The CDP1879 and CDP1879C1 Real-Time Clocks [1] are 24 pin devices, each consisting essentially of a long string of counters that supply standard clock time and date information in BCD format, Figure 1. In addition, the CDP1879 features an alarm circuit that activates the interrupt output pin and a separate clock output pin that provides a programmable square-wave output signal. Both the internal-alarm and clock-out signals can trigger the interrupt output pin, so that a status register is available to indicate the interrupt source. Users can supply a signal to the power-down pin that allows the interrupt-output pin level to control external power-down and wake-up circuits. Software generally required by other real-time clocks to prevent clock rollover is eliminated by a transparent “freeze” circuit that assures data integrity when accessing the clock. The clock’s counters, plus a control register that regulates operation, are individually selectable using three address lines. Internal control signals governing read and write operations are selected through the IO/MEM pin, which places the device in a memory-mapped or I/O-mapped mode of operation.