Product Overview
The TCA9546APWR from Texas Instruments is a 4-channel I2C/SMBus switch with reset and voltage-level translation in a TSSOP-16 (PW) package. Operating from 1.65V to 5.5V, it enables a single I2C master to communicate with up to 4 downstream I2C buses at different voltage levels, resolving address conflicts and supporting hot insertion with low RON switches.
Key Specifications
| Channels | 4 (1-to-4 bidirectional) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.65V – 5.5V |
| I2C Frequency | 0 – 400 kHz |
| Address Pins | 3 (A0-A1-A2), up to 8 devices on bus |
| Reset | Active-low RESET input |
| Level Translation | 1.8V/2.5V/3.3V/5V between channels |
| I/O Tolerance | 5.5V |
| ESD | 4000V HBM, 1500V CDM |
| Package | TSSOP-16 (PW) 5×6.4 mm |
| Temperature | -40 to +85 deg C |
Features
- 1-of-4 bidirectional translating switches for I2C bus expansion
- Voltage-level translation between 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V, and 5V buses
- Active-low RESET input recovers from stuck downstream buses
- Three address pins allow up to 8 TCA9546A devices on one I2C bus
- Hot insertion support with no glitch on power-up
Applications
- Server and router I2C bus expansion and isolation
- Multi-sensor I2C networks with address conflict resolution
- Mixed-voltage I2C bus bridging (1.8V to 5V)
- Broadcast communication across multiple I2C segments
- Industrial fault isolation on I2C buses