Date: 20/09/2010

STMicro upgrades its STM8L MCU family to support touch sense and 128 bit encryption

STMicroelectronics has extended its STM8L EnergyLite ultra low-power microcontroller family with devices offering new features such as larger program/data memory, high-accuracy time-keeping, a controller for 16 touch-sensitive keys and support for 128-bit AES encryption.

The three variants of the STM8L family are the STM8L151, the STM8L152, and the STM8L162. Each of the devices have a 64 Kbytes of Flash memory, effectively doubling the maximum program/data memory available to developers using the 8-bit STM8L family. The SRAM density is increased to 4 Kbytes. These devices also include support for LCD controller. The STM8L162 features on-chip 128-bit AES encryption.

These new devices feature a Real-Time Clock (RTC) module, therefore supporting applications requiring time-stamping and accurate synchronization such as utility metering and use within RF networks. The hardware RTC and its associated automatic wake-up unit have combined current consumption of less than 1 microamp. The new STM8L devices also provide designers with a 16-channel touch controller with a capacity for 16 individual touch buttons or a combination of up to 10 buttons plus one rotary sensor, equivalent to a dial or knob, and one slider.

The ST’s EnergyLite ultra-low-power platform combines a130nm ultra-low leakage process with ultra low-power non-volatile memory (EEPROM), and achieves dynamic current consumption of 150uA/MHz.

The platform implements multiple power-management modes like, a 5.1uA Low-Power Run mode, 3.0uA Low-Power Wait mode, 1.2uA Active Halt with full RTC, and down to 350nA Halt mode. The device can wake from Halt within 4us.

Package: 20-pin QFN/TSSOP, 80-pin LQFP.

Price:
16-Kbyte STM8L151: Starts at US$0.82 for 1K quantities.
64-Kbyte STM8L152 and STM8L162: Starts at US$1.13 for 1K unit quantities.

Availability:
64-Kbyte STM8L152 and STM8L162: Sampling now, full production is scheduled for Q4 2010