Freescale ColdFire+ mixed-signal MCUs now available

AUSTIN, TEXAS: Designers of industrial and consumer applications need solutions with low power consumption and increased integration that can help them meet end users’ demands for energy-efficient, smaller-form-factor equipment.

The ColdFire+ MCF51Qx and MCF51Jx microcontroller (MCU) families now available from Freescale Semiconductor were developed to help address those critical design needs. Built on 90 nanometer (nm) thin film storage flash technology with FlexMemory, ColdFire+ MCUs are one of the most low-power, integrated, cost-effective, small-package 32-bit families on the market today.

ColdFire+ MCUs are built upon Freescale’s strong heritage of 32-bit MCU development and the new families are the next step in the evolution of ColdFire architecture. The ColdFire+ Qx and Jx families bring new features to the ColdFire portfolio, including FlexMemory, configurable embedded electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), highly-accurate mixed-signal capability, low-power features and additional application-specific peripherals for consumer devices.

“We developed the new ColdFire+ MCUs to help our customers achieve their design goals calling for smaller, low-power and cost-effective MCUs,” said Jeff Bock, director of marketing for Freescale’s Industrial and Multimarket MCU business. “With more than 40 new products under the ColdFire+ umbrella and a comprehensive set of design and enablement tools, we’re giving our customers what they need to create the next generation of energy-efficient industrial and consumer devices.”

The ColdFire+ Qx and Jx product families are ideally suited for industrial applications like building control (HVAC and light automation) and portable medical devices, as well as portable consumer devices. Capabilities include encryption and security, USB audio, capacitive touch interfaces and display technology. ColdFire+ MCUs can provide these functions while helping to provide optimal battery life and reduced size and cost.

ColdFire+ MCUs also offers a touch sensing module, which, when combined with Freescale’s recently introduced Xtrinsic Touch-Sensing Software, simplifies touch key configuration by allowing multiple electrode array combinations and provides designers a full-scale, highly accurate and robust touch sensing solution.