Senasic cutting-edge technology: Universal Sensor Interface Chip USI — SNU301

2023-03-14

In this issue, we introduce the SENASIC Universal Sensor Interface Chip: SNU301.

SNU301

SNU301 is a chip designed to drive capacitive pressure sensors, used for pressure and temperature measurements. It features internal high-resolution ADC, temperature compensation, and pressure compensation, providing calibrated pressure data directly. Additionally, SNU301 supports a wide operating temperature range of -40°C to 150°C, integrates reliable designs such as reverse power protection, and has undergone AEC-Q100 automotive standard testing, meeting stringent requirements for automotive applications.

Chips in automobiles serve as the "brains," driving the intelligence of vehicles. It can be said that the intelligence of automobiles is synonymous with the intelligence of chips. With the continuous increase of functions such as autonomous driving and new energy, vehicles require more and more sensors, ranging from overall vehicle power and control to specific systems like braking, emissions, and engine control, all of which involve sensors.

SNU301, capable of driving capacitive pressure sensors, helps vehicles measure pressure and temperature in real-time. It feeds this information back to the vehicle's environmental perception system, allowing the vehicle to make timely adjustments, thus optimizing the performance of each system.

working principal

Capacitive sensors are widely used for measurements in displacement, angle, vibration, speed, pressure, composition analysis, and dielectric properties, among others.


工作原理1.jpg

A typical application of SNU301 is to be used in conjunction with a parallel plate capacitive sensor for pressure measurement. The pressure capacitive sensor converts external pressure into changes in capacitance through its capacitive structure.


image.png

SNU301 can drive capacitive sensors and, by measuring changes in capacitance, output calibrated power-related proportional voltage or SENT signals. SENT (Single Edge Nibble Transmission) protocol is a common digital signal interface used for sensor signals in automotive electronics. It is a one-way, low-cost communication implementation.


image.png

Application Scenarios

In the automotive field, applications for pressure and temperature measurement are widely distributed across areas such as engine control, air conditioning systems, oil circuit control, transmission control, chassis control, and others. They are indispensable components of the automotive signal chain.


image.png

System Diagram

SNU301 consists of two main functional modules: power management and signal chain. The signal chain comprises several parts including analog front end, analog-to-digital conversion, digital signal processing, and output interfaces.


image.png

Features


  • Power Supply Voltage: 4.5V~5.5V

  • ESD HBM: ±2000V

  • Latch-up: ±200mA

  • OTP: 256Bytes

  • Built-in high-precision PGA

  • Built-in two channels of high-resolution 24-bit ADC

  • Built-in temperature sensor with external temperature sensor support

  • Supports analog diagnostic voltage output

  • Output Interface: Absolute voltage, proportional voltage, SENT

  • Package: SSOP16

  • Complies with AEC-Q100 Grade 0 certification



For more product information and requirements for complementary development tools, please contact SENASIC technical support at info@senasic.com.

* Some images are sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, please contact us for removal.