New 8-bit LCD type MCU Product Release – HT49CU80

March 8, 2007

With the present release of the new HT49CU80, Holtek now offers a complementary Mask level device for its HT49RU80 OTP sister device, which is fully compatible in terms of function, characteristics and pin-outs. The device, with its 16K of Program Memory and 576 bytes of Data Memory, like other devices in the series, is provided with a host of internal functions and features. Included among these are 31 I/O pins, a 188-pixel LCD driver, a 16-level stack, an 8-bit timer, two 16-bit timers, a time-base function as well as two external interrupt pins. As with other devices, a Power-down mode is included, however as a Real Time Clock function is also supplied, normal timer operation can be maintained as well as the ability to keep the LCD panel functioning even when in the Power-down mode. Options included within the device enable users to select a compatible LCD driver to match their application LCD panel size and by using RAM mapping for the LCD data, an easy and convenient means is provided for panel programming. One of the unique features of the HT49CU80 is the inclusion of a full-duplex asynchronous UART function, complete with a baud rate that can be setup under software control and automatically detectable flag functions etc. By using this fully integrated hardware UART function together with the other microcontroller functions for data transmission, substantial reductions in software overhead will be achieved.
The HT49CU80 meets with industrial specifications and is supplied in a 100QFP package type. The device is especially suitable in application areas such as those of weight measurement, water metering, electric metering, gas metering, household appliances and medical appliances such as blood pressure meters, blood sugar measuring devices etc.
As is common practice with all of its MCU devices, Holtek naturally provides a full suite of supporting software and hardware tools. For devices in the LCD series, an LCD Panel software simulator is included within the tools, which removes the requirement to connect a physical LCD panel during the development process. The tools have the features of memory and register real time emulation, hardware breakpoints with logical setup functions, full trace function analysis etc. All these features combine to provide designers with a full set of efficient tools to ensure their designs are developed and debugged in as short a time as possible.
Although the HT49RU80 and HT49CU80 are fully functional, characteristic and pin compatible, the HT49CU80, as a Mask level device, offers the advantages of reduced costs. The device is presently ready for volume production for which customer orders can be accepted.