Philips delivers Universal Asynchronous Receiver/ Transmitters in compact packaging

September 8, 2004

Meeting requirements of space-constrained applications such as mobile phones, PDAs, PC peripherals and new generation consumer devices, Royal Philips Electronics today expanded its family of 16C Universal Asynchronous Receiver/ Transmitters (UARTs) with four new devices in compact lead-free HVQFN packaging. Philips' SC16CxxB single- and dual-channel UARTs are ideally suited for advanced portable and electronic systems requiring high speed, low voltage, low power use and high data rates.

Design engineers are continually striving to increase functionality of portable consumer devices while working with limited design space and power constraints. Philips' SC16CxxB UARTs in HVQFN are ideal for these types of applications as they provide up to 70 percent PCB space savings compared to conventional packages and operate at low power - 2.5V, 3.3V or 5V. These space savings are possible due to the unique design of the HVQFN package which decreases the footprint to near chip-scale size by removing the perimeter leads. The devices also feature high performance data rates of up to 5Mbps, allowing throughput of data going to channel to be faster. As a result, handset makers, for example, will have the capability of adding new features to consumer products such as advanced camera functions, MP3 player capabilities and color LCD.

"Recognizing the need for state-of-the-art solutions for new and evolving applications, Philips continues to invest in interface products to meet the various requirements of our customers," said Pierre-Yves Lesaicherre, general manager, interface products business line at Philips Semiconductors. "With our portfolio of SC16CxxB UARTs in HVQFN packages, we are specifically meeting customer demands for smaller size, lower power and higher performance solutions, while also providing products that contribute to a greener environment."

As the number one supplier of industrial UARTs for more than 20 years, Philips offers an extensive portfolio of high performance devices to meet a broad variety of application needs. The new compact UARTs are software compatible with Linux and Windows OS drivers, thus saving precious development time and speeding time-to-market using industry-standard software. Additional features of the SC16CxxBUARTs include up to 64 byte Fifo per channel, an IrDA encoder for short-range wireless communication, a high speed data rate that fully meets wireless standards such as Bluetooth, an extended temperature range of - 45 to + 85 degrees C and a typical sleep current of 50µA for power-constrained applications. To allow for easy design-in, the new devices are also pin-to-pin and software compatible with industry standard 16C UARTs.

Availability
The Philips SC16CxxxB UARTs are available now in the 32-pin HVQFN package.