CAT5273 Datasheet, PDF (7/14 Pages) ON Semiconductor – Dual 256‐position I2C Compatible Digital Potentiometers (POTs)

CAT5271, CAT5273
BASIC OPERATION
The CAT5271 and CAT5273 are dual 256-position
digitally controlled potentiometers. When power is first
applied, the wipers assume a mid-scale position. Once the
power supply is stable, the wipers may be repositioned via
the I²C compatible interface.
PROGRAMMING: VARIABLE RESISTOR
Rheostat Mode
(The following section refers to CAT5271. The behavior of
CAT5273 is identical, but for this device terminal A of the
resistor is not accessible.)
The resistance between terminals A and B, R_AB, has a
nominal value of 50 kW or 100 kW and has 256 contact
points accessed by the wiper terminal, plus the B terminal
contact. Data in the 8-bit Wiper register is decoded to select
one of these 256 possible settings.
The wiper’s first connection is at the B terminal,
corresponding to control position 0x00. Ideally this would
present a 0 W between the Wiper and B, but just as with a
mechanical rheostat there is a small amount of contact
resistance to be considered, there is a wiper resistance
comprised of the R_ON of the FET switch connecting the
wiper output with its respective contact point. In CAT5271/
CAT5273 this ‘contact’ resistance is typically 50 W. Thus a
connection setting of 0x00 yields a minimum resistance of
50 W between terminals W and B.
For a 100 kW device, the second connection, or the first tap
point, corresponds to 441 W (R_WB = R_AB/256 + R_W = 390.6
+ 50 W) for data 0x01. The third connection is the next tap
point, is 831 W (2 x 390.6 + 50 W) for data 0x02, and so on.
Figure 14 shows a simplified equivalent circuit where the
last resistor string will not be accessed; therefore, there is
1 LSB less of the nominal resistance at full scale in addition
to the wiper resistance.
A
R_S
R_S
Wiper
Register
R_S
and
W
Decoder
R_S
B
The equation for determining the digitally programmed
output resistance between W and B is
R_WB
+
D
256
R_AB
)
R_W
(eq. 1)
where D is the decimal equivalent of the binary code loaded
in the 8-bit Wiper register, R_AB is the end-to-end resistance,
and R_W is the wiper resistance contributed by the on
resistance of the internal switch.
In summary, if R_AB = 100 kW and the A terminal is open
circuited, the following output resistance R_WB will be set for
the indicated Wiper register codes:
Table 8. CODES AND CORRESPONDING R_WB
RESISTANCE FOR R_AB = 100 kW, V_DD = 5 V
D (Dec.)
R_WB (W)
Output State
255
99,559
Full Scale (R_AB – 1 LSB + R_W)
128
50,050
Midscale
1
441
1 LSB
0
50
Zero Scale
(Wiper Contact Resistance)
Be aware that in the zero-scale position, the wiper
resistance of 50 W is still present. Current flow between W
and B in this condition should be limited to a maximum
pulsed current of no more than 20 mA. Failure to heed this
restriction can cause degradation or possible destruction of
the internal switch contact.
Similar to the mechanical potentiometer, the resistance of
the digital POT between the wiper W and terminal A also
produces a digitally controlled complementary resistance
R_WA. When these terminals are used, the B terminal can be
opened. Setting the resistance value for R_WA starts at a
maximum value of resistance and decreases as the data
loaded in the latch increases in value. The general equation
for this operation is
R_WA(D)
+
256 *
256
D
R_AB
)
R_W
(eq. 2)
For R_AB = 100 kW and the B terminal open circuited, the
following output resistance R_WA will be set for the indicated
Wiper register codes.
Figure 14. CAT5271 Equivalent Digital POT Circuit
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