Semtech Debuts 4-Dimensional Touch: World’s First Resistive Touchscreen Controller Platform That Detects Proximity and Pressure with no Additional Components

Camarillo, California - July 28, 2011

Semtech Corp. (Nasdaq: SMTC), a leading supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, today announced the newest members of its 4D-Touch™ family, the SX8654/55/56/57/58 ultra low power 4/5-wire resistive touchscreen controllers with integrated proximity sensing and haptics control for driving motors. These feature-rich controllers also come with on-chip ±15kV ESD protection making them ideal solutions for a wide variety of handheld applications such as mobile phone, tablet, DSC, handheld GPS, automotive center consoles, and POS terminals.

Many devices use the proximity of a person’s hand or finger to activate features, such as waking up a system. The SX865X controllers are the first to integrate this proximity capability into a touchscreen controller to provide a single-chip solution for a wide variety of applications such as mobile phone, tablet, DSC, handheld GPS, automotive center consoles, and POS terminals.

This resistive touchscreen controller platform supports a proximity detection distance of more than 5 cm using any standard 4/5-wire resistive panel, enabling various power-saving features such as automatic backlight activation or system wake-up.   Unlike traditional IR solutions that require additional, costly components for proximity detection, this new generation of resistive touch screen controllers enables proximity detection with zero additional components. The SX8654/55/56/57/58 feature a highly accurate 12-bit analog-to-digital converter for coordinates and touch pressure measurement with current consumption as little as 30uA at 8kSPS rate. The SX8654 family enters a low power state between conversions to save power consumption, making them ideal for portable applications. 

These devices also incorporate a haptics motor driver for controlling Linear Resonant Actuator (LRA) and Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM) micro motors (up to 250mA) while providing acknowledgement to touch events, thus emulating the tactile feedback similar to mechanical keys which enhances the overall user experience. The haptics waveform can be input via the I2C interface or with an external PWM signal.  Immersion Corporation has certified the SX8657/58 as optimal motor drivers for its TouchSense® 3000 haptic control software suite of haptic waveforms available to all customers via an Immersion license.  

“The SX8654 family is a ground-breaking platform for resistive touchscreen applications. By enabling built-in proximity sensing using any resistive panel, Semtech has added especially expensive high-end features at the fraction of the cost of traditional IR proximity sensing.,” said Sam Massih, Product Line Director, Consumer Analog Products for Semtech. “Combining that with direct drive haptics feedback, the SX8654 platform provides OEMs an opportunity to revolutionize and upgrade almost all their resistive touchscreen applications with value added features.”    

The SX8654/55/56/57/58 are all offered in 4mm x 4mm 20-QFN packages as well as in a space-saving 2.07mm x 2.07mm 19-WLCSP. Semtech guarantees all of these devices to operate over the extended (-40°C to +85°C) temperature range.

KEY FEATURES OF SX8654/55/56/57/58

• Low-power operation
• 2.3V to 3.6V
• 30uA @ 2.3V 8ksps
• 0.4uA shut-down current
• 4/5-wire touchscreen interface with programmable digital filtering/averaging
• Fully programmable proximity sensing (SX8654/56)
• > 5cm detection distance
• No additional components required
• Built-in haptics driver for LRA and ERM (SX8654/55)
• Up to 250 mA drive capability
• Short circuit and over temperature protection
• On-chip ESD protection up to ±15kV 
• Ultra small footprint: 4mm x 4mm 20-QFN and 2.07mm x 2.07mm 19-WLCSP
• Dedicated hardware reset pin
• 400kHz I²C interface

Applications

Touch Screen Controller:  Cell Phone/Smart Phone, Digital Camera, Laser Printer, MP3 Player, Notebook PC
Automotive: AV Module

Pricing and Availability

The SX8654 (order code: SX8654IWLTRT), SX8655 (order code: SX8655IWLTRT) and SX8656 (order code: SX8656IWLTRT) are available in production quantities and are priced at $1.44, $0.84 and $1.08 respectively in 1,000-piece lots for the QFN package.  The 1,000-piece price for the Immersion certified devices SX8657 (order code: SX8657IWLTRT) and SX8658 (order code: SX8658IWLTRT) are $1.44 and $0.84 respectively. All these devices are also available in the space-saving WLCSP. Semtech offers comprehensive design assistance, including field- and factory-based support. Data sheets, volume pricing, and delivery quotes, as well as evaluation kits and samples, are available by contacting www.semtech.com/info.

About Semtech

Semtech Corporation is a leading supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors for high-end consumer, computing, communications and industrial equipment. Products are designed to benefit the engineering community as well as the global community. The company is dedicated to reducing the impact it, and its products, have on the environment. Internal green programs seek to reduce waste through material and manufacturing control, use of green technology and designing for resource reduction. Publicly traded since 1967, Semtech is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol SMTC. For more information, visit www.semtech.com.

Press Contact

Pauline Cadena, Public Relations, Telephone: (805) 389-2755