New Industry Products

Programmable Hall Sensor Optimized for Automotive Systems

July 25, 2016 by Jeff Shepard

Allegro MicroSystems Europe has announced a new field programmable linear Hall-effect current sensor IC with features including a 240kHz bandwidth, integrated voltage regulator, reverse battery protection, user-selectable ratiometry, and uni- or bi-directional output options.

High accuracy is achieved through proprietary linearly interpolated temperature compensation technology that is programmed at the Allegro factory and provides sensitivity and offset that are virtually flat across the full operating temperature range. Temperature compensation is done in the digital domain with integrated EEPROM technology, while maintaining a 240kHz bandwidth analog signal path, making the A1367 device well-suited for automotive applications, especially HEV inverter, dc-dc converter and electric power steering (EPS) applications.

This ratiometric Hall-effect sensor IC provides a voltage output that is proportional to the applied magnetic field. Ratiometry can be disabled if immunity to Vcc fluctuations is desired.

The user can configure the sensitivity and quiescent (zero field) output voltage through programming on the Vcc and output pins, to optimize performance in the end application. The quiescent output voltage is user-adjustable, around 50% (bidirectional configuration) or 10% (unidirectional configuration) of the supply voltage, Vcc, and the output sensitivity is adjustable within the range of 0.6 to 6.4 mV/G.

Broken ground wire detection, user-selectable output voltage clamps and the ability to survive +/-15V on the Vcc pin (Reverse Battery Protection) are built into this device for high reliability in automotive applications. Device parameters are specified across an extended ambient temperature range of –40 to 150 degrees C. The A1367 sensor IC is provided in an extremely thin case (1mm thick), 4-pin SIP (single in-line package, suffix KT) that is lead (Pb) free, with 100% matt-tin leadframe plating.