ams introduces first LIN slave companion IC to support automotive ISO26262 requirements

ams, a leading provider of high performance analog ICs and sensors, announced that the AS8530 is the world's first miniature power/transceiver IC to support LIN slave applications, which complies with the ISO26262 functional safety standard. The AS8530 is a power management and communication device that includes a LIN 2.1 transceiver, a 50mA LDO to supply a local micro and a reset generator in an 8-pin SOIC 8 package. As a differentiator, the AS8530 offers a series of system management functions through a shared pin serial interface, all within the same small, 8-pin SOIC8 package. The addition of enhanced diagnosis functions provides built-in support for the requirements of ISO26262. A two-wire serial port routed through shared Enable and TX pins allows the device to read out status registers and provide diagnosis information to the system's microcontroller. It also supports additional features such as a window watchdog function and access to back-up registers to store data when the microcontroller shuts down. These features are crucial in the design of ISO26262-compliant systems, which must be able to cease operation safely when in a fault condition, before the vehicle is at risk of endangering passengers or other road users. The AS8530 is suitable for any LIN-networked sensor and actuator slaves including those found in door modules, sunroofs and headlight positioning units. It is ideally suited for safety-critical systems that require an ASIL grading under the provisions of the ISO26262 standard. The on-chip LDO provides a factory-selectable 3.3V or 5V output. The chip also offers a reset generator and an output voltage monitor and has a unique chip ID to support traceability requirements. Power-saving stand-by and sleep modes, as well as the normal operating mode, can be triggered via the Enable pin. Bernd Gessner, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the automotive business unit at ams, said, "ISO26262 compliance has added a new layer of complexity and difficulty to the task of designing many automotive systems. In LIN applications, the use of the AS8530 with its built-in ISO26262 diagnosis capabilities makes it much simpler for our customers to meet the demands of this rigorous standard." Price & Availability The AS8530 LIN IC is in volume production now. It is priced at $2.21 for 1,000 pieces. ams