PIC16F19197 Microcontroller Family Launched

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) today announced a new family of low-power microcontrollers (MCUs) featuring Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) and intelligent analog for driving LCDs. The nine-member PIC16F19197 family includes a battery-friendly LCD drive charge pump, a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC2) with math functions, low-power comparators, and active clock tuning of a high-frequency oscillator. These 8-bit MCUs are optimized for typical low-power, battery-operated, touch-enabled LCD applications.



The PIC16F19197 family consists of 28- to 64-pin devices and features up to 56 KB of flash and 4 KB of RAM. A charge pump ensures that the LCD screen maintains a consistent contrast ratio even when the battery voltage drops. ADC2 automates signal acquisition and processing, making it easy to implement robust touch buttons and sliders. Active clock tuning also provides an extremely stable oscillator across the full voltage and temperature operating ranges. The PIC16F19197 family implements these functions entirely in hardware, rather than relying on software.

This family includes a real-time clock and calendar (RTCC) with battery backup and high-current I/O pins to directly drive LCD backlighting. Additionally, IDLE/DOZE low-power modes and PMD (Peripheral Module Disable) extend battery life. The PIC16F19197 family, with all these features and the ability to drive up to 360 LCD segments, is ideal for battery-operated LCD applications.

“This family of MCUs simplifies the design and implementation of low-power LCD applications,” said Steve Drehobl, vice president of Microchip’s 8-bit MCU business unit. “Plus, they are all configurable through MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC), significantly reducing development time and time to market.”