Highly integrated, light and
proximity sensor extends battery
life, shortens design time, and saves
board space in space-constrained,
portable applications.
, a digital ambient-light and
infrared proximity sensor that
detects light like a human eye.
Designed using the company's
proprietary BiCMOS technology, this
IC integrates three optical sensors,
two ADCs, and digital functionality
into a tiny 2mm x 2mm x 0.6mm
package. This integration saves
valuable board space while delivering
optical fusion and unparalleled
light-sensing performance.
The MAX44000 also consumes very low
power: only 5µA when the ambient
sensor is enabled, and only 7µA when
both the proximity sensor and ambient
light sensor are activated. This
low-power usage significantly extends
an application's battery life. The
MAX44000 is ideal for touch-screen
applications, including smartphones,
portable devices, industrial sensors,
and presence detection.
When a smartphone is brought up to a
user's face, the touch screen must be
shut off to prevent inadvertent
touches that may disrupt the call.
Thus a proximity sensor is crucial,
so the phone can "sense" an object is
within a certain distance during a
call or any other preset event. Once
a sensed signal is received, it is
run through a DC ambient, infrared
(IR) rejection front-end circuit and
sent to an ADC. This process allows
the MAX44000 to operate in the
presence of large amounts of DC IR
radiation. By using a single-pulse
technique for pulsing the external IR
LED, the sensor is immune to
fixed-frequency external IR
radiation. This immunity leads to
more reliable sensor operation.
Traditional light sensors are
strongly influenced by ultraviolet
(UV) and IR light, which are not
perceptible by the human eye. Sensing
this light leads to inaccurate
ambient-light readings. Maxim's
BiCMOS technology enables the
integration of the two photodiodes
and an optical filter to reject UV
and IR light. This allows the
MAX44000 to replicate the optical
response of the human eye in a
variety of environments.
Additional Information
Designed for the tight space
requirements of portable systems, the
MAX44000 is offered in a lead-free,
2mm x 2mm x 0.6mm, 6-pin
UTDFN-Opto-EP package. The part
operates between -40°C to +105°C to
enhance system robustness. Prices
start at $1.65 (1000-up, FOB USA).
For more information please visit:
.
About Maxim Integrated Products
Maxim makes highly integrated analog
and mixed-signal semiconductors.
Maxim reported revenue of
approximately $2.5 billion for fiscal
2011. For more information, go to
.
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