EM Microelectronic is a company of the Swatch Group and has decades of experience in developing extremely energy-efficient semiconductor solutions – such as the EM3028 RTC IC.
This expertise originally stems from watchmaking technology, where ultra‑low power consumption and highest precision are crucial. Today, the IoT and industrial sectors in particular benefit from this competence, as long‑life, battery‑powered and battery‑less systems are becoming increasingly important.
When implementing real-time clock (RTC) functions, developers are often faced with the choice between a discrete design using an RTC IC and an external crystal, or a fully integrated RTC module. While the discrete solution is fundamentally flexible, it also has drawbacks: larger PCB footprint, increased design complexity, and lower reliability due to the separate consideration of individual components.
Factors such as contamination, PCB layout influences, or crystals that are not optimally matched to the IC can critically affect the accuracy and stability of the design.
In contrast, RTC modules such as the EM3028‑C7 are factory‑trimmed, hermetically sealed and offer high stability and long‑term accuracy.
If an RTC module offers these advantages, why choose a solution based on RTC IC & crystal
In applications with sufficient PCB space and large production volumes, the discrete approach can still provide economic benefits thanks to lower component costs – at the expense of higher one‑time development and testing effort.
The EM3028 RTC IC is tailored to applications that demand maximum energy efficiency and functional integration. It features an extremely low current consumption of typically 45 nA at 3 V and operates over a wide supply voltage range from 1.2 V to 5.5 V. In addition, the device offers a 32‑bit Unix time counter, alarm, timer and event functions as well as integrated non‑volatile memory for secure storage of configuration and time data. A battery‑backup function is also included.
Via its I²C interface, the EM3028 can be easily integrated into modern embedded, industrial and IoT architectures. The EM3028 is available in a TSSOP14 package.
For additional high‑volume, production‑ready package option roadmap, please contact us directly.
Typical application areas for the EM3028 include smart metering, asset tracking, industrial IoT systems, home automation, and industrial building technology. In connected sensors, meters, data loggers and controllers, the IC demonstrates its strengths double wherever precise timekeeping must be combined with minimal energy consumption.
For a well‑founded device selection and optimal integration into your design, our team is happy to support you – contact us directly by phone for personal consulting or send us your inquiry, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.