
MIC841/2
Applications Information
Output
The MIC841N and MIC842N outputs are an open-drain
MOSFET, so most applications will require a pull-up resistor.
The value of the resistor should not be too large or leakage
effects may dominate. 470k
is the maximum recommended
value. Note that the output of
“
N
”
version may be pulled up as
high as 6V regardless of the ICs supply voltage. The
“
H
”
and
“
L
”
versions of the MIC841 and MIC842 have a push-pull
output stage, with a diode clamped to V
DD
. Thus, the maxi-
mum output voltage of the
“
H
”
and
“
L
”
versions is V
DD
. See
“
Electrical Characteristics.
”
When working with large resistors on the input to the devices,
a small amount of leakage current can cause voltage offsets
that degrade system accuracy. The maximum recommended
total resistance from V
IN
to ground is 3M
. The accuracy of
the resistors can be chosen based upon the accuracy re-
quired by the system. The inputs may be subjected to
voltages as high as 6V steady-state without adverse effects
of any kind regardless of the ICs supply voltage. This applies
even if the supply voltage is zero. This permits the situation
in which the IC
’
s supply is turned off, but voltage is still present
on the inputs. See
“
Electrical Characteristics.
”
Programming the MIC841 Thresholds
The low-voltage threshold is calculated using:
Micrel
MIC841/2
6
September 2004
Once the desired trip points are determined, set the V
IN(HI)
threshold first.
For example, use a total of 1M
= R1 + R2 + R3. For a typical
single-cell lithium ion battery, 3.6V is a good
“
high threshold
”
because at 3.6V the battery is moderately charged. Solving
for R3:
V
3.6V
1.241M
R3
IN(HI)
=
=
R3
344k
=
Once R3 is determined, the equation for V
IN(LO)
can be used
to determine R2. A single lithium-ion cell, for example, should
not be discharged below 2.5V. Many applications limit the
drain to 3.1V. Using 3.1V for the V
IN(LO)
threshold allows
calculation of the two remaining resistor values.
V
3.1V
1.24
1M
+
R2
344k
IN(LO)
=
=
R2
56k
(
=
1M
R2 R3
R1
)
=
R1 600k
The accuracy of the resistors can be chosen based upon the
accuracy required by the system.
Programming the MIC842 Thresholds
The voltage threshold is calculated using:
V
V
R1 R2
R2
IN(LO)
REF
=
where:
V
1.240V
REF
=
INP
OUT
VDD
GND
MIC842N
470k
V
IN
R1
R2
V
OUT
4
2
1
5
Figure 2. MIC842 Example Circuit
In order to provide the additional criteria needed to solve for
the resistor values, the resistors can be selected such that
they have a given total value, that is, R1 + R2 = R
TOTAL
. A
value such as 1M
for R
TOTAL
is a reasonable value because
it draws minimum current but has no significant effect on
accuracy.
V
V
R1 R2 R3
R2 R3
IN(LO)
REF
=
The high-voltage threshold is calculated using:
V
V
R1 R2 R3
R3
IN(HI)
REF
=
where, for both equations:
V
1.240V
REF
=
In order to provide the additional criteria needed to solve for
the resistor values, the resistors can be selected such that
they have a given total value, that is, R1 + R2 + R3 = R
TOTAL
.
A value such as 1M
for R
TOTAL
is a reasonable value
because it draws minimum current but has no significant
effect on accuracy.
HTH
OUT
VDD
LTH
GND
MIC841N
604k
1%
56k
1%
340k
1%
470k
V
IN
R1
R2
R3
V
OUT
V
DD
5
3
1
4
2
Figure 1. MIC841 Example Circuit