Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. has unveiled a brushless DC motor pre-driver IC for use in automotive electric power steering (EPS) systems. The new TB9081FG is compliant with Automotive Safety Integrity Level D (ASIL D), the most rigorous measure defined within functional safety-based standard ISO26262.
ISO26262 certification recognizes that processes or products meet stringent criteria specified in the standard, providing third parties the ability to assess the capabilities of a potential supplier.
The TB9081FG motor pre-driver IC integrates key main functions such as three-phase pre-driver circuits, fail-safe relay pre-driver circuits and motor current detection circuits, with a range of failure-detection circuits. The integration enables designers to build systems geared for functional safety; built-in VB over/under voltage detection; VCC over/under detection; over temperature detection; and short detection. The diagnostic circuit in the failure-detection circuit identifies latent faults, while the fail-safe relay pre-driver circuits drive the semiconductor relay connections between the motor and MOSFET and between the power-supply side and MOSFET.
Housed in a 12 mm x 12 mm x 1.6 mm LQFP64 package, the TB9081FG features 11 pre-driver channels and operates at 4.5V to 18V. Voltage drop caused by cranking after idling reduction is accommodated by improving battery operation voltage range down to 4.5V. Operating temperatures for the device range from -40 to 125 degrees C.
Sample shipments are under way with mass production beginning in August 2017.
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