SparkFun Level Translator Breakout - PCA9306

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

breakout

A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.

I2C

I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.

microcontroller

A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.

open-drain

A digital output style that can pull a signal line low but cannot drive it high by itself, so it needs a pull-up resistor or another circuit to make the high level. Open-drain outputs are often used for shared alert lines or buses because multiple devices can safely pull the same line low.

SCL

The clock line used by the I2C bus to keep data transfers timed between a controller and connected devices. When wiring I2C, SCL must be connected to the SCL pin on every device sharing the bus.

SDA

The data line used by the I2C bus to carry information between a controller and connected devices. When wiring I2C, SDA must be connected to the SDA pin on every device sharing the bus.