SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Renesas Technology America, Inc., today announced a new generation of microcontrollers (MCUs) with an on-chip Sensor Control Unit¹ (SCU) for capacitive-touch applications. The devices in the R8C/33T group combine the features of Renesas Technology’s well-established R8C family with innovative on-chip hardware that implements sophisticated touch-sensor technology from OMRON Corporation.
These new MCUs incorporate 18 independent capacitive-touch channels, a wide range of peripheral functions, up to 32KB of on-chip flash memory, and 4KB of data flash memory with background operation (BGO). They are ideal for creating embedded systems that combine enhanced user interfaces with full system control functions and capabilities. Primary applications include home appliances, Security systems, thermostat control panels, medical devices, personal computers, audio/Video components and office equipment.
Besides the innovative SCU, R8C/33T MCUs incorporate an R8C 16-bit CPU core, a data transfer controller (DTC) and a wide range of peripheral functions, including multiple serial interfaces, 8- and 16-bit timers, and up to 12 channels of Analog-to-Digital conversion, as well as high-current ports for direct LED control. The devices support 1.8V to 5.5V operation and are packaged in a 32-pin, 7mm × 7mm LQFP.
According to Ritesh Tyagi, director of marketing, system LSI business unit, Renesas Technology America, Inc., “Renesas Technology’s philosophy is to deploy advanced solutions to meet or exceed market needs. Because of the collaboration between Renesas Technology and OMRON, a leader in touch-sensor technology, the new R8C/33T MCUs bring to market an enhanced version of an industry-proven capacitive-touch solution. The SCU built into the devices detects and processes changes in capacitive-sensor signals with minimum CPU overhead. This dedicated hardware is optimized to operate during low-power modes, while maintaining a high level of filtering and noise reduction. As a result, R8C/33T MCUs can scan and detect a valid user control-panel touch while consuming approximately 1/10th the power required by traditional software-based solutions. System designers can take full advantage of this new line of MCUs to achieve superior capacitive-touch processing combined with system control functionality for a broad range of applications.”
< Key Features of R8C/33T Capacitive Touch Solution >
(1) High integration for lower systems cost
Integration of an on-chip sensor control unit for a capacitive-touch sensor means that system control and touch control can both be handled by a single chip. In addition, the MCUs in the R8C/33T group can connect directly to the sensor electrodes for touch sensing. This eliminates the requirement for resistors and capacitors for each electrode; thereby, reducing the total number of parts, lowering the overall system cost, improving reliability, and shortening the product development time.
(2) Approximately 1/10 the power consumption of comparable capacitive-touch MCU products
The addition of a sensor control unit dramatically reduces the amount of CPU processing time needed for touch detection and cuts the system power consumption to about 1/10 of that when a comparable Renesas Technology MCU is used and touch detection is implemented in software. Also, the SCU operates at a low frequency (4MHz or 5MHz), which also helps to reduce power consumption. During touch-detection operation, an R8C/33T MCU can also handle other system control tasks such as LED illumination, serial communication and PWM control.
(3) Improved touch-detection sensitivity
The sensor control unit for capacitive-touch sensors employs a series-capacitance division-comparison system² that provides very rapid and stable touch-detection functionality.
(4) Data transfer controller
MCUs in the R8C/33T group have an on-chip data transfer controller (DTC) that performs functions similar to those of a direct memory access controller (DMAC). The DTC unit manages data transfers from memory to memory, or memory to peripherals, without CPU intervention.
(5) Workbench GUI Tool
Essential design tasks such as electrode design, sensitivity adjustment, threshold-value setting, and signal monitoring can be performed easily, reducing development time and costs. Settings can be written to Data Flash memory³ to allow for fine-tuning of individual models. This makes it possible for customers to incorporate highly accurate touch-sensor solutions into their products.
[About the joint development with OMRON]
Renesas Technology is jointly developing capacitance touch sensor solutions with OMRON for responding to demands from manufacturers of products incorporating touch. (For reference: on March 12, 2009, an agreement was announced between OMRON Corporation and Renesas Technology to jointly develop capacitance touch-sensor solutions.)
OMRON is a world leader in touch-sensor technology with its proprietary series-capacitance division-comparison system, which has an established track record in a broad range of markets.
Renesas and OMRON created a hardware version of OMRON's proven touch-sensor technology in the form of a touch-detection circuit and integrated it into Renesas' R8C Family of MCU products as a single-chip solution.
About Renesas Technology Corp.
Renesas Technology Corp. is the world's No.1 supplier of microcontrollers and one of the world's leading semiconductor system solutions providers for mobile, automotive and PC/AV (Audio Visual) markets. It is also a leading provider of Power MOSFETs, Smart Card microcontrollers, RF-ICs, High Power Amplifiers, Mixed Signal ICs, System-on-Chip Devices (SoCs), System-in-Package Devices (SiPs) and more. Established in 2003 as a joint venture between Hitachi, Ltd. (TOKYO:6501) (NYSE:HIT) and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6503), Renesas Technology achieved consolidated revenue of 702.7 billion JPY in FY2008 (end of March 2009). Renesas Technology is based in Tokyo, Japan and has a global network of manufacturing, design and sales operations in 16 countries with 25,000 employees worldwide. For further information, please visit www.renesas.com
