The MAX1617 is a precise digital thermometer that reports the temperature of both a remote sensor and its own package. The remote sensor is a diode-connected transistor—typically a low-cost, easily mounted 2N3904 NPN type—that replaces conventional thermistors or thermocouples. Remote accuracy is ±3°C for multiple transistor manufacturers, with no calibration needed. The remote channel can also measure the die temperature of other ICs, such as microprocessors, that contain an on-chip, diode-connected transistor.
The 2-wire serial interface accepts standard System Management Bus (SMBus™) Write Byte, Read Byte, Send Byte, and Receive Byte commands to program the alarm thresholds and to read temperature data. The data format is 7 bits plus sign, with each bit corresponding to 1°C, in two's complement format. Measurements can be done automatically and autonomously, with the conversion rate programmed by the user or programmed to operate in a single-shot mode. The adjustable rate allows the user to control the supply-current drain.
The MAX1617 is available in a small, 16-pin QSOP surface-mount package.
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