As society advances toward greater digitalization, virtually all equipment around us is now interconnected to enable real-time communication. For effective real-time interactions, input and display functionalities are essential components of human machine interfaces (HMIs). These HMI applications must also utilize up-to-date systems to synchronize with other connected devices seamlessly. Additionally, low-power operation is a crucial consideration to meet modern energy-saving requirements. As a result, HMI application design poses significant challenges as the demands for digital equipment become increasingly complex.
In this blog, I will use the Renesas RL78/L23 microcontroller as an example to present solutions to address the growing HMI applications, highlighting its rich peripheral features and excellent low-power performance.
Key RL78/L23 Features
The RL78/L23 microcontroller offers an extensive range of peripheral functions designed to enhance HMI applications, featuring capabilities such as capacitive touch sensing, segment LCD control, dual bank flash memory, and a SNOOZE Mode Sequencer (SMS), all while maintaining low-power consumption.
Capacitive Touch and Segment LCD
RL78/L23 features an integrated Capacitive Touch Sensing Unit (CTSU) and segment LCD driver/controller, enabling reduced BOM cost and PCB size, while maximizing the number of IO ports used.
Dual-Bank Flash
The RL78/L23 provides dual-bank code Flash support, which allows firmware updates to occur continuously using a bank swap function. This feature divides the flash memory area into two separate banks that can be switched as needed. As a result, system updates can be performed without interrupting application operation, maintaining the application's current state. Both the 512KB and 256KB flash versions support dual-bank Flash.
Low Power and SNOOZE Mode Sequencer (SMS)
RL78/L23 achieved significantly lower power compared to existing Renesas LCD MCUs, contributing to global energy savings.
Additionally, the RL78/L23 features a SNOOZE Mode Sequencer (SMS) designed to reduce power consumption. This advanced function within the RL78 Family enables peripherals to operate independently while the CPU remains in standby mode. By utilizing SMS, users can achieve enhanced power efficiency in their applications.
Summary
The RL78/L23 microcontroller offers a distinctive combination of features highlighted in this blog. It is the only MCU in the low-end market segment to support capacitive touch sensing units, segment LCDs, and large dual-bank flash memory within a single device. These capabilities help address design challenges found in HMI applications. We encourage you to leverage these advanced features for your system development.
For further details on the benefits of the RL78/L23, please visit renesas.com/rl78l23.