dm00155077

AN4641
Application note
Integrating TIMEKEEPER® and real-time clock supervisor functions
By Doug Sams
Introduction
STMicroelectronics' TIMEKEEPER supervisors include real-time clock and NVRAM
supervisor functions which enable users to easily implement RTC and battery-backed
SRAM functions within their designs. With the RTC and battery switchover on the same
chip, only a single coin cell battery is needed to maintain both the RTC and the NVRAM.
These devices include other helpful supervisory functions such as power-on-reset/lowvoltage-detect, watchdog, power-fail comparator and battery monitor.
Integrating these many features into one device helps users to develop robust systems with
minimal cost and board space.
M48T201Y/V
1.
SNAPHAT(1)
SOH-44
Parallel
8-bit
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
✓
Battery monitor
✓
Power-fail comparators
(PFI-PFO)
SSOP20
✓
Manual reset inputs
M41ST87WSS
400
kHz I2C
✓
Dedicated 32 KHz output
Embedded crystal
SOX-28
✓
Squarewave output
M41ST87WMX
400
kHz I2C
Watchdog
M41ST85WMH
SNAPHAT(1)
SOH-28
Alarm
Embedded crystal
SOX-28
Tamper detect inputs
M41ST85WMX
Bus
Power-on reset/
Low-voltage detect
Package
Chip-enable gating
Device
Battery switchover
Table 1. TIMEKEEPER supervisory functions
2
1
✓
2
✓
2
✓
2
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
1
2
✓
See battery and crystal options for Timekeeper supervisors on www.st.com.
May 2015
DocID027340 Rev 1
1/18
www.st.com
18
Contents
AN4641
Contents
1
Battery switchover and chip-enable gating (write protection) . . . . . . . 3
2
Power-on reset and low-voltage detect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.1
3
Reset inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
System interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.1
Parallel access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4
Packaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5
Tamper detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6
Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
7
Dedicated 32.768 kHz output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
8
Programmable squarewave output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
9
Battery monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
10
Watchdog timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
11
Power-fail comparator (PFI-PFO) - early power-fail warning . . . . . . . 14
12
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
13
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
14
Revision history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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1
Battery switchover and chip-enable gating (write protection)
Battery switchover and chip-enable gating (write
protection)
The battery switchover mechanism is a key feature of real-time clocks and battery-backed
SRAMs (ie. NVRAMs). In a typical RTC or NVRAM application, when VDD fails, it is
paramount that the device be seamlessly switched to the backup battery to prevent loss of
data or corruption of the RTC contents. The switchover circuit must detect VDD falling and
connect the RTC/SRAM to the backup battery (VBAT) without ever letting the voltage at the
RTC/SRAM fall too low. Thus the switchover mechanism must have a switchover threshold
higher than the minimum voltage tolerated by the load. Furthermore, the switchover circuit
should provide a gating signal to cut off access to the load. This signal write-protects the
RTC/SRAM when VDD fails.
A basic switchover function is shown below. When VDD falls below the switchover threshold,
VSO, the load is switched to VBAT. The switch output supplies both the internal circuits (VDDINT) and the external load (VOUT).
Figure 1. Switchover function
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The actual switch is implemented using FETs, and is wired as shown below.
Figure 2. Switch
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Battery switchover and chip-enable gating (write protection)
AN4641
In a backup application, the hookup would be similar to that shown below. The switchover
circuit provides power to the external SRAM through VOUT, which supplies both active and
backup current to the load. When VDD fails, the switchover automatically connects the
battery to the external SRAM and to the internal circuits of the TIMEKEEPER supervisor
including the real-time clock. At the same time, the chip-enable is gated off to the external
low-power SRAM thereby write-protecting it.
When VDD comes back up, the timing block ensures that the LPSRAM remains writeprotected for a short time afterward, typically 40 to 200 milliseconds (the same as the tREC
interval).
Figure 3. Switchover and write protection
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For typical battery-backed SRAM applications, the low-power SRAM needs to have a
standby/backup current on the order of a few microamps or less in order to support a useful
battery life. For example, with a 120 milliamp-hour battery and a load of 1 microamp for the
SRAM and 0.5 microamps for the RTC, a backup life of over 9 years is expected.
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Power-on reset and low-voltage detect
Power-on reset and low-voltage detect
The basic function of POR/LVD is to hold the system in reset whenever the system voltage
is out of the preferred operating range. This means that the POR/LVD reset output is
asserted when VDD is ramping up and also when it is ramping down.
Figure 4. POR and low-voltage detect waveforms
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As shown in the figure above, when VDD rises above the VPOR threshold, RST is actively
driven low. It stays low until VDD has stayed above VRST for a period of time, labeled tREC.
The length of tREC is in the range 40 to 200 milliseconds. Configuration bits in the
TIMEKEEPER supervisors allow the user to specify a narrower tREC range of 96-98
milliseconds.
VRST varies with device type, and includes options such as 4.35, 2.9 and 2.62 volts, as well
as others. Consult the applicable datasheet for more details.
Reset inputs
The POR/LVD circuits also include external reset input signals. These active low inputs
have built-in pull-up resistors and can be used to implement a push-button reset function, or
to gate in another reset signal from another source on the customer board. The timing
details for these varies, but the basic concept is that when the input is asserted, the RST
output will go low and stay low for a period the specified tREC interval, minimum.
A diagram of the POR/LVD circuit is shown below. In essence, the two reset inputs are
logically OR'd with the comparator output.
Figure 5. POR and low-voltage detect circuit with external reset signals
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System interface
3
AN4641
System interface
The M41ST85W and M41ST87W devices each incorporate a 400kHz I2C interface (InterIntegrated Circuit). This popular two-wire interface provides access to the clock and
calendar functions as well as the status and control registers and the battery-backed SRAM
on board the chips. Both devices support address auto-increment – a single-byte write to
the address register can be followed by multiple-byte data reads (or writes) of the internal
registers. The first byte read (written) is from the address pointed to by the address register,
then the device automatically increments the address to point to the next data register such
that the next byte transferred is from (to) that register.
As shown in the read example below, each successive data byte transferred comes from the
next higher address.
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Figure 6. I2C read
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Auto-increment allows the application to move data faster because the register address only
needs to be sent once for multiple data byte transfers.
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3.1
System interface
Parallel access
The M48T201Y/V connects to the processor in much the same manner as an SRAM (or any
other read/write, random access memory). 19 address lines and 8 data lines comprise the
essential connections while three other lines provide the timing and read/write control. All
accesses to the RTC registers (and the SRAM contents) have 8 bits of data being
transferred simultaneously, in parallel.
Figure 7. M48T201Y/V hookup
M48T201Y/V
VCC
VPFD
μP
CHIP ENABLE
OUTPUT ENABLE
POWER
FAIL
DETECT
REAL-TIME
CLOCK
Memory Map
/ECON
/E
/G
7FFF0-7FFFF (RTC)
Decoder 00000:7FFEF (RAM)
/GCON
/CE
SRAM
/OE
0x7FFFF
0x7FFF0
0x7FFEF
SRAM
/W
WRITE ENABLE
DATA
ADDRESS
RTC
/WE
0x00000
DATA D7:D0
ADDRESS A18:A0
The M48T201Y/V memory maps the clock/calendar registers into the address space of an
external SRAM. For example, if used with a 512K-byte SRAM, the upper 16 bytes of the
SRAM space (addresses 0x7FFF0 to 0x7FFFF) will actually be the clock/calendar registers
while the lower 524,272 bytes will be the SRAM (addresses 0 to 0x7FFEF).
Compared to serial interface, the parallel interface has the advantage that the data can be
transferred much more quickly between the processor and the device. For example, 8 bytes
can be transferred to/from the M48T201Y/V in approximately 1.6 micro-seconds. (This
assumes 100 ns for each data byte transferred plus 100 ns of instruction fetch prior to each
data byte.) For the 400 kHz I2C bus, that same sequence, using address auto-increment,
would still take 255 μs, over 100 times as long.
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Packaging
4
AN4641
Packaging
TIMEKEEPER supervisors use IC packages based on industry standard packaging
technology. The M41ST87WSS uses a common 20-lead shrink, small outline package
(SSOP-20). The user connects a battery and crystal to this device.
For the M41ST85WMX and M41ST87WMX, the crystal is embedded into an otherwise
common 300 mil (7.62 mm) 28-pin small outline IC package (SOIC). The user connects an
external battery with these devices.
ST's flagship package is the SNAPHAT SOIC. This has the same envelope as an ordinary
330 mil (8.38 mm) SOIC. The 28-pin version (SOH-28) has the same footprint as well, but
the 44-pin version tightens the spacing to squeeze in 44 pins while maintaining the same
overall outline as the 28-pin version. The advantage of this packaging is that the battery and
crystal are contained in a mating hat which sits atop the IC package. Two extra connections
on each end of the IC package provide the contacts for the crystal and battery contained in
the SNAPHAT top. The same hat fits both the SOH-28 and the SOH-44.
Figure 8. Packaging
Device
8/18
Package
M41ST85WMX
Embedded crystal SOX-28
M41ST85WMH
SNAPHAT SOH-28
M41ST87WMX
Embedded crystal SOX-28
M41ST87WSS
SSOP20
M48T201Y/V
SNAPHAT SOH-44
DocID027340 Rev 1
SNAPHAT
TOP
SNAPHAT
SOIC
SOH44
AN4641
5
Tamper detection
Tamper detection
In applications where high security is critical, tamper detection provides a means of
ensuring that data is not stolen. With battery-backup protection, the tamper detect function
can be used to trigger the erasure of data whenever a physical breach is detected, even
when the system is not powered. Furthermore, a time tag of the event is recorded providing
additional evidence of the intrusion.
The tamper detect inputs can be used to detect a switch opening or closing, and then the
device can respond in a variety of ways as configured by the user.
As shown below, along with whether the switch opens or closes, the user can select the
input polarity as well. Also, for the normally closed cases, the user can select between 1M
and 10M resistors in order to reduce battery draw. Not shown in the drawing, the user can
also select whether the input is continuously monitored or periodically sampled, to save
power, for the two normally closed cases.
On the output side, the user can select among four different responses to the tamper event.
Any combination of these options may be selected.
Figure 9. Responses to tamper event
User
Configuration
Triggering Event
Output responses
VCC (VOUT) TAMPER HI,
NORMALLY OPEN
IRQ - Interrupt the
processor on tamper.
VCC (VOUT) TAMPER LO,
NORMALLY CLOSED
TPCLR - Clear external
RAM on tamper.
1MΩ/
10MΩ
other reset
sources
TAMPER LO,
NORMALLY OPEN
/RST OUT
CLR - Clear internal
RAM on tamper.
VCC (VOUT)
1MΩ/
10MΩ
Time tag tamper
event.
TAMPER HI,
NORMALLY CLOSED
Because the tamper detect function draws so little current, it can readily be battery-backed.
This ensures that the tamper function continues to operate in the event of a power loss.
Intruders seeking to bypass the tamper detection cannot do so by removing system power.
Thus sensitive data will remain protected even in the absence of system power.
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Alarm
6
AN4641
Alarm
The alarm function is much like the alarm on an ordinary alarm clock. The user sets the
time for the alarm to occur, and the device generates an interrupt when the current time
matches the alarm time. The user can specify not only the hours, minutes and seconds of
the alarm event, but also the month and date (day-of-month) such that the alarm can be
configured to only occur once per year. Other configuration options allow the user to select
the alarm to occur once per month, once per day, once per hour or every second.
When an alarm interrupt is asserted, the application clears the interrupt by reading the
device's flags register which causes the interrupt to de-assert.
7
Dedicated 32.768 kHz output
Many oscillator based devices include phase-locked loop clock synthesis circuits. These
replace or augment the oscillators commonly used. Ordinary 32.768 kHz watch crystals are
reasonably accurate while providing significant cost reductions over higher frequency AT-cut
crystals. Typically, in microprocessor applications, the PLL clock synthesis generates a high
frequency signal derived from the 32.768 kHz oscillator. This higher frequency signal
provides the timing reference to run the processor without needing the higher cost AT-cut
crystal.
Since real-time clock devices already have 32.768 kHz oscillators, users can further reduce
system costs by using the RTC's oscillator to drive the processor's PLL input thereby
eliminating the duplicate 32.768 kHz crystal. The M41ST87 includes a 32.768 kHz
dedicated output for just that application.
This output is enabled at first power-up and is present as long as VCC remains above the
switchover threshold, VSO. It can also be disabled by clearing the non-volatile control bit,
32kE, to 0.
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Programmable squarewave output
Programmable squarewave output
By connecting the 32.768 kHz oscillator signal to a 15-bit binary counter, 15 lower frequency
signals can be derived. Each tap of the counter outputs a signal half the frequency of the tap
above it. The result is that frequencies all the way down to 1 Hz are generated. These are
then fed into a switch under control of the application. The four bits RS3:RS0 control which
of the signals drives the squarewave output pin.
Note that the 16.384 kHz signal is not available. Only 15 of the 16 frequencies are available,
with the 16th position being OFF instead of 16.384 kHz.
Figure 10. Squarewave output
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11/18
18
Battery monitor
9
AN4641
Battery monitor
To help maintain non-volatility, the battery monitor function can inform the application that
the battery needs to be replaced before any data is lost.
The battery monitor circuit checks the battery every night at midnight (rollover) and every
time the device powers up from backup mode. The battery is compared to 2.5 V and the BL
bit (battery low) is updated each time this occurs.
In some applications, users need to force a BL update. A common trick to do this is to store
the current time, then write the time to 1 second before midnight (11:59:59pm), wait 2
seconds, then restore the previously saved time (plus 2 seconds). This will update the BL bit
without needing to power-cycle the device.
Figure 11. Battery monitor
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10
Watchdog timer
Watchdog timer
The essential function of the watchdog timer is to reset the system whenever too much time
has elapsed since the last reset of the watchdog timer. The usual application is for the
software to occasionally reset the watchdog timer on a regular basis and, when that does
not occur, it is assumed the software is hung up and must be re-initialized in order to
recover. So the watchdog timer's output is steered to the system reset signal (RST) or to an
interrupt (IRQ). As long as the application routinely resets the timer, then no timeout will
occur. But if the software somehow gets hung, then the watchdog will time out and cause
the reset (or interrupt) to occur thereby prompting the system to resume operation.
The M48T201Y/V, M41ST85W and M41ST87W all employ the same basic watchdog. Its
timer is reset whenever the WDI pin is toggled, or whenever the application writes to the
watchdog register via I2C (or parallel bus in the case of the M48T201Y/V). The user can
select one of four clock periods to drive the 5-bit counter. The programmable timeout period
ranges from ¼ second to 124 seconds. Please consult the specific device datasheet for
more information.
Figure 12. Watchdog timer
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DocID027340 Rev 1
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Power-fail comparator (PFI-PFO) - early power-fail warning
11
AN4641
Power-fail comparator (PFI-PFO) - early power-fail
warning
In most RTC/NVRAM applications, the battery switchover and write-protect timing is
sufficient to maintain the non-volatile data and the timekeeping function without needing any
advanced warning; whenever the system power fails, the device automatically and
simultaneously switches to backup mode.
Figure 13. PFI-PFO comparator
VUNREG
REGULATOR
VDD
μΠ/μΧ
R1
VPFI
R2
PFO
1.25V
NMI
But some applications, at power-fail, require additional time to store away critical data into
NVRAM and then gracefully shut down. The PFI-PFO comparator (power-fail in / power-fail
out) can be used to generate an advanced warning that power may soon fail. By monitoring
the system power upstream of the regulator, the system can determine when the
unregulated voltage has fallen critically low and send an interrupt to the microprocessor. By
measuring the unregulated voltage over time, the user can characterize the typical failure
profile and choose R1 and R2 accordingly.
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Summary
Summary
Users will find that ST's family of TIMEKEEPER supervisors not only make it easy to
implement NVRAM and RTC functions in any system, but that they also include many other
supervisor features which make the system more robust while providing a compact and
cost-effective solution.
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References
13
AN4641
References

16/18
AN1336: Power-fail comparator for NVRAM supervisory devices.
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14
Revision history
Revision history
Table 2. Document revision history
Date
Version
07-May-2015
1
Changes
Initial release
DocID027340 Rev 1
17/18
18
AN4641
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© 2015 STMicroelectronics – All rights reserved
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