Digital Calibration and
Threshold Selection
Figure 13 shows the MAX5156/MAX5157 in a digital
calibration application. With a bright value applied to
the photodiode (on), the DAC is digitally ramped up
until it trips the comparator. The microprocessor stores
this high calibration value. Repeat the process with a
dim light (off) to obtain the dark current calibration. The
microprocessor then programs the DAC to set an out-
put voltage that is the midpoint of the two calibration
values. Applications include tachometers, motion sens-
ing, automatic readers, and liquid clarity analysis.
Digital Control of Gain and Offset
The two DACs can be used to control the offset and
gain for curve-fitting nonlinear functions, such as trans-
ducer linearization or analog compression/expansion
applications. The input signal is used as the reference
for the gain-adjust DAC, whose output is summed with
the output from the offset-adjust DAC. The relative
weight of each DAC output is adjusted by R1, R2, R3,
and R4 (Figure 14).
MAX5156/MAX5157
Low-Power, Dual, 12-Bit Voltage-Output DACs
with Configurable Outputs
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