Cypress Semiconductor (CEO Youngdo Lim, www.cypress.com ) announced that Aclara® Technologies has selected Cypress’s serial non-volatile SRAM (nvSRAM) with SPI interface for its new UMT-R residential utility meter.

nvSRAM offers UMT-R with high-speed, fail-safe memory that meets the reliability specifications of Aclara solutions. Cypress announced new I2C and SPI nvSRAMs in March of this year. These new devices, now in mass production in densities ranging from 64 Kbits to 2 Mbits, are popular in metering, industrial, and automotive applications.

These devices operate at frequencies up to 104 MHz for SPI devices (3.4 MHz for I2C devices) and come with an optional integrated real-time clock (RTC) that enables time-stamping of critical data, eliminating the need for battery backup.

Cypress nvSRAM is manufactured using S8™ 0.13-micron SONOS (Silicon Oxide Nitride Oxide Silicon) embedded non-volatile memory technology, which delivers superior reliability and enhanced performance. nvSRAM is an ideal solution for applications that require absolute non-volatile data security, such as electronic smart meters, PLCs, motor drives, electronic data recorders, and in automotive, RAID, SSD, Internet routers/switches, consumer, medical, and data communication systems.

“Cypress’ serial nvSRAM provided the performance and reliability Aclara needed for the UMT-R. “The new SPI interface also simplifies the design process and accelerates time to market,” said Mike Ransick of Aclara. “With this device in volume production, Cypress has been involved in new designs from other industry leaders,” said Youngdo Lim, country manager of Cypress Korea.

The serial nvSRAM family includes 2-Mbit, 1-Mbit, 512-Kbit, 256-Kbit, and 64-Kbit devices in multiple configurations. These devices feature exceptional performance, including an industry-first SPI operating frequency of up to 104MHz, SPI modes 0 and 3, unlimited read/write, and a 20-year data retention recall cycle. Additionally, these devices are available in industry-standard small-footprint 8-SOIC and 16-SOIC packages, and both the wafer and backend components can be manufactured at multiple sites to reduce supply risk. For more information on Cypress's nvSRAM product line, please visit www.cypress.com/go/NVM .

Cypress, a leader in SONOS process technology, is leveraging S8 technology in its next-generation PSoC® mixed-signal arrays, programmable clocks, and other products. SONOS is compatible with standard CMOS technologies and offers many advantages, including high endurance, low power, and radiation hardness. Cypress's S8™ 0.13-micron SONOS technology is qualified for operation in Cypress's internal fabs and at multiple foundry partners. SONOS technology offers a solution that excels in scalability and manufacturability compared to other magnetic or ferroelectric-based non-volatile memory technologies. Cypress has shipped over a billion PSoC products using the same SONOS process technology it uses in its nvSRAM.

Cypress's non-volatile SRAM (nvSRAM)
Cypress nvSRAM utilizes charge stored in an external capacitor instead of a battery, making it compatible with standard PCB assembly processes. Cypress nvSRAM is also ROHS compliant and provides fast, non-volatile data storage, directly replacing SRAM, battery-backed SRAM (BBSRAM), and EEPROM devices. Data transfer from SRAM to the device's non-volatile elements occurs automatically during power down. Upon power up, data is restored from non-volatile memory to SRAM. In metering, industrial, automotive, and RAID applications, nvSRAM provides high-speed data transfer while ensuring data integrity during power outages, without the need for a battery.