NEC Electronics Introduces 16-bit All Flash Microcontrollers with LCD Controller/Driver

The new All Flash microcontrollers are equipped with NEC Electronics’ 16-bit 78K0R CPU core, integrating in one chip all the necessary functions to construct systems using LCD segmented displays, while implementing a high performance analog front-end, having 12-bit A/D and 12-bit D/A converters, and operational amplifiers. In addition, the new products reduce standby power consumption to 1.2 microamperes (μA) with the LCD enabled, which is one-tenth the level of the company’s previous products. 12 varieties of products, which users may choose from depending on the system: six kinds of 80-pin 78K0R/LF3 MCU, three kinds of 100-pin 78K0R/LG3, and three kinds of 128-pin 78K0R/LH3.

These new products allow system manufacturers to produce smaller, more reliable, and low-cost battery-operated equipment, such as blood glucose meters with LCD display functions, gas/water/electricity meters, and factory automation instruments.

Due to a worldwide increase in awareness of healthcare issues in recent years, the market for home healthcare equipment such as scales, thermometers, and blood glucose meters has been expanding remarkably. In particular, blood glucose meters have become increasingly popular as a convenient home diagnostic test kit to measure blood sugar levels. Measured blood glucose level results are generally shown on the liquid crystal display, and the glucose meter consists of central processing unit (CPU), LCD panel driver, and data converter functions (A/D, D/A).

Conventionally, these functions required three or more integrated circuits, but in order to meet users’ needs for smaller form factors and lower system costs, NEC Electronics’ K0R/Lx3 microcontrollers integrate all necessary functions on one chip, with maximized battery-life, faster processing speed; an increasing end-market demand