Unused Diode Channels
If one or more of the remote diode channels is not
needed, the DXP and DXN inputs for that channel
should either be unconnected, or the DXP input should
be connected to V
CC
. The status register indicates a
diode "fault" for this channel and the channel is ignored
during the temperature-measurement sequence. It is
also good practice to mask any unused channels
immediately upon power-up by setting the appropriate
bits in the Configuration 2 and Configuration 3 regis-
ters. This will prevent unused channels from causing
ALERT or OVERT to assert.
Thermal Mass and Self-Heating
When sensing local temperature, the MAX6689 mea-
sures the temperature of the printed-circuit board
(PCB) to which it is soldered. The leads provide a good
thermal path between the PCB traces and the die. As
with all IC temperature sensors, thermal conductivity
between the die and the ambient air is poor by compar-
ison, making air temperature measurements impracti-
cal. Because the thermal mass of the PCB is far greater
than that of the MAX6689, the device follows tempera-
ture changes on the PCB with little or no perceivable
delay. When measuring the temperature of a CPU or
other IC with an on-chip sense junction, thermal mass
has virtually no effect; the measured temperature of the
junction tracks the actual temperature within a conver-
sion cycle.
When measuring temperature with discrete remote
transistors, the best thermal response times are
obtained with transistors in small packages (i.e., SOT23
or SC70). Take care to account for thermal gradients
between the heat source and the sensor, and ensure
that stray air currents across the sensor package do
not interfere with measurement accuracy. Self-heating
does not significantly affect measurement accuracy.
Remote-sensor self-heating due to the diode current
source is negligible.
7-Channel Precision Temperature Monitor
14   ______________________________________________________________________________________
Table 7. Status 1 Register
BIT
NAME
POR
STATE
FUNCTION
7 (MSB)
Reserved
0
6
Local ALERT
0
Local Channel High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the local
temperature exceeds the temperature threshold limit in the local ALERT high-
limit register.
5
Remote 6 ALERT
0
Channel 6 Remote-Diode High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the
channel 6 remote-diode temperature exceeds the temperature threshold limit
in the remote 6 ALERT high-limit register.
4
Remote 5 ALERT
0
Channel 5 Remote-Diode High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the
channel 5 remote-diode temperature exceeds the programmed temperature
threshold limit in the remote 5 ALERT high-limit register.
3
Remote 4 ALERT
0
Channel 4 Remote-Diode High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the
channel 4 remote-diode temperature exceeds the temperature threshold limit
in the remote 4 ALERT high-limit register.
2
Remote 3 ALERT
0
Channel 3 Remote-Diode High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the
channel 3 remote-diode temperature exceeds the programmed temperature
threshold limit in the remote 3 ALERT high-limit register.
1
Remote 2 ALERT
0
Channel 2 Remote-Diode High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the
channel 2 remote-diode temperature exceeds the temperature threshold limit
in the remote 2 ALERT high-limit register.
0
Remote 1 ALERT
0
Channel 1 Remote-Diode High-Alert Bit. This bit is set to logic 1 when the
channel 1 remote-diode temperature exceeds the temperature threshold limit
in the remote 1 ALERT high-limit register.