Real Time Clock (RTC): Introduction | Nisshinbo Micro Devices

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Merits of Using RTCs

Lower Supply Current than MCU

RTCs can reduce the cost and the size of a backup circuit and are designed to operate with much lower current and voltage than a time keeping circuit constructed with an MCU.

Back-up Time Measurement (R2051S01)

Backup Device Backup Time
Backup Starting Voltage: 5V Backup Starting Voltage: 3V
Coin Cell Primary Battery (CR2032) - 10 Years or more (Calculated Value)
Electric Double Layered Capacitor (1 F) 130 Days 116 Days
Electric Double Layered Capacitor (0.1 F) 21 Days 15 Days
Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor (4700 µF) 20 Hrs 12 Hrs 30 Min
Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor (470 µF) 2 Hrs 1 Hrs 15 Min
Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor (47 µF) 12 Min 7 Min 30 Sec

Easy Software Development

In order to construct a clock function with an MCU, designers have to program a software which manages the complex calender and time including leap years, long months and short months, combinations of sexagesimal and base 24 scales, etc. RTCs, on the other hand, are designed specifically for the time management; they include circuits to keep the time and the calendar until 2099, and easy to debug.

Simple Oscillator Circuit

Only an external crystal oscillator is enough to construct an oscillator circuit, for the ambient components except an crystal unit are contained in RTCs. Thanks to the small number of external components, it is easy to lay out an oscillator circuit.

  • FAQ: Real Time Clock

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