MAX6377XR31+T

PMIC - Supervisors

PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit) supervisors are a type of integrated circuit used in the design of various applications. In particular, the MAX6377XR31+T is a single-chip supervisor that is optimized for applications in the industrial and medical sectors. This article explores the application field and working principle of this device.

Application Field

The MAX6377XR31+T can be used to protect microcontroller based systems against over-voltage, under-voltage, and overtemperature conditions. It monitors the system power supply voltages and will notify the system of a critical event when sensed. It is single-chip and one of the smallest solutions in the supervisors market. The supervisor datasheet highlights the following features:

• Accurate and high-speed monitoring and protection of three power supply voltages
• Three independent reset sources - power-on reset (POR), under-voltage monitoring (UVM), and overtemperature monitoring (OTM)
• Low hysteresis UVM/OTM reset monitoring for quick trip response
• Active high and low reset outputs for optimal system reset flexibility
• Low quiescent current, low power consumption

The supervisor is ideal for industrial and medical systems that require power supply monitoring and protection capabilities. Combined with the MAX6377XR31+T’s low-power consumption, the supervisor can effectively extend the battery life of portable and distributed systems. As a result, the supervisor has become a popular solution for use in a wide range of applications.

Working Principle

The MAX6377XR31+T is a low-power supervisor IC. It is designed to protect system by monitoring the power supply voltages. The Figure below shows a schematic diagram of the MAX6377XR31+T.

The device has three independent power supply monitoring blocks. Each block consists of two comparators and two latches. The five inputs to the MAX6377XR31+T are VDD, VDD-L, VDD-U, T-U and T-L. The VDD and VDD-L/U voltages are monitored and compared with the voltage ranges set by VDD-L and VDD-U. When the power supply voltage is out of range, one of the comparators within the power supply monitoring block will output an UVM or OVF (over-voltage fault) signal. The OVM and UVM signals are latched by the D-typeflip-flops. When the OVM or UVM signals are active, the reset outputs (RESET and RST-L) are then asserted to reset the system.

The T-U and T-L voltages are monitored and compared with the overtemperature threshold set by the T-U and T-L inputs. When the overtemperature threshold is exceeded, the OTFAIL signal will be asserted and latched. This will cause the RESET and RST-L outputs to be asserted, resetting the system. The RESET and RST-L will stay asserted until the POR input is pulsed.

Conclusion

The MAX6377XR31+T supervisor is an integrated circuit used in industrial and medical applications. It monitors the power supply voltages and can notify the system of a critical event when sensed. The supervisor also monitors the overtemperature sensing voltage and will reset the system when necessary. With its small size and low-power conduction, the MAX6377XR31+T is becoming a popular choice for use in a variety of industrial and medical applications.