NEC Electronics introduces next generation K_Line devices with the 78K0/Kx2 microcontroller series

Series features MCUs with up to 128 KB of Flash for industrial, consumer and automotive applications

NEC Electronics Corporation and its subsidiaries in Europe and the United States, NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH and NEC Electronics America, Inc., today introduced the new generation of the K_Line with the 78K0/Kx2 Series of 8-bit microcontroller units (MCUs). With a total of 48 products, Flash memory capacities from 8 KB to 128 KB and 30-pin to 80-pin packages, this new series of MCUs is one of the industry’s most comprehensive. The 78K0/Kx2 Series is targeted for use in a wide range of home appliances, consumer electronics, industrial equipment, automotive systems, lighting systems and sensors.

The 78K0/Kx2 Series employs SuperFlash® technology licensed from Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. (SST), and is manufactured using a 0.15-micron process technology. The 78K0/Kx2 Series offers operating speeds of up to 20 MHz and power supply voltages from 1.8 V to 5.5 V. Operating current is reduced to 2.5 mA, less than one-third of similar mask ROM MCUs. Features like these make the series ideal for industrial systems needing high performance and for applications that require lowest power consumption. Moreover, all these features are available without a cost premium, as products in the 78K0/Kx2 Series have comparable prices to previous mask ROM products from NEC Electronics manufactured in 0.35-micron process technology.

“8-bit microcontrollers are shipping in significant volume as microcontrollers become more and more prevalent in today’s appliances and industrial equipment,” said Yoichi Yano, associate vice president, 4th Systems Operations Unit, NEC Electronics. “With the launch of the 78K0/Kx2 Series, NEC Electronics demonstrates its commitment to the flash microcontroller market, while continuing to provide 8-bit MCUs with a broad range of performance and feature sets to support a variety of applications at compelling prices.”

The 78K0/Kx2 Series marks the latest step in the evolution of NEC Electronics’ K_Line. The product line was launched in 2003 with the announcement of the 78K0/Kx1 Series, and it has since been adopted very successfully by the consumer electronics, industrial equipment and other market areas. In May 2004, the company unveiled the 78K0S/Kx1+ Series of low pin count MCUs with flash memory in the K_Line.

Scheduled to start in December 2004 are added value services provided by NEC Electronics to assist developers and manufacturers with flash programming. These services, together with tools such as on-chip debugger and flash programmer, will help reduce the time and cost customers currently spend on programming, and will enable much shorter turnaround times compared with similar mask ROM products.

Availability
Samples of the 78K0/Kx2 are scheduled to begin shipping in January 2005. Mass production is scheduled to begin in April 2005, and NEC Electronics expects production volumes of the various configurations of the 78K0/Kx2 Series to reach 3 million units per month by 2006.

NEC Electronics either a registered trademark or trademark of NEC Electronics Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other registered trademarks or trademarks are property of their respective owners. SuperFlash is a registered trademark of Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

 For technical details of these new devices please check spec sheet .

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Information in the press releases, including product prices and specifications is current on the date of the press announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice.