Ramtron's 64-kilobit FRAM-Enhanced Processor Companion

The Processor Companion is a highly integrated FRAM-enhanced system management solution that supports virtually any microcontroller- or microprocessor-based design. By integrating non-volatile FRAM, individual system features are improved compared with discrete versions, creating a single-chip solution with superior bill-of-material cost and board space.

“The FM3130 has been optimised for price-sensitive applications,” explains Mike Alwais, Vice President of Marketing at Ramtron. “This FRAM-Enhanced Processor Companion part has been well-received in consumer-centric markets in Asia and was developed to support a number of specific customer design-ins that are already in place, including HDTVs and printers.”

The FM3130 combines 64 kilobits of FRAM with a real-time clock/calendar (RTC) that incorporates an alarm and a programmable frequency clock output, and uses a common 12pF watch crystal. The alarm compares user-programmed alarm values to corresponding RTC time/date values, creating an ideal solution for automatic on/off, channel switch and parental control and personal video recorder (PVR) functions in high-end televisions.

An industry-standard 2-wire bus is used to access the memory and to control the RTC. Available in an 8-pin TDFN (thin dual flat no-lead) package that is footprint-compatible with TSSOP8s, or a standard 8-pin, 150-mil SOIC package, the device operates from 2.7 volts to 3.6 volts over the entire industrial temperature range of -40 degrees C to +85 degrees C.