Freescale Semiconductor, a provider of embedded semiconductor devices,
reportedly has expanded its 8-bit microcontroller, or “MCU,” portfolio with the addition of a new device, S08LL64, ideal for personal diagnostic and portable health care products that require low-power operation and advanced display capabilities.
According to Freescale, its latest 8-bit MCU is an extension of its liquid crystal display S08LL microcontroller families. It not only eases the development of embedded applications with LCDs, but also extends battery life of a device. This helps engineers quickly develop dependable, flexible and low-cost medical, industrial and consumer devices.
The S08LL64 MCU, which can be powered down to 1.8V, can operate at 20MHz. This lets the device offer high performance even at low voltage levels for battery-operated applications.
Freescale’s latest LCD MCU offering feature two ultra-low-power stop modes along with low-power run and wait modes. Other key features include - six microsecond wake-up time; ultra-low-power oscillator; internal charge pump and software selectable frontplane and backplane.
The LL64 device can facilitate smaller PCB designs with higher segment count, thereby offering up to 288 segments on an 80-pin package. These features make the LL64 device ideal for portable consumer and metering applications, Freescale said.
“The growing number of portable applications with LCD displays is driving the need for longer battery life and more memory options,” said Aiden Mitchell, director of industrial and multi-market microcontrollers at Freescale, said in a press release. “Freescale’s LL64 MCU family meets this need and widens the range of cost-effective, ultra-low-power solutions within Freescale’s extensive LCD MCU portfolio, giving customers tremendous freedom of choice in addressing their application needs.”
Moreover, Freescale offers TWR-SO8LL64, the first 8-bit Tower System, along with TWR-SO8LL64-KIT evaluation systems, in order to encourage developers to explore the features and capabilities of the S08LL family devices.
The S08LL family can now provide flash memory options from 8K to 64K, with the introduction of LL64 devices into the family. This family eliminates the need for separate display driver ICs for standard 3V and 5V LCD glass applications. On-chip LCD drivers support up to eight backplanes, enabling developers to drive more segments with fewer pins, reducing system cost as well as design complexity. In addition, this family supports an LCD blink mode that operates without waking up the controller core, thereby reducing overall power consumption, says Freescale.
Officials with Freescale said that new S08LL64 MCUs are compatible for applications such as glucose meters and pulse oximeters due to their best-in-class standby power consumption. This helps these devices continue functioning for approximately six years using two AAA batteries.
Jayashree Adkoli is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of Jayashree's articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Amy Tierney
