Semtech enhances controllers with multi-touch support

Semtech Corp. released the SX8674/75/76/77/78 multi-touch resistive touchscreen controllers, which bring pinch and stretch gesture recognition to the Semtech 4D-Touch platform.

The SX867X low power controllers feature long-distance proximity detection and advanced haptics driver support in a tiny footprint. They also feature ±15kV ESD protection, making them well-suited for a wide variety of applications such as mobile phone, tablet, DSC, handheld GPS, IP phones, printers, automotive center consoles and POS terminals.

4D-Touch devices also feature a highly accurate 12-bit analog-to-digital converter for coordinates and touch pressure measurement with current consumption as little as 0.4µA at standby. They can enter a low power state between conversions to reduce power consumption.

The SX867X devices do not require expensive matrix type resistive panel for multi-touch operation. And their proprietary touch-sensing circuitry is capable of supporting various common multi-touch gestures such as pinch, stretch and rotation on any 4-wire analog resistive touch screen.

SX867X devices also support 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 dimming or system wake-up when the hand approaches the panel. A haptics motor driver is incorporated on-chip for controlling linear resonant actuator (LRA) and eccentric rotating mass (ERM) micro motors (up to 250mA).

Key highlights:

• Low-power operation

• 4/5-wire touchscreen interface with programmable digital filtering/averaging
• Multi-touch gesture support on regular 4-wire resistive touchscreen
• Fully integrated, programmable proximity sensing (SX8674/76/77) with greater than 5cm detection distance
• Built-in haptics driver for LRA and ERM (SX8674/75/77/78)
• On-chip ESD protection up to ±15kV
• Ultra small footprint of 4mm x 4mm or smaller
• Dedicated hardware reset pin
• 400kHz I²C interface / SPI (SX8653)

Pricing: Per unit pricing (10,000-unit volume) ranges from $0.88 for the SX8651 to $1.62 for the SX8677.

Availability:  The SX8651/53/74/75/76/77/78 are available in production quantities and come in WLCSP and QFN/DFN packages.

Datasheets: SX8674, SX8675 and SX8676 and SX8677 and SX8678