DS3903E

Data Acquisition - Digital Potentiometers

DS3903E is a miniature digital potentiometer specifically designed for inter-IC control and digital adjustment of bias currents in voltage regulator modules, as well as physical parameter adjustment in portable systems and audio systems. It is a three-terminal, non-volatile, digitally-controlled device comprising a wiper, resistor element and an advanced control circuit containing a memory array, an advanced control circuit and an I2C interface.

Application Field

DS3903E\'s applications are in many areas, such as:

• System calibration and compensation in the field of professional remote video engineering.
• Servo control system debugging and parameter adjustment.
• Consumer electronic products such as digital cameras, electronic toys and electronic books.
• Machine vision system control, etc.

Working Principle

DS3903E uses a set of N+1 taps that can be read and written by the I2C bus. The use of multiple taps is beneficial and can be said to be essential, as it allows digital adjustment of the resistance value of the device to be achieved with a minimum of data. The digital voltage adjustment is based on the concept of a digital potentiometer and ‘ratio scale’, which constitutes the simplest, most efficient and most accurate way to adjust the value of a physical parameter.

The output voltage is determined by a combination of the inputs from the three control elements: the wiper, A and B. The relationship between the control elements is analogous to the fixed resistors in a traditional passive potentiometer, forming a voltage divider. In a DS3903E device, the resistance values between the taps are precisely controlled and virtually fixed in order to maintain a stable voltage value even when subjected to severe temperature extremes. The resistance values can be altered at any time by moving the wiper to a new tap, an instruction of which can be written to the device via the I2C bus.

Conclusion

The DS3903E digital potentiometer by Maxim Integrated is a versatile, digital potentiometer that can be used to control a wide range of systems and applications. Its precision and reliability are ideal for applications when precise, stable voltage is required over a wide temperature range. The device is equipped with an advanced control circuit, open-drain I2C interface and non-volatile memory, which simplifies operation and ensure performance and reliability.