Atmel Targets Mobile Devices with Low Cost 4-Channel QTouch Capacitive Touch Button Controller

San Jose, California (ots/PRNewswire) -

Atmel(c) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) announced today a convenient,
easy to implement, low cost touch sensor IC, which brings capacitive
user interfaces to price-sensitive consumer and mobile devices. This
AT42QT1040 device is available in a 3mm x 3mm VQFN 20 pin package,
making it ideal for use in mobile phones and other handheld devices
where PCB space is at a premium. In low power mode the AT42QT1040
draws only 31uA from a 1.8 VDC supply, allowing capacitive sensing to
be added with minimal impact on battery lifetime. The AT42QT1040 is
the latest solution from Atmel's touch sensor division, which
develops capacitive touch button, slider, wheel and touchscreen
controllers. The AT42QT1040 includes 4 digital output channels,
enabling per-channel indication on touch detection. The IC can also
be configured using one channel as a proximity sensor, enabling
'hidden-until-lit' user interfaces where the device detects the
presence of a finger some distance away from the keypad.

The AT42QT1040 is based on Atmel's patented QTouch(TM)
charge-transfer sensing method. This robust technology uses
spread-spectrum modulation to achieve high immunity to electrical
noise. Atmel's patented Adjacent Key Suppression(TM) (AKS(TM)),
technology, essential for tight-pitched keys, is used to ensure that
only the intended key is activated by the touch of a finger.
Long-term reliability is achieved because the device automatically
calibrates on power-up and always stays calibrated even if there is a
build-up of moisture or other contaminants on the touch surface or if
the overall system is subject to aging. Individual key sensitivity
can be configured to support a range of front panel thicknesses and
materials including glass or plastic up to several millimeters thick.
Electrodes can be made from copper, silver, carbon, indium tin oxide
(ITO) or any other conductive material. Widely different electrode
sizes and shapes are possible, giving the product designer great
flexibility to tailor the user interface. The device has two power
modes: a low power mode, which is ideal for small, battery-driven
devices and a fast response mode, which provides minimum response
time for applications where low touch latency is essential. To aid
product development the AT42QT1040 has a debug mode in which internal
data from the chip can be accessed. The ability to monitor the
behavior of the device in this way means that designs can quickly be
evaluated and tuned resulting in a shorter product design time frame.

Availability and Pricing

The AT42QT1040 is available now in a space-saving 3mm x 3mm x
0.85mm package. The device is priced at US$0.35 in quantities of
100,000 units. An evaluation kit, EVK1040A, is also available, priced
at US$25.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory
and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's
broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is
able to provide the electronics industry with complete system
solutions focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications,
computing and automotive markets.

(c) 2009 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(R), Atmel
logo and combinations thereof, AVR(R), QTouch(TM), Adjacent Key
Suppression(TM), AKS(TM) and others, are registered trademarks, or
trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and
product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:

For further details about this and other Atmel touch sense
products, please visit www.atmel.com/products/touch

Press Contacts:
Helen Barnes, Product Marketing Manager - Touch technology division
Tel: +44-23-8056-0489, Email: helen.barnes@atmel.com
Chris Ard, Marketing Director - Touch technology division
Tel: +44-23-8056-0471, Email: christopher.ard@atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations
Tel: +1-408-487-2963, Email: helen.perlegos@atmel.com
Robert Huntley, Publitek (PR agency)
Tel: +44-1225-470000, Email: robert.huntley@publitek.com

ots Originaltext: Atmel Corporation
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Helen Barnes, Product Marketing Manager, Touch technology division,
+44-23-8056-0489, helen.barnes@atmel.com, or Chris Ard, Marketing
Director, Touch technology division, +44-23-8056-0471,
christopher.ard@atmel.com, Helen Perlegos, Public Relations,
+1-408-487-2963, helen.perlegos@atmel.com, all of Atmel Corporation;
Robert Huntley of Publitek (PR agency), +44-1225-470000,
robert.huntley@publitek.com, for Atmel Corporation