I²C bus repeaters/hubs/extenders

As Philips Semiconductors we invented the I²C bus, leading the world in these bus devices. Now as NXP we continue our leading position to offer you a vast portfolio of I²C logic products used for I²C-bus communication and protocol conversion.

Our I²C logic products are ideal for many systems using SMBus, AdvancedTCA (ATCA) IPMI, and PMBus. You can also choose from a comprehensive offering of other semiconductor ICs with I²C-bus interfaces.

New Fast-mode Plus devices that operate at 1 MHz up to 540 pF

NXP’s new I²C Fast-mode Plus (Fm+) devices go from zero to 1 MHz so you can go to the next design level with higher data rates with up to 540 pF bus loading. In computing, telecom and networking systems architecture the trend is for greater use of I²C-bus as a maintenance and control bus so more bandwidth and more devices on the bus is required.
For more information click here.

Portfolio diagram

Key applications

The I²C-bus is used in virtually every application. I²C I/O expanders are used for keyboard/pad input or controlling LED status lights. Adding UART / IrDA functionality, to a cellular phone for example, is simple via the I²C bus with a choice of bridge ICs.

For numerous cellular handsets, LED blinkers and dimmers can control keypad, fun lighting, and other status LEDs. These ICs can also be used for more advanced status or illumination control while offloading the host processor in LCD displays. LCD segment drivers or LCD matrix drivers with an I²C interface are ideal for displays in cordless telephone handsets.

I²C serial EEPROM can be used to store preset information in an MP3 player or large LCD display, where PAL or NTSC settings during manufacture are set using I²C DIP switches. For environmental sensing I²C temperature sensors are used to monitor local temperatures. This is particularly important in wireless basestations, where I²C repeaters / hubs / extenders are also used, to isolate capacitance from the backplane.

Below are just some of the applications where you can use the different categories of I²C-bus devices.

• Basestation - discretes focus / Transceiver board
  
• Digital media adapters
  
• LCD display - discretes focus
  
• PCI analog/DVB-T stereo TV receiver
  

Related links

• I²C Specifications
• I²C Bus

• Introduction to using I²C
  
  • I²C-bus specification, Version 3.0
    
• I²C News
  
• I²C support
  
  • I²C discussion forum
    
  • I²C application notes
    
  • I²C demonstration/evaluation boards
    
  • I²C development tools
    
  • I²C licensing
    
  • Requesting I²C slave addresses
    
• I²C logic literature
  

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