New MCUs offer excellent power efficiency with advanced touch functions and robust security

Renesas Electronics Corporation has introduced the RX261 and RX260 MCU Groups. The new 64MHz MCUs deliver superior power efficiency of only 69μA/MHz during active operation and 1μA in standby mode. They also allow designers to implement water-resistant capacitive touch sensors and deliver robust security easily. This combination of performance and features position the RX261/RX260 Group MCUs for applications such as home appliances, building and factory automation, and many others including smart locks, e-bikes and mobile thermal printers.

The MCUs are based on the company's RXv3 CPU core, enabling 355CoreMark at 64MHz. This score is 2.5 times higher than competing 64MHz class MCUs. Compared to other 64MHz class MCUs, the devices also deliver 25% lower active current and 87% lower standby current. This excellent power efficiency minimises current consumption during intermittent operation. These low-power features help customers fulfil strict energy regulations for home appliances and extend the operating time of battery-powered applications.

The company's third-generation capacitive touch IP (CTSU2SL) delivers high noise immunity and water resistance, allowing users to implement touch sensors in kitchen appliances and outdoor equipment such as smart locks. The automatic judgement function decreases current consumption during intermittent operation by enabling touch detections even in standby state. The QE for Capacitive Touch tuning tool, design guides, and sample programs ease the implementation of touch sensors in multiple applications.

Today, many consumer and industrial systems provide wireless connectivity features such as Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi to assist smartphone controls or to download new firmware from cloud servers. By implementing security features with the Renesas Secure IP (RSIP-E11A) and flash protection functions, users can protect their applications from unauthorised use, such as data falsification and eavesdropping by attackers. Sample programs help users implement secure boot and firmware update functions quickly and easily.

The RX261 Group MCUs provide many features, including a full-speed USB function controller with a high-speed on-chip oscillator (HOCO) that eradicates the necessity for external crystals to generate an accurate USB clock. A CAN FD module is also included to enable fast and reliable communication. Unlike some other MCUs, the MCUs include 8KB data flash, allowing customers to eliminate the need for an external EEPROM.

"The RX130 and RX230 have seen great market success, and the new RX260/261 products provide an upgrade path with an advanced RX CPU core and enhanced performance and peripherals based on customer requests," said Daryl Khoo, vice president of Embedded Processing 1st Business Division at Renesas. "We have built a great relationship with RX customers around the world based on Renesas MCU core technology and years of innovation, including patented technology. The RX MCUs have established a unique place in the industry, and Renesas will continue to develop RX products as long as our customers want them."