Microchip Technology has introduced a family of SAE J2602 LIN transceivers said to meet the requirements of auto manufacturers worldwide. The MCP202X (MCP2021 and MCP2022) devices, which include built-in voltage regulators, are compliant with the LIN Bus 2.0/2.1 and SAE J2602 standards, as well as the previous-generation LIN 1.X standard. The MCP202X family represents Microchip’s second generation of LIN/SAE J2602 transceivers, following the MCP201 family. The firm said that in addition to passing the suite of tests specified by the LIN consortium and conducted by a third party, the transceivers have successfully completed additional testing by numerous OEM customers.

Microchip said its MCP202X transceivers reduce the number of external components needed, thus increasing system reliability and reducing overall design size. A low emissions specification eliminates the need for external shielding, which benefits noise-sensitive systems such as car radios, in-car entertainment systems, GPS navigation, mirrors, steering-wheel control and garage-door openers.

Other applications for the devices include rain sensors, sunroofs, window lift, seat-position motors, seat-control switches, mobile telephone equipment, and compasses. Low power consumption in operational and standby modes (115 and 16 µA respectively) suits MCP202X transceivers for non ignition-switched applications and helps to extend battery life.

“The transceivers’ robustness, ESD performance, and low power consumption, when combined with a microcontroller or digital signal controller, provide designers with maximum flexibility to incorporate new LIN/SAE J2602 features into their designs, in response to market requirements,” said Bryan Liddiard, vice president of marketing in Microchip’s Analog & Interface Products Division.

According to the research firm Strategy Analytics LIN represents the second largest market segment in networked automotive applications, in terms of number of nodes.

The MCP2021 transceiver is available in 8-pin SOIC, PDIP and 4 mm x 4 mm DFN packages, for $0.90 each in 10,000-unit quantities. The MCP2022 transceiver is available in 14-pin SOIC, TSSOP and PDIP packages, for $1.02 each in 10,000-unit quantities. Samples are available at http://sample.microchip.com.