis, designed for harsh automotive duty.

Melexis launch a new family of fully integrated and programmable pressure sensor solutions.

These devices are designed and qualified for harsh duty in automotive applications, but also are suitable for medical, consumer and industrial applications.

This family consists of MLX90257, a relative integrated pressure sensor, and MLX90269, an absolute integrated pressure sensor.

These pressure sensors help design engineers to optimize customer applications in terms of cost, space and time to market.

Different pressure ranges are available.

The integration of the pressure sensing element and the signal conditioning circuitry on the same die ensures significant cost benefits.

A well proven CMOS technology with added MEMS capabilities enables high volume production.

With very few additional components these ICs will achieve the desired analog output signal, compensated for sensitivity and offset errors due to temperature effects.

The fully integrated programmable mixed signal circuitry calibrates the sensor output by nulling the offset voltage and by applying the appropriate signal gain to calibrate the output voltage span between 0V and 5V.

'Error calibration' is accomplished via various DACs adjusting the analog signal processing chain.

The digital coefficients, which determine the calibration parameters, are stored in an on-chip permanent memory.

Both gain and offset have coarse and fine gain circuitry, allowing a very accurate calibration over a wide range of input errors.

Pressure ranges between 1 and 10 bar are already available.

An operating temperature range of -40C to 150C, adjustable output voltage clamping, detection and fault/diagnosis modes, over-voltage and reverse polarity protection make these chips the perfect fit for automotive applications.

Melexis' "Programmable Through the Connector" concept for high-volume implementations enables post assembly programming in the production environment.

Among the possible applications for this new product are Manifold Air Pressure, Barometric pressure, Water pressure, Oil pressure, Medical diagnostics, Pumps Industrial applications and Robotics.

MLX90257 and MLX90269 naked die samples and calibration software are available from stock.

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