Cypress Intros TrueTouch Gen4X Touchscreen Controller Family

Cypress Semiconductor recently announced the launch of its TrueTouch Gen4X touchscreen controller family designed to support larger screen sizes. The new controller features sophisticated gloved-finger tracking along with noise immunity.

“Our previous Gen4 offerings have gained popularity with industry leaders around the world due to leading performance in noisy and wet environments,” said John Carey, senior director of TrueTouch marketing for Cypress, in a statement. “The TrueTouch Gen4x TMA448 controller adds superior gloved finger tracking and provides the ideal touchscreen solution for superphones and tablets targeting discriminating consumers who are seeking a rich touchscreen experience at cost-conscious price points.”

The controller is intended for superphones, smartphones, tablets and e-readers. The TrueTouch controller can be used with gloves made from various materials and thicknesses, including ski gloves. Also it can automatically switch over from glove and finger tracking modes without any host-processor intervention, which would otherwise affect user experience. The controllers have 58 sensing I/Os, and can support screens of up to 8.3 inches, making it economically viable for smartphones and tablets in emerging and cost-sensitive markets like China.

TMA448 and the TrueTouch Gen4X family are also immune to electronic noise emanating from aftermarket chargers and displays of up to 35V peak-to-peak (Vpp) from 1 - 500 kHz, with a 0.5-mm cover lens and a 9-mm-wide finger.

The patented DualSense technology from Cypress allows the execution of both self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance measurements in the same device. Also featured are optimum water rejection and wet finger tracking capabilities suited for conditions involving rain, condensation, or sweat.

Slim form factors are also possible with the design, allowing support for both in-cell and on-cell touch-integrated displays using Cypress’s single-layer independent multi-touch (SLIM) sensor structures.

Along with a 32-bit ARM (News - Alert) Cortex M-Core processor the TMA448 controller provides 120-Hz refresh rates with a low power consumption of 12 mW in active mode and 15 uW in deep-sleep mode.