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Dear Reader,
welcome to the November 2005 edition of MicroController
Pros Corporation's Embedded News Digest, your source for microcontroller and
embedded system news.
This month's issue:
Atmel
Announces AT91SAM9261 Smart ARM Microcontroller
Atmel Corporation has announced the AT91SAM9261 Smart ARM
Microcontroller, a new ultra-low-power, deterministic MCU based on the
ARM926EJ-S processor.
Targeted at low-power, high-throughput wireless handheld applications, the
AT91SAM9261 consumes only 2.5 ”A in standby mode. Operating at 500 Hz it draws
400 ”A. In industrial temperature range, its current consumption at 200 MIPS
with all peripherals turned on is just 65 mA. The AT91SAM9261's throughput and
its extended instruction set with DSP extensions allow complex DSP functions,
such as biometrics, voice recognition, software modems, or encryption/decryption
algorithms like RSA, to be executed very quickly in burst mode, so the system
can be shut down much of the time.
Data throughput is significantly increased by the parallelism provided by the
multi-layer bus matrix. The bus matrix connects five Advanced High-Performance
Bus (AHB) masters (processor instruction and data buses, Peripheral DMA
Controller, and two dedicated DMAs for the USB Host and LCD Controller) to the
on-chip peripherals and internal or external memories. Atmel has extended the
peripheral DMA controller used on its ARM7-based MCUs to include 19 PDC channels
on the AT91SAM9261. The PDC off-loads data transfer operations between the
peripheral and memories from the CPU, dramatically increasing data rates and
freeing the ARM9 CPU for compute-intensive tasks.
The AT91SAM9261 has 16 KBytes of data cache, 16 KBytes of instruction/write
buffer cache, 160 KBytes of 200 MHz single-cycle access SRAM, and 2 KBytes of
internal DPRAM dedicated to the USB Device. Atmel has exploited the ARM926EJ-S's
Tightly Coupled Memory (TCM) architecture that allows traditional (non-cache)
SRAM to be connected directly to the ARM processor with no latency. Separate,
transparent, easy-to-use instruction and data caches support WinCE and Linux
operating systems, while the TCM SRAM blocks are ideally suited for
deterministic real-time operating systems. The on-chip 160 KBytes of SRAM can be
partitioned in multiples of 16-KByte blocks as Instruction TCM, Data TCM, or a
buffer for the on-chip peripherals. It gives the programmer maximum flexibility
to optimize system performance and power consumption.
The AT91SAM9261's on-chip LCD controller supports black-and-white and up to 16
million colors, driving active TFT and passive STN LCD displays with a
resolution of up to 2048 x 2048. The on-chip 160 KBytes of SRAM can be
configured as a frame buffer, thereby eliminating the need for an external frame
buffer and increasing the battery life.
Atmel has enhanced the ARM9 interrupt control scheme with an 8-level priority,
individually maskable, vectored interrupt controller that can handle up to 32
internal or external interrupt sources.
AT91SAM9261 peripherals include periodic interval timer, watchdog timer,
real-time timer, three 32-bit parallel I/O controllers, SD- and MMC-compliant
interface, three synchronous serial controllers, three USARTS, one debug UART,
two master/slave Serial Peripheral Interfaces (SPI), a three-channel 16-bit
timer/counter, Two-Wire Interface (TWI) and IEEE 1149.1 JTAG Boundary SCAN on
all digital pins.
The AT91SAM9261 is available now in a 217-ball LFBGA RoHS-compliant package and
is priced at sub-$10 in high volume.
Freescale Introduces
MCF532x and MCF537x ColdFire MCU Families
Freescale has introduced the MCF532x and MCF537x families. These are the first
32-bit ColdFire devices to feature an on-chip USB 2.0 host module and a USB 2.0
on-the-go module. Both families are based on the V3 ColdFire core, which
delivers performance up to 211 MIPS at 240 MHz. In addition, the MCF532x
features an on-chip SVGA LCD controller.
Both families include USB on-the-go, which allows two USB devices to communicate
with each other without the need for a host interface. This allows the USB
controller to perform a dual role that acts as either the USB host or device.
These devices feature an integrated CAN module and an integrated Fast Ethernet
Controller. The MCF532x and MCF537x families also feature an on-chip hardware
encryption accelerator that supports leading encryption algorithms and protocols
for secure connectivity while maintaining system performance. Both device
families feature four different low-power management modes that optimize power
consumption without sacrificing system performance.
Samples of the MCF532x family are available today, and samples of the MCF537x
family are expected to be available in January 2006. Production quantities for
the MCF532x and MCF537x families are anticipated in the second quarter of 2006.
Suggested resale pricing in 10,000-piece quantities starts at $10.00 (USD) for
the MCF532x and $11.00 for the MCF537x devices.
Hi-Tech Software has released a new version of their PICC
C compiler for Microchip PIC10/12/14/16/17 microcontrollers. The Hi-TIDE
Integrated Development Environment is just one of several new features
introduced starting with Version 9.50.
Other new features include an EEPROM qualifier, support for languages other than
English, support for multiple installations, and numerous functionality
improvements.
A version for Mac OS X is now available also.
Keil has announced availability of its new ”Vision3 development environment
and C51 Version 8 optimizing compiler for classic and extended 8051
microcontroller (MCU) development. Together, these products provide developers
with a feature-rich, integrated development environment optimized for a wide
range of 8051 MCU variants.
The new ”Vision3 development environment integrates the latest C51 Version 8
compiler and features source code outlining, function navigator, template
editing and incremental search. It also incorporates a configuration wizard,
which speeds the generation of start-up code and configuration files. The
built-in microcontroller simulator can model supported MCU devices, including
the instruction set, on-chip peripherals and external signals used to stimulate
it. Application behavior can be visualized using the ”Vision3 logic analyzer,
showing the changing state of MCU pins and peripherals alongside program
variables. This latest edition of ”Vision3 ships with support for several new
8051 MCU variants released in the past nine months including the Analog Devices
ADuC83x and ADuC84x, and the Infineon XC866.
Keil's 8051 development tools are available from the MicroControllerShop in
three packages:
Microchip has announced the 24XX1025 I2C
serial EEPROM family of devices with 1 Mbit of memory - the highest memory
density available for I2C serial EEPROMs. They feature 1 MHz of bus speed and
200 years of data retention.
The 24XX1025 I2C serial EEPROM devices provide an easy upgrade path from
lower-density I2C devices. The family's page size, pinout, and signal & command
structure are a natural extension of, or identical to, Microchip's 512 Kbit
serial EEPROMs already in production. The 24XX1025 EEPROMs feature page and byte
write, write protection of the entire array, 1.8 V to 5.5 V operation, and
cascading ability. In addition, they allow up to 1 million erase/write cycles.
The 24LC1025, 24FC1025, and 24AA1025 I2C serial EEPROMs are available in 8-pin
PDIP and SOIC (207 mil) packages. Sampling and volume production for is
available today.
Renesas has announced the SH7211F single-chip
microcontroller with on-chip Flash memory, featuring a high-performance SH-2A
CPU core with excellent real-time control capability and an operating speed of
320 MIPS at 160 MHz, as an addition to the 32-bit RISC microcontroller SuperH
Family. Sample shipments will begin in January 2006 in Japan.
In addition to high-speed operation with large-capacity on-chip Flash memory,
the SH7211F features a comprehensive set of peripheral functions, such as 12-bit
A/D converters and a multifunction timer unit.
The SH7211F incorporates 512 KBytes of Flash memory. Through the use of
proprietary Renesas Flash memory technology and new circuit techniques for the
Flash memory cache circuitry, the SH7211F achieves virtually the same memory
performance when single-cycle access is performed at 160 MHz.
The SH-2A CPU core employs a superscalar architecture enabling simultaneous
execution of two instructions, together with a Harvard architecture, improving
performance by a factor of 1.5 or more compared with Renesas Technology's
previous SH-2 CPU core at the same frequency. Real-time control performance has
also been greatly improved, providing high-quality real-time processing. In
addition, ROM code efficiency has been improved by approximately 25% compared
with the SH-2, enabling an approximately 25% reduction in program size.
The SH7211F also includes a variety of peripheral functions suited to high-end
industrial devices with an emphasis on real-time control capability, such as AC
servos and inverters. Functions ideal for motor control use include an MTU2 and
MTU2S with 3-phase PWM output capability for inverter device use, eight 12-bit
A/D converter channels, and two 8-bit D/A converter channels. Communication
functions include an I2C bus interface channel and a 4-channel serial
communication interface with 16-stage FIFO. The external data bus can support
Flash ROM, SRAM, SDRAM, burst ROM, multiplex I/O, etc., by means of bus state
controller settings, enabling various kinds of memory to be connected directly
without the use of external parts.
Fifteen register banks specifically for interrupt use are provided in the CPU,
and the response cycle until interrupt handling has been reduced from 37 cycles
with the SH-2 to 6 cycles with the SH-2A. With a higher operating frequency and
shorter response cycle, the program initiation response time with respect to an
interrupt signal in SH-2A 160 MHz operation has been cut to approximately 1/12
of the response time in SH-2 80 MHz operation.
The package used is a 144-pin LQFP (20 mm x 20 mm). Sample shipments will begin
in January 2006 in Japan, priced at „2300.
Renesas Technology has announced 36 new
models to the R8C/Tiny Series of small, low-pin-count, high-performance 16-bit
microcontrollers with on-chip Flash memory. The new models are classified into
four groups: the 32-pin package R8C/26 and R8C/27 groups, and 20-pin package
R8C/28 and R8C/29 groups.
The four new groups feature a 20 MHz maximum operating frequency, and provide a
lineup of low-voltage-operation and wide-temperature-range models.
The addition of these four new groups to the product lineup will enable R8C/Tiny
Series products to meet specific requirements in an even wider variety of
applications such as battery-powered devices, in addition to consumer and
industrial devices, automotive equipment, and so forth.
The lineup includes models featuring a reduction in minimum operating voltage to
2.2 V from the 2.7 V of previous R8C/Tiny Series products, and an extended
operating voltage range of 2.2 V to 5.5 V. This allows use in applications such
as battery-powered devices requiring low power consumption and a low operating
voltage.
Despite the low pin count, a LIN automotive network compatible interface is
provided using an 8-bit timer channel and a synchronous/UART serial interface
channel. Wide-temperature-range models (-40 to 125 șC) are available to meet the
requirements of automotive applications. In addition, a watchdog timer, EEPROM
and sub-microcontroller that have previously been three separate components can
be implemented with a single R8C/Tiny Series chip, making these products ideal
for use as automotive body control and high-performance system
sub-microcontrollers, monitoring microcontrollers, etc.
The same R8C CPU high-performance 16-bit CPU core is used as in existing
R8C/Tiny Series models. This enables most previously developed R8C/Tiny Series
software to be used.
All models include on-chip Flash memory offering single-power-supply high-speed
programming, high reliability, and on-board programming capability. Flash memory
for program storage is available in four capacities of 32, 24, 16, and 8 KBytes
for the R8C/26 and R8C/27 groups, and two capacities of 16 and 8 KBytes for the
R8C/28 and R8C/29 groups. R8C/27 and R8C/29 group models also include 2 KBytes
of Flash memory (as two 1-KByte blocks) that can be used for both program and
data storage.
The advanced 16-bit timer features a higher maximum operating speed than in
previous R8C/Tiny Series products. A high-precision on-chip oscillator allows
generation of a 40 MHz clock that enables high-speed 16-bit timer operation.
This results in a doubling of timer counter resolution compared with current
maximum 20 MHz timer operation, enabling product control precision to be
improved and higher product performance to be achieved.
As with current models, a comprehensive range of on-chip peripheral functions is
provided, including a high-precision on-chip oscillator and a voltage detection
circuit.
The packages used are a 32-pin LQFP (7 mm x 7 mm) and a 20-pin LSSOP (6.5 mm x
4.4 mm). Sample shipments will begin from December 2005 sequentially in Japan,
ranging in price from „180 to „410.
Shipping forms include factory-programmed Flash memory product shipment as well
as blank Flash memory product shipment.
ZiLOG Announces
ZLP12840 Family of Crimzon IR MCUs
ZiLOG Inc. has announced the release of the ZLP12840 family of 8-bit MCU
devices, the latest addition to its Crimzon line of infrared-specific silicon.
Unique to the ZLP12840 is its on-chip ability to learn codes from other infrared
remote controls via a learning circuit.
The ZLP12840 is a one-time programmable device based on ZiLOG's proprietary Z8
core, and provides a stable base platform that allows rapid development,
small-volume production and a migration path to mask ROM for high-volume
production of remote controls. Available immediately in 20- and 28-pin SOIC,
SSOP and PDIP packages, and with OTP memory choices ranging from 32 KBytes to
128 KBytes, the ZLP12840 devices are fully software-compatible with ZiLOG's
existing portfolio of Crimzon ROM-based IR microcontrollers.
Typically to capture the small infrared signal from the photodiode of the remote
so that the codes can be integrated, an external signal amplification circuit or
comparator was used. What differentiates the ZLP12840 from competing solutions
is that the code-learning functionality is integrated on chip. This built-in IR
amplifier's well-tuned gain makes the user's programming task much easier with a
much wider range (typically up to 8 inches) of capture distance between the
original remote and the learning remote. In addition, ZLP12840's patented timers
(T8/T16) support all infrared signals in the market and can capture a signal
with a carrier frequency of up to 1 MHz and transmit an infrared signal with a
carrier frequency of up to 4 MHz.
One important feature of the ZLP12840 is its Stop Mode Recovery source, which
also can be used as an external interrupt source. This means that any change in
any logic combination of the 12 input pins can be used to wake up the
microcontroller from 'STOP' mode or generating an interrupt.
Another key feature of the ZLP12840 is increased RAM size, now 1 KByte, which
allows significant amounts of code sets to be programmed into the remote with
less design time being spent on optimizing the supporting code. In addition, the
large range of OTP memory offered allows for a larger universal remote control
code database to be built in, allowing the OEM remote control to cover a larger
percentage of the market for electrical items such as TVs, DVDs, VCRs, audio
equipment, HVAC, lighting and other devices in the home compatible with remote
control operation.
Pricing ranges from $US 2.66 to $US 3.54 based on 1,000-unit quantities for 32
KByte to 128 KByte OTP sizes.
About
MicroController Pros Corporation
MicroController Pros Corporation (”CPros) is an authorized
distributor for many microcontroller tool vendors, which enables us to offer you
a large selection of Microcontroller Development Tools for almost any major
microcontroller architecture.
The
MicroControllerShop (http://microcontrollershop.com) puts convenient and
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desktop. Microcontroller Development Tools featured at the
MicroControllerShop
include: Emulators, EPROM programmers, FLASH programmers, microcontroller C-
compilers, assemblers, emulator accessories, pin adapters, pin converters,
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microcontroller architectures and manufacturers.
copyright 2005 by
MicroController Pros Corporation
visit our web
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