New Contactless Position Sensor from ams Provides Reliable, Software-Compatible Replacement for Rotary Encoders
November 03 2014 - 2:41AM
Business Wire
AS5601 is optimized for use in rotary knobs, and provides an
innovative push-button function
The new AS5601 contactless rotary position sensor from ams AG
(SIX: AMS), a leading provider of high performance analog ICs and
sensors, gives designers an extremely reliable replacement for
conventional rotary encoders, while providing a software-compatible
incremental quadrature output.
In devices which use rotary knobs, the AS5601 and its paired
magnet may replace a rotary encoder without any change to the host
microcontroller or its application software.
The AS5601 is based on ams’ proven patented magnetic Hall
position-sensing technology, which is already widely used in the
automotive, industrial, medical and consumer markets. Since the
AS5601 performs contactless rotary position measurement, it suffers
none of the reliability problems with which conventional rotary
encoders are plagued. They are notoriously prone to interference
and premature failure because of the effects of mechanical wear and
contamination by dust, grease, dirt and humidity.
The robust differential sensing circuit in the AS5601 also
rejects interference from external magnetic stray fields.
The AS5601’s operation, including its zero position, provides
for easy configuration, since its register settings are accessed
via an I2C interface and are saved in on-chip OTP memory.
In addition, the quadrature (A/B) output offers great
flexibility, providing between 8 and 2048 positions. This means
that the AS5601 may be used, for instance by off-the-shelf rotary
knob or encoder manufacturers, in multiple end products with
different output requirements. Users of the AS5601 also have the
choice of a 12-bit digital output, suitable for designs that are
not directly replacing a conventional rotary encoder.
As well as measuring angular displacement, the AS5601 can detect
button presses. Algorithms implemented in the AS5601 reliably
detect a sudden significant reduction in the air gap between the IC
and its paired magnet, generating a PUSH output signal. This
push-button function is immune to variations in magnetic field
strength due to temperature variations or ageing.
By default, the AS5601 automatically enters one of three
low-power modes, keeping power consumption to a minimum by reducing
the scanning frequency when the device has been inactive for a
defined interval. In the lowest-power mode, the AS5601 draws just
1.5mA.
‘The clever design of the AS5601’s signal-processing circuitry
allows for the provision of a simple quadrature output with which
every rotary encoder user will be familiar. This means that
solid-state rotary measurement technology is for the first time
able to replace unreliable rotary encoders without any need for new
software programming in existing designs,’ said Heinz Oyrer, senior
manager for global marketing in the position sensing business line
of ams.
A demonstration board for the contactless rotary position sensor
AS5601 is available online from ams. For further information on the
AS5601 and to request samples, please visit
www.ams.com/Rotary-Position-Sensor/AS5601
Download Press Pictures and Block Diagram at
http://www.ams.com/eng/Press/Press-Releases/
ams AGPatricia Moosburger, Media Relationsphone: +43 (0) 3136
500 31235press@ams.comwww.ams.com
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