Renesas Technology Launches Latest MCU for Multifunction Smartcards

(Product News, 20 Mar 2008)

Renesas Technology Corp. has launched RS45C, a secure MCU for smartcards requiring a high level of security, including ID cards and financial cards such as banking and credit cards. Built around the RS-4 high-performance 16-bit CPU core, the RS45C integrates 36kB of electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and 224kB of large capacity mask ROM.

Renesas Technology's RS-4 Series of 16-bit secure MCUs is intended as the successor to the AE-4 Series and delivers enhanced processing performance. The RS45C has a maximum internal operating frequency of 20MHz, and executes instructions in minimum one cycle. This enables it to run general-purpose OS such as Java Card quickly. The series' RS-4 CPU core also supports the full instruction set of the earlier AE-4 16-bit CPU core from Renesas Technology, ensuring code-level compatibility and allowing developers to reuse software resources originally created for AE-4 Series products. This contributes to more rapid system development and reduced costs.

The RS45C also has an internal clock oscillator, eliminating the problems associated with supplying a clock from an external source. Specifically, the operating speed is no longer dependent on the external clock frequency, so the MCU can always operate at its maximum frequency for the best performance. Security functions include a triple DES coprocessor for high speed encryption, a modular multiplier coprocessor, and the latest security technology for defeating exploits such as optical fault induction attacks.

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