SAN JOSE, Calif., July 10, 2013 — Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ: MXIM) today introduced the MAX31850/MAX31851, low-temperature compensated 1-Wire® thermocouple-to-digital converters. These devices achieve ±2.0°C accuracy (excluding sensor nonlinearity) and integrate all the functions needed for a complete thermocouple-to-digital solution. Furthermore, the MAX31850/MAX31851's 1-Wire interface allows multiple sensors to communicate and be powered over a single data line, significantly simplifying wiring requirements. Engineers can use the MAX31850 or MAX31851 to replace multiple discrete components and achieve accurate temperature measurements in industrial, medical, and solar applications.

Digitizing thermocouple signals is challenging because thermocouple output voltages are low and require cold-temperature compensation to achieve accurate results. The MAX31850/MAX31851 are the industry's first single-chip solution that integrates an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a highly accurate reference, a temperature sensor for cold-temperature compensation, and a 1-Wire bus interface. These universal converters are compatible with a wide variety of thermocouple types, simplifying system design, lowering system cost, and reducing the bill of materials (BOM). The MAX31850/MAX31851 can also identify open or shorted thermocouples, which can cause erroneous temperature readings or system failures. The microcontroller can detect fault conditions at any time, improving uptime and avoiding costly repairs.

Product Features
• High Integration and Accuracy: These converters achieve accuracy of 2.0C and integrate the functions of multiple discrete components into a single chip.
• Simplified Design: These devices utilize a 1-Wire interface, allowing multiple devices to operate on the same communication bus. What sets them apart is that four dedicated address pins can identify up to 16 sensor locations.
• Versatility: The MAX31850 is available for K, J, N, T, and E thermocouple types, while the MAX31851 is available for R and S thermocouple types.

Industry Evaluation
• “Digitizing thermocouple signals is a unique and challenging task, especially when using multiple thermocouples,” said Amy Gebrian, senior business manager for thermal management products at Maxim Integrated. “The MAX31850/MAX31851 significantly simplify design and minimize system wiring by integrating the entire thermocouple digitizer circuit and single-wire interface into a single IC.”
• “Industrial and medical equipment rely heavily on accurate temperature measurement,” said Susie Inouye, research director at Databeans. “Products that enable highly accurate temperature sensing will become increasingly important in these areas.”

Supply and Price
• 10-pin exposed pad TDFN package (3mm x 4mm x 0.75mm)
• Operating temperature range -40C to +125C