Azoteq Launches Affordable Capacitive Proximity and Touch Controller

Published on July 10, 2012 at 5:19 AM

By Kalwinder Kaur

Azoteq has released a low-cost capacitive proximity and touch controller called IQS232. This newly-added product complements ProxSense family of capacitive proximity and touch controllers.

With this stand-alone configured IQS232, the addition of proximity and touch keys to an existing design can be easily achieved without requiring any driver software. The power utilization is only 3.5 µA, representing 100x more improved features than competitive devices.

Based on advanced analog and digital circuitry, the IQS232 achieves unprecedented proximity and touch performance. The IQS232’s high sensitivity ensures it to work consistently through glass that measures 25 mm in thickness and attains proximity detection up to 250 mm. With operation efficiency from 1.8 to 3.6V, the device ensures low power utilization up to 3.5 µA. The IQS232 can be adopted in I2C mode, enabling full control of the sensor functions from a host controller.

Being the fourth device in the 1.8V ProxSense family, the IQS232 will incorporate more controllers by Q3 and Q4 of 2012. The expanding feature sets consists of self- and mutual capacitive sensors, stand-alone devices, and lower cost single-channel devices in compact packages.

The device allows automatic tuning for optimum sensitivity and features 2-channel input device, SOP-8 package, proximity and touch on each channel, multiple low-power modes, stand alone or I2C interface, automatic drift compensation, supply voltage 1.8- 3.6 V, large proximity-detection range, internal voltage regulator and reference capacitor.

Azoteq’s IQS232 has its application in replacement for electromechanical switches, white goods and appliances, proximity detection that allows activation of backlighting, wake-up from standby applications, GUI trigger and GUI control proximity detection, incorporation in office equipment, educational toys, and in consumer electronics such as TVs, Blu-Ray players, and set-top boxes.

Samples and production of IQS232 can be accessed from Mouser.