The TC3401 is a low cost, low power analog-to-digital converter based on Microchip’s Sigma-Delta technology. It will perform 16-bit conversions (15-bit plus sign) at up to eight per second. The TC3401 is optimized for use as a microcontroller peripheral in low cost, battery operated systems. A voltage reference is included, or an external reference can be used. A VDD monitor with reset generator provides Power-On Reset and Brown-out protection while an extra threshold detector is suitable for use as an early warning power fail detector, or as a wake-up timer. The TC3401’s 2-wire MicroPort™ digital interface is used for starting conversions and for reading out the data. Driving the SCLK line low starts a conversion. After the conversion starts, each additional falling edge (up to six) detected on SCLK for t4 seconds reduces the A/D resolution by one bit and cuts conversion time in half. After a conversion is completed, clocking the SCLK line puts the MSB through LSB of the resulting data word onto the SDAT line, much like a shift register. The part automatically sleeps when not performing a data conversion. The TC3401 is available in a 16-Pin PDIP and a 16-Pin QSOP package.