Home Products Sensors ZMDI introduces cost-effective differential sensor signal conditioner for measuring pressure, temperature, linear position, force and load

ZMDI introduces cost-effective differential sensor signal conditioner for measuring pressure, temperature, linear position, force and load

ZMDI introduced the ZSSC3053, a pure differential sensor signal conditioner (SSC) for high-accuracy amplification and sensor-specific correction of millivolt-level DC sensor signals. Based on proven functionalities of ZMDI’s well known sensor signal conditioner portfolio, the feature-optimized ZSSC3053 offers the highest sensor accuracy at low cost. The chip is adjustable to nearly all resistive bridge sensor types and is ideally suited for microcontroller-based sensor systems in industrial, medical, consumer and white goods applications for measuring pressure, temperature, linear position, as well as force and load.

Sensors

2 March 2010

byNews Desk

Millivolt-level DC sensor signals require sensitive, accurate amplification and the ZSSC3053 is designed specifically for this. The feature-optimized CMOS IC is compatible with nearly all resistive sensor elements and millivolt-level sources. It supports the I2C and SPI standard digital interfaces with a very low number of discrete external parts. In I2C mode, the ZSSC3053 offers two additional switch outputs, while programmable slave addresses enable multi-slave operation.

Using ZMDI’s unique single pass one-shot calibration, the microcontroller can custom-calibrate the sensor in a very short time, typically a fraction of a second. The microcontroller can even recalibrate in-system if desired. Eliminating the need for external trimming or laser tuning, the ZSSC3053 helps to reduce the overall bill of materials as well as manufacturing costs and shortens time-to-market.

With this new feature-optimized addition to our well known SSC portfolio, we meet the customer demand for a highly accurate and cost-effective digital sensor signal conditioning solution, says Corvin Wolters, Product Manager at ZMDI. In order to minimize the engineering efforts for our customers, the ZSSC3053 offers single pass ‘one shot’ calibration as well as sensor short check, sensor connection check and sensor aging check.

Digital compensation of offset, sensitivity, temperature drift and non-linearity is accomplished by a 16-bit RISC microcontroller running a correction algorithm with calibration coefficients stored in an EEPROM.

The ZSSC3053 operates on a voltage range of 2.7 to 5.5 volts and over a temperature range of -25°C to +85°C. The ADC offers 15-bit precision, and accuracy is ±0.1% of full scale over the full temperature range.

For quick and easy evaluation and support for calibrating prototypes, ZMDI offers the ZSSC3053 Evaluation Kit, which includes an evaluation board, TSSOP14-samples, and software.

The ZSSC3053 comes in a TSSOP14 package and is priced at $1.89 in volumes of 100 pieces. Volume production is planned for Q2/2010 with engineering samples available now.