Renesas has announced a new generation of R8C MCUs that are based on the latest process technology tailored for high performance 8 bit applications. Built on a 16-bit CPU core, the R8C/3x MCUs with on-chip flash have an extended operating voltage range of 1.8V to 5.5V. There are two different product families available: R8C/3xC with advanced features, and the R8C/3xD for applications with reduced peripheral requirements. The broad memory offering from 4kB (R8C/32C, R8C/32D) to 128kB (R8C/38C) and the package availability from 20 to 80 pin offer product designers increased flexibility and choice. An ultra thin QFN package is also available with the 24 pin R8C/3GC and 36 pin R8C/3JC.
The new R8C/3x has higher performance due to the integrated data transfer controller for efficient data movement and a background operation function for flash rewrite operations without CPU intervention. These specialized hardware blocks manage complex operations automatically, freeing up the CPU to execute extra functions and enabling end systems that are more feature-rich and robust.
Wolfgang Patelay, Editor Print & Online 