Kionix Tri-Axis Analog Accelerometer for HDD Protection

Kionix, Inc., provider of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensors for portable consumer devices, announced a tri-axis analog accelerometer that improves multiplexed switching for hard-disk-drive (HDD) protection by 400% over its predecessor, the KXPB5, which is scheduled for obsolescence this year. It boosts the speed at which the hard disk drive can detect a ‘drop,’ thereby increasing system robustness.

Kionix is a supplier of accelerometers to the HDD market, which the analyst firm iSuppli estimates reached nearly 170M units during the last quarter of 2010.

The KXTH5 features:

• An integrated 4-channel multiplexer that decreases system microcontroller (MCU) requirements to only 1 analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and 2 digital I/O’s, reducing part count and saving cost and board space;
• A high sampling rate of 32 kHz per axis that, when combined with the short 5µs settling time of the integrated multiplexer, can match the performance of three separate analog outputs;
• A high signal-to-noise ratio with excellent performance over temperature, improving resolution of motion;
• Low noise density that improves resolution and accuracy;
• Low power consumption of 350 µA when operating and 5 µA on standby;
• Customizable operation at any value between 1.8V and 3.6V DC, programmed at the factory to function correctly at the customer-specified voltage;
• Factory-programmable sensitivity that allows a customization range at any value between ±1.5g to ±6g, tailoring the function to the customer’s application;
• Noise management with factory-programmable options for a switched-capacitor low-pass filter or no low-pass filter; and
• A small 3x5x0.9mm 14-pin Land Grid Array (LGA) package.

The KXTH5 is a response to customer demand for a low-power, low-noise, lower-cost product that supports fast multiplexed switching speeds.

The KXTH5 is now shipping to qualified customers.