This latest addition, the RX23E-B, is a 32-bit device from its popular RX Family featuring a high-precision analogue front end (AFE), that’s been specifically designed for systems that demand fast and accurate analogue signal measurements.
The MCU integrates a 24-bit Delta-Sigma A/D converter capable of achieving a conversion speed of up to 125 kSPS (125,000 samples/second), which is eight times faster than the existing RX23E-A. It can process accurate A/D conversion while reducing RMS noise to 1/3 (0.18µVrms @1kSPS) when compared to the RX23E-A.
The RX23E-B facilitates faster and more precise measurements of critical parameters such as strain, temperature, pressure, flow rate, current and voltage, making it suitable for high-end sensor devices, measuring instruments, and test equipment.
According to Renesas, the RX23E-B offers sufficient performance to drive force sensors used in industrial robots, which often demand measurements as fast as 10 µsec (100,000 samples/second). The MCU also reduces overall system size and the component count by incorporating the AFE and the MCU on a single chip.
“With the addition of the RX23E-B which comes with an AFE sensor interface, we can now serve a broad range of sensing applications from mid- to high-end systems,” said Sakae Ito, Vice President of the IoT Platform Business Division at Renesas. “We will continue to extend our product options to meet the growing needs of battery-powered and wireless sensors that demand low power consumption.”
Similar to the RX23E-A, the RX23E-B incorporates a 32-MHz RXv2-based CPU with digital signal processing (DSP) instructions and a floating point unit (FPU), and combines the AFE into a single chip using the same fabrication process. It offers new peripheral functions such as a 16-bit D/A converter, which enables measurement adjustments, self-diagnosis, and analogue signal output.
The device’s +/-10V analogue input enables +/-10V measurement with a 5V power supply without requiring external components or additional power supply. An LCD controller with a maximum of 40 SEG x 4 COM and a real-time clock (RTC) function are also included.
In large-scale instruments that need to control and take measurements of multiple targets such as robot arms, gas and liquid analysers, there has been a significant demand for distributed processing architecture. In distributed processing design, instead of relying on a dedicated MCU to manage all functions, each function can operate as a separate module, responsible for tasks such as motor control, sensor measurement and temperature control. This modular approach allows for independent development, offers greater design flexibility and simplifies maintenance. As each module needs an MCU for calculations, engineers can develop sensor modules more easily using an MCU with a built-in AFE, than combining a discrete AFE chip and a separate MCU.
The RX23E-B offers a version that supports an A/D conversion data rate of up to 125 kSPS, and a version that supports up to 31.25 kSPS. Both products offer flexible data rate settings ranging from 3.8 SPS to the maximum value, allowing users to choose the best balance between data rate and noise for their specific system requirements.
The products are available in a 5.5 mm square 100-pin BGA package and a 6 mm square 40-pin QFN package for compact applications, as well as wide pin packages ranging from 48- to 100-pin options.
