APPLICATION NOTE

AN1145
Rev 1.00
A Compendium of Application Circuits for Intersil Digitally-Controlled (XDCP) Potentiometers Jan 9, 2013

Introduction Electronic digitally-controlled (XDCP) potentiometers provide

three powerful application advantages:
This application note lists a number of application circuits for
Intersil’s digitally-controlled (XDCP) potentiometers. The 1. The variability and reliability of a solid-state potentiometer.
application circuits illustrate the wide variety of possible 2. The flexibility of computer-based digital controls.
functions which can be implemented using the variability of 3. The retentivity of nonvolatile memory used for the storage
the potentiometer in conjunction with standard active devices of multiple potentiometer settings or data.
like operational amplifiers and comparators. The types of
In addition, the packages of the potentiometers are
circuits include control circuits, converters, filters, signal
completely compatible with other electronic components and
processing circuits, regulators, wave shapers, analog
hence reduce manufacturing assembly costs.
computing circuits and signal sources. The circuits are shown
in basic form and do not include supply decoupling or proper
grounding techniques. The user must account for these in the
final design.
Intersil’s potentiometers are controlled through the 2-wire, I2C,
3-wire, or SPI computer serial-interfaces or buses. For front
panel, push button type applications, Intersil’s push pots are
recommended.

Applications

VR VR

VW

THREE TERMINAL POTENTIOMETER;

TWO TERMINAL VARIABLE RESISTOR;
VARIABLE VOLTAGE DIVIDER
VARIABLE CURRENT

FIGURE 1. BASIC CONFIGURATIONS OF ELECTRONIC POTENTIOMETERS

AN1145 Rev 1.00 Page 1 of 7

Jan 9, 2013
 A Compendium of Application Circuits for Intersil
Digitally-Controlled (XDCP) Potentiometers

Application Circuits
+V +V
R1
+V
+5V
VW X
ISL28177 VW
VREF +
VOUT
– +V

–5V
VW

VOUT = VW
(a) (b)

FIGURE 2. BUFFERED REFERENCE VOLTAGE FIGURE 3. CASCADING TECHNIQUES

VS + ISL28110
VO VIN 317 VO (REG)
–
R1

R2
Iadj
R1 R2

VO = (1+R2/R1)VS VO (REG) = 1.25V (1+R2/R1)+Iadj R2

FIGURE 4. NONINVERTING AMPLIFIER FIGURE 5. VOLTAGE REGULATOR

+5V
R1 R2
2.2k
VS ISL28915
VS –
VO
100k
+
–
VO
+
ISL28110
}

10k R1 R2

10k 10k
VUL = {R1/(R1+R2)} VO(MAX)
VLL = {R1/(R1+R2)} VO(MIN)
+12V -12V

FIGURE 6. OFFSET VOLTAGE ADJUSTMENT FIGURE 7. COMPARATOR WITH HYSTERISIS

AN1145 Rev 1.00 Page 2 of 7

Jan 9, 2013
 A Compendium of Application Circuits for Intersil
Digitally-Controlled (XDCP) Potentiometers

Application Circuits (Continued)

C
ISL28117
VS +
R1 R2 VO
–
–
VO R
VS +
ISL28108
R3
R2
R4
R1 = R 3 = R4
R1
R2 = 2R1

VO = G VS GO = 1 + R2/R1
-1/2 ≤ G ≤ +1/2 fc = 1/(2RC)

FIGURE 8. ATTENUATOR FIGURE 9. FILTER

R2
R1 R2 C1 ISL28117
VS +
}

VS
–

– R1
VO ZIN
+
ISL28107 R3

VO = G VS ZIN = R2 + s R2 (R1 + R3) C1 = R2 + s Leq

G = - R2/R1 (R1 + R3) >> R2

FIGURE 10. INVERTING AMPLIFIER FIGURE 11. EQUIVALENT L-R CIRCUIT

– R2 R1
–
+
ISL28217 } RA +
ISL28217

} RB

FREQUENCY R1, R2, C

AMPLITUDE RA, RB

FIGURE 12. FUNCTION GENERATOR

AN1145 Rev 1.00 Page 3 of 7

Jan 9, 2013
 A Compendium of Application Circuits for Intersil
Digitally-Controlled (XDCP) Potentiometers

Application Circuits (Continued)

R1

R1
R3 IS
VR – R
R2
R1 +
– R1
VO
+ ISL28210 RL
IS R1
ISL28110
+
–

VO / IS = -R3(1+R2/R1) + R2 IS = VR/R

FIGURE 13. I TO V CONVERTER FIGURE 14. CURRENT SOURCE

R1
ISL28217
R2
R1
R1 +
VS – –
–
VO +
+
C ISL28217
C ISL28110
R
Cin

CIN = C (1 + R2/R1)
VO/VS = 180° – 2tan-1 RC

FIGURE 15. PHASE SHIFTER FIGURE 16. CAPACITANCEV MULTIPLIER

2R

VS
R R R R1

– –
VO
+ +
A1 A2
ISL28217 ISL28217

R1
VO = |VS|
R

FIGURE 17. ABSOLUTE VALUE AMPLIFIER WITH GAIN

AN1145 Rev 1.00 Page 4 of 7

Jan 9, 2013
 A Compendium of Application Circuits for Intersil
Digitally-Controlled (XDCP) Potentiometers

Application Circuits (Continued)

+ VREFERENCE (VR)

VS

ISL28108 VH
R1
}
ISL28108
–
VW
}
R2 VOUT
– VOUT
+
+ +
VR

VL +

VTRANSDUCER (VT)

R1 –
VOUT = HIGH FOR VS ≤ VR
R2
R1
VOUT = LOW FOR VS ≥ VR
R2
VT > VW, VOUT = HIGH
R1 + R2 = RPOT
VT < VW, VOUT = LOW

FIGURE 18. LEVEL DETECTOR FIGURE 19. LEVEL DETECTOR

VH
+5V
ISL28113
R V+
– VOUT
+
V–

VL VW
R2

C
+5V
R3 R1

Frequency R, C
Duty Cycle R1, R2, R3

FIGURE 20. OSCILLATOR

AN1145 Rev 1.00 Page 5 of 7

Jan 9, 2013
 A Compendium of Application Circuits for Intersil
Digitally-Controlled (XDCP) Potentiometers

Application Circuits (Continued)

VOUT
+5V

+5V VH VW
+5V
VS t ISL28113
–
+5V VOUT
VW +
VNI t

+5V VL VNI
VOUT t

t
VS
R
C

5V
t = RCln ( 5V – VW )

FIGURE 21. TIME DELAY

AN1145 Rev 1.00 Page 6 of 7

Jan 9, 2013
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