V?KO Selects Freescale 8-bit MC9S08LH64 Microcontroller for Residential Electricity Meters
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) today announced that V?KO Electric and Electronic, listed as one of the Top 500 Large Industrial Organizations of Turkey by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, has selected the Freescale MC9S08LH64 microcontroller (MCU) for its single-phase residential electricity meters. These meters are expected to be available early next year.
V?KO selected the Freescale solution because it provides the best integrated system cost for low-power, single-phase residential electricity meters for the Turkish markets and its neighboring countries. The MC9S08LH64 MCU enables automated meter reading at an affordable price for utility companies.
Smart metering continues to gain momentum as the world´s leading economies overhaul outdated power grids and build out a smart grid. Smart metering products enable two-way communication between utility companies and consumers to eliminate waste, optimize power and encourage dramatic decreases in energy consumption.
"We are delighted to have V?KO as a customer to help grow our metering business in Turkey and other countries," said Bruno Baylac, director of Freescale´s Metering, Medical and Connectivity Solutions business. "This is more proof of Freescale´s commitment to the metering market and that we are developing MCU and connectivity solutions for future smart meters."
Freescale´s 8-bit MC9S08LH family is ideally suited for intelligent, accurate, single-phase power meter designs, while keeping bill of materials cost low. The MC9S08LH64 MCU is based on an 8-bit S08 core and features up to 64K of flash memory; an integrated 10-channel, 16-bit analog-to-digital converter; two 2-channel 16-bit timers and an integrated LCD controller.
Freescale is fully committed to the smart metering market and offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, including low-power 8- and 32-bit MCUs, wired and wireless connectivity platforms and an extensive support ecosystem.
V?KO is supported and supplied locally via franchised distributor Future Electronics, headquartered for the EMEA region in Egham, UK and operating a state-of-the-art EMEA distribution centre in Leipzig Germany. Future Electronics is a world-class leader and innovator in the distribution and marketing of semiconductors, passive, interconnect and electro-mechanical components operating in 169 locations in 42 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Development Tools
Freescale offers exceptional hardware and software development tools for smart meter applications to help reduce development cost, ease design complexity and speed time to market. Online training, videos, webcasts, technical documentation and application notes are available at www.freescale.com/metering.
About V?KO
V?KO was founded in 1980 with the mission of "designing, producing and marketing innovative low voltage products which increase comfort, security and energy efficiency." With 650 employees, V?KO produces solutions for the transfer and usage of electrical energy today in its new industrial facilities in Samand?ra-Istanbul, regarded as the largest one in Turkey in this sector. Recognized as the leading organization in Turkey in its field, V?KO achieved this status over its 31 years of existence by producing award-winning switches, gang sockets, fuse boxes, and electric meters. It exports 50 percent of its production to more than 65 countries.
With production capacity of 100 million switches and sockets parts per year, V?KO is continuing its investments in R&D, design and brand-building in order to launch several new products. During the R&D process, V?KO blends its customers´ expectations, feedback on existing products and market research data to provide the best products possible. V?KO has broadened its product range with new electronic products and systems in line with the global trend of shifting from mechanical to electronic products. V?KO has also received many national and international awards, most notably the 2005 TÜSIAD KalDer National Quality Award for its product quality and customer service.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations around the world. www.freescale.com
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