Eight-Bit Microcontroller Consumes Just 18 µA

Operating at full speed on a 2.7V to 3.5V supply, the µPD789881 eight-bit microcontroller consumes 18 µA typical and 0.7 µA in standby mode. The device, an extension of the K0S family of microcontrollers, also includes a 26 x 4 LCD controller and driver. The combination of low power consumption and LCD control makes the microcontroller suitable for use in a wide range of battery-powered portable applications.The µPD789881 µC operates from an external, 32-kHz clock that powers all on-chip peripherals. An internally generated 500-kHz clock is provided for CPU control. Users can dynamically switch CPU operation speed between the two clocks to address any performance and power consumption restrictions dictated by the end-product design. Other features of the device include a hardware multiplier, eight- and 16-bit timers, a watchdog timer, UART, and 512 bytes of SRAM. The controller is also offered with either 32 KB of flash memory or 16 KB of ROM. Available in a 64-pin QFP and having a -40¡C to 85¡C operating temperature range, the µPD789881 costs $1.99 each/10K. NEC ELECTRONICS INC., Santa Clara, CA. (408) 588-6620.