SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --Atmel(® )Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML), a leader in microcontroller and touch technology solutions, today launched its next-generation 4 channels Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) coil drivers with an integrated immobilizer base station. Expandable to 8 low-frequency (LF) channels, the new Atmel ATA5291 is the world's most integrated passive entry coil driver, allowing car manufacturers to deliver the latest breakthrough technologies in a variety of PKE applications.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20120530/SF15228LOGO

Atmel continues to combine the most innovative technologies onto a single die, allowing automotive manufacturers to deliver next-generation technologies to their customers. The new ATA5291 PKE device combines low-frequency drivers and immobilizer base station technology into a tiny QFN-49 package, essentially removing one low frequency antenna, a standalone immobilizer base station module and an external crystal/resonator. This new device allows car manufacturers to reduce their overall system cost and enables a superior out-of-band suppression to ensure a robust immobilizer operation, allowing more than 4 meters for the antenna harness. This extended distance gives customers the freedom to integrate it into a dedicated electronic control unit or into a body control module anywhere in the vehicle.

The new device has the fastest current regulation loop available on the market today, ensuring faster and more reliable key localization. Targeting the car access PKE market, the new devices are directly connected to the car battery to transmit a high LF signal to wake-up the key inside (or outside) of the car. The key will then send an encrypted identification number to the car via an ultra-high frequency (UHF) signal, enabling the car door to lock/unlock or the engine to start.

Unlike other devices on the market, the Atmel ATA5291 features a programmable carrier shape to mitigate electromagnetic radiation (EMR). A programmable instruction buffer with flexible commands is also integrated into the device to offload tasks from the host controller and enable for the first time value-added features for the consumer such as a welcome light or walk-away locking with a longer range and reduced power consumption.

"Atmel is delivering the latest innovative technologies to next-generation vehicles with over two decades of automotive experience," said Matthias Kaestner, Vice President and General Manager of Automotive Business Unit, Atmel Corporation. "Delivering robust performance in small form factors, enabling value added features and BOM cost optimization are key to driving the PKE market growth. Atmel delivers on all three in the latest car access series and we look forward to bringing next-generation technologies to power tomorrow's cars."

The superior diagnostic capabilities of the ATA5291 enable a multitude of load fault detection scenario such as short to GND, short to Vbat, Open load, etc. An extended operational temperature range of -40C to 125C is critical for power applications making this device unique in the market.

Availability
Samples and production quantities of the Atmel ATA5291 are available today. The ATA5291 will be also demonstrated at the Atmel booth during the International CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada, held in January 2016.

More Information
Atmel Automotive Solutions: http://www.atmel.com/products/automotive/default.aspx
Atmel Car Access Solutions: http://www.atmel.com/products/automotive/car_access/default.aspx
Embedded Design Blog: www.atmelcorporation.wordpress.com
Atmel YouTube Channel at www.atmel.com/youtube
Twitter: www.atmel.com/twitter
Facebook: www.atmel.com/facebook
Linked In: www.atmel.com/linkedin

About Atmel
Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML) is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, capacitive touch solutions, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with intelligent and connected solutions focused on the industrial, consumer, communications, computing and automotive markets.

©2015 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(®), Atmel logo and combinations thereof, AVR(®), picoPower(®), and others are registered trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. ARM(®) and Cortex(®) are registered trademarks of ARM Limited. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Press Contact:

Agnes Toan, Sr. Communications Manager

Tel: (+1) 408-487-2963, Email: agnes.toan@atmel.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120530/SF15228LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atmel-extends-leadership-in-automotive-car-access-launches-next-generation-highly-integrated-drivers-and-immobilizer-base-station-for-passive-keyless-entry-300173060.html

SOURCE Atmel Corporation