Seoul, June 30, 2014 – Microchip Technology (Korea Representative: Byung-Don Han), a global leader in microcontrollers, analog semiconductors, and flash-IP solutions, announced that it has expanded its lineup of eXtreme Low Power (XLP) PIC® microcontrollers (MCUs) by launching the PIC24F “GB2” family at the Sensors Expo, held in Rosemont, Illinois, USA, from June 24 to 26, 2014.

The newly announced product line provides a built-in hardware encryption engine, a Random Number Generator (RNG), and a One-Time-Programmable (OTP) key storage device for data protection in embedded applications.

The PIC24F “GB2” device is designed for battery-powered or portable applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT), sensor nodes, access control systems, and door locks, and provides up to 128 KB of flash and 8 KB of RAM capacity in a small 28-pin or 44-pin package.

The PIC24F “GB2” family incorporates various security features to protect embedded data. A complete hardware encryption engine supporting AES, DES, and 3DES standards reduces software overhead, lowers power consumption, and improves processing speed. As an example of Microchip’s Core Independent Peripheral (CIP), it can operate without CPU management. Additionally, a random number generator produces random keys for data encryption, decryption, and authentication to provide a higher level of security. An OTP key storage device can further enhance security by preventing the reading or overwriting of encryption keys. These security features minimize power consumption while enhancing the integrity of embedded data. Additionally, the “GB2” product family can maximize battery life for portable applications by lowering operating current and sleep current to 180 µA/MHz and 18 nA, respectively, through XLP technology.

The “GB2” product family is highly useful for smart card applications as it incorporates USB and ISO7816-supported UARTs for connecting to devices or hosts to enhance connectivity. Through these features, the PIC24F “GB2” device protects embedded data while reducing power consumption to maximize battery life. Packaged in a small 28-pin QFN, it supports medical and health applications such as pedometers, wearable fitness devices, and portable equipment; computer applications such as PC peripherals, printers, and portable accessories; and industrial applications such as security door locks, access control systems, security cameras, POS terminals, smart card readers, heat/gas meters, and IoT sensor nodes. Additionally, Microchip provides various wireless authentication modules for Wi-Fi®, ZigBee®, Bluetooth®, and Bluetooth Low Energy, allowing for the easy addition of wireless connectivity capabilities to PIC24 “GB2” applications.

Joe Thomsen, Vice President of Microchip’s MCU16 Product Business Unit, stated, “With the rapid growth of the Internet of Things, embedded data protection and maximizing battery life have become essential requirements. Microchip’s latest ultra-low power product family enables low-power wireless connectivity for internet-connected devices through a combination with our embedded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions. This allows for faster processing speeds, reduced BOM costs, data safety, and extended battery life.”