The MCF8329A-Q1 provides a code-free sensorless FOC solution with an integrated three-phase gate driver for driving high-speed brushless-DC motors. Motor current is sensed using an integrated current sensing amplifier and one external sense resistor in a single shunt configuration. The device can operate from a single power supply and integrates an LDO that generates the necessary voltage rails for the device and can be used to power external circuits.

MCF8329A-Q1 implements single shunt sensorless FOC; therefore, an external microcontroller is not required to spin the brushless DC motor. The algorithm is implemented in a fixed-function state machine, so no coding is needed. The algorithm is highly configurable through register settings ranging from motor start-up behavior to closed-loop operation. Register settings can be stored in non-volatile EEPROM, which allows the device to operate stand-alone once it has been configured. The device receives a reference command through a PWM input, analog voltage, frequency input, or I²C command. The device can be configured to control motor speed (speed control) DC input power (power control) or the quadrature (q-) axis current (current control) or directly the voltage applied (vq and vd) to the motor (modulation index control or open loop voltage control).

In-built protection features include power-supply undervoltage lockout (PVDD_UVLO), regulator undervoltage lockout (GVDD_UV), bootstrap undervoltage lockout (BST_UV), VDS overcurrent protection (OCP), sense resistor overcurrent protection (SEN_OCP), motor lock detection and overtemperature shutdown (OTSD). Fault events are indicated by the nFAULT pin with detailed fault information available in the status registers.

A standard I²C provides a simple method for configuring the various device settings and reading fault diagnostic information through an external controller.

The MCF8329A-Q1 device is available in a 0.5mm pin pitch, wettable flank, WQFN surface-mount package. The WQFN package size is 6mm × 4mm with a height of 0.8mm.