Micronas GmbH (Germany) debuted the new HAL 1500 programmable Hall-effect switch, which is aimed at automotive applications requiring position sensing such as sunroofs, windows, seat positions and safety belts. The device allows system manufacturers to program magnetic switching levels and output modes through simple end-of-line programming of the on-chip EEPROM. The switch acts as a unipolar or latching switch with normal or inverted output, making rotation measurements possible to detect.
Available in SOT89-SMD and TO92UA packages, the HAL 1500 features an on-chip sensor element, DSP and EEPROM. Data stored in the EEPROM allows the DSP to compute the behavior of the switch. Where moderate resolution is required, it is possible to program the HAL 1500 as a pseudo-linear Hall sensor. The pulse-width modulation output signal delivers a four-bit resolution, enough for applications like four-level regulation of the headlight and multi-level wiper regulation.
