5 Multi-Voltage I/O Module Use Cases

The Multi-Voltage I/O module simplifies applications requiring interfacing devices that operate on a voltage domain different from the main V_DD of the microcontroller. Devices that do not have MVIO often require additional hardware, such as voltage level shifters, and sometimes special design considerations when selecting which components or sensors will be used in an application. The reason is that when multiple components with different operating voltages are designed together in the same application, the definition of a logic '1' and a logic '0' is inconsistent throughout the design. The voltage thresholds for what determines the logic level of a signal are directly related to the operating voltage of a specific device, which necessitates some form of level shifting or translation between components that operate on different domains.

Rather than potentially increasing the overall bill of materials or adding additional circuitry and complexity to an application, the MVIO module handles all voltage level shifting and translating internally within the microcontroller. The Multi-Voltage I/O module has several features and functionalities that make it versatile for many applications and use cases. This section highlights specific ways to use the MVIO module in different applications.