Not Just for Logic：Programmable Analog ICs Bring FPGA-like Versatility, Virtues to Mixed-Signal World
●It's always been a challenge for engineers to design, evaluate, and debug a mixed-signal circuit with analog input/output (I/O) interfaces. The subtleties and harsh realities of the real world and the analog signal chain often combine to make what may seem like a straightforward design objective into a frustrating, time-consuming project. The final design is a carefully balanced collection of analog and mixed-signal ICs—including op amps, A/D and D/A converters, comparators, high-voltage drivers, analog switches—which are hardwired to build the mostly analog channel.
●The project is even more difficult for the engineer whose background is primarily digital, and so is unfamiliar with analog design where issues of component selection, physical layout, and cost affect the basic circuit schematic and time to market. For these engineers, especially those used to working with programmable logic and FPGAs, the hardwired nature of the analog circuit is at odds with the mindset that they are used to employing in a new design.
●As if this isn't enough, today's designers and teams face another challenge: the need to often develop similar, but somewhat different variations of the basic circuit to support multiple versions of the end product. For example, a core motor controller may need to have I/Os tailored to a family of motors, each with a slightly different range, drive requirements, and performance specifications.
●To do this, the project team has two options, neither of which is attractive. They can build a single, all-encompassing circuit with all versions built in and just “turn on“ the needed configuration (Figure 1a). This approach results in needing more of everything: design time, debug effort, components, power, and cost. As an alternative, they can develop individual tailored designs and PC boards (PCBs), one for each required end-product “version.“ But now they have to deal with separate debug and test procedures, multiple manufacturing issues, and different BOMs (Figure 1b). Either way, it's a long climb, made even longer when someone in marketing says, “Hey, maybe just add a few more digital outputs and another analog input. That can’t be such a big deal, right?“
●The obvious, and perhaps attractive, solution to this design dilemma is to use a microcontroller with embedded analog I/O and do as much in software as possible. However, this approach often does not work well. There are too many design shortcomings and compromises, resulting in performance shortcomings on the hardware side, and too much burden and uncertainty (e.g., indeterminate performance) on the software side.
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[ RF power-device bias controllers ][ optical components ][ power-supply monitoring ][ industrial control ][ automation ][ PWM fan-motor controller ] |
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Application note & Design Guide |
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Please see the document for details |
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English Chinese Chinese and English Japanese |
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2015/11/6 |
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AN5960 |
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590 KB |
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