New RL78 16-bit MCU family features 41 DMIPS processing power at just 70 µA/MHz power consumption and extensive built-in safety mechanisms

The RL78 microcontrollers, manufactured using Renesas’ new 130 nm process technology, not only combine many proven features from the earlier R8C and 78K MCU families from Renesas and NEC Electronics, but also offer users a number of additional features including: an especially wide operating voltage range from 1.6 V to 5.5 V, a highly accurate 32 MHz on-chip oscillator, data flash with background operation and support for up to 1 million re-write cycles as well as a Snooze Mode. This low-power mode enables A/D conversion and serial communication, even while the CPU is in standby mode.

Furthermore, all of the new RL78 MCUs incorporate a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) function for the flash memory, RAM parity error checking, clock fail and frequency detection circuit, A/D test function and illegal memory access detection. The built-in mechanisms simplify compliance with standard safety regulations (such as IEC60730) which are required for electrical appliances.

Available hardware development tools include Renesas Electronics’ low-cost E1 on-chip debugging emulator and the IECUBE full-spec emulator. Powerful support for software development is provided to MSC customers by Renesas Electronics’ CubeSuite integrated development environment (IDE) and the PG-FP5 flash memory programmer.

Samples of the first new RL78 MCUs with 2 KB to 512 KB program memory and 20-pin to 128‑pin package options will be available in the first quarter of 2011. Mass production is scheduled to begin in July 2011.