Cypress Introduces PRoC-UI One-Chip Solution Combining a 2.4-GHz, Low-Power Wireless Radio and Capacitive Touch

The new PRoC-UI (Programmable Radio-on-a-Chip–User Interface) solution combines 2.4-GHz proprietary WirelessUSB-NL Radio with Cypress’s CapSense and TrueTouch capacitive touch technologies. This combination enables user interface functionality in wireless devices, including gestures supported by the upcoming Windows 8 applications.

The one-chip solution also offers standard HID microcontroller functionality, effectively combining three chips into one to save BOM cost, board space, and power, while increasing reliability compared with multi-chip implementations.

Cypress’s CapSense technology has replaced over 4 billion mechanical buttons worldwide, making Cypress the industry’s leading capacitive touch supplier. CapSense offers stylish interfaces, and superior reliability compared to mechanical buttons. PRoC-UI is also available with Cypress’s leading TrueTouch touchscreen technology, enabling multiple new HID use cases with multi-finger gesture recognition, including new Windows 8 gestures. The TrueTouch variant also supports customized gestures. Both CapSense and TrueTouch variants include advanced features such as proximity sensing (which allows a device to “wake up” as a hand approaches) and haptics (to give tactile user feedback).

PRoC-UI boasts an impressive -87 dBm receive sensitivity at 1 Mbps. This enhanced sensitivity enables longer range (up to 30 meters) operation and allows for lower-power transmit signals. The device features low active and standby currents, which enable longer battery life. It also offers superior performance in the presence of 2.4-GHz interference from common sources such as WiFi, Bluetooth, cordless phones, and microwaves.

“We are seeing an emerging class of applications and use cases that combine touch with wireless functionality. Cypress has integrated its market-leading user interface and wireless technologies to respond to this need,” said Jayant Somani, senior director of worldwide marketing for Cypress’s Data Communication Division. “The PRoC-UI solution delivers cost savings through integration, shorter design times, lower power, and smaller form factor. Perhaps more importantly, it allows our customers to differentiate their products in a highly competitive space.”

PRoC-UI supports Cypress’s AgileHID protocol that allows existing WirelessUSB-NL customers to get started quickly on their designs without any additional effort. Customers who have existing designs with WirelessUSB-NL can reuse the same dongles for new PRoC-UI based touch products. PRoC-UI comes with free software to enable end-product customization.

Customer Endorsements

“We are confident that PRoC-UI is the ideal single-chip solution for wireless, touch-based HID designs. We’re excited about building new designs with the PRoC-UI products.”
- Jonathan Lin, Product and Marketing Director, Primax

“PRoC-UI not only integrates touch and wireless into a single device, but also offers easy integration with external components. Moreover, Cypress’s excellent customer support makes designing touch-based wireless HID products simpler and faster.”
- Jim Wu, Marketing Associate Vice President, Sysgration

“With PRoC-UI, Cypress has a sure winner on their hands. We are very excited to partner with Cypress in bringing new touch-enabled wireless devices to the market.”
- Kevin Chen, Vice President, Foundata