providing the new MSP430™ FRAM microcontroller and Launchpad
Non-volatile FRAM memory and LCD can be utilized in various types of applications.

TI Korea (CEO Kent Chon, www.ti.com/ww/kr ) October 14, 2014 – TI (CEO Kent Chon) announced the release of a series of MCUs with the lowest power consumption by integrating an on-chip LCD controller into its ultra-low power MSP430™ microcontroller (MCU) family, and stated that it is providing a new low-cost LaunchPad prototyping evaluation kit. This enables users to leverage all the benefits of non-volatile FRAM with a small memory footprint. The new MSP430FR4x/FR2x MCUs provide 60 General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins capable of capacitive touch implementation and can be used in home automation systems, home appliances, remote controls, and energy harvesting applications, making it convenient to design ultra-low power products.

TI’s ultra-low power MCU portfolio has been further diversified with the MSP430FR4x series, which features an integrated LCD controller. The new MCU utilizes the MSP-EXP430FR4133 LaunchPad kit and provides a segment LCD driver that allows for software-based configuration of LCD pins, enabling fast and easy hardware layout. Additionally, it integrates a charge pump to maintain LCD contrast levels even when the MCU is in low-power mode. The LCD controller can drive up to 256 segments, making it suitable for large display applications used in panel meters and portable medical and fitness equipment. TI has continuously researched ultra-low power consumption, and the MSP430FR4x series is the result of these efforts. These devices operate with the lowest power consumption among MCUs that include LCDs. The MSP430FR4133 Launchpad is currently on sale, and you can use this product to quickly start LCD-based designs.

Excellent ultra-low power performance extension of non-volatile FRAM-based MCUs
FRAM MCUs not only provide unparalleled memory write speeds but also offer over 10 billion more write cycles than existing non-volatile memory solutions. Furthermore, they can store large amounts of data in memory and extend the lifespan of the product itself. FRAM simplifies code development by allowing data to be written bit by bit without the need to erase memory segment by segment, and enables continuous "on-the-fly" data logging without additional power consumption. Consequently, wireless firmware updates can be performed with less complexity, faster speeds, and lower energy consumption. FRAM also helps reduce manufacturing costs by shortening programming time on the assembly line.

Don Powrie, CEO of DLP Design, said, “By leveraging the unique flexibility provided by TI’s FRAM MCU, DLP Design was able to distribute RAM-type memory and program memory within FRAM in any way and develop a differentiated, low-cost e-ink display solution with a compact footprint.” "Generally, since a much larger MCU is required to obtain this capacity of RAM, the overall product cost would have increased accordingly," he said.

Key Features and Advantages of MSP430FR4x/FR2x FRAM MCUs
• The new 16KB non-volatile FRAM memory family expands TI's code-compatible FRAM portfolio and provides developers with various memory options ranging from 16KB to 128KB.
• Provides up to 60 GPIO pins to facilitate design, reduce system complexity, and save board space.
• 126 μA/MHz (Typical) and power-on the LCD, consuming only the lowest power in the industry with a standby current of 1 μA.
• Provides a low-cost MSP430FR4133-based LaunchPad prototyping evaluation kit to quickly and easily evaluate non-volatile FRAM memory, EnergyTrace™ technology, and LCDs.
You can quickly design an intelligent thermostat using TI Designs reference designs based on the MSP430FR4x MCU. In addition, product launch times can be shortened by utilizing this device's LCD controller and excellent flexibility.
• By integrating two timers, a 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a real-time clock (RTC) counter, SPI, and I2C communication, system costs are lowered and product size is miniaturized.
• Using TI’s EnergyTrace technology, energy can be debugged in real time, allowing developers to analyze power consumption from nA to mA.
• By integrating EEPROM, security products can be designed using faster memory write times, lower power consumption, and higher memory reliability.
• Comprehensive resources, including detailed migration guides and application notes, are provided for developers, enabling convenient migration from existing MCUs to MSP430FR4x/FR2x MCUs.
• Provides LQFP and TSSOP package options ranging from 48 pins to 64 pins.

Price and Supply Timing
The MSP-EXP430FR4133 Launchpad is available for purchase at TI's e-store or official distributors for $13.99. Samples of the MSP430FR4x MCU, including the LCD, are currently on sale. Mass production of the MSP430FR4x/FR2x product families is scheduled to begin in November, with prices starting at $1.65 per unit.