Microchip Technology AC164127-3 Data Sheet
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Microchip Human Interface Solutions
mTouch™ Sensing Solutions
Broad MCU Portfolio
Microchip offers a variety of PIC MCUs enabling you to
dedicate an MCU for touch function or integrate touch
sensing with other application functions onto a single MCU:
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8, 16 and 32-bit PIC MCUs for touch sensing
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6-pin to over 100-pin devices
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Up to 512 KB Flash memory
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High noise immunity and low emissions: IEC61000, EFT, BCI
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On-chip integration options include USB, CAN, IrDA,
wireless protocol stack, segmented LCD and graphics
accelerator and LCD driver for TFT/STN displays
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Up to 32 capacitive touch channels
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No external components needed
Dedicated Touch Controllers (PIC10/12/16/18)
Highly Integrated Touch Controllers (PIC16/18/24/32)
Capacitive Touch Sensing
The capacitive touch sensor is a copper pad area, that
is capacitively coupled to grounds located elsewhere in
the system creating a parasitic capacitance. A covering
plate material such as glass is used to provide the
user touch surface. The introduction of the user’s finger
then produces an increase in capacitance which will be
detected by the system.
Expanding beyond the consumer market, touch sensing
is now taking hold in medical, industrial and automotive
applications. Examples include:
■
Battery applications: automotive, cell phones, medical
devices, remote controls and thermostats
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Line-powered applications: home appliances, printers,
set top boxes, smart energy monitors and television
Microchip offers a broad portfolio of low power, low cost
and flexible solutions to enable two types of touch-
sensitive interfaces:
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Keys and sliders
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Touch screen controllers
mTouch Solutions: Keys, Sliders and Proximity
Touch sensing
technology gives
the freedom to be
more creative with
various design
elements including
shape and style. It
allows translating
mechanical push
button features into
features such as
keys and sliders. Therefore, higher reliability, due to lesser
moving parts, will come with a lower cost. Other features
such as proximity sensing and gesture recognition can easily
be implemented. Time to market is also faster for the Touch
system due to lower design complexity & minimal stack ups.
Microchip’s mTouch sensing solutions enable designers to
Microchip’s mTouch sensing solutions enable designers to
easily design and integrate touch technologies into their
applications. The mTouch sensing solutions are proven and
used in many applications worldwide due to its superior
noise robustness, no additional external component
requirements, ease of implementation and the range of
products that can be used to implement touch sensing. Our
unique open philosophy gives customers a proven software
library that allows easy integration of their application.
Lowest Power
mTouch solutions offer longer battery life and lower
standby current. Using award-winning eXtreme Low Power
technology, mTouch solutions bring you the industry’s
lowest power consumption for touch-sensing.
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Capacitive sensing in less than 5 μA
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Proximity sensing down to 1 μA
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MCU Sleep current down to 9 nA
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MCU Active current down to 50 μA/MHz
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MCU Real-time Clock down to 470 nA
www.microchip.com/mtouch