Industry's Most Energy-Efficient MCU Families Leverage Mixed-Signal
Innovations to Minimize Total System Power
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Silicon
Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: SLAB), a leader in high-performance,
analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs, today introduced the industry's most
energy-efficient microcontroller (MCU) and wireless MCU solutions for
power-sensitive embedded applications. The new C8051F96x MCU and Si102x
and Si103x wireless MCU families are based on patented low-power
technology that enables 40 percent less system current draw and up to 65
percent longer battery life than competing MCU solutions. Designed to
address the unique power requirements of battery-operated embedded
systems, Silicon Labs' ultra-lower-power MCU families are ideal for
smart metering (water, gas and heat meters), in-home utility monitoring,
wireless security, home and building automation, portable medical and
asset tracking products.
Embedded developers designing battery-powered systems, particularly
those using wireless data links, require power optimization strategies
that are tailored to their application needs. Silicon Labs has designed
the new F96x 8-bit MCUs with these ultra-low power and wireless
connectivity requirements in mind. The Si102x/3x wireless MCUs combine
the power-saving features of the F96x MCUs with the company's
EZRadioPRO® sub-GHz transceiver into a single-chip solution that is
ideal for battery-operated embedded systems requiring both energy
efficiency and industry-leading RF performance.
To achieve best-in-class low-power and wireless optimizations, Silicon
Labs' F96x and Si102x/3x families offer three major system-level
innovations:
-
Superior energy transfer efficiency for battery-operated systems. Greater
efficiency in transferring energy from the battery results in less
energy lost as heat dissipation, which reduces system-level power
consumption and extends battery life. The F96x and Si102x/3x families'
on-chip dc-dc buck converter enables significantly higher efficiency
in voltage conversion compared to a linear regulator, resulting in
energy transfer efficiencies of up to 85 percent. The on-chip buck
converter can supply up to 250 mW of power, providing energy not only
for the MCU but also for other circuits in the system such as an RF
transceiver. Silicon Labs is the first semiconductor company to
integrate a power-saving dc-dc buck converter on an MCU, resulting in
not only superior energy efficiency but also lower component count and
BOM cost.
-
Reduced time in active mode. Since MCUs use maximum power in
active mode, the F96x and Si102x/3x devices incorporate several
innovations to reduce the time spent in active mode. An on-chip
Dedicated Packet Processing Engine (DPPE) with hardware acceleration
blocks enables more than a fivefold increase in RF message processing
speed and allows the CPU to remain idle during transactions, thereby
reducing active time and the current load on the battery. The MCUs
also include a low-power pulse counter that operates autonomously in
sleep mode without CPU intervention. The on-chip pulse counter is
especially useful in reducing power in utility metering applications
that use pulse trains or switch closures while monitoring fluid flow.
-
Reduced power in sleep mode. The new MCUs integrate the lowest
power real-time clock (RTC) in the industry, enabling 40 percent lower
power in sleep mode than competing MCUs. The MCUs achieve 400 nA sleep
current with the RTC running and 70 nA sleep current (without the RTC)
at 3 V. An ultra-low 10 nA sleep current mode is additionally
available at minimum voltage. The MCUs also offer the industry's
fastest wakeup time from sleep mode at 2 microseconds. As a result of
these state-of-the-art low-power design techniques, systems based on
the F96x and Si102x/3x families can support battery life greater than
20 years.
"The F96x and Si102x/3x families incorporate some of the best
mixed-signal innovations in the ultra-low-power MCU market," said Mike
Salas, general manager of Silicon Labs' MCU products. "By substantially
reducing overall system power, our new MCUs enable developers to reduce
the size and cost of batteries used in embedded systems or to
significantly increase battery life while delivering end products with
industry-leading RF performance."
Comprehensive Development Environment
Silicon Labs' F96x and Si102x/3x families are supported by a new Unified
Development Platform (UDP) featuring a single motherboard, modular
boards, integrated LCD, and ample real estate for prototyping, expansion
and system integration. The UDP supports MCU code and firmware
development, RF design and optimization, and network and protocol stacks
such as the wireless M-Bus stack for smart metering applications.
Silicon Labs also offers Wireless Development Suite (WDS) software that
enables developers to easily create efficient, robust and cost-effective
wireless applications with little or no RF design experience. Detailed
documentation, reference designs, run-time MAC/PHY and code examples are
additionally available to speed up product evaluation. To learn more
about the UDP and WDS software, visit www.silabs.com/UDP
and www.silabs.com/WDS.
Pricing and Availability
Production quantities of Silicon Labs' F96x MCUs and Si102x/Si103x
wireless MCUs are available now in a variety of small-footprint
packages. Pricing in 10,000-unit quantities begins at $2.41 for the F96x
MCUs, $4.39 for the Si102x wireless MCUs and $3.27 for the Si103x
wireless MCUs (all prices in USD).
Silicon Labs offers a number of hardware and software development kits
ranging in price from $129 to $829 (USD MSRP). For additional product
information, samples and development tools for the F96x and Si102x/3x
families, please visit www.silabs.com/pr/lowpower
and www.silabs.com/pr/wirelessmcu,
respectively.
Silicon Laboratories Inc.
Silicon Laboratories is an industry leader in the innovation of
high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs. Developed by a
world-class engineering team with unsurpassed expertise in mixed-signal
design, Silicon Labs' diverse portfolio of patented semiconductor
solutions offers customers significant advantages in performance, size
and power consumption. For more information about Silicon Labs, please
visit www.silabs.com.
Cautionary Language
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on
Silicon Laboratories' current expectations. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties. A number of important
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of factors that could
impact Silicon Laboratories' financial results and cause actual results
to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements,
please refer to Silicon Laboratories' filings with the SEC. Silicon
Laboratories disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Note to editors: Silicon Laboratories, Silicon Labs, the "S" symbol, the
Silicon Laboratories logo and the Silicon Labs logo are trademarks of
Silicon Laboratories Inc. All other product names noted herein may be
trademarks of their respective holders.
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Silicon Laboratories Inc.
Dale Weisman, +1-512-532-5871
dale.weisman@silabs.com
Source: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
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