Microchip Introduces First Independent Real-Time Clock/Calendar Series

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Spot Remarks 2017+

Microchip Technology Inc., the world's leading provider of integrated patented microcontrollers, analog devices and flash memory solutions, announces the launch of its first standalone IC real-time clock/calendar (RTCC) family. All six MCP794XX devices are highly integrated at low cost, including on-chip EEPROM and SRAM with sufficient storage capacity. Moreover, the user-lockable portion of the EEPROM can store a 64-bit programmable unique ID, which allows a MAC address to be burned into the factory. These devices feature digital trimming for clock calibration and battery switching to support backup power at very low voltage and current conditions. By integrating all of these features in a single device, the MCP794XX family not only reduces component count but also reduces the cost of various applications.

Examples of applications for these devices include smart energy sources (such as thermostats, electricity meters, and commercial refrigeration), household appliances (such as cookers, dishwashers, and microwave ovens), automobiles (such as dashboard controls and car radios), and consumer electronics markets (such as offices). Equipment, irrigation control and video systems).

Many applications, such as cameras and laptops, require a real-time clock with backup power to maintain time and alarm settings when the main power is off. In other applications such as commercial refrigeration, POS equipment, and security systems, a real-time clock with power failure monitoring is also required to capture the failure of the primary power supply and to record the time period during which the failure occurred. With its on-chip battery switching circuitry and power failure timestamps, the MCP794XX RTCC device can do this to help solve system uptime, safety and security issues involving applications such as perishable goods storage or controlled access. These devices can be pre-programmed with MAC addresses at the time of ordering, eliminating time-consuming steps in the production process; and digital trimming can support software temperature compensation, which is less expensive than devices that use hardware for temperature compensation.

David Wilkie, Director of Memory Products at Microchip, said: "In the past, we integrated several RTCCs into our microcontrollers. Now we are pleased to introduce the first stand-alone RTCC. Many applications such as cooling and security systems require a clock and alarm function. Working in the event of a power outage. The MCP794XX Series offers customers a cost-effective, low pin count option for adding this feature to their designs without significantly increasing design size or cost."

Development support

Microchip 's MCP79410 RTCC PICtail Plus Daughter Board (part number AC164140) is expected to be available in February 2011. This daughter board can be used with Microchip's Explorer 16 development board (part number DM240001), PIC18 Explorer evaluation board (part number: DM183032), PICkit serial analyzer (part number DV164122) and XLP 16-bit development board (part number DM240311) use.

Package and availability

All six MCP794XX RTCC devices are available in 8-lead MSOP, SOIC, TSSOP and TDFN packages. Samples are available at http:// These devices are available in volume at MicrochipDIRECT (http://). For more information, please contact a Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit the Microchip web site at http://