Maxim Integrated Products introduces a addition to its RISC MAXQ microcontroller product line, the MAXQ3100 integrated, mixed-signal microcontroller that is ideal for a wide range of data-driven display applications. It includes a digitally trimmable real-time clock (RTC) with a dedicated backup battery pin, an LCD interface that supports up to 160 segments, a frequency-locked loop (FLL), two analog comparators, and a digital temperature sensor.

The MAXQ3100 has 16kB of EEPROM program memory, 1kB data SRAM, a watchdog timer, two serial ports (USARTs), and three timers. The MAXQ3100 is designed for industrial, medical, or consumer applications that require an RTC and an LCD controller, such as electricity and flow metering, multimeters, thermostats, and temperature data loggers. The integrated temperature sensor and digitally trimmable RTC enable very accurate time keeping, which is critical for applications that are based on time-of-use (TOU) events such as electricity tariffs.

The dedicated RTC battery-backup pin lets a battery keep the RTC running when the controller's main power supply is absent. The built-in power management circuit automatically detects and switches the RTC supply back to the main controller power supply whenever it is available. This intelligent power management approach maximizes the RTC's battery life. The 160-segment LCD controller allows end equipment to have large, complex displays. A MAXQ3100 evaluation kit (EV kit) is available that includes an on-board LCD and a JTAG interface board for communication with a PC. Its IDE includes a debugger, assembler/linker, a time-limited version of the IAR C-compiler, and a simulator.

The Maxim website lists application notes and software examples for use with the EV kit at www.maxim-ic.com/MAXQ. The MAXQ3100 is available in an 80-pin MQFP. Pricing starts at $3.19 (1000-up, FOB USA).