MAX6876 Evaluation Kit/Evaluation System

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to ABP if the MAX6876 is to be powered from one

of the voltage-detector inputs (IN1–IN4), and the

CMOD232 module is not connected (or if JMP7 is

open). See Figure 3 and Table 5 for JMP6 settings.

be connected to ABP. Refer to the ABP section of

the MAX6876 IC data sheet.

6) Place a shorting link at JMP7 if the MAX6876EVKIT

logic is to be powered from the CMOD232 module.

This connects the CMOD232 +5V supply to the

and Table 6.

7) Carefully connect the EV kit and CMOD232 module

by aligning and fully mating the 20-pin header and

socket, P3 of the CMOD232 module and J10 of the

MAX6876EVKIT.

8) Connect a cable from the computer serial port to

the CMOD232 module. If using a 9-pin serial port,

use a straight-through female-to-male cable. If the

PC has a 25-pin serial connector, a standard 25-pin

to 9-pin adapter is required.

9) Install the evaluation software on your computer by

running the INSTALL.EXE program on the CD. The

program files are copied and icons are created in

the Windows Start menu.

10) Connect the DC power supply to the CMOD232

module at input jack P1.

11) Start the MAX6876 evaluation software by clicking

the program icon in the Start menu.

Detailed Description

of Software

Connecting to the MAX6876EVKIT

To connect to the MAX6876 EV kit, ensure that header

P3 of the CMOD232 module is plugged into J10 of the

MAX6876 EV kit and that both boards have power.

Note: Power can be supplied to the MAX6876 EV kit from

the CMOD232 module by installing a shorting link at

JMP7. This shorting link must be removed if the MAX6876

EV kit is to operate from another supply voltage.

Connect the CMOD232 module to an available serial

port on your PC using a standard straight-through

female-to-male 9-pin cable. Set jumpers JMP4 and

address, per Table 4.

Click the system menu on the MAX6876 EV software and

select Connect. A dialog box opens with pulldown

Alternatively, clicking the Auto Detect checkbox causes

the EV software to search serial ports COM1–COM4 and

munication. If connection cannot be established,

recheck electrical connections, COM port assignment,

After the evaluation software locates the CMOD232

module and the MAX6876EVKIT board, the software

polls the configuration registers and updates the dis-

play every 500ms to reflect the current configuration.

Overview Tab

The evaluation software Overview tab shows a graphi-

cal representation of the four available power-supply

IN_/OUT_ pairs, with many mouse-sensitive features.

Figure 1 shows the appearance of the Overview tab for

a typical configuration.

Clicking and dragging any of the four power-supply

ramp waveforms allows OUT_ tracking assignment to

each of the four sequential ramps. The undervoltage/

overvoltage thresholds for each IN_/OUT_ pair can be

adjusted graphically or with the keyboard. To enter the

undervoltage or overvoltage thresholds using the key-

board, click the numeric threshold values on the left

side of the Overview tab and a dialog box will open.

This dialog box also allows selection of the threshold

increments, either 10mV or 20mV.

Underlined text on the Overview tab is used to repre-

sent configuration register values that can be adjusted

by selecting from a pulldown list. Other features, such

as Fault Behavior and Power-Down Mode, are config-

ured by radio buttons. The graphical representation of

the IN_/OUT_ pairs changes to reflect Simultaneous-

or Reverse-Order Power-Down Mode.

For each IN_/OUT_ pair, a checkbox allows selection of

the 100

Ω Pulldown resistance, and the adjustable

Overcurrent Threshold can also be enabled or dis-

abled for each pair. Checking the Overcurrent

Threshold box for an IN_/OUT_ pair causes that chan-

nel to assert the OC output if the OUT_ voltage drops

below the selected overcurrent threshold percentage.

The Assert RESET checkboxes determine which OUT_

detectors assert the RESET output.