Epson to Launch Production of Ultra-Low Power 4-Bit Microcontrollers

New S1C63000 series can operate on 1.1V, allowing mobile devices to last longer on a single button cell

TOKYO, Japan - Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”, TSE: 6724) today announced that it has developed a new series of ultra-low current, 4-bit microcontrollers. The microcontrollers in the new S1C63000 series run on as little as 1.1V in operating mode and only 0.1 μA in sleep mode. Volume production is slated to begin in April 2010, with plans calling for two-million units, total, per month.

The new microcontrollers are designed for use in mobile devices, which demand long battery life. The products in the S1C63000 series employ Epson’s original low-power analog IP and low-leak process technology, allowing the microcontrollers to operate on a 1.5V button cell (e.g. a silver-oxide battery or alkaline button cell), both because current consumption is curbed during sleep mode and also because the chips can operate on just 1.1V. Even when the CPU is running at high speed (4 MHz), the microcontroller consumes just 220 μA of current. This is approximately 75% less than Epson’s previous comparable products*1, enabling the new microcontrollers to dramatically prolong the battery life of the equipment in which they are used.

In addition to low-voltage operation and low current consumption, the products in the S1C63000 series boast powerful on-chip peripheral circuits, including the constant voltage circuits and liquid crystal driver circuits for which Epson microcontrollers are known, as well as resistance-to-frequency type A/D converters (R/F converters), which enable accurate temperature and humidity measurements, and supply voltage detection circuits that offer far greater accuracy than in the predecessor series*1.
Flash-based microcontrollers for programming the products in this series will also be available, significantly simplifying the software development process.

Epson is committed to further advancing its unique technologies and developing products suited to applications that require low power consumption, such as battery-operated mobile devices.
Product features

1. Low-current operation that dramatically extends battery life
* Sleep: 0.1 μA (typical)
* Halt (32.768 kHz, LCD off): 0.5 μA (typical)
* Halt (32.768 kHz, LCD on): 0.9 μA (typical)*2
* Operating (32.768 kHz): 2.3 μA (typical)
* Operating (4 MHz): 220 μA (typical)
2. Low voltage operation and power management circuit
* 1.1V—1.7V / 1.8V—5.5V operation guaranteed*3
* LCD constant voltage circuit
This circuit ensures stable, high-quality display regardless of the charge left in the battery. Voltage for driving the liquid crystals is generated internally, and an external regulator is not needed
3. Peripheral circuits ideally suited to mobile devices
* Code ROM with a capacity ranging from 4,096 words to 16,384 words
* On-chip LCD driver with up to 56 segments x 8 commons
* A segment allocation function allows designers to match the address and bits of display memory to any segment terminal
* Selectable GPIO port and segment pin functions*3
* Software-based display contrast adjustment function
Can be used for voltage matching with a liquid crystal panel or to add a function for adjusting contrast to the product
* Resistance-to-frequency type A/D converter (R/F converter) for temperature and humidity measurements
* Supply voltage detection circuit accurate to ±3% (max.)
Helps enable efficient use of batteries and prolongs battery life by improving voltage detection accuracy
* Timer circuits

Please see the data sheet for additional specifications of the products in this series. PDF (76KB)

*1: Compared to Epson’s S1C63654/656/658/666 series of microcontrollers
*2: The S1C63004 is 20 segments x 8 commons, with no panel load
*3: Selected using a mask option

For documentation and further details about the S1C63000 series, please see the following link:
http://www.epson.jp/device/semicon_e/product/mcu/high_4bit/index.htm

For sales enquiries, please locate your regional Epson electronic device sales office at:
http://www.epson.jp/device/semicon_e/support/contact.htm

About Epson
Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader that is dedicated to exceeding the vision of customers worldwide through its compact, energy-saving, high-precision technologies, with a product lineup ranging from printers and 3LCD projectors for business and the home, to electronic and crystal devices.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises over 70,000 employees in 106 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. http://global.epson.com/