ADXC150x combo sensors integrate 4 DOF

Article By : Analog Devices

Analog Devices' ADXC150x combo sensors pack shock and vibration immunity with 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) in a single device.

Analog Devices' ADXC150x series integrates inertial combo sensors on a single device to free up space in automotive safety systems.

Minimising large error sources is critical when designing more reliable and accurate automotive safety systems such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and rollover detection. These build on traditional chassis control systems already in the vehicle, including the anti-lock braking system, traction control, and yaw control.

Current ESC and rollover detection system designs often involve two or more discrete accelerometers and gyroscopes, which offer less shock and vibration immunity while costing more and requiring more board space.

The ADXC150x combo sensor family addresses challenges associated with integrating an automotive-grade gyroscope and accelerometer in a single package. These combo sensors integrate up to 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) into a single device, which not only reduces component count and expensive, time-consuming custom integration, but also improves inertial sensing accuracy and reliability.

Yaw gyro drift over temperature is less than the typical 1 deg/s and the internal temperature sensor calibrates the output to provide excellent stability across the whole automotive temperature range (−40oC to 105oC).

The ADXC150x also features electromechanical fail-safe routines and monitors device health to ensure the integrity of the data.

The unique ADXC150x gyroscope together with its Quad-Sensor design effectively rejects linear acceleration, including external g-forces and vibration. The accelerometer features a low Q sensor beam design with exceptional noise rejection performance and a wide dynamic range that allows overload signal handling in challenging automotive environments.

Two configurations will be initially available: the ADXC1500, which features a dual-axis accelerometer with yaw rate gyro, and the ADXC1501, which features a three-axis accelerometer with yaw rate gyro. Both offer SPI digital output and are available in a 16-lead inverted cavity SOIC package for robust EMI performance.

The ADXC1500 and ADXC1501 will both be available beginning February next year.