October 10, 2023 /SemiMedia/ -- Melexis recently announced the the MLX92216 and MLX92217 ultra-low-power Hall effect switches. The 1 microwatt power consumption and narrower tolerances lead to a predictable power budget, helping to extend battery runtime. These magnetic devices detect open or closed positions, ideal for replacing traditional reed switches in Internet of Things (IoT), industrial and white good applications.

The growing demand for smart devices to be battery-powered and last as long as possible is a challenge for IoT. The need for ultra low-power components which are both reliable and accurate is therefore paramount to the continued development of embedded and connected devices.

Melexis’ MLX92216 and MLX92217 microwatt switches address this requirement head-on. The 3-wire monolithic magnetic switches deliver industry-leading accuracy, consistency and reliability throughout the lifetime of the application. Unipolar, omnipolar and latch variants are available, making the device suitable for applications such as lid close/open detection, wearables, industrial machines, appliances, tablet cases, valves, energy and flow meters, while also serving as a replacement for traditional proximity and reed switches.

The MLX92216 and MLX92217 feature state-of-the-art power design, with an integrated logic for automatic sleep/awake sequencing enabling 0.9μA average current consumption with no action necessary from the user (depending on the model variant). Next to that, the MLX92217 has an ‘Enable’ pin that allows users to activate or deactivate the automatic sleep logic, driving the standby current consumption down to 200nA whilst still ready to be woken up by the system. Paired with industry-leading min/max tolerance variation (<50%), these devices provide a stable power budget and longevity you can rely on (i.e. with peak current consumptions of less than 1.5μA).

The MLX92216 and MLX92217 offer a wide choice of magnetic thresholds and options such as update rates or operating voltage range (1.6V to 5.5V). The switch ICs are available in 2 different small packages: UTDFN-4L and TSOT-3L. The devices are suitable for ambient temperatures from -40oC to 85oC.

“With the MLX92216 and MLX92217, we have created a 1 microwatt switch which is more reliable than the market’s existing offerings” states Minko Daskalov, Product Manager Latch & Switch at Melexis. “It is the ideal go-to switch solution for industry 4.0 applications.”

Samples for the MLX92216 and MLX92217 are available now. For more information, please visit www.melexis.com/MLX92216-MLX92217.