Introducing NXP's Recommended Analog IC Products: The "Unseen Mainstays" Supporting ECU Development

As ECUs (Electronic Control Units) become more sophisticated and high-performance, attention tends to focus on "processor selection" and "SoC configuration," but is a system truly complete with just those factors?

In actual design work, the functionality and reliability of the entire system are only ensured when numerous peripheral devices, such as sensors, POWER SUPPLIES, interfaces, and display systems, work closely together.

In this series, we will focus on NXP's "NXP Analog IC Products," which are crucial peripheral semiconductors that influence the overall quality of these ECUs, and systematically explain everything from the overall picture to the role of each device.

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Analog IC products that support the performance of ECUs

In recent years, the performance of MCUs and SoCs in automotive ECUs has been rapidly improving. The increasing demands for autonomous driving (ADAS), connectivity, and electrification have necessitated processors with greater computing power and communication capabilities than ever before. However, actual ECUs are not composed solely of MCUs and SoCs.

Around the processor,

• A sensor that monitors temperature
• RTC (Real-Time Clock) that maintains accurate time
• Display devices such as LCDs and LEDs
• GPIO expansion device
• Redrivers that support high-speed communication
• Level conversion ICs for connecting different voltage domains

Numerous analog ICs and interface ICs are located within this configuration.

These devices are not particularly conspicuous,

"Measure," "Connect," "Protect," "Display"

It plays this crucial role, supporting the overall performance and reliability of the ECU.

In other words, if MCUs and SoCs are the "brains" of ECUs, then analog IC products can be said to be the "nerves and sensory organs" that ensure that brain operates reliably.

This article introduces NXP's analog IC products that support such ECU design, and examines how each product contributes to solving various challenges.

NXP's Recommended Analog IC Products

NXP's recommended analog IC products support the peripheral functions of these ECUs.
It is positioned as a "general-purpose analog interface IC group."​

Broadly speaking, it consists of the following areas:

These may not stand out on their own,
It supports the fundamental functions of the system: "connecting, measuring, controlling, and displaying."​

Reasons why analog IC products are considered important

So why are these surrounding interchanges considered so important?

① As system integration progresses, "peripheral quality" becomes dominant.

In recent years, there has been a trend towards domain controllers, where multiple functions are integrated into a single ECU.
the result,

• Signal interference
• Noise immunity
• Interface Alignment

These kinds of problems tend to become more apparent.

Three challenges that analog ICs should solve

These are precisely areas where NXP analog IC products can make a contribution.

Roles of NXP Analog IC Products as Seen in ECU Block Diagrams

When viewing an in-vehicle system as a block, analog IC products are located in the following positions:

• Peripheral parts of MCU/SoC
• Between the sensor and the processor
• Interface with display devices
• Communication line matching and relay

In other words, these are devices that exist at "every boundary" of the system.

Unless this "boundary" is optimized,

• Malfunctions caused by noise
• Communication error
• Worsening power consumption

These kinds of problems are unavoidable.

Future series composition

In this series, we will take an in-depth look at the following NXP analog IC products, which are particularly frequently used in design environments.

• TEMPERATURE SENSORS
• Real-time clock (RTC)
• LCD controller
• GPIO Expander
• USB Redriver (Repeater)
• Voltage level conversion IC

Regarding each of them,

• role
• Selection points
• Points to note in actual design

This will be explained in detail from the perspective of a circuit designer.

Summary

NXP's analog IC products are not the main players in ECU design, but they are an indispensable part of it.

Along with the evolution of processors and SoCs,
The importance of the surrounding interchanges that support them will only increase in the future.

To further improve the design's quality,
These devices are not merely “components,”
It is important to understand that this is a crucial factor that affects the quality of the system.

Next time, we will focus on "TEMPERATURE SENSORS".
This article explains key points regarding thermal management and sensor selection in automotive applications.

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