
AlCopyright 1995 by Dallas Semiconductor Corporation.
Application Note 52
Using the Dallas Phantom Real Time Clocks
APPLICATION NOTE 52
022394 1/13
DESCRIPTION
The Dallas Phantom Real Time Clocks are a family of
devices that offer the combination of a transparent
CMOS timekeeper and a nonvolatile static RAM meet-
ing the standard JEDEC bytewide pinouts. Some vari-
eties of the Dallas Phantom Real Time Clocks also pro-
vide a transparent CMOS timekeeper for use with ROM.
The timekeeper is transparent to the RAM/ROM
memory map because it does not occupy any of the
existing RAM/ROM locations. These devices are
termed “Phantom” because the timekeeper is accessed
only when a predetermined 64–bit pattern has been
received by the device. When the timekeeper is not
being accessed, the RAM/ROM can be accessed nor-
mally. The timekeeper keeps track of hundredths of
seconds, seconds, minutes, hours, day, date, month,
and year information. In the absence of power, a lithium
energy source maintains the timekeeping operation and
retains data in the CMOS static RAM.
FAMILY OVERVIEW
DS1215:
The heart of the Dallas Phantom Real Time Clock family
is the DS1215 Phantom Time Chip. This integrated cir-
cuit is a combination of a CMOS timekeeper and a non-
volatile memory controller. In the absence of power, an
external battery maintains the timekeeping operation
and retains data in the CMOS static RAM. The watch
keeps track of hundredths of seconds, seconds, min-
utes, hours, day, date, month, and year information.
The last day of the month is automatically adjusted for
months with less than 31 days, including correction for
leap year every four years. The real time clock operates
in one of two formats: 12–hour mode with an AM/PM
indicator or a 24–hour mode . The nonvolatile controller
supplies all the necessary support circuitry to convert a
CMOS RAM to a nonvolatile memory. The DS1215 can
also be used to provide timekeeping functions with
ROM.
DS1216:
Stemming from the DS1215 are the DS1216 Smart-
Watch Intelligent Sockets. The SmartWatch is a 600
MIL wide DIP socket with a built–in DS1215 (providing
timekeeping functions and a nonvolatile RAM control-
ler), an embedded lithium energy source, and a 32.768
kHz crystal. When the socket is mated with a bytewide
CMOS static RAM, it provides a complete solution to
problems associated with memory volatility and uses a
common energy source to maintain time and date. The
DS1216 can also be mated with a ROM to provide time-
keeping capability only. Figures 1 and 2 show the basic
interface of a SmartWatch with RAM inserted and a
SmartWatch with ROM inserted, respectively.
DS1243Y, DS1244Y, DS1248Y:
The DS124X Nonvolatile SRAM with Phantom Time
Clock modules are the final members of the Dallas
Phantom Real Time Clock family. These devices are
fully nonvolatile static RAM with a built–in Phantom
clock, embedded lithium energy source, and 32.768
kHz crystal. These devices operate identical to a
DS1216 with a RAM inserted. The DS124X Nonvolatile
SRAM with Phantom Time Clock modules will maintain
over 10 years of data retention in the absence of power.
Perhaps the best way to sum up the Dallas Phantom
Real Time Clock family is as follows. The DS1215
Phantom Time Chip is the basic building block that pro-
vides timekeeping and a nonvolatile memory controller.
The DS1216 then adds a crystal and lithium energy
source to the DS1215 and encapsulates them all in a
socket that will accept either a RAM or a ROM. Finally,
the DS124X modules contain both nonvolatile RAM and
timekeeping features in a ready–to–use package.
The entire Dallas Phantom Real Time Clock family is
shown in Table 1.