Freescale furthers embedded development capabilities by adding five advanced Tower System modules

AUSTIN, USA: Freescale Semiconductor continues to enable advanced development through rapid evaluation and prototyping with its Tower System development platform. The company announced two processor modules, three interchangeable peripheral modules and a number of partner-developed modules for the reconfigurable development platform.

The processor modules are specific for industrial networking, automotive, human-machine-interface and portable handheld and metering applications. The peripheral modules offer graphical LCD, serial memory and capacitive touch functionality, allowing for the development of highly advanced microcontrollers, with the same ease-of-use and customization features already inherent in the Tower System.

The Tower System provides a customizable embedded design environment that allows developers to mix and match processor and peripheral boards to create reconfigurable development platforms that suit their design needs.

Interchangeable modules promote reuse of hardware across multiple architectures, which helps speed time to market. The modular design scales down overall tool costs, while providing an inexpensive entry point.

Advanced microcontroller and microprocessor modules
* The MPC5125 module (TWR-MPC5125) is one of the first microprocessor modules available as part of the Tower System. Designed for industrial networking, automotive, and human-machine-interface (HMI) solutions, the TWR-MPC5125 module features HDMI, USB2.0 OTG, Ethernet, microphone, and stereo audio output and can serve as a single-board computer.

* The MC9S08LH64 module (TWR-S08LH64) features the ultra low power MC9S08LH64 segment LCD controller with integrated 16 bit ADC, providing the user with development hardware for portable handheld and entry-level metering applications.

These modules compliment the previously announced MCF52259 V2 ColdFire connectivity module (TWR-MCF5225X), the MCF51CN128 V1 ColdFire Ethernet module (TWR-MCF51CN), and the MC9S08LL64 8-bit segment LCD module (TWR-S08LL64).

In future months, Freescale and its partners plan to provide Tower System support for additional embedded devices, including other ColdFire MCUs, 8-bit MCUs and digital signal controllers (DSCs).

Peripheral modules
* The LCD module (TWR-LCD) adds graphical LCD functionality with a 3.2-inch QVGA display, touch panel, integrated display controller and frame buffer.

* The Memory module (TWR-MEM) enables Serial Flash, MRAM, SD Card and Compact Flash interface functionality.

* The Swappable Sensor module (TWR-SENSOR-PAK) provides capacitive touch, accelerometer, barometer, pressure, ambient light and temperature controls.

These three modules complement the previously announced peripheral modules, including the serial module, (TWR-SER), which supports Ethernet, USB, RS232, RS485 and CAN; the elevator modules (TWR-ELEV) that connect the processor and peripheral boards; and the prototyping module (TWR-PROTO), which allows for custom circuitry design.

Partner module development
Complimenting a growing portfolio of Tower System modules from Freescale are a number of partner-developed modules. New to the Tower System are:

* StackableUSB I/O Device Carrier module from Micro/sys – enabling additional expansion of the Tower System with StackableUSB I/O devices.
* i.MX515 ARM Cortex-A8 Tower Computer Module from Micro/sys – featuring ARM Cortex-A8 processor, 800MHz, SDRAM, Flash, USB, Ethernet, Controller Area Network (CAN), serial ports, SD/MMC card slot and 16 bits of digital I/O.
* Rapid Prototyping System (RPS) FM1 module from iMn MicroControl – providing simple hardware and software modular prototyping and reconfiguration capabilities within and across Freescale processor families without incurring software programming changes.
* Rapid Prototyping System (RPS) AM1 module from iMn MicroControl – used to prototype hardware designs using Surface Mount Device (SMD) and through hole components.

The Tower System
The Tower System helps developers quickly evaluate and prototype their applications. As they require more functionality and design capabilities, developers can easily add more modules to their Tower System library.

In addition, standardized, open-source hardware allows Freescale customers and partners to design additional modules for added functionality and customization.

The TWR-MPC5125 module is available for a suggested resale price of $119. The TWR-MPC5125-KIT includes the TWR-SER and TWR-ELEV modules and is available for a suggested resale price of $169.

The TWR-S08LH64 module is available for a suggested resale price of $69. The TWR-S08LH64-KIT includes the TWR-PROTO and TWR-ELEV modules and is available for a suggested resale price of $99.

The TWR-LCD module is available for a suggested resale price of $99. The TWR-MEM module is available for a suggested resale price of $89. The TWR-SENSOR-PAK module is available for a suggested resale price of $149.