Nippon Precision Circuits (NPC)^* has developed the CF9502A, a high sensitivity radio controlled clock receiver IC for low-voltage operation and starts delivering samples.

The CF9502A is a radio controlled clock receiver IC that accepts low frequency wave input from an antenna, amplifies it, detects the data signal, and outputs a dizitized time code signal. Compared to time information acquisition by GPS, radio controlled clocks offer a simplified structure with low power consumption. For that reason, our product is better suited to low-cost systems that require accurate time information.
Our company already mass-produces the CF9501A, a 3V range radio controlled clock receiver IC. The CF9502A is based on CF9501A technology and has been developed to fit low-voltage systems that operate with 1.5V electric cells, solar electric cells (1.2V to 2.8V) and the like.

The main features of the CF9502A are:

	New amplification circuitry based on BiCMOS process and also the industry's highest signal input sensitivity (0.3µVrms) for low-voltage (1.2V to 2.8V) operation.
	To ensure proper reception of weak low frequency wave a high gain amplifier is necessary. In the past, dynamic range made it difficult to combine low-voltage operation and high signal input sensitivity. Our company has developed a new amplification circuitry that solves this problem and makes the combination of low-voltage operation and high signal input sensitivity possible.

Built-in low ON resistance MOS analog switch for antenna tuning capacitor selection adapted for 2-station selection.

In the case two transmission stations using different carrier frequencies exist (in Japan: 40kHz/60kHz) the tuning frequency must be adapted to the region of reception. One way of changing the tuning frequency is to change the capacitance of the tuning capacitor. The CF9502A, like the CF9501A, is equipped with a built-in MOS analog switch with low ON resistance, and thus manages to solve design issues, by reducing the number of external components, as well as reducing cost.

Thanks to the CF9502A, the 1.5V low-voltage range that was not covered by the CF9501A's 3V range can now be used in radio controlled clocks low-voltage applications.
In addition to the chip CF9502A, NPC also plans to release a 16-pin VSOP package model, the SM9502AV.

^*: Main office: 2-4-3 Fukusumi, Koto-ku Tokyo, President: Yoshifumi Gomi

Product Name	Shipping of Sample	Sample Price	Mass Production	Expected Mass Production Quantities
CF9502A	January 2004	¥300 per unit	April 2004 (schedule)	500,000/month
SM9502AV	February 2004	¥400 per unit