In automotive applications, the BLDC (brushless-dc) motor is gaining ground over commonplace brushed types. Brushless motors offer higher reliability—brushes are often the parts that wear out and promote failure—and they can help you realise greater efficiency. You need lower peak currents to obtain the same mechanical output, and the motor may also be smaller and lighter. However, you need to generate a full three-phase set of waveforms to drive the motor, which is the function of Toshiba's TB-9060FN motor-controller IC. The 24-pin chip accepts a PWM (pulse-width-modulated) control signal from a host microcontroller and has internal blocks for computing the rotational position of the motor, determining waveform lead angle, and generating the timing for the three output phases. It outputs gate-drive signals to drive six external power switches, and it includes overcurrent protection and position-detection circuitry that operates directly from the drive waveforms.

As the auxiliary functions on cars become more "electric"—using separate electric motors to perform functions that a mechanical drive from the main power plant previously handled—Toshiba is seeing interest in using BLDC motors to drive cooling water pumps, oil pumps, and in-tank fuel pumps. You can also expect to see them used for secondary functions, such as washer pumps. In many of these applications, you can upgrade on/off control to continuously variable control, reducing electrical and audible noise. The TF9060FN is rated to 125°C to meet automotive specifications; it operates from 5V, and you can use it with a variety of power-transistor packs to drive a range of motors.

Toshiba, +49 211 52960, www.toshiba-europe.com.