Accurate fast sensor system and frequency measurement IC

Quasi-digital sensors output the sensor data in frequency, duty-cycle or PWM format. It has always been very challenging and time consuming to measure with a micro-controller the sensor signal as accurate as specified in the sensor specification. Often reducing the quality of the sensor reading. By using the USTI a high-resolution conversion is now available. The USTI is a fully digital CMOS integrated circuit based on novel patented methods. The USTI can measure frequency, period, pulse count, rpm rotation speed, frequency ratio, duty-cycle, frequency difference and phase-shift measurements with a relevant error of 0.0005%. The 0.0005% error is constant over the full input frequency from 0.05 Hz to 9 MHz or 144 MHz by using prescaling. The USTI has serial, SPI and I²C interface and can be used in slave or master mode.

In addition to measuring quasi-digital sensors the USTI can interface to resistive, including platinum (Pt), cuprum (Cu) resistors, thermistors (Ni), resistive bridges and capacitive sensing elements.

USTI-EXT extended temperature
The USTI-EXT has an extended temperature range -55 °C to + 150 °C suitable for automotive, avionics, space and military applications. This means the transducer can be used directly in or near gearboxes, transfer cases, engines, turbochargers and exhaust systems. This ICs can be used for various quasi-digital vehicle sensors such as wheel speed sensor, fuel level sensor and turbine speed sensors.

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Smart sensor systems
Using the USTI makes it is possible to built a wide variety of smart sensor and intelligent sensor systems. TEDS (Transducer Electronic Datasheet) specification can be programmed in flash memory as required for IE 1451. The USTI is available in various packages PDIP, TQFP and MLF. The small package size allows the USTI to be designed within the sensor offering sensor designers increased resolution, programmable accuracy and I2C, SPI and serial interface ports.

Frequency measurements
An evaluation board based on the UFDC-1 is available for 2 channel accuarate frequency, rpm and other time-domein measurements. With this low cost evaluation board it is possible to make high accuracy measurements equal to expensive benchtop frequency meters The EVAL-UFDC board has an RS-232 serial port for control of the UFDC. Simple commands are used to set resulution, conversion speed, modes and start/stop the measurement.

Applications
All quasi-digital sensors, temperature sensors, optical light to frequency sensors, quartz pressure transducers, strain-gauge to frequency converters, accelerometers, ABS brake systems, wheel speed sensor, turbine speed sensors, pressure sensors, fuel level sensors, mass air flow sensor, torque sensor, chemical, gas and Biosensors.