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Tiny EEPROM Chip from STMicroelectronics Makes Low-Cost Electronic Tag |
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 Geneva, October 24, 2001 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) has announced the industry's smallest electrically erasable tag (ee-tag) for storing serial numbers, factory and user settings, or other data needed for electronic circuit boards. The chip, the M34C00, serves as a low-cost alternative to the M24C01 to help manufacturers trace their electronic products during and after manufacture, including after sales and during service.The M34C00 is a 384-bit EEPROM organized as 48x8 bits and divided into three 128-bit blocks. The three memory blocks comprise non-erasable, standard EEPROM, and permanently write-protected blocks. Specifically, the memory's bottom third (locations 00H to 0FH), once written to, is irreversibly write-protected using software. The top third (locations 20H to 2FH) works as non-erasable memory; that is, it comes with a 1 stored in each location, which the user can change to a 0. Once changed, however, no mechanism is available for returning the 0 to 1. The middle block operates like conventional EEPROM. Access to the M34C00 is through an I2C (two-wire serial) bus clocked at 400kHz. The bi-directional bus carries clock and data bits, with the chip operating as a slave device as defined by the I2C protocol. The interface and protocol also accommodate SMbus operation. Other features of the M34C00 include a self-timed program cycle, 2.5V to 5.5V operation, and a power-on reset that prevents data from being corrupted by an unintended write operation while the supply voltage settles to its correct value. The M34C00 is available in SO-8 and TSSOP-8 packages and operates over the industrial temperature range of -40°C to +85°C. Samples and volume quantities are available now. For more information, visit www.st.com/eeprom About STMicroelectronics STMicroelectronics is the world's third largest independent semiconductor company. The Company shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. The Company designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronic applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and industrial automation and control systems. In 2000, the Company's net revenues were $7,813.2 million and net earnings were $1,452.1 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com |
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