Cypress’s PSoC 4 architecture delivers most-flexible, lowest-power ARM Cortex-M0-based devices for embedded designs

USA: Cypress Semiconductor Corp. has unveiled the PSoC 4 programmable system-on-chip architecture, which combines Cypress’s best-in-class PSoC analog and digital fabric and industry-leading CapSense capacitive touch technology with ARM’s power-efficient Cortex-M0 core.

The truly scalable, cost-efficient architecture delivers PSoC’s trademark flexibility, analog performance and integration, along with access to dozens of free PSoC Components—“virtual chips” represented by icons in Cypress’s PSoC Creator integrated design environment.

The new PSoC 4 device class will challenge proprietary 8-bit and 16-bit microcontrollers (MCUs), along with other 32-bit devices. Cypress plans to announce the availability of new PSoC 4 families in the first half of 2013.

The PSoC 4 architecture enhances Cypress’s patented, industry-leading CapSense capacitive-touch sensing technology by offering significant leadership in noise immunity. In addition to capacitive sensing, PSoC 4 targets field-oriented control (FOC) motor control, temperature sensing, security access, portable medical, and many other applications.

“PSoC 4 enables design engineers to leverage the overall trend toward industry-standard, lower-cost ARM-based solutions, the broad availability of ARM software, and the migration of 8-and 16-bit MCU applications to 32-bit solutions,” said John Weil, senior director of PSoC Marketing for Cypress’s Programmable Systems Division.

“It is the industry’s only fully scalable, infinitely reconfigurable Cortex-M-class MCU with best-in-class analog integration. It can replace entire portfolios of proprietary MCUs and analog solutions, and it is well-positioned to capture significant market share.”