Fast speed mode I2C bus controller
PHILIPS Electronics has launched the world's first parallel to serial interface I²C bus controller to operate at 400kHz and at low voltages of 3.3V to 2.5V.
The PCA9564 is optimised for interfacing microprocessors, microcontrollers and DSPs with multiple I²C devices or SMBus components.
With the expanded use of I²C as a maintenance and control bus, the higher speed and low voltage of this new chip enables designers to build higher performance I²C systems than currently possible.
The PCA9564 can operate as an I2C master or slave and as a transmitter or receiver, while controlling all of the I2C-bus specific sequences, protocol, arbitration and timing, with no external clock source required.
With this device, MCUs and MPUs that do not have an integrated I2C port can interface with I2C or SMBus components, and it can provide additional ports where multiple I2C bus ports are needed.
The I2C bus has become the de-facto industry standard serial bus for control, maintenance and configuration operations in most electronic applications, thanks to the simplicity of the truly plug-and-play 2-wire interface and low-cost of implementation resulting from a large installed user base.
The PCA9564, a key product within Philips broad MultiMarket portfolio, provides a lower voltage and higher frequency migration path for the widely used PCF8584 bus controller.
The lower voltage range of 2.3V to 3.6V and the high maximum I2C frequency of 400kHz is needed for today's higher performance designs.
As core voltages continue to decrease and as more devices are added to the I2C bus, faster communication speeds are required to ensure the bus does not slow performance by delaying other processor actions.
The PCA9564 off-loads much of the interface work from the processor to keep performance levels high. The lower voltage and expanded frequency range capabilities of the PCA9564 are well suited to the market's expanding use of I²C as a maintenance and control bus within many of today's computing, communication and networking systems.
The PCA9564 bus controller is released in 20-pin SO, TSSOP and HVQFN packages and is available now.
For more information on this device, application notes, evaluation boards, and other I2C logic offerings from Philips, please go to: www.semiconductors.philips.com/logic/i2c.
7-Jul-2003