Processor companion takes crystal onboard

Combines 64Kbit of nonvolatile ferroelectric RAM with an enhanced real-time clock/calendar and integrated 32kHz watch crystal.

New from Ramtron International Corp, the FM3135 is a 64Kbit 3V processor companion product that combines the benefits of nonvolatile ferroelectric RAM with an enhanced real-time clock/calendar (RTC) and integrated 32kHz watch crystal.

"The most commonly used and lowest cost crystal is a through-hole component", explains Craig Taylor, Director of Applications and Technical Support.

"Embedding the crystal cuts bill of material costs, removes the cumbersome step of inserting and soldering a through-hole crystal (often done by hand), and eliminates the possibility of fatigue on the crystal pins during assembly and handling".

The FM3135 is designed for use in meters, elapsed time monitors, time-of-use recording and other data-storage applications that require timestamping.

The high endurance and fast writes of FRAM combined with an RTC make it ideal for systems that time stamp events.

The FM3135's RTC incorporates an alarm and a programmable frequency clock output.

The alarm compares user-programmed alarm values with corresponding RTC time/date values, creating an ideal solution for applications such as high-end televisions that boast automatic on/off, channel switch and parental controls, and personal video recorder (PVR) functions.

An industry-standard two-wire bus is used to access the memory and to control the RTC.

Available in a 20-pin SOIC package, the FM3135 operates at 2.7 to 3.6V over the entire industrial temperature range (-40 to +85C).

The processor companion is a highly integrated FRAM-enhanced system management device that supports virtually any microcontroller- or microprocessor-based design.

By integrating nonvolatile FRAM, individual system features are improved compared with discrete versions, creating a single-chip solution with superior bill-of-material cost and reduced board space.

Samples of the FM3135 are currently available in 20-pin SOIC packages, with pricing starting at US $3.20 in 10,000-unit quantities.

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