Product designers regularly come up against a variety of design issues, such as being forced to trade-off a non-volatile memory requirement over another, which is usually a choice between a serial EEPROM and parallel solutions. Each option is very different from the other, and…
Product designers regularly come up against a variety of design issues, such as being forced to trade-off a non-volatile memory requirement over another, which is usually a choice between a serial EEPROM and parallel solutions.
Each option is very different from the other, and the choice will often determine a device’s performance, design, programmability, density, power consumption and physical size. It is therefore essential to choose wisely. For this reason, we are offering informative information on both memory options and how they compare to one another, which could help you make an informed decision.
Serial EEPROM
Unlike a parallel solution, serial EEPROMs enable the communication via a serial interface, which can be achieved with a minimum number of I/Os. Depending on the software and hardware protocol, a serial EEPROM will require between two to four lines for data input and output, communication, device control and memory addressing, which will minimise a device’s hardware interface requirements.
One of the biggest benefits of a serial EEPROM is its space-saving package size, which varies between 256 to 16k bits. It is therefore a superb option for applications that have a key focus on product weight and size. Low current consumption is also another advantage due to the limited I/O ports available, because serial EEPROMs most often have an operating current that is approximately 3 milliamperes.
What’s more, a serial EEPROM’s byte programmability allows you to delete a program by the byte, which will not impact the content located within a memory location.
