Energy-harvesting feature for systems needing long battery life

Semtech has announced the production release of the TS13102 and TS13103 enhanced solid state relays which expand the company’s Neo-Iso product platform and enable self-powered control systems in Internet of Things (IoT) applications, such as smart thermostats, alarm panels, factory automation systems, smart controls and more. The TS13102 solid state relay can autonomously harvest energy even when its switch is closed and without the assistance of a microcontroller. The harvested energy is stored in a system capacitor (Csys) and can be shared across multiple channels in the system driving several loads simultaneously. The TS13103 is outfitted with a Power Transfer Output pin (PTO) to transfer the harvested energy on the other side of the isolation barrier to the controller of the system. This design allows for much smaller systems that can last decades without needing their batteries replaced. It also eliminates the need to include costly transformers and AC/DC power supplies with the system, which significantly reduces the bill of materials (BOM) cost. Both TS13102 and TS13103 relays have a new, enhanced communication scheme that allows the controller to send specific commands through the control line (CLK) to perform a variety of functions, including receiving diagnostic information. The control and feedback lines can be shared across multiple channels, greatly reducing the system microcontroller pin count. These latest additions to Semtech’s Neo-Iso product portfolio offer designers the benefit of significant board space savings and BOM cost savings compared to mechanical relays, as well as silent operation, diagnostic capability and a major Increase in the lifetime of the product, says the company. “This is an exciting addition to our next generation Neo-Iso product line,” said Phil Daggett, senior marketing director, Semtech Power and High Reliability Product Group. “By eliminating the need for an additional power supply for the microcontroller, the TS13102 and TS13103 solid state relays give designers energy harvesting capability in a space saving package that can be easily integrated into a wide range of IoT applications.”