Microchip Introduces High-Speed Mode I2C Serial EEPROM with 128-Bit Serial Number

Microchip Technology has released 24CS512, the first commercially available I²C Serial EEPROM with support for 3.4 Mbit/s data rates. This high-speed I²C EEPROM is 3 to 4 times faster than the existing EEPROMs available in the market. It offers high-speed mode operation, software write-protection and factory programmed serial numbers.

The 24CS512 I²C Serial EEPROM provides 512 Kbits of Serial EEPROM, utilizing an I²C (two-wire) serial interface with high-speed mode capability. The device is organized as 65,536 bytes of 8 bits each (64 Kbytes) and is optimized for use in consumer and industrial applications where reliable nonvolatile memory storage is essential. It allows up to eight devices to share a common I2C (two-wire) bus and is capable of operation across a broad voltage range (1.7V to 5.5V).

This high-speed mode I²C serial EEPROM expands the available options for meeting complex design criteria. The device also contains a Configuration register, which allows the write protection behavior to be configured for legacy hardware write protection or enhanced software write protection which allows the user to protect any of the eight independent 64-Kbit zones.

The 24CS512 makes managing your data easy with its software write protection, lockable ID page, and pre-programmed 128-bit serial number. Traditional I²C EEPROMs utilize hardware-based write protection that only allows locking or unlocking the entire memory array via an external pin, which severely limits the possible ways to protect data. The 24CS512 retains this legacy feature, but also divides the memory array into 8 different zones and provides the ability to individually write protect any combination of zones via software.

Additionally, each 24CS512 comes pre-programmed from our factory with a globally unique 128-bit serial number that can be used by customers as a unique product identifier. This serial number can eliminate the time-consuming step of performing and ensuring the serialization of a product on and across multiple manufacturing lines.