It manages the inrush current and protects the downstream load during board insertion into a live backplane, using an external N-channel MOSFET — the controller itself contains no internal switch. The part is rated for a 3V to 13V supply rail, drawing 500 µA quiescent current, and operates over the industrial -40°C to 85°C range. Typical applications include general-purpose hot-swap and power-sequencing in telecom line cards, base stations, server blades, and industrial backplanes where a controlled power-up prevents glitches and connector damage.
Programmable protection — what the features mean for your design
The TPS2331ID integrates three programmable functions: circuit breaker threshold, fault timeout, and slew rate. The circuit breaker sets the overcurrent trip point; the fault timeout defines how long the controller waits before latching off after a fault; the slew rate controls how fast the output voltage ramps up, which directly limits the inrush current into bulk capacitance on the load side. These are set with external resistors and a capacitor — no digital interface, so the design is fixed once the BOM is locked. The latched-fault behaviour means the controller stays off after a trip until the input power is cycled or the enable signal is toggled, which is the right response for a hard overcurrent or short on the output. The UVLO (undervoltage lockout) prevents the MOSFET from turning on until the input rail is high enough to guarantee proper gate drive.
Supply voltage and 12V system fit
The 3V to 13V supply range covers the common 3.3V, 5V, and 12V rails found in most backplane and line-card designs. For a 12V hot-swap application, the TPS2331ID is a direct fit — the 13V upper bound provides headroom above a nominal 12V rail, though it will not tolerate a 15V or 24V bus.
The TPS2331ID comes in a 14-SOIC (0.154" body width, 3.90 mm) surface-mount package. The wide-body SOIC footprint is standard and easy to inspect.
No pin-compatible second source is documented in available records.