SNVS829E March 1999 – February 2017 LMP8480 , LMP8481
PRODUCTION DATA.
NOTE
Information in the following applications sections is not part of the TI component specification, and TI does not warrant its accuracy or completeness. TI’s customers are responsible for determining suitability of components for their purposes. Customers should validate and test their design implementation to confirm system functionality.
The LMP848x amplifies the voltage developed across a current-sensing resistor when current passes through it. Flexible offset inputs allow adjusting the functionality of the output for multiple configurations, as discussed throughout this section.
The input common-mode range, where common-mode range is defined as the voltage from ground to the voltage on RSP input, must be in the range of 4.0 V to 76 V. Operation below 4.0 V on either input pin introduces severe gain error and nonlinearities.
The maximum differential voltage (defined as the voltage difference between RSP and RSN) must be 667 mV or less. The theoretical maximum input is 700 mV (14 V / 20).
Taking the inputs below 4 V does not damage the device, but the output conditions during this time are not predictable and are not ensured.
If the load voltage (Vcm) is expected to fall below 4 V as part of normal operation, preparations must be made for invalid output levels during this time.
The LMP8480 is designed for unidirectional current sense applications. The output of the amplifier is equal to the differential input voltage times the fixed device gain.
The output voltage can be calculated from Equation 9:
Note that the minimum zero reading is limited by the lower output swing and input offset. The LMP8480 is functionally identical to the LMP8481, but with the VREFA and VREFB nodes grounded internally. The LMP8481 can replace the LMP8480 if both the VREF inputs (pins 6 and 7) are grounded.
Bidirectional operation is required where the measured load current can be positive or negative. Because VSENSE can be positive or negative, and the output cannot swing negative, the zero output level must be level-shifted above ground to a known zero reference point. The LMP8481 allows for the setting this reference point.
The VREFA and VREFB pins set the zero reference point. The output zero reference point is set by applying a voltage to the REFA and REFB pins; see the Unidirectional Application With the LMP8480 section. The VREFA and VREFB Pins (LMP8481 Only) section describes the output transfer function with a 1.2-V reference applied to the gain-of-20 option.
Take care if the output is driving an A/D input with a maximum A/D maximum input voltage lower than the amplifier supply voltage because the output can swing higher than the planned load maximum resulting from input transients or shorts on the load and overload or possibly damage the A/D input.
A resistive attenuator, as shown in Figure 31, can be used to match the maximum swing to the input range of the A/D converter.