Catalyst Semiconductor Mixed-Signal IC Selected by Solidyne Corporation
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2001--Catalyst Semiconductor (Nasdaq:CATS - news) today announced that its mixed-signal Supervisory Circuit with EEPROM memory has been designed into a new pool and spa heater control product designed and manufactured by Solidyne Corporation of Rolling Meadows, Illinois.
``We are very pleased Solidyne selected our latest mixed-signal integrated circuit, the CAT1163 Supervisor with on-chip EEPROM memory, as a key component in their new Universal Pool and Spa Controllers,'' said David Gillooly, director of marketing at Catalyst Semiconductor. ``By adding EEPROM memory to a supervisor with a watchdog timer, we offer design engineers technology that traditional supervisory circuit suppliers lack.''
Solidyne Chairman Baha Erturk said, ``Field reliability and safety are very important for our controller products. With Catalyst Semiconductor's CAT1163 supervisor, with on-chip watchdog and memory, we are confident an unattended embedded control system will work reliably in the field. Along with the supervisory functions, the on-chip EEPROM memory supports our embedded microcontroller. With 16k-bits of memory available, we have sufficient storage area for future product enhancements. Without a major redesign effort, we can even add our factory test firmware, which allows the controller to test itself, and then clear the test program if the controller board is 100 percent functional.''
Mr. Erturk added, ``The CAT1163 is used in our new Model TC2000 Pool and Spa Heater Controller that was designed for a major United States based supplier. The CAT1163 is an extremely important part of the design that we rely on very heavily. Not only does the CAT1163 store all the operational parameters of the controller, but it also makes sure that the microcontroller is operating properly at all times. The safe operation of the entire controller is in the hands of the CAT1163, as it acts as a watchdog for the controller. Our Universal Pool and Spa Heater Controller operates the water heater completely, without the need of additional controllers or modules.''
Solidyne TC2000 Product Highlights
The Solidyne TC2000 Pool and Spa Heater Controller features and capabilities include:
Graphic LCD display shows system status with dynamically changing and moving icons that represent, for example, rotating pump propellers, flowing water and flame status.
Keyboard for system programming and heater control can be locked to prevent tampering.
Time of day scheduling.
Water temperature control in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Freeze protection always detects sudden temperature changes.
Pump control for temperature control and freeze protection.
Alarm outputs indicate precise heater problems with specific fault codes.
Gas valve operation and ignition circuits are monitored and controlled.
Sense water pressure switches and high temperature cut off safety switches.
Incoming power line brownout monitoring insure system reliability and safety.
Hot surface ignition for propane or natural gas.
Continuously checks and monitors flames with simple flame rod.
Self-monitors internal safety systems.
Draft exhaust fans for pre-purge and post-purge air control for safety.
The domestic market for pool heaters is approximately 250,000 units per year.
Catalyst CAT116x Applications and Family Highlights
The CAT116x family represents the newest member of Catalyst's broad line of analog and mixed-signal components that incorporate EEPROM memory technology. The CAT 116x family consists of three low-power supervisory circuits with on-chip memory. Five reset voltage options support 5V, 3.3V and 3V powered systems.
Part Number Description
CAT1161 Supervisor with Watchdog and I2C compatible 16k bit
EEPROM. SDA input is the watchdog input.
CAT1162 Low cost Supervisor with I2C compatible 16k bit EEPROM.
CAT1163 Supervisor with Watchdog, I2C compatible 16k bit EEPROM
and independent watchdog timer input.
Potential applications include power meters, temperature controllers, smart instruments, personal communication devices, white goods, office equipment, automatic test equipment, Internet appliances, industrial process controllers and communication systems.
AE2 Technology Advantages
Other planned Analog EEPROM (AE2 (TM)) products include Digitally Programmable Potentiometers (DPP(TM)), low dropout voltage regulators, DC-DC converters and microprocessor supervisory circuits. By adding EEPROM technology to analog and mixed-signal circuits, parameters can be programmed either at the factory or in the field. With a low dropout voltage regulator, for example, the output voltage can be programmed at the wafer stage or after package assembly, thus allowing Catalyst to quickly react and respond to customer needs without going through a lengthy wafer manufacturing process. |
