NXP releases LIN transceiver with integrated voltage regulator in compact package

SINGAPORE: NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced the TJA1028, a LIN transceiver family with an integrated low-drop voltage regulator in a very small 3x3mm leadless package. The voltage regulator is designed to power an automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU), integrating the major peripheral functions around the microcontroller of a typical LIN-networked ECU into a single chip.

The combination of voltage regulator and bus transceiver makes it possible to develop compact yet powerful slave nodes in LIN bus systems. The TJA1028 is able to handle low-speed data communication in vehicles and is suitable for various LIN slave applications such as rain-light sensors, mirror modules, window lifters and switch panels.

Designed specifically to meet the stringent requirements of vehicle OEMs, such as Volkswagen, Audi, Daimler, BMW, Ford, GM, Chrysler, and Renault, the TJA1028 offers strong Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) performance with bus output designed to withstand high voltages, enabling robust automotive designs.

The TJA1028 system basis chip (SBC) family can deliver up to 70 mA and is available in 3.3V and 5.0V variants. In order to minimize current consumption, the TJA1028 supports a sleep mode in which the LIN transceiver and the voltage regulator are switched off while still having wake-up capability via the LIN bus. The TJA1028 also offers a low-power standby mode, in which the LIN transceiver is switched off while the voltage regulator is still supplying the microcontroller.

“With the TJA1028 family, NXP offers a compact, reliable and highly integrated solution which enables engineers to design smaller LIN applications for the car without sacrificing functionality or reliability,” said Rob Bouwer, product marketing manager, NXP Semiconductors. “As the number of networked components in vehicles continues to increase, NXP offers solutions which ensure automotive electronics communicate efficiently and intelligently. Through a scalable platform approach, NXP’s SBC families make it easy to create robust, fail-safe ECUs quickly and easily.”

Compact 3x3mm package
To enable smaller, lighter and more environmentally friendly LIN2.1 modules, the TJA1028 transceiver is available in a leadless HVSON8 package that measures only 3x3mm. Compared to an SO8 package, the HVSON8 reduces board space by up to 70 percent and enables smaller ECU sizes.

The HVSON8 package features better thermal characteristics and improved heat dissipation compared to standard solutions, allowing the voltage regulator to deliver up to 70mA , which is 40 percent higher than the current industry standard.

The TJA1028T/xxx/20 ensures secure data communication up to 20 kBaud, the maximum specified in the LIN standard. The TJA1028T/xxx/10 versions are optimized for a transmission speed of 10.4 kBaud, as specified in SAE J2602. By providing a flexible networking and power management solution in a single small-sized package, the TJA1028 family provides full PCB design flexibility.

NXP and the LIN Bus
A recognized leader in in-vehicle networking (IVN), NXP Semiconductors is a key player in promoting the Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus as the industry standard for low-cost communications in automotive applications. NXP offers a growing family of LIN2.x/SAE-J2602 compatible ICs complementing its proven CAN portfolio – from stand-alone LIN transceivers and both general-purpose and application-specific LIN slaves, up to highly integrated CAN/LIN Fail-Safe System Basis Chips (SBCs).

As an associate member of the LIN consortium, NXP has steered the introduction of LIN2.1/SAE-J2602 standard for in-vehicle sub-networks and has driven the definition of the LIN physical layer.