It’s Only Common Sense: Hire for Hunger, Train for Skill
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The 'NVIDIA Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant’
The Industry’s First Ultra-High Noise-Tolerant Comparators
November 1, 2019 | Global NewswireEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
ROHM has announced the development of the BA8290xYxxx-C series of ground sense comparators delivering breakthrough tolerance against EMI (noise resistance,) ideal for sensor applications in automotive systems such as ECUs and powertrain.
New advancements in computerization and increase of densely packed electric devices have increased the amount of noise in electric vehicles and cars equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). However, evaluation of noise performance of individual boards and systems, and implementing measures against noise are not feasible in isolation during the development phase. This evaluation and measure implementation need to be done after the whole car has been assembled, making the process of optimization against noise a very lengthy and costly process that might require several iterations.
In response, in 2017 ROHM developed Operational Amplifiers using EMARMOUR, a proprietary technology that features superior noise tolerance and helps to reduce design resources to implement measures against noise. These devices have been well received by automotive manufacturers. To further meet market needs, today ROHM is introducing the first ultra-high noise-tolerant comparators that use the same breakthrough technology.
This series has achieved superior noise tolerance when used as comparators to determine the threshold value of sensor output signals. It ensures an output voltage fluctuation within ±1% across the entire noise frequency band when testing according to the ISO11452-2 standard. Conventional comparators usually have output voltage fluctuations of up to ±20% due to noise, which can lead to malfunctions (High/Low inverted). In contrast, ROHM’s new series is not susceptible to noise, providing greater reliability while reducing system design man-hours by reducing the amount of time needed for noise evaluation and measure implementation that typically require the use of external filters.
ROHM will offer these new comparators as one of the EMARMOUR series. ROHM is committed to enabling even simpler designs and greater reliability in automotive systems by expanding this high noise-tolerant technology to other power supply ICs from ROHM.
What is EMARMOUR?
EMARMOUR is the brand name given to ROHM products developed by leveraging proprietary technologies covering chip layout, processes, and circuit design to achieve ultra-high noise immunity that limits output voltage fluctuation to within ±3% across the entire noise frequency band when testing according to the ISO11452-2 standard. This unprecedented noise immunity reduces design resources and time while improving reliability by solving issues related to noise in the development of vehicle electrical systems.
Key Features
1. Groundbreaking noise tolerance reduces design resources and time
In contrast to conventional products whose output voltage can fluctuate up to ±20%, the BA8290xYxx-C series utilizes superior noise tolerance to limit output voltage fluctuation to within ±1%, preventing malfunctions. This enables reduction of design resources and time for noise characterization and measure implementation that plays an important role in automotive systems design while improving reliability.
2. Decreasing the number of noise suppression components
Superior noise tolerance eliminates the need for external components used in noise countermeasures (CR filters for the power supply, input, and output pins) used with conventional products. For example, in the case of a 4ch comparator, ROHM’s new products require 28 fewer components than conventional solutions.
3. Meeting international automotive requirements
The BA8290xYxxx-C series is qualified under the automotive reliability standard AEC-Q100 and reduces both current consumption (0.6mA vs 0.8mA) and offset voltage (±5mV vs ±7mV) compared to conventional products. Furthermore, a broad lineup is offered in a variety of common surface mount packages and channel counts with standard comparator pin layout, making it easy to replace existing products in applications sensitive to noise.
About ROHM Semiconductor
ROHM Semiconductor is an industry leader in system LSI, discrete components and module products, utilizing the latest in semiconductor technology. ROHM's proprietary production system, which includes some of the most advanced automation technology, is a major factor in keeping it at the forefront of the electronic component manufacturing industry. In addition to its development of electronic components, ROHM has also developed its own production system so that it can focus on specific aspects of customized product development. ROHM employs highly skilled engineers with expertise in all aspects of design, development and production. This allows ROHM the flexibility to take on a wide range of applications and projects and the capability to serve valuable clients in the automotive, telecommunication and computer sectors, as well as consumer OEMs.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘iWar: Fortnite, Elon Musk, Spotify, WeChat, and Laying Siege to Apple’s Empire’
03/04/2026 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: Dan's Biz Bookshelf"iWar: Fortnite, Elon Musk, Spotify, WeChat, and Laying Siege to Apple’s Empire" is not just a book about Apple, it’s a masterclass in leadership, ego, innovation, and the high cost of brilliance when vision collides with personality. Tim Higgins delivers a sharp, deeply reported account of Apple’s most turbulent years, showing how internal power struggles shaped the products that changed the world.
Technica USA and Electro Design AB Form Strategic Partnership
03/02/2026 | Technica USAOn March 2, 2026, Technica USA announced a strategic partnership with Electro Design AB. Under this agreement, Technica will serve as the Master Distributor in the United States and Canada for Electro Design's automation products for the SMT/PCBA market, marketed under the brand name “Technica, U.S.A. by Electro Design.”
The Performance-enhancing Benefits of Flexible Circuit Technology
02/05/2026 | Joe Fjelstad, Verdant ElectronicsFlexible circuits have been around much longer than most folks realize. My friend, Dr. Ken Gilleo, unquestionably a technology forensics genius, unearthed a British patent issued to Albert Hansen of Germany just after the turn of the last century (Figure 1), which we can easily recognize today as an ancestral flexible circuit. We owe his creativity a great deal of credit for laying the foundation for countless electronic products in use today that employ flex circuits.
Learning With Leo: The Disappearing Manufacturing Engineer
02/04/2026 | Leo Lambert -- Column: Learning With LeoManufacturing engineers are the firefighters of the manufacturing process, but as the industry changes the roles of the manufacturing engineer and manufacturing facilities export their manufacturing offshore, what happens to the function, viability, and knowledge of the manufacturing engineer? Where design engineering was known as a profession, manufacturing engineering was known as a job, not a career path. Although I was disappointed about that at the time, now I look back and wonder about the truth of that statement.
Learning with Leo: The Cost of Training on Skills and Knowledge Development
01/07/2026 | Leo Lambert -- Column: Learning With LeoThe ability to manufacture electronic products requires specific skills and knowledge, which have traditionally been developed through on-the-job experience and training. These experiences and training programs are expensive to implement, yet they are necessary to meet customer demands and remain competitive in the marketplace. Today, manufacturers, including government contractors, rely on industrial specifications in the design, fabrication, and assembly of electronic products.