Stuttgart, Germany Ö The 22 new 16-bit All Flash microcontrollers (MCUs) of the 78K0R/Kx3-L series from NEC Electronics (Distribution: Gleichmann Electronics) require only 1.5 milliwatts (mW) per million instructions per second (Dhrystone 1.1) and therefore, currently offer the industry’s highest power/performance ratio. The new MCUs are based on NEC Electronics' high-performance 16-bit 78K0R CPU core.

Many features have been optimized. For example, power consumption at 20 MHz operation has been reduced by 20% to 6.5 milliamperes (mA) and at 10 MHz operation by 10 percent to 3.5 mA. Even more significant is the optimization of the power management circuitry, which is reflected in the standby power consumption. When only the real-time clock is active the power consumption of the 78K0R/Kx3-L family reduces to 1.0 microampere (µA). This was previously, an average of 2.4 µA. By reducing the internal supply voltage from 2.4 V to 1.8 V in "low consumption current mode", the overall power consumption can be further reduced.

Especially interesting for sensor applications; an optimized 12-channel, 10-bit A/D converter circuit, which is also integrated on the 78K0R/Kx3-L family, reduces the conversion time of an analog input into a digital output from 6 to 3 microseconds (µs). In addition, one internal operational amplifier and two internal comparators allow a wide range of analog data to be measured.

Because of the low power consumption and the extensive peripheral functions, the 22 new MCUs of the 78K0R/Kx3-L family are ideally suited for use in portable equipment or with sensor-equipped systems such as fire alarms, security devices, meters, industrial sensors, hand-held medical diagnostics devices as well as data acquisition and point-of-sale (POS) terminals.

Samples will be available from the third quarter of 2008. Start of volume production is planned for the end of 2008.