Microchip’s energy-measurement analogue front end has two 24-bit ADCs with industry’s best accuracy, plus low power & high-speed modes

Microchip announces its next generation of energy-measurement analogue front end (AFE), the  MCP3911, which features two 24-bit, delta-sigma ADCs that operate at 3V with industry-leading accuracy of 94.5 dB SINAD and 106.5 dB THD.  This provides better energy-meter and power-monitoring performance by accurately measuring from start-up to maximum current, and enables faster calibration during production.  Four different power modes offer the flexibility of enabling either extremely low-power designs, to 0.8 mA per channel, or designs for higher-speed signals and harmonic content.  The extended temperature range allows operation from -40°C to +125°C.

The MCP3911 features 2.7 to 3.6V analogue and digital operation, which simplifies the interface by running off the same power rail as the microcontroller. An internal, low-temperature-coefficient voltage reference, along with PGAs on each channel, further enables metering and monitoring designs.

As the global energy-metering infrastructure is being upgraded and the power-monitoring market is growing, designers of energy-measurement and other signal-acquisition applications are looking for ways to increase performance whilst lowering costs.  Microchip is meeting these needs with the industry’s most accurate AFEs, which reduce power consumption with their low-power modes, and reduce costs by decreasing the number of power rails and external components.

Microchip also announces a new tool that enables development with this new AFE:  The MCP3911 Evaluation Board for 16-bit MCUs (ADM00398) is priced at $79.99 and is available today.

The MCP3911 is available today for samples and volume production, in 20-pin SSOP and QFN packages.

For more information, visit Microchip’s Web site at: http://www.microchip.com/get/XA2A