The LTC®1966 is a true RMS-to-DC converter that uses aDS computational technique to make it dramatically simplerto use, significantly more accurate, lower in powerconsumption and more flexible than conventional logantilogRMS-to-DC converters. The LTC1966 RMS-to-DCconverter has an input signal range from 5mVRMS to1.5VRMS (a 50dB dynamic range with a single 5V supplyrail) and a 3dB bandwidth of 800kHz with signal crestfactors up to four.
Digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are prevalent inindustrial control and automated test applications.General-purpose automated test equipment often requiresmany channels of precisely controlled voltagesthat span several voltage ranges. The LTC2704 is ahighly integrated 16-bit, 4-channel DAC for high-endapplications. It has a wide range of features designed toincrease performance and simplify design.
A tutorial on SAR type A/D converters, this note contains detailed information on several 12-bit circuits. Comparator, clocking, and preamplifier designs are discussed. A final circuit gives a 12-bit conversion in 1.8µs. Appended sections explain the basic SAR technique and explore D/A considerations.
Differential Nonlinearity: Ideally, any two adjacent digitalcodes correspond to output analog voltages that are exactlyone LSB apart. Differential non-linearity is a measure of theworst case deviation from the ideal 1 LSB step. For example,a DAC with a 1.5 LSB output change for a 1 LSB digital codechange exhibits 1⁄2 LSB differential non-linearity. Differentialnon-linearity may be expressed in fractional bits or as a percentageof full scale. A differential non-linearity greater than1 LSB will lead to a non-monotonic transfer function in aDAC.Gain Error (Full Scale Error): The difference between theoutput voltage (or current) with full scale input code and theideal voltage (or current) that should exist with a full scale inputcode.Gain Temperature Coefficient (Full Scale TemperatureCoefficient): Change in gain error divided by change in temperature.Usually expressed in parts per million per degreeCelsius (ppm/°C).Integral Nonlinearity (Linearity Error): Worst case deviationfrom the line between the endpoints (zero and full scale).Can be expressed as a percentage of full scale or in fractionof an LSB.LSB (Lease-Significant Bit): In a binary coded system thisis the bit that carries the smallest value or weight. Its value isthe full scale voltage (or current) divided by 2n, where n is theresolution of the converter.Monotonicity: A monotonic function has a slope whose signdoes not change. A monotonic DAC has an output thatchanges in the same direction (or remains constant) for eachincrease in the input code. the converse is true for decreasing codes.
Power conversion by virtue of its basic role produces harmonics due to theslicing of either voltages or currents. To a large extent the pollution in theutility supply and the deterioration of the power quality has been generatedor created by non-linear converters. It is therefore ironic that power convertersshould now be used to clean up the pollution that they helped to create inthe first place.In a utility system, it is desirable to prevent harmonic currents (which resultin EMI and resonance problems) and limit reactive power flows (whichresult in transmission losses).Traditionally, shunt passive filters, comprised of tuned LC elements andcapacitor banks, were used to filter the harmonics and to compensate forreactive current due to non-linear loads. However, in practical applicationsthese methods have many disadvantages.
Linear Technology offers a variety of devices that simplifyconverting power from a USB cable, but the LTC®3455represents the highest level of functional integration yet. The LTC3455 seamlessly manages power flowbetween an AC adapter, USB cable and Li-ion battery,while complying with USB power standards, all from a4mm × 4mm QFN package. In addtion, two high efficiencysynchronous buck converters generate low voltage railswhich most USB-powered peripherals require. TheLTC3455 also provides power-on reset signals for themicroprocessor, a Hot SwapTM output for poweringmemory cards as well as an uncommitted gain blocksuitable for use as a low-battery comparator or an LDOcontroller. The PCB real estate required for the entire USBpower control circuit and two DC/DC converters is only225mm2.
Automobile electronic systems place high demands ontoday’s DC/DC converters. They must be able to preciselyregulate an output voltage in the face of wide temperatureand input voltage ranges—including load dump transientsin excess of 60V and cold crank voltage drops to 4V. Theconverter must also be able to minimize battery drain inalways-on systems by maintaining high effi ciency over abroad load current range. Similar demands are made bymany 48V nonisolated telecom applications, 40V FireWireperipherals and battery-powered applications with autoplug adaptors. The LT3437’s best in classperformancemeets all of these requirements in a small thermallyenhanced 3mm × 3mm DFN package.
Many telecommunications and computing applicationsneed high effi ciency step-down DC/DC converters thatcan operate from a very low input voltage. The highoutput power synchronous controller LT3740 is idealfor these applications, converting input supplies rangingfrom 2.2V to 22V to outputs as low as 0.8V with loadcurrents from 2A to 20A. Applications include distributedpower systems, point-of-load regulation and conversionof logic supplies.
AN22 details the theoretical and application aspects of the LT1088 thermal RMS/DC converter. The basic theory behind thermal RMS/DC conversion is discussed and design details of the LT1088 are presented. Circuitry for RMS/DC converters, wideband input buffers and heater protection is shown.
