Texas Instruments introduced a resistor-programmable temperature switch. The TMP300 allows simple temperature monitoring and control. The TMP300 features a trip point that is set by adding a single resistor, and the open-drain output can control a power switch or provide a processor interrupt. A separate pin on the device provides an analog output (10mV/C) that can serve as a testing point or can be used in temperature-compensation loops.

With a supply voltage range of 1.8V to 18V, the TMP300 allows for simple thermal monitoring without requiring an MCU/DSP. The analog output measures temperature with +/-3C accuracy (max) and the temperature switch has +/-4C switch accuracy over a temperature range of -40C to 125C. Hysteresis of the TMP300 is pin programmable to two states of either 5C or 10C. The TMP300 is available from TI and its authorized distributors in a SC70 package and is priced at $1.00 each in 100-piece quantities (suggested resale pricing). It will be introduced in a SOT23 package during 1Q 2008.