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Current-sense amplifier saves system power and board space

A comparator duo complements the new current-sense amplifier to perform overcurrent detection

By Majeed Ahmad, contributing writer

Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) is pairing its new current-sense amplifier with the company’s recently released comparators to facilitate overcurrent detection in designs such as peripherals, docking stations, and notebooks for personal electronics, enterprise, industrial, and communication applications.

The INA185 current-sense amplifier features a 55-µV input offset that enables higher-precision measurements at low currents. Moreover, its 350-kHz bandwidth and 2-V/µS slew rate permit phase-current reproduction to enhance motor efficiency and save system power. TI claims the current-sense amplifier, which measures 1.6 × 1.6 mm, is 40% smaller than the closest competitive leaded packages.

In addition, the precisely matched resistive gain network in the amplifier enables a maximum gain error as low as 0.2% for better performance over temperature and process variations. The device offers a typical response time of 2 µS for fast fault detection to prevent system damage.

TI-INA185-current-sense-amplifier-small

TI’s open-drain TLV4021 and push-pull TLV4041 comparators support precise voltage monitoring while optimizing the board space with integrated voltage reference. These comparators can monitor voltages as low as the 0.2-V internal reference and feature a high threshold accuracy of 1% across a temperature range of −40°C to 125°C.

Together, the INA185 and the TLV4021 or TLV4041 can reduce a system’s total footprint by 15%. TI also claims that they are 50 times faster than competitive devices.

The price of the INA185 current-sense amplifier starts at $0.65 in 1,000-unit quantities. Pricing for the TLV4021 and TLV4041 comparators starts at $0.39 in 1,000-unit quantities. Two evaluation modules — INA185EVM  and TLV4021-41EVM  — are available for $25.00 each. All devices and modules are available through the TI store and authorized distributors.

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