STMicroelectronics EVAL-L9945

Overview

EVAL-L9945 from STMicroelectronics is an evaluation board for the L9945 smart power pre-driver IC, supporting configurable 8-channel high-side/low-side MOSFET driving (N/P-channel), dual H-bridge, or dual peak-and-hold operation across 3.8 V–36 V supply, with full SPI register control and on-board diagnostics.

For engineers reviewing the EVAL-L9945 datasheet, EVAL-L9945 pinout, EVAL-L9945 application, or EVAL-L9945 equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of automotive-grade injector/ignition driver configurations, SPI-based register tuning, thermal and short-circuit protection behavior, and interoperability with SPC563M-DISP or custom MCU interfaces.

Technical Context

The EVAL-L9945 implements direct hardware access to all L9945 control and status pins via test points, enabling real-time monitoring of channel enable states, fault flags (overcurrent, overtemperature, short-to-battery/ground), and SPI transaction integrity. It supports both 3.3 V and 5 V logic-level microcontrollers.

Board-level configuration uses physical jumpers and SPI commands to select among three functional modes: eight independent pre-drivers, two H-bridges (each with complementary PWM control), or two peak-and-hold drivers (for solenoid actuation), all operating under BCD process thermal and electrical constraints.

Key Specifications

Availability

EVAL-L9945 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for automotive ECU development, diesel/gasoline engine management prototyping, and industrial solenoid driver validation requiring stable component supply and traceable evaluation hardware.

Supply support for EVAL-L9945 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, designing and manufacturing microcontrollers, power ICs, sensors, and analog/mixed-signal devices for automotive, industrial, and consumer applications.

The EVAL-L9945 belongs to ST's automotive smart power evaluation platform family, engineered specifically to accelerate development of ISO 26262-compliant engine control units using BCD-based pre-driver ICs like L9945.

FAQ

Does EVAL-L9945 require a specific ST microcontroller to operate?

No. The board is designed for interoperability with any microcontroller providing SPI communication and 12 GPIOs - including but not limited to ST's SPC563M64L. Adapter headers allow connection to non-ST MCU boards, and reference firmware is available via ST's website for common use cases like injector drive sequencing.

What protection features of the L9945 IC are observable on the EVAL-L9945 board?

All L9945 on-die protections are accessible: short-circuit detection (to battery/ground), overcurrent shutdown with auto-retry, overtemperature flagging, and supply undervoltage lockout. These are exposed via dedicated test points and reflected in SPI status registers, enabling real-time fault injection and recovery testing.

Can EVAL-L9945 be used to validate dual H-bridge motor control?

Yes. The board supports configuring two independent H-bridge channels using jumper settings and SPI register writes. Each bridge provides complementary high-side/low-side drive with dead-time control, making it suitable for validating brushed DC motor control in engine cooling fans or auxiliary pumps before ASIC integration.

Is demonstration software provided with EVAL-L9945?

Yes. ST provides downloadable demonstration software compatible with LabVIEW and UDE Visual Platform, enabling GUI-based SPI register configuration, real-time fault monitoring, and waveform capture of channel enable/status signals. USB–RS232 cable is required for host PC connectivity and is listed in system requirements.