http://www.maxim-ic.com Maxim - Whats New en Copyright 2009, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:21:36 GMT http://www.maxim-ic.com/new info2@maxim-ic.com (Info2) info2@maxim-ic.com (Info2) 10 http://media.maxim-ic.com/maxkit/images/max_logo_header.gif http://www.maxim-ic.com 88 31 Maxim Logo http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5070 It is critically important that lithium-ion battery stacks have a good battery-management system for monitoring many cell voltages and cell temperatures. Without that monitoring, thermal runaway can lead to a battery explosion. This design idea presents a low-power circuit that measures the temperature of up to 12 thermistors. It powers and configures the multiplexers, and also puts the muxes into shutdown to save power when not measuring temperatures. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5070 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5144 Today, consumers and utility companies can agree that smart meters provide benefits such as time-of-use billing, accurate measurement, and elimination of a meter reader's monthly visit. But do smart meters provide tangible benefits for the environment? Not all agree on this. This article discusses how a smart meter helps a utility to monitor energy usage. That monitoring data then allows the utility to work with consumers to reduce energy usage and integrate various sources of renewable energy. When that happens, the environment wins. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5144 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5129 Transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) are widely used to translate the current output of sensors like photodiode-to-voltage signals, since many circuits and instruments can only accept voltage input. An operational amplifier with a feedback resistor from output to the inverting input is the most straightforward implementation of such a TIA. However, even this simple TIA circuit requires careful trade-offs among noise gain, offset voltage, bandwidth, and stability. Clearly stability in a TIA is essential for good, reliable performance. This application note explains the empirical calculations for assessing stability and then shows how to fine-tune the selection of the feedback phase-compensation capacitor. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5129 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5272 This application note helps system designers choose the correct external components for use with the MAX16946 remote antenna regulator and current-sense amplifier (CSA), ensuring that automobile antenna-detection subsystems meet their performance objectives. An <a href=/tools/other/appnotes/5272/AN5272-calculator.xls>electronic calculator</a> is provided that helps specify the critical external components for the MAX16946. The calculator also determines the device's operational ranges and analog output voltage accuracy. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5272 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5314 The MAX14885E, a fully integrated low-capacitance VGA dual-graphics crossover switch, connects a VGA source to a VGA monitor. This application note explains the proper sequencing of the MAX14885E’s two power supplies, V_CC and V_L, on power-up. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5314 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/4944 When using a high-frequency switching regulator, a good PCB layout for an automotive power supply will provide a clean output supply and save time debugging emissions issues in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) chamber. This application note explains how to layout the MAX16903/MAX16904 switching regulators to maximize performance and minimize emissions. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/4944 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5023 In battery-powered RF transmitters such as garage door openers and remote keyless entry for cars, as the battery drains, the transmit power typically falls. This application note demonstrates that combining a high-efficiency step-up, or boost, voltage converter with an ISM transmitter will keep the transmitted power constant (under 0.5dB variation) over the battery voltage range. Performance data will show that the battery life for constant transmit power is up to 2 times that of a transmitter whose power drops as the battery voltage drops. The AC voltage ripple produced by the voltage converter does not degrade the quality of the amplitude-shift keying (ASK) data link and does not violate U.S. and European radio emission standards relating to short-range radio links. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5023 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5290 This article discusses future trends in the design of smartphones and other consumer products. The discussion focuses on the importance of integration, which saves valuable PCB space and drives down costs. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5290 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/4210 As electronic systems take over many of the mechanical functions in a car&#8212;ranging from engine timing to steering and braking&#8212;there is a growing concern about fault tolerance. There should not be a single point of failure that would prevent a car from at least "limping" off the road or making it to the nearest service station. Redundant systems, watchdog timers, and other control circuits are used to reroute signals and perform other functions that ensure that a vehicle can safely make it off the road when a failure occurs. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/4210 Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5065 Engineers often wish that radio susceptibility (RS) or radio immunity could be cured with an antibiotic, a vaccine, or some form of cure-all. Unfortunately, solving the RS problem is not that easy. Indeed, the laws of physics apply. In this article we discuss sources of RS. We also offer tips and hints to protect systems, power supplies, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and electronic components from radio frequency interference. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5065 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5271 This application note helps system designers choose the correct external components for use with the MAX16948 dual remote antenna LDO/switch, thus ensuring that automobile-regulated phantom antenna supply and output-current-monitoring circuitry meet performance objectives. An <a href=/tools/other/appnotes/5271/MAX16948-calculator.xlsm>electronic calculator</a> is provided that helps specify the critical external components for the MAX16948, thus reducing design time. The calculator also determines the device's analog output voltage, output current-limit threshold, and output current-sensing accuracies. The calculator includes new automatic <b>Step By Step</b> feature that assists designers with component choice. To use the new automatic feature, click on the <b>Step By Step</b> button relative to the desired section. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5271 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5273 The DS2483 represents the next generation of integrated 1-Wire masters. With its configurability, 2-stage power-savings mode, and level translator function, the DS2483 is well suited for battery-operated applications. This application note explains the operation of the 1-Wire master port, gives advice on when to deviate from the default configurations, and explains how to determine the drive capability for a given network. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5273 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5280 The MAX1441 proximity and touch sensor is designed for capacitive proximity sensing applications, including automotive passive remote keyless entry (PRKE). The sensor has 2-kwords of embedded flash that must be programmed with the user’s application firmware. This programmer was developed to facilitate programming of the MAX1441 flash memory in a production environment. The programmer continuously polls the USB-to-JTAG interface for a communicating MAX1441. Once the MAX1441 device is found, it will erase, program, and verify the embedded flash memory in approximately 3 seconds. It will then start polling for the next MAX1441 to be programmed. Multiple instances of the application can be launched on the same computer. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5280 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5266 The DS1877 SFP controller allows various programming options to configure the alarms, warnings, lookup tables (LUTs), and other functions. This customization necessitates a large register memory map. This application note provides an alternate view of the register map, which is a helpful resource when programming the device. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5266 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0000 http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5262 MAXQ devices provide special utility ROM functions, which are called to read and write data from program memory. However, data stored in program memory cannot be accessed directly on MAXQ microcontrollers. Instead, the utility ROM functions start addresses are integrated in IAR Embedded Workbench&reg; to access the stored data. This application note demonstrates how to allocate and access flash and SRAM memory on a MAXQ microcontroller using IAR Embedded Workbench tools. http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/5262 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0000