Atmel announced the availability of its new Local Interface Network (LIN) system basis chip, ATA6620, which provides ESD protection up to 6 kV and low current consumption.

The ATA6620 includes a fully integrated LIN transceiver according to the LIN2.0 specification released in September 2003, and a 5-V voltage regulator. The device interfaces the LIN protocol handler and the LIN bus. Improved slope control at the LIN bus ensures secure data communication of up to 20 kBaud with an RC oscillator for the protocol handling. To meet the 42-V powernet requirements, the bus output can tolerate short circuits of up to 60 V.

The device includes multiple operating modes: normal, silent and sleep. During silent mode, the transmission path is disabled, and the voltage regulator is able to supply a microcontroller in power down mode. In this mode, the supply current of the device is typically as low as 40 microampere, and during sleep mode 10 microampere. To minimize EMC problems, the ATA6620 incorporates a controlled slew rate according to the LIN specification 2.0. The receiver's input filter helps to reduce RF interference caused by signals on the bus line to a minimum.

The ATA6620 provides several protection features such as overtemperature shut-down, full protection against short circuits and high-voltage-bus-line protection up to 60 V. It is fully compatible with 5 V devices, and includes a dominant time-out function to prevent the bus line from being driven permanently in dominant state. A wake-up feature is implemented via the LIN bus line. The device also meets automotive qualification demands (protection against conducted interference, EMC and 6-kV ESD protection), and can withstand transients according to ISO/TR 7637/1.

Samples of the chip in SO8 packages are available. Pricing starts at US$ 0.70 (10 k).