Flash MCU integrates high-res dot matrix LCD driver

Seiko Epson Corp. has developed the S1C17702, a 16bit flash MCU that claims the industry's highest-resolution dot matrix LCD driver, and features low power consumption equivalent to an 8bit MCU.

The S1C17702, which has a 16bit RISC CPU, achieves the high-speed processing capability of one clock cycle per instruction. This product has a wide variety of interfaces that enable connection with multiple sensors or peripheral devices. Moreover, the large-capacity 128Kbyte on-chip flash ROM of the S1C17702 has made it possible to store large volumes of display data, such as programs.

The S1C17702, which has a dot matrix LCD driver with a top-of-the-industry resolution of 72 SEG x 32 COM (2,304 dots), enables direct connection with LCD panels, making the display of such data as Japanese characters or graphs a simple matter. Because the multiple voltages required to drive the LCD panel are generated internally from the power supply voltage, a dedicated power source is not necessary.

This product also employs voltage regulator circuit technology, which enables a device to maintain the quality of the display regardless of the charge remaining in the battery. For applications involving displays, which had, up until now, required multiple chips, including dedicated external chips, the S1C17702 has made it possible to construct products with a minimal number of components. This makes the S1C17702 the ideal product for users who wish to manufacture devices that are more compact, consume less power and cost less to make.

By integrating the low power consumption technologies accumulated over the years for its watches and other applications to achieve low current consumption, typically 1?A during standby mode, Epson has succeeded in making a product that will contribute to longer battery life for the devices made by its customers.

These capabilities make the S1C17702 ideal when considering improvements, such as lengthening the battery life, enhancing sensor interfaces, reducing the size or improving the grayscale LCD display, for a wide range of applications, including remote controllers, sports watches, healthcare equipment and portable games.

Key features
The company claims the 16bit RISC MCU achieves both high performance and low power consumption. The device specifications are as follows: sleep state of 1?A (typical): halt state of 32.768kHz, 2.5?A (typical): run state of 32.768kHz, 18.0?A (typical); and LCD ON state of 32.768kHz, 7.0?A (typical).

The device has an enhanced development environment featuring compact, reduced-pin serial on chip-ICE and on-chip flash ROM (that supports self-programming). The development environment also provides software simulators and development tools for initial evaluation, sample programs of the various functions and a C compiler and instruction set with high level of code efficiency.

Shipment of samples of this product will start in March, and volume production, with a monthly output of 500,000 units will begin in June.