ZMDI's Differential Sensor Signal Conditioner

SENSORS: ZMDI’s ZSSC3053 is 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 suited for microcontroller-based sensor systems in industrial, medical, consumer and white goods applications for measuring pressure, temperature, linear position, force and load.

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 fraction of a second. The microcontroller can also recalibrate in-system. Eliminating the need for external trimming or laser tuning, the ZSSC3053 helps reduce the overall bill of materials, as well as manufacturing costs, and shortens time-to-market.

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 5.5V and over a temperature range of -25 to 85C. The ADC offers 15-bit precision, and accuracy is ±0.1 percent 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.

-Edited by Kelsey Anderson