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Welcome to the April/May 2007 edition of MicroController Pros Corporation's Embedded News Digest, your source for microcontroller and embedded system news.
This month's issue: Adeneo Provides Windows Embedded CE Solution for NXP MCUsAtmel Introduces Lowest-Power 32-bit Flash MCU with Ethernet and USB OTGAtmel Launches Customizable Microcontroller-based SoC PlatformFreescale Expands USB Options in ColdFire PortfolioFreescale Introduces New 32-bit System-on-ChipFujitsu Introduces High-Performance 8-bit Flash MCUs with LCD ControllersFujitsu Introduces 32-Bit MB91F467B MicrocontrollerMicrochip Introduces First 16-bit MCUs With 64 Kbytes Flash in 28-pin PackagesMicrochip Doubles Flash and RAM of LCD PIC18 MCUs at Lower CostRenesas Releases AE41R 16-Bit Dedicated Contactless Smart Card MCURenesas Releases SH2A-DUAL SuperH Multi-Core MicrocontrollersRenesas Releases R32C/118 Group 32-Bit MCUs with On-Chip FlashRenesas Technology to Develop New CPU Architecture for MicrocontrollersRenesas Releases SH7775 for Car Information SystemsSTMicroelectronics Enhances 8-pin MCU FamilyTI TMS320F28044 and F2809 DSCs Now Available in VolumeTI MSP430F47x4 MCUs Reduce Component Count for Multi-Phase MeteringAdeneo Provides Windows Embedded CE Solution for NXP MCUsAdeneo announced a strategic partnership with NXP around LPC MCUs. The first joint action linked to this partnership is the development of the reference Windows Embedded CE 6.0 BSPs for the LPC3000 family of MCUs. A preview of this development has been revealed by NXP and Adeneo, running on a phyCORE LPC3180 module from PHYTEC. The first commercial release will also support the next LPC3000 family member. Adeneo will provide a binary evaluation version at no cost, for testing and demonstration purposes. For OEMs wishing to use Windows Embedded CE and LPC3000 in commercial designs, Adeneo will provide complete source code through an attractive one-time license, without royalties. The BSPs includes drivers for most of the peripherals integrated in LPC3xxx chips. This allows targeting all types of custom solutions. The BSPs are qualified using the Windows Embedded CE official test kit, and have been designed to take full advantage of the advanced features of the LPC3xxx such as Advanced Power Management for both idle and suspend modes. Atmel Introduces Lowest-Power 32-bit Flash MCU with Ethernet and USB OTGBased on the AVR32 uC core, the UC3A Series has 512K bytes Flash and features an embedded 10/100 Ethernet MAC, a full-speed (12 Mbps) USB 2.0 with On-The-Go (OTG) capability and an SRAM/SDRAM external bus interface. The AT32UC3A0512 and AT32UC3A1512, the first devices available, deliver 80 Dhrystone MIPS (DMIPS) at 66 MHz and consume only 40 mA at 3.3V. The AVR32 UC core uses a three-stage pipeline Harvard architecture specially designed to optimize instruction fetches from on-chip Flash memory. It is the first core in the industry to integrate single-cycle read/write SRAM with a direct interface to the CPU that bypasses the system bus to achieve faster execution, cycle determinism and lower power consumption. The AVR32 UC core shares the same instruction set architecture (ISA) as its AVR32 AP parent, with over 220 modeless instructions available as 16-bit compact and 32-bit extended instructions. The ISA features atomic bit manipulation to control on-chip peripherals and general-purpose IOs, and fixed-point DSP arithmetic such as single cycle fractional saturated multiply-and-accumulate. An event-handling system supports events such as prioritized interrupts, non-maskable interrupt and internal exceptions with a maximum interrupt latency of 16 clock cycles. The AVR32 UC3A Series incorporates many of the same peripherals as Atmel's ARM-based MCUs including the peripheral DMA controller, multi-layer high-speed bus architecture, 10-bit ADC, two SPIs, SSC, two-wire interface (I2C compatible), four UARTs, three general-purpose timers, seven pulse width modulators and a full set of supervisory functions. The 10/100-Mbps IEEE 802.3-compliant Ethernet (MAC) allows designing networked embedded systems that communicate over internet protocol stacks. The USB 2.0 full speed (12Mbps) interface provides a means to communicate with today's PC architecture through various USB classes such as HID for serial data communication or Mass-Storage for larger bulked data transfers. The On-The-Go (OTG) capability of the UC3A USB peripheral gives further integration opportunity in a PC-centric environment with the support of standard USB devices such as USB Flash disk, pointing devices or printers. The external bus interface (EBI) extends the addressable physical memory to 16M bytes. Its non-multiplexed 16-bit data bus can interface to high density external SRAM, SDRAM, ROM, Flash devices and memory-mapped devices such as LCDs or FPGAs. UC3A Series MCUs have a six-layer high-speed bus matrix that enables busmaster peripherals to concurrently access any bus slave at a maximum speed of 264M bytes per second at 66 MHz. The bus masters are the AVR32 UC core data and instruction interfaces, 15-channel peripheral DMA controller, and several high-speed peripherals such as the Ethernet MAC and USB. The bus slaves are the on-chip SRAM and Flash memories, USB, the two peripheral bus bridges, and the external bus interface (EBI). Atmel provides the GNU gcc C compiler, GNU gdb debugger, FreeRTOS.org real-time kernel and lwIP TCP/IP protocol stack for the UC3A Series family, free of charge. Commercial licenses from IAR (Embedded Workbench), ExpressLogic (ThreadX) and Micrium (uCOS/II) are also available. Atmel's AVR32 Studio and AVR JTAGICE mkII provide the AVR32 UC with a multiplatform integrated development environment (IDE) already configured for the GNU tool chain, including support for more advanced debugging such as real-time trace. The EVK1100 evaluation kit provides Ethernet and USB interfaces, along with many other serial communications ports such as SPI, TWI and USARTS. A 20x4 character LCD and the expansion connector allow advanced product evaluation and prototyping activities. The AT32UC3A0512 (with EBI) is available in a 144-pin QFP package, and the AT32UC3A1512 (without EBI) is available in a 100-pin QFP package. Pricing starts at US $8.16 and US $7.43 for 10,000 unit quantities, respectively. Atmel Launches Customizable Microcontroller-based SoC PlatformAtmel Corporation announced the CAP microcontroller-based system-on-chip (SoC) platform for complex applications that require fast time-to-market. CAP features high-speed local memory, a wide range of industry-standard peripherals and interfaces, and a high-capacity metal programmable (MP) block that allows the designer to add a significant amount of custom logic on-chip. By leveraging the architecture of Atmel's AT91SAM microcontrollers, the new CAP metal programmable microcontroller platform enables application-specific products to be developed in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost of a conventional standard-cell or gate array ASIC, but at a unit price close to that of standard-cell devices. Stocks of CAP platforms are held prior to metal layer fabrication, allowing prototypes to be delivered rapidly, and accelerating volume production. CAP is based on Atmel's Metal Programmable Cell Fabric (MPCF) that provides nearly identical routed gate densities to those of standard cells in the same process. The initial CAP product introduction comprises the AT91CAP9S series, based on the ARM926EJ-S processor. The AT91CAP9S offers a 200 MHz ARM926EJ-S core with 16 KBytes each of program and data cache, 32 KBytes of additional SRAM, 32 KBytes of ROM, EBI with error correction code (ECC) for NAND Flash/SmartMedia and 250K or 500K metal programmable gates. Peripherals include both a USB full-speed host and USB 2.0 high-speed device, 10/100 Ethernet MAC, image sensor interface, 2.0A and 2.0B CAN controller, LCD controller, MCI, SSC, PWM, LCD and AC97 controllers, SPI master and slave, two USARTs, three 16-bit timer counters, an 8-channel, 10-bit analog-to-digital converter, and a full complement of supervisory functions. Optional hardware AES/TDES encryption/decryption engines are also included. The AT91CAP9S is built around a multi-layered bus and a distributed DMA architecture for the high internal data bandwidth required by deeply embedded networked applications. Dual-core architectures can be created by instantiating an additional ARM core, Atmel's proprietary AVR processor or a DSP core in the MP Block. Bus master controls are brought into the MP Block, and DMA access can be provided to the system bus. The AT91CAP9-DK development board implements the fixed portion of the CAP device as a microcontroller standard product, tightly coupled to a high-density FPGA that emulates the MP Block. The boards also include a range of memories and physical interfaces/connectors representing external system components. This configuration enables parallel hardware/software testing of the application under development at close to operational speed, with no penalty for hardware modifications. This enables software development to proceed in parallel with hardware development, and significantly reduces the design cycle time, increasing confidence in a right-first-time system solution. Atmel's CAP products are supported by the same third-party development tools as Atmel's standard product AT91SAM ARM-based MCUs, including C/C++ compilers, in-circuit emulators and debuggers, from third-party suppliers. AT91CAP9S is able to host Microsoft Windows CE and Linux, and a number of proprietary real-time operating systems. This extensive software support network simplifies the task of application development. CAP NRE starts at $150K, to cover netlist implementation/placement & routing in the Metal Programmable Block, mask costs, fabrication, testing and delivery of prototypes. AT91CAP9S is priced at $13 in volumes of 100K units. AT91CAP9S products and development boards are available now. Freescale Expands USB Options in ColdFire PortfolioUniversal serial bus (USB), a mainstay in the consumer market, is rapidly emerging as a de facto communications standard within the industrial marketplace. Helping designers respond to this market opportunity, Freescale Semiconductor has expanded its 32-bit ColdFire USB device portfolio to offer flexible USB connectivity for a wide range of industrial applications. Freescale's ColdFire USB portfolio expansion includes the MCF5221x MCU family with Full-Speed USB On-The-Go (OTG), and the MCF5253 embedded processor with Hi-Speed USB OTG. Leveraging an optimized architecture designed for low operating voltage, these ColdFire devices are designed to deliver low power consumption without compromising performance. The devices come standard with a complimentary USB software stack created in collaboration with CMX Systems, enabling developers to streamline the design process and accelerate time to market. ColdFire controllers with USB OTG provide highly integrated embedded control for designers who need cost-effective USB connectivity for industrial control, factory automation, HVAC systems, fire/security systems, point-of-sale equipment and health care monitoring instrumentation. The ColdFire devices can also be used in consumer applications that require USB connectivity, such as digital cameras, PDAs and PC interfaces. The MCF5221x MCU family provides a cost-effective, single-chip embedded control solution that implements USB 2.0 Full-speed Host/Device OTG with an integrated USB transceiver. The MCF5221x family offers a smooth migration to other higher-performance ColdFire devices with USB connectivity. Additional MCF5221x product features include the V2 Coldfire core achieving up to 75 MIPS at 80 MHz, up to 128 kBytes Flash, 16 kBytes SRAM, up to 56 GPIO, two-channel periodic interrupt timer, two I2C bus interface modules, four-channel 32-bit timers with DMA support, 32kHZ RTC, 12-bit analog ADC, and up to three on-chip UARTs. Available speeds are 66 MHz and 80 MHz. The MCF5253 is a high-performance, cost-effective embedded control solution with Hi-Speed USB OTG and an integrated USB PHY. It features 128 kBytes of SRAM which enables single-cycle access to critical data or control functions. The MCF5253 also includes an enhanced multiply/accumulate (eMAC) module, which eliminates the need for an off-chip DSP to handle signal processing or filtering tasks. Additional MCF5253 product features include the V2 Coldfire core achieving up to 125 MIPS at 140 MHz, 8 kBytes I-cache, SDRAM controller, two CAN 2.0B modules, I2S modules, I2S interface, three UARTs with flow control, dedicated ATA hard drive interface, Flash media card interface, RTC module, four-channel DMA, and six-channel 12-bit ADC. To help reduce software development cost and time, a complimentary USB software stack from CMX is available for both the MCF5221x family and the MCF5253 device. In addition, Freescale also offers a uCLinux Board Support Package (BSP) with an integrated USB stack for the MCF5253 device. MCF5221x and MCF5253 product samples are available now. Suggested resale pricing for the MCF5221x family starts at $4.39 in 10,000-unit quantities. Suggested resale pricing for the MCF5253 device starts at $8.64 in 10,000-unit quantities. Freescale Introduces New 32-bit System-on-ChipFreescale Semiconductor has introduced a highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) processor optimized for high-performance, power-sensitive applications requiring complex graphics, multimedia and real-time audio processing. The primary processing engine of the MPC5121e microprocessor is the e300 core built on Power Architecture technology, scaling to 400MHz. The MPC5121e combines the e300 core with an integrated 2D/3D graphics core and a fully programmable 32-bit RISC-based multimedia acceleration core optimized for audio processing. Freescale also plans to offer a version of the MPC5121e without the 2D/3D graphics core. The MPC5121e processor is automotive-qualified, making it ideal for telematics, connectivity and driver-interactive vehicle applications. The device meets the reliability requirements of the AEC-Q100 standard and TS14969 specification, and is designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions. The MPC5121e processor contains the PowerVR MBX Lite 2D/3D graphics core, which supports 3D texturing and shading and includes the PowerVR Vertex Geometry processor (VGP Lite) for high-performance vector processing. The processor's fully programmable multimedia acceleration core is designed to enhance the performance of popular compressed audio formats, such as MP3, AAC, WMA and Ogg Vorbis, and to optimize performance of real-time applications. This acceleration core also supports sample-rate conversion, noise reduction and acoustic echo cancellation, which are key features for speech recognition and in-vehicle hands-free applications based on Bluetooth wireless technology. The multi-core architecture enables fast system throughput without driving clock rates and power consumption to excessive levels. The processor architecture balances high performance with low operating power consumption, resulting in lower system cost and high reliability. Low standby power consumption also makes the device suitable for automotive system designs and mobile applications. The device offers a rich set of integrated peripherals, including 10/100 Ethernet, PCI, SATA, PATA, two USB 2.0 On-The-Go (OTG) with an integrated high speed PHY, four CAN modules and 12 programmable serial controllers. The integrated display controller provides cost-effective support for liquid crystal display/thin film transistor (LCD/TFT) displays. The 128Kbyte of on-chip SRAM and numerous embedded memory buffers help ensure balanced system performance and system bus throughput while reducing latency demands. Processing performance is enhanced by well balanced system resources for the e300 core, graphics core and multimedia acceleration core, as well as the DDR-I/DDR-II/mobileDDR memory controller with integrated 64-channel DMA support. Samples of the MPC5121e processor are planned to be available in the late second quarter of 2007. Fujitsu Introduces High-Performance 8-bit Flash MCUs with LCD ControllersFujitsu Microelectronics America has introduced a pair of 8-bit microcontrollers, the MB95F128 and MB95F168M, for use in household appliances and digital audio/video equipment. The two new models incorporate built-in LCD controllers, with flashing LCD displays that include hardware-based settings. These can flash each character individually, eliminating the need to control LCD flashing through software. The new MCUs also have dual-use LCD power pins and display output pins that can be used as general-purpose I/O pins, so the devices can be used in other applications. With 60KB Flash memory, the MB95F128 comes in a 100-pin LQFP package and runs on either 5V or 3V, making it appropriate as an LCD controller for low-voltage devices such as phones and electronic blood pressure meters. The MB95F168M with 60KB Flash memory comes in a 64-pin LQFP package that runs at 5V, making it suitable for LCDs on microwave ovens, rice cookers, electric heaters and other appliances. Common evaluation boards and development tools are already available for the product family, and a single evaluation environment supports development for every package in this family. The MB95F128 is available now, with prices at $4.37 each in sample quantities. The MB95F168M will be available in the second quarter with prices starting at $3.91 each. Fujitsu Introduces 32-Bit MB91F467B MicrocontrollerFujitsu Microelectronics America has expanded its family of 32-bit RISC-based MCUs with the new MB91F467B. The MB91F467B incorporates six C-CAN controllers and seven LIN-UARTs, backed up by 40kB data RAM and 1088kB of Flash memory with readout protection. The combination of features supports the robust computing power and high integration required in advanced automotive designs, such as automotive gateways, body-control applications and central controller systems. In addition, the controller's external bus interface can be connected to Fujitsu's graphics controllers for use in building full-featured dashboards, driver information, and advanced driver-assistance systems. The MB91F467B includes a 100MHz PLL clock circuit that minimizes power consumption by dynamically switching off unused clock trees. An integrated 32kHz sub-clock oscillator used in conjunction with standby modes such as "stop" and "sleep" adds power-saving capabilities. Security and safety applications are supported by the internal clock supervisory circuit, which automatically switches to an internal RC-oscillator as backup in case of a main clock failure. The MCU also provides flexible timer architectures and the ability to generate and capture high-precision signals, which are basic requirements for automotive systems. The MB91F467B has 8x16-bit, free-running timers; an 8x16-bit reload timer; and 16 PPG channels. For signal capturing, the chip has a 32-channel, 10-bit ADC, eight ICU, and eight OCU modules. The MB91F467B, which comes in a 144-pin QFP package, functions over the automotive temperature range and operates on a supply voltage of 3V to 5.5V via its internal voltage regulator. Engineering samples will be available during the second calendar quarter, accompanied by a full set of development tools such as starter kits, hardware- and software-debuggers, and the third-party supported automotive operating systems AUTOSAR and OSEK. Both versions deliver execution times of 100ns/10 MHz. Sample pricing will start at $13 each. Microchip Introduces First 16-bit MCUs With 64 Kbytes Flash in 28-pin PackagesMicrochip Technology has announced eight new members of the cost-effective PIC24F 16-bit microcontroller family, which extend the line into smaller and lower-cost 28- and 44-pin packages with 16 to 64 Kbytes of Flash program memory and up to 8 Kbytes of RAM. The new PIC24FJ64GA002 microcontroller provides more onboard memory than any other 28-pin packaged 16-bit microcontroller. The entire PIC24FJ64GA004 family allows the flexible use of all onboard peripherals, by enabling designers to map them to the pin they desire through the "Peripheral Pin Select" pin-mapping function. The PIC24FJ64GA004 family contains a similar peripheral set to the 100-pin PIC24FJ128GA family, in a package as small as 28 pins. Through Peripheral Pin Select, Microchip enables designers to use the available pins in the exact manner they like. This flexibility provides engineers with the option to use a smaller, more cost-effective microcontroller. In addition to Peripheral Pin Select, this new PIC24F family features two independent channels of I2C, UART and SPI communications. All eight members of the PIC24FJ64GA004 family are available now for general sampling and volume production, with prices starting at $1.69 each in 10,000 unit quantities. The PIC24FJ64GA004, PIC24FJ48GA004, PIC24FJ32GA004 and PIC24FJ16GA004 are available in 44-pin TQFP and QFN packages. The PIC24FJ64GA002, PIC24FJ48GA002, PIC24FJ32GA002 and PIC24FJ16GA002 are available in 28-pin SOIC, QFN, SSOP and SDIP packages. Microchip Doubles Flash and RAM of LCD PIC18 MCUs at Lower CostMicrochip Technology announced six new members of the 8-bit PIC microcontroller family with an integrated Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD) module. The PIC18F85J90 series doubles the amount of Flash and RAM memory over existing 64- and 80-pin family members for cost-effective human-interface applications requiring embedded control, including thermostats, utility meters and medical instrumentation. This increased amount of memory enables users to add more complex functionality, such as speech playback and larger amounts of self-programming memory allocation, while taking advantage of the cost savings offered by the PIC18 J series' 3-volt manufacturing process technology. The LCD module on the PIC18F85J90 series also enables a software-programmable contrast controller. This contrast controller can boost the LCD voltage, dim the display, or compensate for environmental elements like temperature and lighting. These features lower the cost of the LCD glass while improving the display appearance, making advanced LCD functionality affordable to a whole new class of embedded display applications. Other key features include an internal oscillator, improved low-voltage performance and more LCD segments on 64-pin devices, which all help to lower the total system cost. Features include 8 to 32 Kbytes of self-programming Flash program memory, up to 2 Kbytes of SRAM, enhanced LCD module with four multiplex commons and up to 48 segments driving up to 192 pixels, seven power-managed states, a 32 kHz to 8 MHz internal oscillator, high core performance of up to 40 MHz at 3V, 10-bit analog-to-digital converter with up to 12 signal channels and 100k samples per second, two analog comparators, internal voltage reference, brownout detect and low-voltage detect, MI2C/SPI, EUSART (supports LIN) and AUSART communication protocol support, four timers and two Capture/Compare/PWM Modules. All six of the PIC18F85J90 LCD microcontrollers are available today for general sampling and volume production, with pricing starting at $2.37 each in 10,000-unit quantities. The PIC18F85J90/84J90/83J90 are available in 80-pin TQFP packages, while the PIC18F65J90/64J90/63J90 are available in 64-pin TQFP packages. Renesas Releases AE41R 16-Bit Dedicated Contactless Smart Card MCURenesas Technology has announced the AE41R dedicated contactless smart card microcontroller, featuring a high-performance 16-bit CPU core, 2Kbytes EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory), and 36Kbytes mask ROM, for contactless smart cards in the payment and ID fields. Sample shipments will begin in June 2007 in Japan. The AE41R incorporates an AE-4 CPU core with a 16-bit and internal bus width, enabling current AE-4 Series product software resources to be used. Also included is 2Kbytes EEPROM and 36Kbytes mask ROM suited to contactless payment and ID card applications. A 0.18 μm process has been used enabling the EEPROM write speed to be improved by approximately 25% compared with current Renesas contactless-interface products. In addition, the provision of a coprocessor supporting the DES, which is widely used in the contactless payment and ID fields, enables high-speed contactless encryption operations. Renesas Releases SH2A-DUAL SuperH Multi-Core MicrocontrollersRenesas Technology has announced the development of a multi-core technology using the SuperH Family SH2A-FPU CPU core. A total of five SH7205 and SH7265 models incorporating two SH2A-FPU CPU cores and featuring a 200 MHz maximum operating frequency are to be released. Sample shipments will begin in Japan in July 2007. The SH7205 and SH7265 incorporate two high-performance SH2A-FPU CPU cores, and operate at a maximum frequency of 200 MHz. The SH2A-FPU instruction set is upward-compatible with those of the SH-2A and SH-2 CPU cores, allowing the use of programs developed for existing products. The floating-point operation performance of the FPU is 400 MFLOPS. A comprehensive set of interfaces and peripheral functions is also provided. On-chip interfaces include two Host and Function interface ports compliant with the USB standard v2.0 High Speed (480 Mbps) specification, an ATAPI interface enabling connection of an HDD or the like, a NAND Flash memory interface, a serial sound interface for digital audio data input/output, a serial communication interface with a 16-stage FIFO, and an I2C bus interface. A simple 2D engine and a digital video input pin are provided for graphics processing use, making possible such processing as rotation and enlargement of figures, alpha-blending, and image overlapping with digitally input video. In addition, WQVA-size (480x234-pixel) and QVA-size (320x240-pixel) analog RGB output pins are provided for image and video output. These functions make it possible to configure a low-cost device that is provided with a display system and performs high-speed data transfer through the connection of USB Flash memory, an HDD, NAND Flash memory, or the like. The SH7205 and SH7265 incorporate an external data bus expandable up to 32 bits, allowing direct connection to Flash ROM, SDRAM, SRAM, and so forth, without the use of external parts. Other on-chip functions include a 5-channel multifunction timer unit suitable for motor control, capable of 3-phase PWM wave output for AC motor control, as well as an 8-channel 10-bit A/D converter, a 2-channel 8-bit D/A converter, a 14-channel DMAC with 2-dimensional addressing capability that significantly speeds up video applications, and a CAN controller. These varied peripheral functions enable the number of external parts to be reduced, and make it possible to create a high-performance system at lower cost. In addition to the above interfaces and peripheral functions, the SH7265 lineup also includes a model with a combination of an SD memory card interface and an IEBus controller, offering a selection of models suited to various user system specifications. Renesas Releases R32C/118 Group 32-Bit MCUs with On-Chip FlashRenesas Technology Corp. announced the R32C/118 Group microcontrollers with on-chip Flash memory, as part of the R32C/100 Series incorporating the R32C/100 high-performance 32-bit CPU core. The R32C/118 Group incorporates the R32C/100 CISC CPU core, which is the most powerful CPU core in the M16C Family and is upward compatible with the existing CPU cores in the family while also providing improvements in operation processing performance, bus usage efficiency, and code efficiency. The R32C/118 Group has a maximum operating frequency of 48 MHz in contrast to 32 MHz for the M32C/80 Series. In combination with improvements to the CPU core architecture, this results in overall processing performance approximately 2.2 times that of the M32C/80 Series. The R32C/118 Group incorporates a CAN module. It also increases the number of serial interface channels to nine from the seven of the existing M32C/80 Series. A variety of on-chip peripheral functions also include a watchdog timer, DMA controller, advanced-functionality timers, A/D converter, and D/A converter. The R32C/118 Group extends the lower limit of the voltage range at the maximum operating frequency. The voltage range of the existing M32C/80 Series was 4.2V to 5.5V (when operating at 32 MHz), and that of the R32C/118 Group is 3.0V and 5.5V when operating at a faster 48 MHz. In addition, the R32C/118 Group maintains pin compatibility and peripheral function compatibility with the M32C/80 Series. This allows users to utilize existing hardware resources while developing products with improved performance and extended functionality. The R32C/118 Group incorporates 512 Kbytes on-chip Flash memory. They also incorporate 8 Kbytes of data Flash that is separate from the area for storing programs. Renesas Technology to Develop New CPU Architecture for MicrocontrollersRenesas Technology has announced that it is in the process of developing a new CPU architecture that will provide revolutionary enhancements over previous-generation microcontrollers (MCUs) in code efficiency, processing performance (MIPS/MHz), and power consumption. Based on the new architecture, Renesas will offer two CPUs to address 16- and 32-bit markets, while maintaining compatibility with their existing MCUs. The architecture will provide upgrade paths for both markets, delivering a powerful and compelling system solution for Renesas' MCU customers. The new architecture will have innovative advances over the M16C and H8S 16-bit CPUs and R32C and H8SX 32-bit CPUs that Renesas Technology currently offers, while offering compatibility with the existing families in terms of CPU instruction sets, peripheral register sets and development tools. It will combine the excellent code efficiency of the M16C and R32C CPUs with the high-speed data processing of the H8S and H8SX CPUs. Moreover, the new CPU architecture will further extend the low power consumption and low noise characteristics of both family lines. By employing this new architecture, Renesas aims to reduce code size by 30% and CPU power dissipation by 50%. Renesas Releases SH7775 for Car Information SystemsRenesas announced the SuperH Family SH7775, an SoC solution designed for high-performance car information systems such as next-generation car navigation systems. Sample shipments will begin in July 2007 in Japan. The SH-4A CPU core used in the SH7775 features a 600MHz operating frequency and high processing of over 1 GIPS. The integrated floating-point processing unit (FPU) also has a maximum operating frequency of 600 MHz. The FPU supports single-precision and double-precision operations, and offers computational performance of up to 4.2 GFLOPS in single-precision mode. The SH7775 also incorporates a graphics engine optimized for functions related to map drawing. In addition to 2-D drawing functions such as bold-line drawing and anti-aliasing, it implements 3-D drawing functions such as triangle 3-D drawing and texture mapping. This makes it possible to render high-quality map images rapidly, which is a key function of car navigation systems. A wide variety of 3-D objects, such as buildings and landmarks, can be rendered as part of the map imagery. A single drawing engine can handle drawing of elements essential to the display of the car navigation system, including maps, icons, and menus. To enable developers to exploit the full performance potential of the graphics engine, Renesas Technology will offer MAPGL Graphics Software Engine. This software package has a convenient API (Application Programming Interface) that makes it easy to utilize the drawing functions supported by the graphics engine for rendering map images. It also provides a PC simulation environment that recreates the results of rendering on an actual system to support the development of new graphics applications. To further reduce the CPU load, both graphics engines also include a geometry engine that performs such tasks as vertex coordinate calculation. Drawing processing performance is up to three times that of the SH7770 due to the high operating speed of 150 MHz combined with improvements to the rendering method. The result is smooth, high-image-quality 2-D and 3-D graphic display. The SH7775 also implements a rich variety of peripheral functions necessary for car information systems. The peripheral modules include a GPS baseband processing function, an ATAPI interface, a USB v2.0 host/function interface, a CAN in-vehicle LAN interface, multiple sound interfaces, and multiple serial interfaces. In addition, the use of a Unified Memory Architecture enables memory to be shared by each modules, making it possible to reduce the number of external memory parts. The external buses provided are a 32-bit dedicated bus enabling connection to high-speed DDR2-SDRAM (Double Data Rate 2-Synchronous DRAM) and a 32-bit extension bus for connection to flash memory or SRAM. The package used is a 560-pin BGA (25 mm x 25 mm). An E10A-USB emulator connected to a host PC via a USB interface can be used as a development environment, and the provision of an on-chip debugging function allows real-time debugging to be carried out at the maximum operating frequency. A user system development reference platform offering the following features is also available, enabling the user to carry out efficient system development. STMicroelectronics Enhances 8-pin MCU FamilySTMicroelectronics complemented its ST7 UltraLite family of tiny 8-pin microcontrollers with the introduction of the ST7FLITEU0 series. Its availability in 8-pin SO, DIP and 0.9mm-thick DFN packages, with temperature qualification up to 125 degrees C, makes the new series an ideal choice for HVAC, home appliance, lighting control and power-tool markets. With a 2-Kbyte Flash program memory, twice as large as previous devices, and 128 bytes of data EEPROM, the new tiny devices have a significantly larger software capacity. In addition, they include a trimmable 8MHz RC oscillator, with prescaler ratios down to 500kHz, and a very stable and accurate Low-Voltage and Auxiliary Voltage Detector. The very small 8-pin MCUs target simple motor drives and include features such as an embedded 12-bit auto-reload timer, operating over a 2kHz to 4MHz range, which can generate four independent PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) signals, with output compare function. The timer also includes programmable Dead Time generation for the half-bridge driving mode in which PWM signals must not be allowed to overlap, plus programmable duty cycles, polarity control and programmable output modes. Other key system peripherals are an 8-bit Lite timer with prescaler, watchdog, real-time base and input capture; and a very fast, 5-channel, 10-bit ADC with 3.5 microsecond overall conversion time. Five power-saving modes -- Halt, Auto Wake-Up from Halt, Active Halt, Wait and Slow -- offer the designer very high flexibility to minimize the overall power consumption in power-critical applications. Samples of the 8-pin ST7FLITEU0 are available now in SO8, DIP8, DFN8 and DIP16 (for sampling only) packages, with the development tools; volume production will start during Q2 2007. Pricing for 10,000 units starts at US$0.55. TI TMS320F28044 and F2809 DSCs Now Available in VolumeTexas Instruments has announced volume availability of TMS320F28044 and F2809 digital signal controllers. TI's TMS320C2000 controller platform's now includes 18 high-performance, 32-bit controllers that combine real-time DSP performance with the peripheral integration, C-language efficiency and ease of use of a microcontroller (MCU). F28044 and F2809 devices feature a 32-bit wide data path for superior performance and mixed 16/32-bit instruction set for improved code density. These devices also feature a patent-pending PWM with 150ps resolution. This unprecedented high-resolution pulse width modulation (HRPWM) technology provides 16 bits of accuracy in a 100 KHz control loop and 12 bits at 1.5 MHz. The TMS320F28044 (sampling announced in October 2006) is the industry's only single, programmable controller that can manage up to 16 DC/DC converter channels for multi-phase control. Each channel offers 150ps resolution and is based on patented HRPWM technology. The controller's programmability lets designers build intelligence into power supply systems and simultaneously manage sequencing, margining, phase compensation, and transient response of multiple DC/DC converters. DSP performance plus integrated HRPWM technology provides the full digital loop control and output accuracy necessary at switching frequencies over 1MHz. The F28044 controller is part of TI's growing DSC and high-performance analog portfolio of digital power solutions that enable designers to implement digitally controlled power systems with high system intelligence and performance in an easy-to-use, intuitive development environment. TI's digital power solutions are optimized for applications ranging from point-of-load to high-power AC/DC and DC/AC conversion. At $5.00 in volume, the F28044 device provides full digital loop control and system management for only $0.32 per channel. Because one F28044 device performs all loop control, sequencing, system management and communications for up to 16 DC rails, designers save costs by eliminating individual analog converters, standalone sequencing chips and communications MCUs previously used in complex POL applications. The F2809 controller offers exceptional system integration, providing complete control system capabilities from signal input through the on-chip analog to digital converter (ADC), quadrature encoder pulse (QEP), and timer captures and compares through signal output with up to 16 independent PWM channels. The 12.5 megasamples per second (MSPS), 12-bit ADC boasts an effective number of bits (ENOB) of 10.9 and is valid across the full -40 to 125 °C temperature range. Key communication interfaces include multiple CAN, I2C, UART and SPI ports. The F2809 device offers 256KB of on-chip Flash, 36KB and includes six 150ps resolution PWM channels. The F2809 controller is available for $13.00 in 1,000-unit quantities. TI MSP430F47x4 MCUs Reduce Component Count for Multi-Phase MeteringTexas Instruments has announced the sampling of its 16 MHz MSP430F47x4 ultra-low power MCUs for one- and multi-phase metering. By integrating up to four individual 16-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters, a 32x32-bit hardware multiplier, a 160 segment LCD driver with contrast control, up to 60 KB of Flash memory and a real-time clock, the F47x4 devices enable a five-to-one reduction in system components. With standby power consumption as low as 1.5 micro amps, a meter based on these new devices allow utilities to drastically reduce overall system power wastage. The F47x4 series of MCUs features several low-power modes allowing the meter to sleep with almost no power drain between readings. An extremely fast wake-up brings the device to full clock speed within six microseconds; together with a fast shut-down, this "instant-on" wake-up minimizes time spent in active mode. TI offers a broad portfolio of components to enable AMR-based electricity, water and gas metering. MSP430 MCUs provide ultra-low power consumption needed to extend battery life -- over 12 years -- eliminating costly ongoing meter service calls for battery replacement. The already available MSP430FE42xx series of devices includes an embedded signal processing (ESP) unit that integrates the metering function -- including current and voltage measurement and power calculations, for faster system development and reduced BOM. TI also offers dedicated solutions including a single-chip flow meter, the available MSP430FW42xx MCU, which features an embedded scan interface optimized for measuring rotation and AMR interface. TI's Chipcon radio frequency (RF) technology, such as the CC1100, enables a wireless link between the meter and the meter reader. This increases reading accuracy while lowering collection costs. PLC offers utilities access to meter control and data over existing high power lines over distances up to 50 kilometers for robust performance in a variety of control and monitoring applications in industrial and other rugged environments. TI's 32-bit TMS320F28x digital signal controllers offer the performance and high integration required for data communications rates of up to 19.2 kbps in the in the sub-500KHz frequency range, ideal for metering applications. The MSP430F47x4 series of MCUs will be available for sampling in June through local TI sales offices. In volume, the devices will start at $7.50 per 1K quantities. TMS320F28x digital signal controllers and Chipcon RF devices are available in volume and start at $3.25 and $0.99, respectively. About MicroController Pros CorporationMicroController Pros Corporation (µCPros) 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 secure online shopping, feature- and price-comparison on your computer's desktop. Microcontroller Development Tools featured at the MicroControllerShop include: Emulators, EPROM programmers, FLASH programmers, microcontroller C- compilers, assemblers, emulator accessories, pin adapters, pin converters, microcontroller starter kits and embedded evaluation boards for various microcontroller architectures and manufacturers. copyright 2007 by |
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