Date: 15/06/2010

New family of MCUs with built-in graphics accelerators and touch interface controller

The new eight-member PIC24FJ256DA microcontroller family from Microchip integrates three graphics acceleration units and a display controller. This family also feature on-chip 96 Kbytes of RAM.

Microchip's PIC24FJ256DA family includes 8-, 16- and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers for segmented and graphics display applications thus making it feasible for designers to migrate beyond fixed-function, segmented LCDs to STN, TFT and OLED displays with up to VGA resolution. It also features 24 channels of on-chip mTouch capacitive touch sensing, the integrated Full-Speed USB Embedded Host, Device and On-the-Go module.

It is suggested for consumer (thermostats, cordless phones, remote controls, gaming accessories); home appliance (coffee makers and other counter-top appliances, ovens, refrigerators, washing machines); industrial (points of sale, remote terminals); and portable medical (glucometers, blood-pressure monitors, portable ECGs) applications.

"Until now, the latest graphics interfaces were beyond the reach of most embedded applications, in terms of both cost and complexity," said Mitch Obolsky, vice president of Microchip's Advanced Microcontroller Architecture Division. "By integrating all of the hardware needed to drive modern graphics displays onto a single microcontroller, along with touch sensing and USB modules, Microchip is enabling embedded designers to modernize and differentiate their products. Plus, we provide the software tools and examples our customers need to quickly and easily develop the graphics content of their applications."

Packaging:
The PIC24FJ128DA106, PIC24FJ256DA106, PIC24FJ128DA206 and PIC24FJ256DA206 MCUs come in 64-pin TQFP and QFN packages.
The PIC24FJ128DA110, PIC24FJ256DA110, PIC24FJ128DA210 and PIC24FJ256DA210 MCUs come in 100-pin TQFP and 121-pin BGA packages.

Price: starting at US$4.14 each in 10,000-unit quantities.

Availability: Now

For more information visit: http://www.microchip.com/get/89VU.