Serial EEPROMs With Built-in MAC Addresses From Microchip

12th December 2008

ES Admin

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Microchip has announced a family of serial EEPROM devices with built-in EUI-48 and EUI-64 compatible MAC addresses. Designed to work on standard buses, such as SPI, I2C and the UNI/O bus, the devices provide easy and inexpensive access to MAC addresses and feature up to 1.5Kbit of EEPROM that can be used for storing configuration and user settings, or as a scratch-pad area for buffering small amounts of data.

The devices can be ordered when needed without volume restrictions, and because they eliminate the need for designers to burn a unique MAC address into every microcontroller (MCU), they enable quick integration and shorter time-to-market at lower costs.

The 24AA02E48, 25AA02E48 and 11AA02E48 serial EEPROM devices have a built-in 48-bit Extended Unique Identifier (EUI) that is needed to identify the network hardware’s physical address. These built-in MAC addresses enable designers to buy addresses only when needed, and also eliminate the need for serialisation and programming. The address is also EUI-64 compatible and is write-protected to ensure tamper-proof designs. Being compatible with standard, well-known buses, these serial EEPROMs can easily be incorporated into existing designs. Additionally, they offer EEPROM features such as high endurance, large operating-voltage and temperature ranges, and low operating and standby currents; enabling robust serial-interface designs with low power draw.

Example EUI-48 networking applications for which the new EEPROMs are appropriate include those involving Ethernet, 802.11 WiFi and Bluetooth technology. The devices are also well-suited for EUI-64 applications, such as those that utilise the FireWire, ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4, Microchip’s MiWi and IPv6 protocols.

These new devices are supported by the MPLAB Starter Kit for Serial Memory Products (Part # DV243003). Available today at microchipDIRECT (www.microchipdirect.com) for $79.98, the kit comes with everything needed to quickly develop a robust and reliable serial EEPROM design.
The 24AA02E48 I2C device is available in 5-pin SOT-23 and SOIC packages, the SPI device is available in 6-pin SOT-23 and SOIC packages, and the UNI/O device is available in 3-pin SOT-23 and SOIC packages. Go to www.microchipdirect.com for details of samples and availability.