CAP1208-1-A4-TR Integrated Circuits (ICs)

This article is about the application field and working principle of CAP1208-1-A4-TR, which belongs to the category of interface - sensor, capacitive touch.

CAP1208-1-A4-TR is a capacitive touch sensing system-on-chip (SoC) with an embedded AVR MCU. It is manufactured by Maxim Integrated and marketed as a highly cost-effective solution for a variety of applications in consumer, industrial, and automotive markets. The device integrates a dual-channel capacitive touch controller with an 8-bit AVR Microcontroller Unit (MCU) and offers a range of features including: up to 64 sensing channels, thermal protection, low power consumption, fast-response interrupt outputs and a wide range of interface options.

The main application of CAP1208-1-A4-TR is touch panel and keyboard applications. Its integrated AVR makes it ideal for HMI applications where the display and input interface needs to be combined. It can also be used in other applications such as door locks, control panels, consumer appliances, medical and industrial equipment, etc. where a low cost and reliable capacitive touch sensing solution is required.

The working principle of the CAP1208-1-A4-TR is based on the principle of capacitive sensing. It uses the electro-magnetic field generated between two plates of a capacitor to detect touch. The device consists of four primary components: a sense plate, a ground plate, a controller, and an AVR MCU. The sense plate is where the touch event is located, and which acts as one plate of the capacitor. The ground plate is the other plate of the capacitor, and is placed in close proximity to the sense plate. The controller is responsible for driving an alternating current through the plates and measuring the changes in capacitance that result from the sensing of a touch event. The MCU is responsible for interpreting the sensor data, processing user input and generating corresponding feedback.

In conclusion, the CAP1208-1-A4-TR is a cost-effective and reliable capacitive touch sensing SoC that is ideal for touch panel and keyboard applications in a range of different markets. The device works on the principle of capacitive sensing, utilizing a sense plate, a ground plate, a controller and an AVR MCU to detect and process user input.