MAXIM MAX1459AAP

19-1619; Rev 0; 1/00
KIT
ATION
EVALU
E
L
B
AVAILA
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
• Pretest: Data acquisition of sensor performance
under the control of a host test computer.
• Calibration and compensation: Computation and
storage (in an internal EEPROM) of calibration and
compensation coefficients computed by the test
computer and downloaded to the MAX1459.
• Final test operation: Verification of transducer calibration and compensation without removal from the
pretest socket.
Although optimized for use with piezoresistive sensors,
the MAX1459 may also be used with other resistive
sensors (i.e., accelerometers and strain gauges) with
some additional external components.
Features
♦ Highly Integrated Sensor Signal Conditioner for
2-Wire, 4–20mA Transmitters
♦ Sensor Errors Trimmed Using Correction
Coefficients Stored in Internal EEPROM—
Eliminates the Need for Laser Trimming and
Potentiometers
♦ Compensates Offset, Offset TC, FSO, FSOTC,
FSO Linearity
♦ Programmable Current Source (0.1mA to 2.0mA)
for Sensor Excitation
♦ Fast Signal-Path Settling Time (≈1ms)
♦ Accepts Sensor Outputs from +1mV/V to +40mV/V
♦ Fully Analog Signal Path
♦ Internal or External Temperature Reference
Compensation
♦ Automated Pilot Production (Calibration/
Compensation) System Available
♦ Write Protection for EEPROM Data Security
Ordering Information
PART
TEMP. RANGE
0°C to +70°C
20 SSOP
MAX1459C/D
0°C to +70°C
Dice*
MAX1459AAP
-40°C to +125°C
20 SSOP
*Dice are tested at TA = +25°C, DC parameters only.
Functional Diagram appears at end of data sheet.
Pin Configuration
TOP VIEW
20 VDD
SCLK 1
CS 2
19 NBIAS
DIO 3
For custom versions of the MAX1459, see the Customization
section at end of data sheet.
________________________Applications
4–20mA Transmitters
Piezoresistive Pressure and Acceleration
Industrial Pressure Sensors
Load Cells/Wheatstone Bridges
Strain Gauges
Temperature Sensors
PIN-PACKAGE
MAX1459CAP
WE 4
18 CK50
MAX1459
FSOTC 5
17 TEMP2
16 TEMP1
AMP+ 6
15 INM
AMP- 7
14 INP
AMPOUT 8
13 BDRIVE
TEMPIN 9
12 VSS
ISRC 10
11 OUT
SSOP
________________________________________________________________ Maxim Integrated Products
1
For free samples and the latest literature, visit www.maxim-ic.com or phone 1-800-998-8800.
For small orders, phone 1-800-835-8769.
MAX1459
General Description
The MAX1459 highly integrated analog-sensor signal
conditioner is optimized for piezoresistive sensor calibration and compensation with minimal external components. It includes a programmable current source for
sensor excitation, a 3-bit programmable-gain amplifier
(PGA), a 128-bit internal EEPROM, and four 12-bit DACs.
Achieving a total error factor within 1% of the sensor’s
repeatability errors, the MAX1459 compensates offset,
offset temperature coefficient (offset TC), full-span output
(FSO), FSO temperature coefficient (FSOTC), and FSO
nonlinearity of silicon piezoresistive sensors.
The MAX1459 calibrates and compensates first-order
temperature errors by adjusting the offset and span of
the input signal through digital-to-analog converters
(DACs), thereby eliminating quantization noise.
The MAX1459 allows temperature compensation via the
external sensor, an internal temperature-dependent
resistor, or a dedicated external temperature transducer. Accuracies better than 0.5% can be achieved with
low-cost external temperature sensors (i.e., silicon transistor), depending on sensor choice.
Built-in testability features on the MAX1459 result in the
integration of three traditional sensor-manufacturing
operations into one automated process:
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
Supply Voltage, VDD to VSS......................................-0.3V to +6V
All Other Pins ...................................(VSS - 0.3V) to (VDD + 0.3V)
Short-Circuit Duration, FSOTC, OUT, BDRIVE ...........Continuous
Continuous Power Dissipation (TA = +70°C)
20-Pin SSOP (derate 8.00mW/°C above +70°C) ..........640mW
Operating Temperature Ranges
MAX1459CAP ......................................................0°C to +70°C
MAX1459AAP .................................................-40°C to +125°C
Storage Temperature Range .............................-65°C to +150°C
Lead Temperature (soldering, 10s) .................................+300°C
Stresses beyond those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings only, and functional
operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond those indicated in the operational sections of the specifications is not implied. Exposure to
absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VDD = +5V, VSS = 0, TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
4.5
5.0
5.5
V
2.0
2.5
mA
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Supply Voltage
VDD
Supply Current
IDD
RNBIAS = 402kΩ, VDD = 5.0V (Note 1)
ANALOG INPUT (PGA)
Input Impedance
RIN
Input-Referred Offset Tempco
1
(Notes 2, 3)
±0.5
µV/°C
0.01
%VDD
63% of final value
2
ms
From VSS to VDD
90
dB
±150
mV
+1 to +40
mV/V
Amplifier Gain Nonlinearity
Output Step Response
Common-Mode Rejection Ratio
CMRR
MΩ
Input-Referred Adjustable Offset
Range
At minimum gain (Note 4)
Input-Referred Adjustable FullSpan Output (FSO) Range
(Note 5)
ANALOG OUTPUT (PGA)
Differential Signal Gain Range
Selectable in eight steps
Minimum Differential Signal Gain
TA = TMIN to TMAX
Differential Signal Gain Tempco
TA = TMIN to TMAX
Output Voltage Swing
+41 to +230
+36
+41
V/V
+44
±50
ppm/°C
No load
VSS + 0.05
VDD - 0.05
10kΩ load
VSS + 0.25
VDD - 0.25
Output Current Range
VOUT = (VSS + 0.25V) to (VDD - 0.25V)
Output Noise
DC to 10Hz (gain = 41,
source impedance = 5kΩ)
V/V
-0.45
(sink)
0.45
(source)
500
V
mA
µVRMS
CURRENT SOURCE
Bridge Current Range
IBDRIVE
Bridge Voltage Swing
VBDRIVE
Reference Input Voltage Range
(ISRC)
2
VISRC
0.1
IBDRIVE = 2mA
0.5
2.0
mA
VSS + 1.3
VDD - 1.3
V
VSS + 1.3
VDD - 1.3
V
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
MAX1459
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS (continued)
(VDD = +5V, VSS = 0, TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTERS
DAC Resolution
12
Bits
±1.5
LSB
DAC reference = VDD = 5.0V
2.8
mV/bit
∆VOUT
∆Code
DAC reference = VBDRIVE = 2.5V
1.4
mV/bit
FSO DAC Bit Weight
∆VISRC
∆Code
DAC reference = VDD = 5.0V
1.22
mV/bit
FSOTC DAC Bit Weight
∆VFSOT
∆Code
DAC reference = VBDRIVE = 2.5V
0.6
mV/bit
Differential Nonlinearity
DNL
Offset DAC Bit Weight
∆VOUT
∆Code
Offset TC DAC Bit Weight
IRO DAC
DAC Resolution
DAC Bit Weight
Input referred, VDD = 5V (Note 6)
3
Bits
9
mV/bit
FSOTC BUFFER (FSOTC Pin)
Output Voltage Swing
No load, VB = 5V
0.2
4.0
V
Current Drive
VFSOTC = 2.5V
-20
20
µA
INTERNAL RESISTORS
Current Source Reference
Resistor
RISRC
100
kΩ
FSO Trim Resistor
RFTC
100
kΩ
RTEMP
100
kΩ
Temperature-Dependent
Resistor
AUXILIARY OP AMP
Input Common-Mode Range
Open-Loop Gain
CMR
VSS
AV
Offset Voltage (as unity-gain
follower)
VIN = VDD/2
Output Swing
No load
Output Current
VDD
60
-30
30
VSS + 0.05
VDD - 0.05
±1
V
dB
mV
V
mA
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS (continued)
(VDD = +5V, VSS = 0, TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
DIGITAL PINS
High-Level Input Voltage
VIH
Low-Level Input Voltage
VIL
0.75 x VDD
V
0.25 x VDD
Input Hysteresis
V
2
High-Level Output Voltage
VOH
ISOURCE = 1mA
Low-Level Output Voltage
VOL
ISINK = 2mA
V
4
V
0.5
V
Excludes the sensor or load current.
All electronics temperature errors are compensated together with sensor errors.
The sensor and the MAX1459 must always be at the same temperature during calibration and use.
This is the maximum allowable sensor offset.
This is the sensor’s sensitivity normalized to its drive voltage, assuming a desired full-span output of 4V and a bridge
voltage of 2.5V. Sensors smaller than +10mV/V require an auxiliary op amp.
Note 6: Bit weight is ratiometric to VDD.
Note 1:
Note 2:
Note 3:
Note 4:
Note 5:
__________________________________________Typical Operating Characteristics
(VDD = +5V, VSS = 0, TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
SUPPLY CURRENT vs. TEMPERATURE
1.0
0.5
-20
0
20
40
60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
4
80
100 120
4.5
4.0
140
3.5
120
3.0
100
2.0
60
1.5
40
1.0
20
0.5
-20
0
20
40
60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
80
100 120
VOUT = 2.5V AT +25°C
VIN = 56.5mV
2.5
80
0
-40
MAX1459 toc03
160
RTEMP (Ω)
1.5
180
VOUT (V)
2.0
VOUT vs. TEMPERATURE
5.0
MAX1459 toc02
VOUT = 2.47V AT +25°C
0
-40
RTEMP vs. TEMPERATURE
200
MAX1459 toc01
2.5
SUPPLY CURRENT (mA)
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
0
-40
VOUT = 2.47V AT +25°C
VIN = 0
-20
0
20
40
60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
80
100 120
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
PIN
NAME
FUNCTION
1
SCLK
Data Clock Input. Used only during programming/testing. Internally pulled to VSS with a 1MΩ (typical) resistor.
Data is clocked in on the rising edge of the clock. Recommended SCLK frequency is below 50kHz.
2
CS
Chip-Select Input. The MAX1459 is selected when this pin is high. When low, OUT and DIO become high
impedance. Internally pulled to VDD with a 1MΩ (typical) resistor. Leave unconnected for normal operation.
3
DIO
Data Input/Output. Used only during programming/testing. Internally pulled to VSS with a 1MΩ (typical)
resistor. High impedance when CS is low.
4
WE
Write Enable, Dual-Function Input Pin. Used to enable EEPROM erase/write operations. Also used to set
the DAC refresh-rate mode. Internally pulled to VDD with a 1MΩ (typ) resistor. See the Chip-Select (CS)
and Write-Enable (WE) section.
5
FSOTC
Buffered Full-Span Output Temperature Coefficient DAC Output. An internal 100kΩ resistor (RFTC) connects FSOTC to ISRC (see Functional Diagram). Optionally, external resistors can be used in place of or in
parallel with RFTC and RISC.
6
AMP+
Auxiliary Op Amp Positive Input
7
AMP-
Auxiliary Op Amp Negative Input
8
AMPOUT
Auxiliary Op Amp Output
9
TEMPIN
Input pin for an External Temperature-Dependent Reference Voltage for FSOTC DAC and OTC DAC. In the
default mode, the MAX1459 uses the temperature-dependent bridge drive voltage as the FSOTC DAC and
OTC DAC reference.
10
ISRC
Current Source Reference. An internal 100kΩ resistor (RISRC) connects ISRC to VSS (see Functional
Diagram). Optionally, external resistors can be used in place of or in parallel with RFTC and RISRC.
11
OUT
Output Voltage. OUT is a Rail-to-Rail® output that can drive resistive loads down to 10kΩ and capacitive
loads up to 0.1µF.
12
VSS
Negative Power Supply
13
BDRIVE
14
INP
Positive Sensor Input. Input impedance is typically 1MΩ. Rail-to-rail input range.
15
INM
Negative Sensor Input. Input impedance is typically 1MΩ. Rail-to-rail input range.
16
TEMP1
Temperature Sensor Terminal 1
17
TEMP2
Temperature Sensor Terminal 2. RTEMP is a 100kΩ temperature-dependent resistor with 4600ppm/°C
tempco.
18
CK50
Clock Output, nominally 50kHz
19
NBIAS
Chip Current Bias Source. Connect an external 402kΩ ±1% resistor between VDD and NBIAS.
20
VDD
Sensor Excitation Current Output. The current source that drives the bridge.
Positive Power-Supply Input. Connect a 0.1µF capacitor from VDD to VSS.
Rail-to-Rail is a registered trademark of Nippon Motorola, Ltd.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5
MAX1459
Pin Description
_______________Detailed Description
The MAX1459 provides an analog amplification path for
the sensor signal and a digital path for calibration and
temperature correction. Calibration and correction is
achieved by varying the offset and gain of a programmable-gain amplifier (PGA) and by varying the sensor
bridge current. The PGA utilizes a switched-capacitor
CMOS technology, with an input-referred offset trimming range of ±63mV (9mV steps). An additional output-referred fine offset trim is provided by the offset
DAC (approximately 2.8mV steps). The PGA provides
eight gain values from +41V/V to +230V/V. The bridge
current source is programmable from 0.1mA to 2mA.
The MAX1459 uses four 12-bit DACs with calibration
coefficients stored by the user in an internal 128-bit
EEPROM. This memory contains the following information as 12-bit-wide words:
• Configuration register
• Offset calibration coefficient
• Offset temperature error compensation coefficient
• Full-span output (FSO) calibration coefficient
• FSO temperature error compensation coefficient
• 24 user-defined bits for customer programming of
manufacturing data (e.g., serial number and date)
Figure 1 shows a typical pressure-sensor output and
defines the offset, full-scale, and FSO values as a function of voltage.
FSOTC Compensation
Silicon piezoresistive transducers (PRTs) exhibit a large
positive input resistance tempco (TCR) so that, while
under constant current excitation, the bridge voltage
(V BDRIVE ) increases with temperature. This dependence of VBDRIVE on the sensor temperature can be
used to compensate the sensor temperature errors.
PRTs also have a large negative full-span output sensitivity tempco (TCS) so that, with constant voltage excitation, FSO will decrease with temperature, causing a
full-span output temperature coefficient (FSOTC) error.
However, if the bridge voltage can be made to increase
with temperature at the same rate that TCS decreases
with temperature, the FSO will remain constant.
FSOTC compensation is accomplished by resistor
RFTC and the FSOTC DAC, which modulate the excitation reference current at ISRC as a function of temperature (Figure 2). FSO DAC sets V ISRC and remains
constant with temperature while the voltage at FSOTC
varies with temperature. FSOTC is the buffered output
of the FSOTC DAC. The reference DAC voltage is
VBDRIVE, which is temperature dependent. The FSOTC
6
4.5
FULL-SPAN OUTPUT (FSO)
VOLTAGE (V)
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
FULL-SCALE (FS)
0.5
OFFSET
PMIN
PMAX
PRESSURE
Figure 1. Typical Pressure-Sensor Output
DAC alters the tempco of the current source. When the
tempco of the bridge voltage is equal in magnitude and
opposite in polarity to the TCS, the FSOTC errors are
compensated and FSO will be constant with temperature.
OFFSET TC Compensation
Compensating offset TC errors involves first measuring
the uncompensated offset TC error, then determining
what percentage of the temperature-dependent voltage
VBDRIVE must be added to the output summing junction
to correct the error. Use the offset TC DAC to adjust the
amount of BDRIVE voltage that is added to the output
summing junction (Figure 3).
Analog Signal Path
The fully differential analog signal path consists of four
stages:
• Front-end summing junction for coarse offset correction
• 3-bit PGA with eight selectable gains ranging from
41 through 230
• Three-input-channel summing junction
• Differential to single-ended output buffer with rail-torail output (Figure 3)
Coarse Offset Correction
The sensor output is first fed into a differential summing
junction (INM (negative input) and INP (positive input))
with a CMRR > 90dB, an input impedance of approximately 1MΩ, and a common-mode input voltage range
from VSS to VDD. At this summing junction, a coarse offset-correction voltage is added, and the resultant volt-
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
MAX1459
VDD
VDD
FSO
DAC
I = IISRC
AA ≈ 12IISRC = IBDRIVE
ISRC
BDRIVE
FSOTC
DAC
FSOTC
RFTC
RISRC
EXTERNAL
SENSOR
Figure 2. Bridge Excitation Circuit
1.25% VDD
DAC bits (C2, C1, C0, and IRO sign bit) are programmed in the configuration register (see Internal
EEPROM section).
BDRIVE
A2 A1 A0
INP
INM
SOTC
OFFTC
DAC
IRO
DAC
Σ
±
A = 2.3
Σ
PGA
A = 2.3
A=1
OUT
±
VDD
OFFSET
DAC
SOFF
Figure 3. Signal-Path Block Diagram
age is fed into the PGA. The 3-bit (plus sign) inputreferred offset DAC (IRO DAC) generates the coarse
offset-correction voltage. The DAC voltage reference is
1.25% of VDD; thus, a VDD of 5V results in a front-end
offset-correction voltage ranging from -63mV to +63mV,
in 9mV steps (Table 1). To add an offset to the input
signal, set the IRO sign bit high; to subtract an offset
from the input signal, set the IRO sign bit low. The IRO
Programmable-Gain Amplifier
The programmable-gain amplifier (PGA), which is used
to set the coarse FSO, uses a switched-capacitor
CMOS technology and contains eight selectable gain
levels from 41 to 230, in increments of 27 (Table 2). The
output of the PGA is fed to the output summing junction. The three PGA gain bits A2, A1, and A0 are stored
in the configuration register.
Output Summing Junction
The third stage in the analog signal path consists of a
summing junction for the PGA output, offset correction,
and the offset TC correction. Both the offset and the offset TC correction voltages are gained by a factor of 2.3
before being fed into the summing junction, increasing
the offset and offset TC correction range. The offset sign
bit and offset TC sign bit are stored in the configuration
register. The offset sign bit determines whether the offset correction voltage is added to (sign bit is high) or
subtracted from (sign bit is low) the PGA output.
Negative offset TC errors require a logic high for the offset TC sign bit. Alternately, positive offset TC errors dictate a logic low for the offset TC sign bit. The output of
the summing junction is fed to the output buffer.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
Table 1. Input-Referred Offset DAC
Correction Values
IRO DAC
OFFSET
CORRECTION
PERCENT
OF VDD
(%)
OFFSET
CORRECTION AT
VDD = 5V
(mV)
Bridge Drive
Fine FSO correction is accomplished by varying the
sensor excitation current with the 12-bit FSO DAC
(Figure 2). Sensor bridge excitation is performed by a
programmable current source capable of delivering up
to 2mA. The reference current at ISRC is established by
resistor RISRC and by the voltage at node ISRC (controlled by the FSO DAC). The reference current flowing
through this pin is multiplied by a current mirror (AA ≅
12) and then made available at BDRIVE for sensor excitation. Modulation of this current with respect to temperature can be used to correct FSOTC errors, while
modulation with respect to the output voltage (VOUT)
can be used to correct FSO linearity errors.
VALUE
SIGN
C2
C1
C0
+7
1
1
1
1
+1.25
+63
+6
1
1
1
0
+1.08
+54
+5
1
1
0
1
+0.90
+45
+4
1
1
0
0
+0.72
+36
+3
1
0
1
1
+0.54
+27
+2
1
0
1
0
+0.36
+18
+1
1
0
0
1
+0.18
+9
-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
0
0
0
1
-0.18
-9
-2
0
0
1
0
-0.36
-18
Voltage Drive Sensor
-3
0
0
1
1
-0.54
-27
-4
0
1
0
0
-0.72
-36
-5
0
1
0
1
-0.90
-45
-6
0
1
1
0
-1.08
-54
-7
0
1
1
1
-1.25
-63
For sensors with negligible FSOTC, the MAX1459 can
be configured as a fixed-voltage drive by shorting ISRC
and BDRIVE. Offset TC can then be compensated with
RTEMP. Set configuration register bit 5 to 1, and connect TEMPIN to a temperature-dependent voltage
source. This source can easily be generated by inducing a current through RTEMP. For more information on
this application, refer to the MAX1459 Reference Manual.
Table 2. PGA Gain Settings and IRO DAC
Step Size
PGA
VALUE
A2
A1
A0
PGA
GAIN
(+V/+V)
OUTPUTREFERRED IRO
DAC STEP SIZE
(VDD = 5V) (V)
0
0
0
0
41
0.369
1
0
0
1
68
0.612
2
0
1
0
95
0.855
3
0
1
1
122
1.098
4
1
0
0
149
1.341
5
1
0
1
176
1.584
6
1
1
0
203
1.827
7
1
1
1
230
2.070
Output Buffer
The output buffer (OUT) can swing within 50mV of the
supply rails with no load, or within 0.25V of either rail
while driving a 10kΩ load. OUT can easily drive 0.1µF
of capacitance. The output is current limited and can
8
be shorted to either VDD or VSS indefinitely. If CS is
brought low, OUT goes high impedance, resulting in
typical output impedance of 1MΩ. This feature allows
parallel MAX1459 connections, reducing test system
wire harness complexity.
Digital-to-Analog Converters
The four 12-bit, sigma-delta DACs typically settle in
less than 100ms. The four DACs have a corresponding
memory register in EEPROM for storage of correction
coefficients.
The FSO DAC takes its reference from VDD and controls VISRC, which sets the baseline sensor excitation
current. The FSO DAC is used for fine adjustments to
the FSO. The offset DAC also takes its reference from
VDD and provides a 1.22mV resolution with a VDD of
5V. The output of the offset DAC is fed into the output
summing junction where it is gained by approximately
2.3, which increases the resulting output-referred offset-correction resolution to 2.8mV.
Both the offset TC and FSOTC DACs take their references from a temperature-dependent voltage. In
default mode, this voltage is internally connected to
BDRIVE. Alternatively, a different temperature sensor
can be used through TEMPIN by setting bit 5 of the
configuration register. This temperature sensor can be
either RTEMP or an external temperature resistor.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
Internal Resistors
The MAX1459 contains three internal resistors (RISRC,
RFTC, and RTEMP) optimized for common silicon PRTs.
RISRC (in conjunction with the FSO DAC) programs the
nominal sensor excitation current. RFTC (in conjunction
with the FSOTC DAC) compensates the FSOTC errors.
Both RISRC and RFTC have a nominal value of 100kΩ. If
external resistors are used, RISRC and RFTC can be
disabled by setting the appropriate bit (address 07h
reset to zero) in the configuration register (Table 3).
R TEMP is a high-tempco resistor with a TC of
+4600ppm/°C and a nominal resistance of 100kΩ at
+25°C. This resistor can be used with certain sensor
types that require an external temperature sensor. The
two RTEMP terminals are available as pin 16 and pin 17
of the MAX1459.
Table 3. Configuration Register
Description
CONFIGURATION REGISTER
BIT
EEPROM
ADDRESS (hex)
DESCRIPTION
11
0B
IRO Sign, SIRO
10
0A
IRO MSB, C2
9
09
IRO, C1
8
08
IRO LSB, C0
7
07
RISRC/RFTC Selection Bit
(0 = enable internal), IRS
6
06
Reserved “0”
5
05
Temperature Sensor Selection Bit
(0 = default VBDRIVE)
4
04
PGA Gain (MSB), A2
3
03
PGA Gain, A1
2
02
PGA Gain (LSB), A0
1
01
Offset Sign Bit, SOFF
0
00
Offset TC Sign Bit, SOTC
Internal EEPROM
The MAX1459 has a 128-bit internal EEPROM arranged
as eight 16-bit registers. The 4 uppermost bits for each
register are reserved. The internal EEPROM is used to
store the following (also shown in the memory map in
Table 4):
• Configuration register (Table 3)
• 12-bit calibration coefficients for the offset and FSO
DACs
• 12-bit compensation coefficients for the offset TC
and FSOTC DACs
• Two general-purpose registers available to the user
for storing process information such as serial number, batch date, and check sums
The EEPROM is bit addressable. Program the EEPROM
using the following steps, where the bits have addresses from 0 to 127 (07F hex):
1) Read the entire EEPROM, and temporarily store the
reserved bits.
2) Erase the entire EEPROM, which causes all bits to
be 0 (see the ERASE EEPROM Command section).
3) Program 1 to the required bits, including the reserved
bits (see the WRITE EEPROM BIT Command section).
4) Read the whole EEPROM, either with the READ EEPROM BIT or with the READ EEPROM MATRIX commands (see the READ EEPROM BIT Command and
READ EEPROM MATRIX Command sections).
Configuration Register
The configuration register (Table 3) determines the
PGA gain, the polarity of the offset and offset TC coefficients, and the coarse offset correction (IRO DAC). It
also enables/disables internal resistors (R FTC and
RISRC).
DAC Registers
The offset, offset TC, FSO, and FSOTC registers store
the coefficients used by their respective calibration/
compensation DACs.
Detailed Description of the Digital Lines
Chip-Select (CS) and Write-Enable (WE)
CS is used to enable OUT, control serial communication, and force an update of the configuration and DAC
registers:
• A low on CS disables serial communication and
places OUT in a high-impedance state.
• A transition from low to high on CS forces an update
of the configuration and DAC registers from the
_______________________________________________________________________________________
9
MAX1459
The offset TC DAC output is fed into the output summing junction where it is gained by approximately 2.3,
thereby increasing the offset TC correction range. The
buffered FSOTC DAC output is available at FSOTC and
is connected to ISRC via RFTC to correct FSOTC errors.
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
Table 4. EEPROM Memory Map
EE Address
Contents
0F
0E
0D
0C
1
0
0
0
EE Address
Contents
1F
1E
1D
1C
1B
1
0
0
1
MSB
EE Address
Contents
2F
2E
2D
2C
2B
1
0
1
0
MSB
EE Address
Contents
3F
3E
3D
3C
3B
1
0
1
1
MSB
EE Address
Contents
4F
4E
4D
4C
4B
1
1
0
0
MSB
5F
5E
5D
5C
5B
0
0
0
0
EE Address
Contents
6F
6E
6D
6C
0
0
0
0
EE Address
Contents
7F
7E
7D
7C
0
0
0
0
Reserved
0B
0A
09
08
07
06
05
04
03
02
01
14
13
12
11
00
Configuration
1A
19
18
17
16
15
Offset
2A
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
Offset TC
3A
39
38
37
36
35
49
48
47
46
34
33
32
31
59
58
57
56
30
LSB
45
44
43
42
41
FSOTC
5A
20
LSB
FSO
4A
10
LSB
55
40
LSB
54
53
52
51
50
64
63
62
61
60
73
72
71
70
Reserved
6B
6A
69
68
67
66
65
User-Defined Bits
7B
7A
79
78
77
76
75
74
User-Defined Bits
= Reserved Bits
Note: The MAX1459 processes the Reserved Bits in the EEPROM. If these bits are not properly programmed, the configuration
and DAC registers will not be updated correctly.
EEPROM when the U bit of the INIT sequence is
zero.
• A transition from high to low on CS terminates programming mode.
• A logic high on CS enables OUT and serial communication (see Communication Protocol section).
WE controls the refresh rate for the internal configuration and DAC registers from the EEPROM and enables
the erase/write operations. If communication has been
initiated (see Communication Protocol section), internal
register refresh is disabled.
• A low on WE disables the erase/write operations and
also disables register refreshing from the EEPROM.
10
• A high on WE selects a refresh rate of approximately
400 times per second and enables EEPROM
erase/write operations.
• It is recommended that WE be connected to V SS
after the MAX1459 EEPROM has been programmed.
SCLK (Serial Clock)
SCLK must be driven externally and is used to input
commands to the MAX1459 or program the internal
EEPROM contents. Input data on DIO is latched on the
rising edge of SCLK.
______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
In input mode (the default mode), data on DIO is
latched on each rising edge of SCLK. Therefore, data
on DIO must be stable at the rising edge of SCLK and
should transition on the falling edge of SCLK.
Control Words
DIO will switch to output mode after receiving either the
READ EEPROM command or the READ EEPROM
MATRIX command. See the Read EEPROM section for
detailed information.
After receiving the INIT SEQUENCE on DIO, the
MAX1459 begins latching in 16-bit control words, MSB
first (Figure 5).
The first 4 bits of the control word (the MSBs,
CM3–CM0) are the command field. The last 12 bits
(D11–D0) represent the data field. The MAX1459 supports the commands listed in Table 5.
Communication Protocol
To initiate communication, the first 8 bits on DIO after
CS transitions from low to high must be 101010U0 (AA
hex or A8 hex, defined as the INIT sequence). The
MAX1459 will then begin accepting 16-bit control
words (Figure 4).
No-OP Command (0 hex)
The no-operation (No-OP) command must be issued
before and after the commands ERASE EEPROM and
WRITE EEPROM BIT. In the case of the ERASE EEPROM command, the control word must be 0000 hex. In
the case of the WRITE EEPROM BIT command, the
command field must be 0h, and the data field must
have, in its lower bits, the EEPROM address to be written (Figure 6). For example, to write location 1C hex of
If the INIT SEQUENCE is not detected, all subsequent
data on DIO is ignored until CS again transitions from
low to high and the correct INIT SEQUENCE is received.
The U bit of the INIT SEQUENCE controls the updating
of the DACs and configuration register from the internal
EEPROM. If this bit is low (U = 0, INIT SEQUENCE = A8
hex), all four internal DACs and the configuration regis-
CS
16 CLK
CYCLES
8 CLK
CYCLES
tMIN = 1.5ms
16 CLK
CYCLES
n x 16 CLK
CYCLES
SCLK
DIO
X
1
0
1
0
1
0
U
0
INIT
SEQUENCE
CM3 CM2 DO CM3 CM2 DO
CONTROL
WORD
CONTROL
WORD
CONTROL
WORDS
Figure 4. Communication Sequence
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
DIO
DATA
LSB MSB
CM3 CM2 CM1 CM0 D11 D10
LSB
D9
D8
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
D0
16-BIT CONTROL WORD
MSB
LSB
Figure 5. Control-Word Timing Diagram
______________________________________________________________________________________
11
MAX1459
ter will be updated from the EEPROM on the next rising
edge of CS (this is also the default on power-up). If the
U bit is high (INIT SEQUENCE = AA hex), the DACs
and configuration register will not be updated from the
internal EEPROM; they will retain their current value on
any subsequent CS rising edge. The MAX1459 continues to accept control words until CS is brought low.
Data Input/Output
The DIO line is an input/output pin used to issue commands to the MAX1459 (input mode) or read the
EEPROM contents (output mode).
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
No-OP
0h
0
0
0
0
ERASE EEPROM
1h
0
0
0
1
the EEPROM (one of the reserved bits), the necessary
commands are:
• 001C hex: No-OP command, with address 1C hex
in the data field
• 201C hex: WRITE EEPROM BIT command, with
address 1C hex in the data field
WRITE EEPROM BIT
2h
0
0
1
0
•
READ EEPROM BIT
3h
0
0
1
1
MAXIM RESERVED
4h
0
1
0
0
ERASE EEPROM Command (1 hex)
MAXIM RESERVED
5h
0
1
0
1
MAXIM RESERVED
6h
0
1
1
0
MAXIM RESERVED
7h
0
1
1
1
WRITE Data to
Configuration Register
8h
1
0
0
0
WRITE Data to Offset DAC
9h
1
0
0
1
WRITE Data to Offset-TC
DAC
Ah
1
0
1
0
WRITE Data to FSO DAC
Bh
1
0
1
1
WRITE Data to FSOTC DAC
Ch
1
1
0
0
When an ERASE EEPROM command is issued, all of
the memory locations in the EEPROM are reset to a
logic 0. The data field of the 16-bit word is ignored
(Figure 7).
Important: An internal charge pump develops voltages
greater than 20V for EEPROM programming operations.
The EEPROM control logic requires 10ms to erase the
EEPROM. After sending a write or erase command, failure to wait 10ms before issuing another command may
result in unreliable EEPROM operation. The maximum
number of EEPROM ERASE cycles should not exceed 100.
CONTROL OUTPUT MUX
Dh
1
1
0
1
READ EEPROM MATRIX
Eh
1
1
1
0
LOAD REGISTER
Fh
1
1
1
1
Table 5. MAX1459 Commands
HEX
CM3 CM2 CM1 CM0
CODE
FUNCTION
001C hex: No-OP command, with address 1C hex
in the data field
WRITE EEPROM BIT Command (2 hex)
The WRITE EEPROM BIT command stores a logic high
at the memory location specified by the lower 7 bits of
the data field (D6–D0). The higher bits of the data field
(D11–D7) are ignored (Figure 8). Note that to write to
the internal EEPROM, WE and CS must be high. In
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
0
DIO
DATA
LSB MSB
0
0
0
LSB
0
0
0
0
0
A6
A5
A4
A3
A2
A1
A0
16-BIT CONTROL WORD - NO-OP COMMAND (OOXX HEX)
MSB
LSB
Figure 6. No-OP Command Timing Diagram
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
DIO
0
DATA
LSB MSB
0
0
1
X
LSB
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
16-BIT CONTROL WORD - ERASE EEPROM COMMAND (1XXX HEX)
MSB
LSB
Figure 7. ERASE EEPROM Command Timing Diagram
12
______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
The READ EEPROM BIT command returns the bit
stored at the memory location addressed by the lower
7 bits of the data field (D6–D0). The higher bits of the
data field are ignored. Note that after a read command
has been issued, the DIO lines become an output and
the contents of the addressed EEPROM location will be
available on DIO for the next 15 cycles of SCLK. On the
falling edge of the 16th SCLK cycle after issuing the
READ EEPROM command, DIO returns to input mode
(Figure 9). DIO is stable on the rising edge of SCLK.
Writing to the Configuration, DAC, and
Output Select Registers
(Commands 8, 9, A, B, C, and D hex)
5) Initiate the No-OP command, with address of bit in
the data field (00XX hex), where XX is the bit
address in the data field.
6) Initiate the WRITE EEPROM BIT command, with the
same bit address in the data field (20XX hex).
7) Wait 10ms.
Commands 8 hex, 9 hex, A hex, B hex, and C hex write
the 12 bits of the data field (D11–D0) directly to the
configuration and DAC registers. These commands
must be followed by the LOAD REGISTER command
(Fxxx hex). Note that all four DACs and the configuration register can be updated without toggling the CS
line after a valid INIT SEQUENCE (Figure 10).
8) Initiate the No-OP command, with the same bit
address in the data field (00XX hex).
OUTPUT SELECT Command (D hex)
9) Return to step 5 until all necessary bits have been set.
The OUTPUT SELECT command switches the output
pin to other internal nodes instead of the default PGA
output (Figure 10). Table 6 lists the output mux settings.
10) Read EEPROM to verify that the correct calibration/
compensation coefficients have been stored.
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
0
DIO
DATA
LSB MSB
0
1
0
0
LSB
0
0
0
0
A6
A5
A4
A3
A2
A1
A0
16-BIT CONTROL WORD - WRITE EEPROM BIT COMMAND (20XX HEX)
MSB
LSB
Figure 8. WRITE EEPROM BIT Command Timing Diagram
16 CLOCK CYCLES
16 CLOCK
CYCLES
15 CLOCK CYCLES
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
DIO
0
DATA
LSB MSB
0
1
1
0
LSB
0
0
0
0
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
D0
16-BIT CONTROL WORD - READ EEPROM BIT COMMAND (30XX HEX)
MSB
LSB
DIO IS AN OUTPUT
PIN
EE BIT DATA
X
CM3 CM2 D0
CONTROL
WORD
Figure 9. Timing Diagram for READ EEPROM BIT
______________________________________________________________________________________
13
MAX1459
READ EEPROM BIT Command (3 hex)
addition, the EEPROM should only be written to at TA =
+25°C and VDD = +5V.
Writing to the internal EEPROM is a time-consuming
process and should only be done once. All calibration/compensation coefficients are determined by writing directly to the configuration and DAC registers. Use
the following procedure to write these calibration/compensation coefficients to the EEPROM:
1) Initiate the No-OP command (0000 hex).
2) Initiate the ERASE EEPROM command (1000 hex).
3) Wait 10ms.
4) Initiate the No-OP command (0000 hex).
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
__________Applications Information
Table 6. Output Mux Selection
Power-Up
MUX
VALUE
D1
D0
0 (default
power-up)
0
0
Conditioned Output Voltage
(PGA)
1
0
1
Sensor Bridge Voltage (VB)
2
1
0
Current-Source Voltage (VSPAN)
3
1
1
Power Supply Voltage (VDD)
OUTPUT
At power-up, the following occurs:
1) The DAC and configuration registers are reset to
zero.
2) CS transitions from low to high after power-up (an
internal pull-up resistor ensures that this happens if
CS is left unconnected), and the EEPROM contents
are read and processed.
3) The DAC and configuration registers are updated
either once (if WE is logic 0) or approximately 400
times per second (if WE is logic 1).
4) The MAX1459 begins accepting commands in a serial format on DIO immediately after receiving the INIT
SEQUENCE command.
The output mux facilitates the test system to monitor different voltages through the output pin.
READ EEPROM MATRIX Command (E hex)
The contents of the entire 128-bit EEPROM is available
on DIO upon issuing this command. Once the
MAX1459 receives the READ EEPROM MATRIX command, DIO turns into an output for the next 128 clock
cycles. After the 128th clock cycle, DIO returns to its
default input mode and the MAX1459 is ready to
accept new commands (Figure 11). Data on DIO
changes on falling edges of SCLK and is stable on rising edges of SCLK.
The EEPROM data on DIO is eight 16-bit words, MSB to
LSB. The sequence is then 0F hex, 0E hex, 0D hex, …,
00 hex (word 0), 1F hex, 1E hex, 1D hex, … (word 1),
…, 7F hex, 7E hex, …, 70 hex (word 7).
The MAX1459 must be programmed for proper operation.
Compensation Procedure
The following compensation procedure was used to
obtain the results shown in Table 7 and Figure 12. It
assumes a pressure transducer with a +5V supply and
an output voltage that is ratiometric to the supply voltage. The desired offset voltage (VOUT at PMIN) is 0.5V,
and the desired FSO voltage (VOUT(PMAX) - VOUT(PMIN))
is 4V; thus, the FSO voltage (VOUT at PMAX) will be 4.5V
(Figure 1). The procedure requires a minimum of two
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
DATA
DATA
LSB
CM3 CM2 CM1 CM0 D11 D10
DIO
COMMAND
LSB MSB
D9
D8
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
D0
1
1
1
1
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
16 BIT CONTROL WORD - LOAD REGISTER COMMAND (FXXX HEX)
8 HEX, 9 HEX, A HEX, B HEX, C HEX, OR D HEX WRITE REGISTER COMMAND
LSB MSB
MSB
LSB
Figure 10. Timing Diagram for Write Register Operations
16 CLOCK
CYCLES
16 CLOCK
CYCLES
16 CLOCK
CYCLES
16 CLOCK
CYCLES
16 CLOCK
CYCLES
SCLK
COMMAND
MSB
DIO
1
1
1
0
X
LSB
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
16-BIT CONTROL WORD - READ EEPROM MATRIX COMMAND (EXXX)
MSB
DIO IS AN OUTPUT PIN FOR
128 CLOCK CYCLES
DATA
LSB MSB
X
X
X
0F
0E
00
1F
1E
10
2F
2E
20
WORD 0
WORD 1
WORD 2
LSB MSB
LSB MSB
LSB MSB
LSB
7F
70 CM3 CM2 D0
WORD 7
MSB
LSB
Figure 11. Timing Diagram for Reading the Entire EEPROM Content
14
7E
______________________________________________________________________________________
CONTROL
WORD
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
ues depend on sensor behavior and require some sensor characterization data, which may be available from
the sensor manufacturer. If not, the data can be generated by performing a two-temperature, two-pressure
sensor evaluation. The required sensor information is
shown in Table 8 and can be used to obtain the values
for the parameters listed in Table 9.
3) Perform FSOTC compensation.
4) Perform offset TC compensation.
5) Perform offset calibration.
Selecting RISRC
When using an external resistor, use the equation below
to determine the value of RISRC, and place the resistor
between ISRC and VSS. Since the 12-bit FSO DAC provides considerable dynamic range, the RISRC value
need not be exact. Generally, any resistor value within
±50% of the calculated value is acceptable. If both the
internal resistors RISRC and RFTC are used, set the IRS
bit at EEPROM address bit 07 hex low.
Coefficient Initialization
Select the resistor values and the PGA gain to prevent
overload of the PGA and bridge current source.
Determine whether the MAX1459’s internal resistors are
suitable or external resistors are necessary. These val-
Table 7. MAX1459 Calibration and Compensation
TYPICAL UNCOMPENSATED INPUT (SENSOR)
NAME
TYPICAL COMPENSATED TRANSDUCER OUTPUT
DESCRIPTION
NAME
DESCRIPTION
Offset
±80% FSO
VOUT
Ratiometric to VDD at 5.0V
FSO
+15mV/V
Offset at +25°C
0.500V ±5mV
Offset TC
-17% FSO
FSO at +25°C
4.000V ±5mV
Offset TC Nonlinearity
0.7% FSO
Offset Accuracy Over Temp
Range
±28mV (±0.7% FSO)
FSO TC
-35% FSO
FSO TC Nonlinearity
0.5% FSO
FSO Accuracy Over Temp
Range
±20mV (±0.5% FSO)
Temperature Range
-40°C to +125°C
COMPENSATION TRANSDUCER ERROR
UNCOMPENSATED SENSOR ERROR
0.8
30
0.6
0.4
10
ERROR (% SPAN)
ERROR (% FSO)
20
FSO
0
OFFSET
FSO
0.2
0
-0.2
-0.4
OFFSET
-10
-0.6
-0.8
-20
-50
0
50
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
150
-50
0
50
100
150
TEMPERATURE °(C)
Figure 12. Comparison of an Uncalibrated Sensor and a Temperature-Compensated Transducer
______________________________________________________________________________________
15
MAX1459
test pressures (e.g., zero and full scale) at two arbitrary
test temperatures, T1 and T2. Ideally, T1 and T2 are the
two points where we wish to perform best linear fit compensation. The following outlines a typical compensation procedure:
1) Perform coefficient initialization.
2) Perform FSO calibration.
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
Otherwise, set IRS high and connect external resistors
as shown in Figure 13:
where Rb(T) is the sensor input impedance at temperature T1 (+25°C in this example).
RISRC ≈ 12 × Rb(T)
≈ 12 × 5kΩ ≈ 60kΩ
Selecting RFTC
When using an external resistor, use the equation
below to determine the value for RFTC, and place the
resistor between ISRC and FSOTC. Since the 12-bit
FSOTC DAC provides considerable dynamic range, the
RFTC value need not be exact. Generally, any resistor
value within ±50% of the calculated value is acceptable:
Table 8. Sensor Information for Typical PRT
PARAMETER
SENSOR
DESCRIPTION
TYPICAL
VALUES
Rb(T)
Bridge Impedance
5kΩ at +25°C
TCR
Bridge Impedance
Tempco
2600ppm/°C
S(T)
Sensitivity
+1.5mV/V per
PSI at +25°C
TCS
Sensitivity Tempco
-2100ppm/°C
O(T)
Offset
+12mV/V at
+25°C
OTC
Offset Tempco
-1000ppm/°C
of FSO
S(p)
Sensitivity Linearity Error
as % FSO, BSLF
(best straight-line fit)
0.1% FSO,
BSLF
PMIN
Minimum Input Pressure
0 psi
PMAX
Maximum Input Pressure
10 psi
Table 9. Compensation Components and
Values
PARAMETER
DESCRIPTION
RISRC
Internal (approximately 100kΩ) or usersupplied resistor that programs the nominal sensor excitation current
RFTC
Internal (approximately 100kΩ) or usersupplied resistor that compensates
FSOTC errors
APGA
Programmable-gain amplifier gain
IRO
IRO Sign
Input-referred offset sign bit
IRS
Internal resistor selection bit
OFF COEF
OFF Sign
OFFTC COEF
Offset correction DAC coefficient
Offset sign bit
Offset TC compensation DAC coefficient
OFFTC Sign
Offset TC sign bit
FSO COEF
FSO trim DAC
FSOTC COEF
16
Input-referred offset correction DAC
value
RISRC × 500ppm/°C
TCR - | TCS |
60kΩ × 500ppm/°C
≅
≅ 60kΩ
2600ppm/ ° C - | -2100ppm/ ° C |
RFTC ≅
This approximation works best for bulk, micromachined,
silicon PRTs. Negative values for RFTC indicate unconventional sensor behavior that can be compensated by
the MAX1459 with additional external circuitry.
Selecting the PGA Gain Setting
To select the PGA gain setting, first calculate
SensorFSO, the sensor full-span output voltage at T1:
SensorFSO = S x VBDRIVE x ∆P
= +1.5mV/V per PSI x 2.5V x 10 PSI
= 0.0375V
where S is the sensor sensitivity at T1, VBDRIVE is the
sensor excitation voltage (initially 2.5V), and ∆P is the
maximum pressure differential.
Then calculate the ideal gain using the following formula,
and select the nearest gain setting from Table 2:
OUTFSO
SensorFSO
4V
≅
= +106V/V
0.0375V
APGA ≈
where OUTFSO is the desired calibrated transducer
full-span output voltage, and SensorFSO is the sensor
full-span output voltage at T1.
In this example, a PGA value of 2 (gain of +95V/V) is
the best selection.
Determining Input-Referred OFFSET
The input-referred offset (IRO) register is used to null
any front-end sensor offset errors prior to amplification
by the PGA. This reduces the possibility of saturating
the PGA and maximizes the useful dynamic range of
the PGA (particularly at the higher gain values).
FSOTC compensation DAC
______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
MAX1459
+5V
COARSE
OFFSET
(IRO DAC)
VDD
BDRIVE
C2
0.1µF
RNBIAS
= 402k
1%
MAX1459
C1
0.1µF
NBIAS
INP
Σ
INM
PGA
OUT
SELECT
OUTPUT
SENSOR
AMPAMP+
ISRC
VDD
FSOTC
RFTC
RISRC
VSS
CS
WE
SCLK
DIO
128-BIT
EEPROM
DIGITAL
INTERFACE
A=1
RTEMP
RFTC
CONFIGURATION REGISTER
12-BIT D/A - OFFSET
12-BIT D/A - OFFSET TC
12-BIT D/A - FSO
12-BIT D/A - FSOTC
RISRC
AMPOUT
TEMP1
TEMP2
VSS
TEMPIN
Figure 13. Basic Ratiometric Output Configuration
First, calculate the ideal IRO correction voltage using
the following formula, and select the nearest setting
from Table 1:
[
]
IROideal = - O(T1) x VBDRIVE (T1)
= - (0.012V/V) x 2.5V
= - 30mV
where IROideal is the exact voltage required to perfectly null the sensor, O(T1) is the sensor offset voltage in
V/V at +25°C, and VBDRIVE(T1) is the nominal sensor
excitation voltage at +25°C. In this example, 30mV
must be subtracted from the amplifier front end to null
the sensor perfectly. From Table 1, select an IRO value
of 3 to set the IRO DAC to 27mV, which is nearest the
ideal value. To subtract this value, set the IRO sign bit
to 0. The residual output-referred offset error will be
corrected later with the offset DAC.
Determining OFFTC COEF Initial Value
Generally, OFFTC COEF can initially be set to 0 since
the offset TC error will be compensated in a later step.
However, sensors with large offset TC errors may
require an initial coarse offset TC adjustment to prevent
the PGA from saturating during the compensation procedure as temperature is increased. An initial coarse
offset TC adjustment is required for sensors with an offset TC greater than about 10% of the FSO. If an initial
coarse offset TC adjustment is required, use the following equation:
OFFTC COEF =
4096 x ∆VOUT (T)
∆VBDRIVE (T) x 2.3
≅
4096 x (OTC x FSO) x ∆T
≅
4096 x (-1000ppm/°C x 4V )
TCS x VBDRIVE x 2.3 x ∆T
-2100ppm/°C x 2.5V x 2.3
≅ 1357
______________________________________________________________________________________
17
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
where OTC is the sensor offset TC error as a ppm/°C of
OUTFSO (Table 8), ∆T is the operating temperature
range in °C, and OFFTC COEF is the numerical decimal
value to be loaded into the DAC. For positive values,
set the OFFTC sign bit high; for negative values, set the
OFFTC sign bit low. If the absolute value of the OFFTC
COEF is larger than 4096, the sensor has a very large
offset TC error, which the MAX1459 is unable to completely correct without the use of a temperature sensor.
FSO Calibration
Perform FSO calibration at room temperature with a fullscale sensor excitation:
1) Set FSOTC COEF to 1000.
2) At T1, adjust FSO DAC until VBDRIVE is about 2.5V.
3) Adjust offset DAC (and OFFSET sign bit, if needed)
until the T1 offset voltage is 0.5V (see OFFSET
Calibration section).
4) Measure the full-span output (measuredVFSO).
5) Calculate the ideal bridge voltage, V BIDEAL (T1),
using the following equation:
VBIDEAL (T1) = VBDRIVE x

desiredVFSO - measuredVFSO (T1)
1 +
measuredVFSO (T1)






Note: If VBIDEAL(T1) is outside the allowable bridge
voltage swing of (VSS + 1.3V) to (VDD - 1.3V), readjust
the PGA gain setting. If V BIDEAL (T1) is too low,
decrease the PGA gain setting by one step and return
to step 2. If VBIDEAL(T1) is too high, increase the PGA
gain setting by one step and return to step 2.
6) Set VBIDEAL(T1) by adjusting the FSO DAC.
7) Readjust Offset DAC until the V OUT = 0.5V (see
OFFSET Calibration section).
Three-Step FSOTC Compensation
Step 1
Use the following procedure to determine FSOTC
COEF; four variables, A–D, will be used:
1) Name the existing FSO DAC coefficient A.
2) Change FSOTC DAC to 3000.
3) Adjust FSO DAC until V BDRIVE (T1) is equal to
VBIDEAL(T1).
4) Name the new FSO DAC coefficient B.
At this point, it is important that no other changes be
made to the offset or offset TC DACs until the Offset TC
compensation step has been completed.
Step 2
To complete linear FSOTC compensation, take data
measurements at a second temperature, T2. The following equation and procedure are suitable for any two
arbitrary temperatures where T2 > T1. The following
steps are performed at temperature T2:
1) Measure the full-span output (measuredVFSO(T2)).
2) Calculate VBIDEAL(T2) using the following equation:
VBIDEAL (T2) = VBDRIVE x

desiredVFSO - measuredVFSO (T2) 
1 +

measuredVFSO (T2)


3) Set VBIDEAL(T2) by adjusting the FSO DAC.
4) Name the current FSO DAC coefficient D.
5) Change FSOTC DAC to 1000.
6) Adjust FSO DAC until VBDRIVE is equal to
VBIDEAL(T2).
7) Name the FSO DAC coefficient C.
Step 3
Insert the data previously obtained from steps 1 and 2
into the following equation to compute FSOTC COEF:
FSOTC COEF =
( )
(B - D)
(
(C - A)
1000 B - D + 3000 C - A
+
1) Load this FSOTC COEF value into the FSOTC DAC.
2) Adjust the FSO DAC until VBDRIVE(T2) is equal to
VBIDEAL(T2).
This completes both FSO calibration and FSO TC compensation.
Offset TC Compensation
The offset voltage at T1 was previously set to 0.5V;
therefore, any variation from this voltage at T2 is an
offset TC error. Perform the following steps:
1) Measure the offset voltage at T2.
2) Use the following equation to compute the correction required:
5) Readjust the offset voltage (by adjusting the Offset
DAC), if required, to VOUT = 0.5V.
18
)
______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
[
[
] 
 4096 VOFFSET (T1) - VOFFSET (T2)

 2.3 VBDRIVE (T1) - VBDRIVE (T2)

]


Note: CurrentOFFTC COEF is the current value
stored in the offset TC DAC. If the offset TC sign bit
(SOTC) is low, this number is negative.
3) Load this value into the offset TC DAC.
4) If NewOFFTC COEF is negative, set the offset TC
sign (SOTC) bit low; otherwise, set it high.
Offset TC compensation is now complete.
OFFSET Calibration
At this point, the sensor should still be at temperature
T2. The final offset adjustment can be made at T2 or T1
by adjusting the offset DAC (and optionally the offset
sign bit, SOFF) until the output (VOUT(PMIN)) reads 0.5V
at zero input pressure. Use the following procedure:
1) Set offset DAC to zero (offset COEF = 0).
2) Measure the voltage at OUT.
3) If VOUT is greater than the desired offset voltage
(0.5V in this example), set SOFF low; otherwise, set
it high.
4) Increase offset COEF until VOUT equals the desired
offset voltage.
Offset calibration is now complete. Table 7 and Figure
12 compare an uncompensated input to a typical compensated transducer output.
Sensor Selection
Silicon Piezoresistive Sensors
The MAX1459 is optimized for use with sensors
designed for current mode operation that have a TCR in
the neighborhood of 2000ppm/°C or more. Voltagemode excitation sensors have a characteristically low
TCR, which may necessitate the use of a temperature
sensor (internal or external). For more information on
using the MAX1459 in conditions such as TCR < TCS,
low TCS, or low TCR, refer to the MAX1459 Reference
Manual. The ideal sensor used with the MAX1459 will
not change input impedance as a function of mechanical excitation (pressure). PRTs that are imbalanced
behave poorly.
Strain-Gauge Sensors
The MAX1459 was optimized for signal conditioning of
piezoresistive sensors; however, it offers powerful performance for signal conditioning strain-gauge sensors
as well. Strain-gauge sensors vary greatly in perfor-
mance and compensation requirements since they are
used to measure many variables (e.g., pressure, acceleration, force, torque, etc.) and use a variety of materials for the sensing element (e.g., constantan, manganin,
etc.) and spring elements (e.g., steel, glass, aluminum,
etc.). This makes signal conditioning extremely application dependent. For more information on this application, refer to the MAX1459 Reference Manual.
Ratiometric Output Configuration
Ratiometric output configuration provides an output that
is proportional to the power-supply voltage. When used
with ratiometric A/D converters, this output provides
digital pressure values independent of supply voltage.
Most automotive and some industrial applications
require ratiometric outputs.
The MAX1459 provides a high-performance ratiometric
output with a minimum number of external components
(Figure 13). These external components include the following:
• One power-supply bypass capacitor (C1)
• Two optional resistors, one from FSOTC to ISRC, and
another from ISRC to VSS, depending on the sensor
type
• One optional capacitor C2 from BDRIVE to VSS
2-Wire, 4–20mA Configuration
In the 2-wire configuration, a 4mA current is used to
power a transducer, and an incremental current of 0mA
to 16mA proportional to the measured pressure is
transmitted over the same pair of wires. Current output
enables long-distance transmission without a loss of
accuracy due to cable resistance.
Only a few components (Figure 14) are required to
build a 4–20mA output configuration. Use a low-quiescent-current voltage regulator with a built-in bandgap
reference (such as the MAX875). Since the MAX1459
performs temperature and gain compensation of the
circuit, the temperature coefficient and the calibration
accuracy of the reference voltage are of secondary
importance.
The MAX1459 controls the voltage across resistor
R SENSE. With R SENSE = 50Ω, a 0.2V to 1.0V range
would be required during the calibration procedure.
Resistors RB, RC, and ROFF are used to set the voltage
across R SENSE. For overvoltage protection, place a
zener diode across V IN - and V IN + (Figure 14). A
feedthrough capacitor across the inputs reduces
EMI/RFI. For more information on this application, refer
to the MAX1459 Reference Manual.
In 4–20mA applications, pay close attention to thermal
management. Q1 will dissipate significant power and, if
______________________________________________________________________________________
19
MAX1459
NewOFFTC COEF = CurrentOFFTC COEF -
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
VIN+
4–20mA
12V–40V
100Ω
D
G
Q2
RX
S
PN4391
VCC
TransZorb™
5V
MAX875
GND
0.1µF
1µF
Ci
1µF
IDD ~ 3mA
VDD
AUXILIARY OP AMP
(INTERNAL TO MAX1459)
ROFF
RB
0.1µF
C
RY
MAX1459
Q1
B 2N2222
VSS
E
CF
RD
RC
GND
RSENSE
50Ω
VIN-
Figure 14. 2-Wire, 4–20mA Circuit
placed close to the pressure sensor, can cause excessive errors. Of particular concern is an extremely long
sensor-output settling time.
Nonlinearity Compensation
R TEMP can be used in conjunction with R ISRC and
RFTC to compensate for sensor nonlinearity. For more
information on this application, refer to the MAX1459
Reference Manual.
Test System Configuration
The MAX1459 is designed to support an automated
production pressure-temperature test system with integrated calibration and temperature compensation.
Figure 15 shows the implementation concept for a lowcost test system capable of testing multiple transducer
modules connected in parallel. Three-state outputs on
the MAX1459 allow for parallel connection of transducers. A digital multiplexer controls the chip-select signal
for each transducer. The test system shown in Figure
15 includes a dedicated test bus consisting of five
wires:
20
• Two power-supply lines
• One analog output voltage line from the transducers
to a system DVM
• Two serial-interface lines: DIO (input/output) and
SCLK (clock)
MAX1459 Evaluation
____________________________________Development Kit
To expedite the development of MAX1459-based transducers and test systems, Maxim has produced the
MAX1459 evaluation kit (EV kit). First-time users of
the MAX1459 are strongly encouraged to use this
kit. The MAX1459 EV kit is designed to facilitate manual programming of the MAX1459 and includes the following:
1) Evaluation Board with a silicon pressure sensor.
TransZorb is a trademark of General Semiconductor Industries,
Inc.
______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
MAX1459
CS[1:N]
CS1
MODULE 1
MODULE 2
CS
BDRIVE
INP
INM
INM
INM
MAX1459
CS
BDRIVE
INP
MAX1459
+5V
VDD
MODULE N
CS
BDRIVE
INP
SCLK
DIO
CSN
CS2
MAX1459
DIGITAL
MULTIPLEXER
SCLK
DIO
OUT
VSS
VDD
SCLK
DIO
OUT
VSS
VDD
OUT
VSS
VOUT
DVM
SCLK
TEST
OVEN
DIO
Figure 15. Automated Test System Concept
2) MAX1459 Reference Manual, which describes in
detail the architecture and functionality of the
MAX1459. This manual was developed for test engineers familiar with data acquisition of sensor data
and provides sensor compensation algorithms and
test procedures.
3) MAX1459 Communication Software, which enables
programming of the MAX1459 from a computer (IBM
compatible), one module at a time.
4) Interface Adapter and Cable, which allow the connection of the evaluation board to a PC parallel port.
MAX1459
Pilot Production System
Maxim understands that one of the biggest challenges
in pressure sensor design is the transition from prototype to production. To simplify this transition, Maxim
has developed the fully automated pilot production
system for volume applications.
The system consists of the Maxim 14XXDASBOARD
plus one or more 14XXMUXBOARD modules, a DVM,
an environmental chamber, and a pressure controller.
Only the 14XXDASBOARD and the 14XXMUXBOARD
modules are available through Maxim. The DVM, environmental chamber, and pressure controller must be
acquired through other vendors.
The 14XXDASBOARD, in conjunction with the
14XXMUXBOARD modules, allow compensation of up to
112 units. IEEE-488 commands select the active DUT
and communicate with the MAX14XX application circuits. All system voltage measurements are multiplexed
for use with a single external DVM. Each DUT interfaces
to the 14XXMUXBOARD by means of a general-purpose
transition board, which provides digital interface signals
and low-noise analog inputs. The 14XXDASBOARD is
required to operate the 14XXMUXBOARD. All driver software is incorporated into the 14XXDASBOARD firmware.
Sensor compensation procedure is implemented using
National Instruments’ LabView™ program.
LabView is a trademark of National Instruments.
______________________________________________________________________________________
21
You may have to adapt various portions of the compensation procedure if you are using a different pressure controller, oven, or DVM than what the system was
designed to accommodate. Contact factory for pricing
and availability.
Functional Diagram
VDD
COARSE
OFFSET
(IRO DAC)
BDRIVE
Customization
Maxim can customize the MAX1459 for high-volume
applications. With a dedicated cell library consisting of
more than 200 sensor-specific functional blocks, Maxim
can quickly provide customized MAX1459 solutions.
Please contact Maxim for further information.
INP
Σ
INM
MAX1459
NBIAS
PGA
OUT
OUTPUT
SELECT
AMPAMP+
ISRC
AMPOUT
VDD
RFTC
FSOTC
RISRC
VSS
CS
WE
SCLK
DIO
CONFIGURATION REGISTER
12-BIT D/A - OFFSET
12-BIT D/A - OFFSET TC
12-BIT D/A - FSO
12-BIT D/A - FSOTC
RTEMP
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
A=1
128-BIT
EEPROM
DIGITAL
INTERFACE
TEMP1
TEMP2
VSS
TEMPIN
Chip Information
TRANSISTOR COUNT: 7792
SUBSTRATE CONNECTED TO VSS
22
______________________________________________________________________________________
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
SSOP.EPS
______________________________________________________________________________________
23
MAX1459
Package Information
MAX1459
2-Wire, 4–20mA
Smart Signal Conditioner
NOTES
Maxim cannot assume responsibility for use of any circuitry other than circuitry entirely embodied in a Maxim product. No circuit patent licenses are
implied. Maxim reserves the right to change the circuitry and specifications without notice at any time.
24 ____________________Maxim Integrated Products, 120 San Gabriel Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408-737-7600
© 2000 Maxim Integrated Products
Printed USA
is a registered trademark of Maxim Integrated Products.