THEORY OF OPERATION
The AD5162 is a 256-position, digitally controlled variable
resistor (VR) device.
An internal power-on preset places the wiper at midscale
during power-on, which simplifies the fault condition recovery
PROGRAMMING THE VARIABLE RESISTOR AND
The nominal resistance of the RDAC between Terminal A and
Terminal B is available in 2.5 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ, and 100 kΩ.
The nominal resistance (RAB) of the VR has 256 contact points
accessed by the wiper terminal and the B terminal contact. The
8-bit data in the RDAC latch is decoded to select one of the
256 possible settings.
Figure 33. Rheostat Mode Configuration
Assuming that a 10 kΩ part is used, the first connection of the
wiper starts at the B terminal for Data 0x00. Because there is
a 50 Ω wiper contact resistance, such a connection yields a
minimum of 100 Ω (2 × 50 Ω) resistance between Terminal W
and Terminal B. The second connection is the first tap point,
which corresponds to 139 Ω (RWB = RAB/256 + 2 × RW = 39 Ω +
2 × 50 Ω) for Data 0x01. The third connection is the next tap
point, representing 178 Ω (2 × 39 Ω + 2 × 50 Ω) for Data 0x02,
and so on. Each LSB data value increase moves the wiper up the
resistor ladder until the last tap point is reached at 10,100 Ω
(RAB + 2 × RW).
The general equation determining the digitally programmed
output resistance between W and B is
2 × RW
D is the decimal equivalent of the binary code loaded in the
8-bit RDAC register.
RAB is the end-to-end resistance.
RW is the wiper resistance contributed by the on resistance of
the internal switch.
In summary, if RAB is 10 kΩ and the A terminal is open
circuited, the output resistance, RWB, is set according to the
RDAC latch codes, as listed in Table 6.
Table 6. Codes and Corresponding RWB Resistance
D (Dec) RWB (Ω) Output State
Full scale (RAB − 1 LSB + RW)
1 139 1 LSB
0 100 Zero scale (wiper contact resistance)
Note that in the zero-scale condition, a finite wiper resistance of
100 Ω is present. Care should be taken to limit the current flow
between W and B in this state to a maximum pulse current of
no more than 20 mA. Otherwise, degradation or possible
destruction of the internal switch contact may occur.
Similar to the mechanical potentiometer, the resistance of the
RDAC between Wiper W and Terminal A also produces a
digitally controlled complementary resistance, RWA. When these
terminals are used, the B terminal can be opened. Setting the
resistance value for RWA starts at a maximum value of resistance
and decreases as the data loaded in the latch increases in value.
The general equation for this operation is
256 − D
When RAB is 10 kΩ and the B terminal is open circuited, the
output resistance, RWA, is set according to the RDAC latch
codes, as listed in Table 7.
Table 7. Codes and Corresponding RWA Resistance
D (Dec) RWA (Ω) Output State
255 139 Full scale
0 10,060 Zero scale
Figure 34. AD5162 Equivalent RDAC Circuit
Typical device-to-device matching is process-lot dependent and
may vary by up to ±30%. Because the resistance element is
processed in thin-film technology, the change in RAB with tem-
perature has a very low temperature coefficient of 35 ppm/°C.
Rev. C | Page 13 of 20