Automotive Design Center

With the instrument cluster being the focal point of the driver for displaying critical information along with the status of various systems within the car. In low end clusters designs for emerging markets, a combination of gauges and segmented LCD displays are used to communicate speed, tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, battery voltage and engine temperature to the driver.

The PIC16, PIC18 and PIC24 microcontrollers are performance oriented with a broad array of on-chip peripherals provide the system designer with versatile options to support segmented LCD display requirements for low end systems. The system designer can choose a microcontroller with sufficient performance to support Zero Position Detect for the stepper motor controlled gauges without compromising the need for high performance, real time control and low power consumption. The Zero Position Detect is used to determine the default startup position and to calibrate the stepper motors.The on-chip PWMs can be used for “microstepping” of the stepper motors. The integrated PWM modules allow for easy implementation of the microstepping algorithm which simplifies the system design.
With on-chip peripherals to support LCD modules and the CAN communication protocol, the system designer is able to choose the appropriate PICmicrocontroller to address the system requirements for LCD displays and CAN communications. With optimum on-chip peripheral integration and robust design innovations, the system designer’s design experience is simplified while providing feasible options for lower systems costs.
From supporting display biasing and back lighting to real time control of the stepper motors to supporting communication interfaces, the need for different power rails creates challenges for the power supply design. Some electronic control modules are using SEPIC and Buck Converters with multiple level output voltages and different current ratings.
Using high speed adaptable PWMs like the MCP1630 is ideal for their power supply solutions as it provides the system designer with an excellent current mode controller with fast response time and provides a very tight limit to the maximum switch current over a wide range of input voltages while maintaining low quiescent current performance.
The low power, low dropout regulators, MCP170X family, are available to the system designer being challenged to reduce the battery leakage current in the ignition off condition and for low operating current to support longer battery life.