The market for e-paper displays is expanding. These displays are flexible, offer paper-like legibility, and consume very little power, since no power is needed to keep data on the screen. They are being used in place of liquid crystal displays for everything from e-books and signage to electronic shelf labels and particularly smart cards. In smart cards, one-time password cards and dynamic CVV/CVC*1 cards with security codes that change at regular intervals are seen as a means to provide stronger protection against phishing attacks, which are causing mounting losses as online banking and payments become increasingly common. However, there are problems that need to be addressed with current embedded-display cards, which are susceptible to electronic component damage if bent or subjected to other physical stresses and which have limited battery capacity due to the limitations of the card configuration.
To solve these problems, Epson developed a single-chip microcontroller with built-in driver circuitry engineered specifically for e-paper displays. Since there is no need for external drivers, having built-in drivers reduces the component count, shrinks chip size through optimization of built-in peripheral circuits, and increases card durability. Epson also successfully reduced current consumption in real-time clock operation mode to 120 nA (typ.), a 40% reduction compared to a comparable earlier MCU.*2 The low power draw makes it possible to extend the battery life of the product without increasing battery capacity. Moreover, the extra current can be used to rewrite a display screen, making it possible to shorten the interval between security code updates, thus contributing to enhanced protection.
In addition to the display driver circuit, the new MCU offers Flash memory, EEPROM, timers, an A/D converter, and a temperature sensor. The built-in temperature sensor can be used to compensate display quality effects arising from the temperature characteristics of e-paper displays. The sensor can also be used together with a theoretical regulation function*3 to compensate for temperature-induced frequency drift in crystals. Updating passwords requires synchronization between a card terminal and system server, so accurate time measurements that are not affected by the ambient environment increase the security system value of customers.
Epson is committed to helping its customers improve the performance of their products with solutions that leverage Epson’s efficient, compact, and precision technologies.
*1 Codes designed to prevent credit card and debit card fraud. CVC: Card Verification Code (Mastercard) CVV: Card Verification Value (Visa)
*2 Epson’s S1C17F57
*3 A function that compensates crystal frequency deviation without changing external components
Notes: See the website below for more information about this product.https://global.epson.com/products_and_drivers/semicon/products/micro_controller/16bit/#ac07
Product features
- Driver circuit optimized for e-paper displays
- 42-segment output
- Selectable segment, back plane, and top plane output pin assignments
- Display drive power supply control function
- Built-in display driving waveform generator
- Built-in display data memory
- Built-in temperature sensor
- Low-current real-time clock circuit that extends battery life
- 32.768 kHz (typ.) crystal oscillation circuit
- Operating current 120 nA (typ)
- Real-time clock (second, minute, hour, day, day of the week, month, and year counters)
- Day/hour/minute/second, alarm, and programmable periodic timer interrupts
- A theoretical regulation function that can be used to compensate temperature-induced drift of the oscillation frequency
About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to becoming indispensable to society by connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. The company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics. Epson is proud of its contributions to realizing a sustainable society and its ongoing efforts to realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than US$10 billion. global.epson.com/
Epson Europe Electronics GmbH is a marketing, engineering and sales company and the European Headquarters for electronic devices of the Seiko Epson Corporation, Japan. Since 1989 headquartered in Munich/Germany with 50 employees, Epson Europe Electronics GmbH has European sales representatives and a European-wide network of distributors. Epson Europe Electronics provides value added services for Semiconductors, Sensors, Sensing Systems and Timing Devices targeted to all markets like industrial, automotive, medical, and communication. Epson products are recognized for energy saving, low power, small form factors and rapid time to market. Information about Epson Europe Electronics GmbH is available on the Internet under www.epson-electronics.de
Epson Europe Electronics GmbH
Riesstraße 15
80992 München
Telefon: +49 (89) 14005-0
Telefax: +49 (89) 14005-110
http://www.epson-electronics.de
