Although all of the above originates from the North American semiconductor industry, in the field of motor control, a Toshiba device has been the product of choice. Thanks to its success in consumer electronics and VCRs, Japanese engineers always have a TA7291 H-bridge on hand when it comes to controlling DC motors. Motor control for winches, as well as for loading and unloading VCRs, has kept this solution on the market for over 40 years, with sales of around 10 million units per year. As a result, it appears in textbooks, videos, and courses as the de facto H-bridge solution for DC motor control.

Of course, with the passage of time and the advancement of technology, just like its historical counterparts, the TA7291 has entered a well-deserved retirement. However, the torch has been passed to a successor in the form of the TB67H450FNG. It retains much of the core functionality but utilizes a BiCD silicon process that can handle higher currents and voltages, while also offering additional protection mechanisms. Furthermore, it comes in a much more compact 8-pin SOP package.

The high/low side trigger resistance has been significantly improved, now standing at just 0.6 Ω. The pre-conduction stages are fully integrated without the need for external components, while an integrated voltage regulator allows the device to be powered via a single power pin. Taken together, this means that up to 3.0 A can be driven into a motor with voltages up to 44.0 V.

A full complement of protection systems is also included, from a low-voltage lockout (UVLO) and thermal protection to an overcurrent monitor. It has proven very popular with those building small projects powered by the 5.0V available from USB. Pulse-width modulation (PWM) control supports frequencies up to 400 kHz, while the low-power mode draws only 1 µA of current. If needed, the device also supports a constant-current operating mode. The TB67H450FNG can also be coupled to control stepper motors or even brushless DC (BLDC) motors when required.

Whether your favorite programming language is soldering or you've never even seen a VCR, if you're looking for a new and effective motor control solution, check out this technical article