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EM Microelectronic introduces ultra-low power, real-time clock family
More on this news or product: EM3027
EM3027: first RTC with integrated readable temperature sensor ;

MARIN, Switzerland – May 21st, 2008 – EM Microelectronic, the semiconductor company of the Swatch Group, today announces a new family of ultra-low power real-time clocks combining high accuracy and stability. The EM3027 is the first RTC with compensated frequency deviation over temperatures from -40°C to 125°C and supply voltage, featuring a temperature sensor with digital readout capability.
"Accurate timing functions are necessary to almost every electronics application today," says Marc Degrauwe, CEO of EM Microelectronic, "therefore, this first RTC with compensated frequency deviation and temperature readout feature will give our customers another competitive edge."
Ultra-low power requirements make this chip ideally suited for applications running with a single lithium backup battery or super capacitor. With these performance characteristics, the chip is also a first choice for design-ins into portable devices. Other target applications for this new component include power metering, medical devices, point of sale devices and vending machines, white goods and data loggers.
The EM3027 operates seamlessly from a supply voltage of 1.3 to 5.5V; a sophisticated power management unit automatically detects any supply interruption and the integrated switch-over function connects the RTC part to the backup power supply (battery or super capacitor), thus ensuring full data integrity. Additionally, a trickle-charger function guarantees permanent and optimal recharging of the backup capacitor; trickle-charger characteristics can be matched to application needs by means of the internal programmable resistor.
The circuit delivers clock and calendar information (hours, minutes, seconds, week day, month and year in Binary Coded Decimal format) with automated leap year management. Programmable clock output and intervals can be programmed and serve as a time reference to the application. The EM3027 also features a flexible and programmable alarm function.
In addition, application development is facilitated through additional features such as 2 EEPROM and 8 RAM bytes available for storage of application parameters (serial numbers, etc) as well as a separate 16 bit counter, which can be used to implement either a counter or a watchdog function.
Alarm or counter detection are signaled to the microcontroller or microprocessor over a dedicated interrupt output. Two different under-voltage levels are automatically detected and indicated with corresponding interrupt flags.
Finally, the EM3027 needs no external components, saving material and manufacturing costs, while giving electronic device manufacturers enhanced design freedom.

Availability
The EM3027 is available either with an I2C, an SPI or a 3-wire interface. Depending on the interface version, the RTC is delivered either in SO-08, TSSOP-08 or TSSOP-14 packages (other packages on request). The circuit is being produced for standard (-40 +85°C) and extended (-40 to +125°C) operating temperature ranges. More information about these circuits is available here