embedded world 2012, NUREMBERG, GERMANY: Addressing rapidly shrinking system power budgets and the design complexities associated with applications processors entering the multicore era, Freescale Semiconductor introduced a new generation of power management ICs (PMICs) that work seamlessly with the company’s advanced i.MX 6 applications processors. Freescale’s new PF Series of multifunction PMICs includes products optimized to meet the specific demands of several high-growth applications within the smart mobile devices, automotive infotainment and embedded markets.
Today’s sophisticated and increasingly multiprocessing applications processors deliver new levels of performance, sparking exciting new end-products, but challenging systems designers responsible for driving power envelopes even smaller for slimmer end-product form factors and longer battery life.
Freescale’s new PF Series of PMICs are designed to help systems designers and OEMs quickly and easily configure the most power-efficient solutions for their specific application based on Freescale’s advanced i.MX 6 product family. The optimal configurability of PF Series products allows the PMICs to scale across single-, dual- and quad-core i.MX 6 offerings.
Products in the PF Series will support Freescale’s broad i.MX 6 family of SoCs, which integrate multiple power management functions previously handled by discrete PMICs. This allows Freescale’s new PF Series products to in turn incorporate more system-level power management functionality, ultimately resulting in a platform solution that simplifies design, reduces overall power and helps speed time to market. Ease-of-use is further enhanced by the availability of comprehensive reference designs that ship on boards with i.MX 6 processors, application-specific PMICs and software that ties the components together seamlessly.
“Freescale’s next-generation PF Series provides customers with optimal system- level power management for what we call comprehensive Power Fusion,” said Michael Jennings, power management operations manager for Freescale’s Automotive & Industrial Solutions Group. “Our next-generation PF Series reference designs seamlessly blend our latest i.MX 6 processors and configurable PMICs with software and support to give customers a reliable, simplified and accelerated development experience.”
Built for reliability and longevity, PF Series PMICs also offer optimal flexibility, allowing for application-specific power management. The PMICs are programmable, enabling systems designers to deliver voltage levels to the precise requirements of a specific end-product. Additionally, PF Series products are highly configurable. Incorporating one time programmable (OTP) memory allows for the precise partitioning and assignment of power rails to specific cores or other processing technologies.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Freescale intros Embedded Board Solutions Initiative
embedded world 2012, NUREMBURG, GERMANY: To help manufacturers lower hardware engineering costs, speed time to market and reduce design and software complexity associated with advanced multicore processors, Freescale Semiconductor is working with its extensive ecosystem of board vendors to broaden availability of its processors based on Power Architecture and ARM technologies in standardized, off-the-shelf single board computing (SBC) and system-on-module (SOM) form factors.
The highly flexible solutions resulting from this initiative are expected to allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs) to focus on differentiating IP instead of lower-level printed circuit board (PCB) hardware and board support package (BSP) software development tasks. The program is intended to provide OEMs and ODMs with board bring-up services, as well as early access to documentation, BSPs and silicon.
“For many years, Freescale has developed a deep ecosystem of board partners, but this new initiative is intended to take availability of our world-class silicon to new levels,” said P.Y. Ferrard, Freescale’s VP of sales and marketing for Global Channel and Ecosystem Partners. “The program’s engineering support and joint marketing efforts are intended to dramatically boost the number of Freescale-based, production-ready systems available from the world’s top board vendors.”
According to preliminary data from IMS Research’s latest study of the global embedded computer board space, the 2011 market totalled more than $3 billion (USD), and is forecast to grow at an average rate of six percent through 2016.
Today at Embedded World, two leading board vendors outlined plans for forthcoming boards based on advanced Freescale multicore processors. Mercury Computer has introduced an OpenVPX system incorporating two QorIQ AMP series T4240 processors, and Kontron plans to have a Computer-on-Module based on Freescale’s i.MX 6 Series technology later this year.
“The support and early access to silicon made possible by Freescale’s embedded board initiative allowed Mercury to create a robust board solution incorporating Freescale's next-generation QorIQ processors at the alpha silicon stage,” said Steve Patterson, VP of Product Management for Mercury. “Freescale has helped us begin creating complex products earlier than ever before. By giving our customers an early indication of the advanced products coming from Mercury Computer, Freescale’s program is a win-win for all involved.”
“Kontron is pleased to extend our strategic relationship with Freescale,” said Dirk Finstel, CTO, Kontron. “Freescale’s embedded board solutions initiative strongly supports Kontron’s aggressive growth plan of providing application-ready platforms, engaging new customer applications and creating new devices. The program allows Kontron to create scalable products on both ARM- and Power Architecture-based products to better address growing application demands such as long-term availability and extended temperature ranges.”
Other board vendors at Embedded World 2012 supporting Freescale QorIQ communications processors and/or i.MX applications processors include Advantech, Boundary Devices, Compulab, Congatec, Digi International, Emerson, iWave Systems, Microsys, MSC, Novtech, Seco and TQ Group.
The highly flexible solutions resulting from this initiative are expected to allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs) to focus on differentiating IP instead of lower-level printed circuit board (PCB) hardware and board support package (BSP) software development tasks. The program is intended to provide OEMs and ODMs with board bring-up services, as well as early access to documentation, BSPs and silicon.
“For many years, Freescale has developed a deep ecosystem of board partners, but this new initiative is intended to take availability of our world-class silicon to new levels,” said P.Y. Ferrard, Freescale’s VP of sales and marketing for Global Channel and Ecosystem Partners. “The program’s engineering support and joint marketing efforts are intended to dramatically boost the number of Freescale-based, production-ready systems available from the world’s top board vendors.”
According to preliminary data from IMS Research’s latest study of the global embedded computer board space, the 2011 market totalled more than $3 billion (USD), and is forecast to grow at an average rate of six percent through 2016.
Today at Embedded World, two leading board vendors outlined plans for forthcoming boards based on advanced Freescale multicore processors. Mercury Computer has introduced an OpenVPX system incorporating two QorIQ AMP series T4240 processors, and Kontron plans to have a Computer-on-Module based on Freescale’s i.MX 6 Series technology later this year.
“The support and early access to silicon made possible by Freescale’s embedded board initiative allowed Mercury to create a robust board solution incorporating Freescale's next-generation QorIQ processors at the alpha silicon stage,” said Steve Patterson, VP of Product Management for Mercury. “Freescale has helped us begin creating complex products earlier than ever before. By giving our customers an early indication of the advanced products coming from Mercury Computer, Freescale’s program is a win-win for all involved.”
“Kontron is pleased to extend our strategic relationship with Freescale,” said Dirk Finstel, CTO, Kontron. “Freescale’s embedded board solutions initiative strongly supports Kontron’s aggressive growth plan of providing application-ready platforms, engaging new customer applications and creating new devices. The program allows Kontron to create scalable products on both ARM- and Power Architecture-based products to better address growing application demands such as long-term availability and extended temperature ranges.”
Other board vendors at Embedded World 2012 supporting Freescale QorIQ communications processors and/or i.MX applications processors include Advantech, Boundary Devices, Compulab, Congatec, Digi International, Emerson, iWave Systems, Microsys, MSC, Novtech, Seco and TQ Group.
Freescale extends S12 MagniV mixed-signal MCU portfolio with single-chip motor control solution
embedded world 2012, NUREMBERG, GERMANY: Freescale Semiconductor announced its new S12 MagniV 16-bit S12ZVM family of mixed-signal microcontrollers (MCUs). The S12ZVM is the most highly integrated automotive brushless direct current (BLDC) motor control solution on the market today and will help accelerate the transition from direct current (DC) to BLDC motors. By using Freescale’s S12ZVM single-chip motor control solution, designers can shrink the size, reduce the audible noise and improve the power efficiency of their applications.
Freescale’s breakthrough S12ZVM family combines four elements of a system – MCU, MOSFET gate drive unit, voltage regulator and local interconnect network (LIN) physical layer – into a single-chip solution. Implementing these four functions typically requires two to four chips. Through on-chip integration, Freescale is able to reduce the physical footprint of a printed circuit board by up to 50 percent compared to alternative discrete solutions.
Auto manufacturers are continually looking for potential vehicle weight and power consumption reductions, which can ultimately lead to improved fuel economy. Electronic system suppliers and electric motor manufacturers are embracing this trend, but often struggle with sub-optimal or non-scalable solutions when working with custom solutions.
The S12ZVM family offers a wide range of product versions, supporting CAN and LIN communication protocols with multiple memory sizes and package options. This will allow customers to develop true platform solutions with hardware and software design reuse for applications such as HVAC blowers, wipers, fuel pumps and water pumps.
“None of today’s single-chip BLDC motor control solutions provide the memory capability and performance scalability to run real field-oriented control,” said Ray Cornyn, VP of Automotive Microcontrollers at Freescale. “The introduction of the enhanced S12Z core as part of the S12 MagniV portfolio is a key enabler for our highly efficient and extremely compact motor control solutions.”
At the heart of the new S12ZVM family, an enhanced S12Z core running at 100 MHz provides significant design benefits over prior versions. The addressing space was made linear (no memory paging required), simplifying software development and allowing it to port across applications. Also, new instructions have been introduced to accelerate fractional math operations heavily used in sophisticated motor control techniques, such as field-oriented / vector control algorithms.
Other incremental improvements, such as code size reductions, have been made possible through close collaboration with Cosmic Software, a key development tool partner. Software libraries will further complete the offering by shortening the learning curve with dedicated and optimized motor control software components.
The S12ZVM family makes a compelling case for replacing mechanical or hydraulic systems with efficient BLDC motors or simply replacing standard DC motors with more reliable BLDC motors.
Freescale’s breakthrough S12ZVM family combines four elements of a system – MCU, MOSFET gate drive unit, voltage regulator and local interconnect network (LIN) physical layer – into a single-chip solution. Implementing these four functions typically requires two to four chips. Through on-chip integration, Freescale is able to reduce the physical footprint of a printed circuit board by up to 50 percent compared to alternative discrete solutions.
Auto manufacturers are continually looking for potential vehicle weight and power consumption reductions, which can ultimately lead to improved fuel economy. Electronic system suppliers and electric motor manufacturers are embracing this trend, but often struggle with sub-optimal or non-scalable solutions when working with custom solutions.
The S12ZVM family offers a wide range of product versions, supporting CAN and LIN communication protocols with multiple memory sizes and package options. This will allow customers to develop true platform solutions with hardware and software design reuse for applications such as HVAC blowers, wipers, fuel pumps and water pumps.
“None of today’s single-chip BLDC motor control solutions provide the memory capability and performance scalability to run real field-oriented control,” said Ray Cornyn, VP of Automotive Microcontrollers at Freescale. “The introduction of the enhanced S12Z core as part of the S12 MagniV portfolio is a key enabler for our highly efficient and extremely compact motor control solutions.”
At the heart of the new S12ZVM family, an enhanced S12Z core running at 100 MHz provides significant design benefits over prior versions. The addressing space was made linear (no memory paging required), simplifying software development and allowing it to port across applications. Also, new instructions have been introduced to accelerate fractional math operations heavily used in sophisticated motor control techniques, such as field-oriented / vector control algorithms.
Other incremental improvements, such as code size reductions, have been made possible through close collaboration with Cosmic Software, a key development tool partner. Software libraries will further complete the offering by shortening the learning curve with dedicated and optimized motor control software components.
The S12ZVM family makes a compelling case for replacing mechanical or hydraulic systems with efficient BLDC motors or simply replacing standard DC motors with more reliable BLDC motors.
Skyworks powers multiple chipsets targeting smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices
Mobile World Congress 2012, BARCELONA, SPAIN: Skyworks Solutions Inc., an innovator of high reliability analog and mixed signal semiconductors enabling a broad range of end markets, today announced that several of its front-end solutions are being leveraged by the industry’s leading baseband providers for their smartphone platforms currently supporting all of the world's leading mobile broadband standards.
Several of Skyworks’ newest power amplifiers and front-end modules deliver approximately 50 percent power added efficiency with a 30 percent smaller footprint. Specifically, Skyworks’ solutions are compatible with the world’s first fully integrated long term evolution (LTE) modem chipset containing an integrated dual core application processor for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
“Skyworks is delighted to be partnering with the industry’s leading baseband providers to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of next generation mobile devices,” said Gregory L. Waters, executive VP and GM, front-end solutions at Skyworks. “Our product portfolio continues to push performance and integration to new levels that when combined with best-in-class chipset platforms are enabling platforms that offer consumers unparalleled performance and enhanced user experiences.”
Several of Skyworks’ newest power amplifiers and front-end modules deliver approximately 50 percent power added efficiency with a 30 percent smaller footprint. Specifically, Skyworks’ solutions are compatible with the world’s first fully integrated long term evolution (LTE) modem chipset containing an integrated dual core application processor for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
“Skyworks is delighted to be partnering with the industry’s leading baseband providers to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of next generation mobile devices,” said Gregory L. Waters, executive VP and GM, front-end solutions at Skyworks. “Our product portfolio continues to push performance and integration to new levels that when combined with best-in-class chipset platforms are enabling platforms that offer consumers unparalleled performance and enhanced user experiences.”
NI releases 2012 embedded systems outlook
Embedded World, USA: National Instruments released its 2012 Embedded Systems Outlook report, which shares the company’s conclusions about the direction of the embedded systems market. The report lists technology and business-level trends that impact the development of next-generation embedded systems. Companies can take advantage of this information in a wide variety of demanding embedded control and monitoring applications within industries such as energy, industrial control, life sciences and transportation.
With insight from the report, engineers and managers can strategically implement best practices for developing and maintaining innovative embedded systems. The 2012 report discusses the following major trends:
Embedded Platforms: Technology providers are helping design teams build complex embedded systems faster by developing platforms that combine hardware with an integrated software framework.
Reconfigurable Computing: Advanced embedded control and monitoring systems are driving an increase in designs that make the most of programmable logic.
Mobile Devices and Cloud: Design teams are taking advantage of the proliferation of new mobile devices and cloud technologies within next-generation embedded systems.
Innovating With Smaller Teams: Smaller design teams around the world are creating a more efficient way for companies to bring disruptive innovations to market.
Future Proofing Through Software: With the ever-changing requirements and standards for embedded systems, design teams are adopting a “software first” mindset for upgrading products over time.
With insight from the report, engineers and managers can strategically implement best practices for developing and maintaining innovative embedded systems. The 2012 report discusses the following major trends:
Embedded Platforms: Technology providers are helping design teams build complex embedded systems faster by developing platforms that combine hardware with an integrated software framework.
Reconfigurable Computing: Advanced embedded control and monitoring systems are driving an increase in designs that make the most of programmable logic.
Mobile Devices and Cloud: Design teams are taking advantage of the proliferation of new mobile devices and cloud technologies within next-generation embedded systems.
Innovating With Smaller Teams: Smaller design teams around the world are creating a more efficient way for companies to bring disruptive innovations to market.
Future Proofing Through Software: With the ever-changing requirements and standards for embedded systems, design teams are adopting a “software first” mindset for upgrading products over time.
NFC leader NXP propels technology into 4G age
Mobile World Congress 2012, SINGAPORE: NXP Semiconductors announced its newest flagship NFC solution, the PN547. Following on from the overwhelming success of the PN544, by far the industry’s most widely adopted Mobile Transactions solution, the next generation PN547 incorporates NXP’s proven leadership and expertise through over 130 projects across a variety of handsets, operating systems and with both SWP-SIM secure elements and embedded secure elements. Its cutting-edge performance provides smart phone and tablet OEMs with a springboard to create breakthrough Mobile Transactions user experiences.
The PN547 outperforms any NFC radio controller in performance and offers doubled RF range, a 50 percent smaller footprint, a 5x improvement in wireless data throughput and a 50 percent lower power consumption than the current market benchmark PN544. It delivers perfect interoperability worldwide, working with any contactless reader and NFC tag, supporting new, revolutionary user experiences in the devices of the future.
NXP’s next generation Mobile Transactions solution delivers these improvements with robust multi-application support including full MIFARE family compatibility (Classic 1K, Classic 4K, DESFire, Plus) and native reader device mode functionality for expanded NFC use cases such as secure, mobile contactless POS applications and mobile ticketing.
As part of NXP’s strategy to enable openness and choice, the PN547 will be available with multiple interfaces to secure elements, offering flexibility to MNO technology preference and OEMs around secure element form factor (µSD, UICC, eSE). Its benefits are available to all MNOs and OEM customers that market advanced mobile devices designed for the 4G era.
The benefits stem from NXP’s unique NFC experience and from its clear leadership position across the identification market overall. As the co-inventor of NFC in 2002, NXP enjoys a head start of several years with unmatched NFC knowledge and IP, delivering market leading Mobile Transactions performance to Google, Microsoft, almost all major OEMs and leading mobile network operators.
NXP’s core security and contactless expertise within its NFC portfolio incorporate its understanding of advanced applications and complete end-to-end solutions derived from its identification business. NXP is the leader in converging traditional contactless and security applications into exciting mobile transactions applications.
“We are at an exciting inflection point for smart phones and the NFC market in particular with an attach rate of 47 percent in 2015,” said John Devlin, Group director, Security and ID for ABI Research. “As more sophisticated NFC applications are deployed, mobile users expect exceptional user experiences delivering trusted reliability and interoperability across secure identification, payment, ticketing, access and proximity marketing use cases. By continuously advancing the state of the technology, NXP is responding to end user needs.”
“NXP’s proven interoperability, leading technology and Mobile Transactions success story form the most powerful NFC radio in the market that sets a new benchmark for performance, footprint and lowest power consumption,” said Henri Ardevol, VP and GM, secure transactions, NXP Semiconductors. “Handset manufacturers demand exceptional performance to satisfy their customers. The PN547 is the industry’s only solution that meets those needs.”
PN547 solution highlights
o Supports smaller mobile devices via 50 percent smaller footprint.
o Supports longer battery life; power consumption reduced 50 percent.
o Reliable tapping action - best In Class RF performance with a 2x increase in RF operating range and unique, embedded MIFARE crypto for expanded interoperability.
o Faster tapping action - increasing the system data through put by a factor 5.
o Improved OEM profitability, lower total cost of integration through support for smaller antennae and reduced count of external component.
o Leverages NXP’s OpenSource OS integration, 130+ NFC design in projects, and end-to-end expertise.
NFC is a market proven, standardized technology co-invented by NXP and Sony in 2002. NXP is at the center of this ecosystem, fuelling its development by partnering with almost all major handset manufacturers, mobile OS providers and applications developers. NXP is the No1 supplier to the Identification market globally, and leverages its leadership in contactless and security technologies to provide complete Mobile Transactions solutions: NFC controllers, Secure Elements in all form factors, NFC tags and infrastructure reader ICs. Currently OEMs have selected NXP’s NFC technology for more than 130 mobile devices.
The PN547 outperforms any NFC radio controller in performance and offers doubled RF range, a 50 percent smaller footprint, a 5x improvement in wireless data throughput and a 50 percent lower power consumption than the current market benchmark PN544. It delivers perfect interoperability worldwide, working with any contactless reader and NFC tag, supporting new, revolutionary user experiences in the devices of the future.
NXP’s next generation Mobile Transactions solution delivers these improvements with robust multi-application support including full MIFARE family compatibility (Classic 1K, Classic 4K, DESFire, Plus) and native reader device mode functionality for expanded NFC use cases such as secure, mobile contactless POS applications and mobile ticketing.
As part of NXP’s strategy to enable openness and choice, the PN547 will be available with multiple interfaces to secure elements, offering flexibility to MNO technology preference and OEMs around secure element form factor (µSD, UICC, eSE). Its benefits are available to all MNOs and OEM customers that market advanced mobile devices designed for the 4G era.
The benefits stem from NXP’s unique NFC experience and from its clear leadership position across the identification market overall. As the co-inventor of NFC in 2002, NXP enjoys a head start of several years with unmatched NFC knowledge and IP, delivering market leading Mobile Transactions performance to Google, Microsoft, almost all major OEMs and leading mobile network operators.
NXP’s core security and contactless expertise within its NFC portfolio incorporate its understanding of advanced applications and complete end-to-end solutions derived from its identification business. NXP is the leader in converging traditional contactless and security applications into exciting mobile transactions applications.
“We are at an exciting inflection point for smart phones and the NFC market in particular with an attach rate of 47 percent in 2015,” said John Devlin, Group director, Security and ID for ABI Research. “As more sophisticated NFC applications are deployed, mobile users expect exceptional user experiences delivering trusted reliability and interoperability across secure identification, payment, ticketing, access and proximity marketing use cases. By continuously advancing the state of the technology, NXP is responding to end user needs.”
“NXP’s proven interoperability, leading technology and Mobile Transactions success story form the most powerful NFC radio in the market that sets a new benchmark for performance, footprint and lowest power consumption,” said Henri Ardevol, VP and GM, secure transactions, NXP Semiconductors. “Handset manufacturers demand exceptional performance to satisfy their customers. The PN547 is the industry’s only solution that meets those needs.”
PN547 solution highlights
o Supports smaller mobile devices via 50 percent smaller footprint.
o Supports longer battery life; power consumption reduced 50 percent.
o Reliable tapping action - best In Class RF performance with a 2x increase in RF operating range and unique, embedded MIFARE crypto for expanded interoperability.
o Faster tapping action - increasing the system data through put by a factor 5.
o Improved OEM profitability, lower total cost of integration through support for smaller antennae and reduced count of external component.
o Leverages NXP’s OpenSource OS integration, 130+ NFC design in projects, and end-to-end expertise.
NFC is a market proven, standardized technology co-invented by NXP and Sony in 2002. NXP is at the center of this ecosystem, fuelling its development by partnering with almost all major handset manufacturers, mobile OS providers and applications developers. NXP is the No1 supplier to the Identification market globally, and leverages its leadership in contactless and security technologies to provide complete Mobile Transactions solutions: NFC controllers, Secure Elements in all form factors, NFC tags and infrastructure reader ICs. Currently OEMs have selected NXP’s NFC technology for more than 130 mobile devices.
Microelectronics sensors enable breakthrough indoor navigation accuracy
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: STMicroelectronics will be demonstrating the world’s most accurate indoor positioning of a mobile phone at the World Mobile Congress, Barcelona. Comprising a smartphone combining the leading-edge SiRFusion location technology from CSR plc and an optimized MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems) inertial measurement unit from ST, the demonstration shows that location can be reliably determined to within a few metres even in the absence of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) satellite signals.
Accurate indoor location will be the key enabler for future Location-Based Services (LBS), which are widely expected to be the next “killer application” in the mobile world. However, a challenge has been the problem of locating the mobile device with sufficient accuracy and reliability in urban canyons and indoor environments where the signals from the GNSS satellites cannot be received.
In these cases, Wi-Fi and stored databases have been used so far to calculate the approximate location but the resulting accuracy has not been sufficient for many of the LBS services that are envisaged. For example, in the future, visitors in a museum will have the option to download detailed information about an exhibit simply by pointing their mobile towards it but for this to be possible the location of the device must be known to within a few metres, an accuracy not achievable using Wi-Fi alone.
At Mobile World Congress, ST is demonstrating the feasibility of achieving the required order of accuracy by combining the SiRFusion location architecture recently introduced by CSR plc with a sophisticated MEMS inertial module that offers ten degrees of freedom. With the high accuracy of the module, the mobile can be reliably located to within less than a few meters, an order of magnitude better than can be achieved using Wi-Fi alone. The SiRFusion location platform requires no additional infrastructure installations or complex surveys of buildings.
“This solution demonstrates that reliable pedestrian dead-reckoning achieved by combining ST’s industry-leading motion sensors with our SiRFusion location platform is the final piece of the indoor navigation jigsaw,” said Kanwar Chadha, CMO for CSR and founder of SiRF. “This will allow a new wave of location-based services that users will be able to enjoy both indoors and outdoors.”
The sensor used in the demonstration is a multi-sensor Inertial Measurement Unit combining 3-axis sensing of linear, angular and magnetic motion with a pressure reading used to determine the elevation, which enables 3-dimensional location in multi-story buildings. Utilizing motion sensors, Wi-Fi measurements and signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) satellites, CSR’s SiRFusion solution fuses data from the sensor unit with other data to dramatically improve the accuracy and coverage of the position calculation.
“Our motion sensors enabled the big revolution that allowed people to interact more easily or intuitively with their cell phone. Now we are at the dawn of a new age where optical image stabilization and location-based services will drive the adoption of new high-performance motion sensors. And ST is ideally positioned to drive these two emerging applications,” said Benedetto Vigna.
Accurate indoor location will be the key enabler for future Location-Based Services (LBS), which are widely expected to be the next “killer application” in the mobile world. However, a challenge has been the problem of locating the mobile device with sufficient accuracy and reliability in urban canyons and indoor environments where the signals from the GNSS satellites cannot be received.
In these cases, Wi-Fi and stored databases have been used so far to calculate the approximate location but the resulting accuracy has not been sufficient for many of the LBS services that are envisaged. For example, in the future, visitors in a museum will have the option to download detailed information about an exhibit simply by pointing their mobile towards it but for this to be possible the location of the device must be known to within a few metres, an accuracy not achievable using Wi-Fi alone.
At Mobile World Congress, ST is demonstrating the feasibility of achieving the required order of accuracy by combining the SiRFusion location architecture recently introduced by CSR plc with a sophisticated MEMS inertial module that offers ten degrees of freedom. With the high accuracy of the module, the mobile can be reliably located to within less than a few meters, an order of magnitude better than can be achieved using Wi-Fi alone. The SiRFusion location platform requires no additional infrastructure installations or complex surveys of buildings.
“This solution demonstrates that reliable pedestrian dead-reckoning achieved by combining ST’s industry-leading motion sensors with our SiRFusion location platform is the final piece of the indoor navigation jigsaw,” said Kanwar Chadha, CMO for CSR and founder of SiRF. “This will allow a new wave of location-based services that users will be able to enjoy both indoors and outdoors.”
The sensor used in the demonstration is a multi-sensor Inertial Measurement Unit combining 3-axis sensing of linear, angular and magnetic motion with a pressure reading used to determine the elevation, which enables 3-dimensional location in multi-story buildings. Utilizing motion sensors, Wi-Fi measurements and signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) satellites, CSR’s SiRFusion solution fuses data from the sensor unit with other data to dramatically improve the accuracy and coverage of the position calculation.
“Our motion sensors enabled the big revolution that allowed people to interact more easily or intuitively with their cell phone. Now we are at the dawn of a new age where optical image stabilization and location-based services will drive the adoption of new high-performance motion sensors. And ST is ideally positioned to drive these two emerging applications,” said Benedetto Vigna.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Duolog presenting at DVCon - “Addressing HW/SW Interface Quality through Standards”
DUBLIN, IRELAND: Duolog Technologies, the award-winning developer of IP and SoC integration products, is presenting a technical white paper at DVCon. This presentation details the types of quality issues faced during HW/SW integration.
It explains how the use of standards such as IP-XACT, UVM, TLM2.0 and CMSIS, together with proven register management techniques, provide dramatic increases in quality. The presentation also discusses where the next level of standardization is happening in the HW/SW Interface and profiles some of the emerging solutions. Duolog will present the white paper during DVCon in Santa Clara on Wednesday, the 29th of February, at 9.30 am PST.
“Effective utilization of standards is essential in improving the quality of the HW/SW interface and increasing SoC integration productivity,” said David Murray, Duolog’s CTO and featured DVCon speaker.
Duolog will also be presenting as part of the IP-XACT Tutorial session, Monday 27th February at 4.30 pm PST at DVCon. IP-XACT can be used to describe many aspects of the HW/SW Interface.
This “IP-XACT and UVM” presentation explains the IP-XACT HW/SW Interface constructs that can be used in the automation of the UVM register packages. It demonstrates how this automation enables a very efficient HW/SW Interface verification flow using UVM.
In addition, Duolog is exhibiting at DVCon from Tuesday, 28th to Wednesday 29th February at Booth #302. The Duolog team will be demonstrating their industry-leading Socrates tool suite.
* Rapid IP Integration using rules-based system assembly and connectivity.
* Comprehensive HW/SW Integration solutions utilizing standards such as UVM.
* Fast Integration of your I/O layer.
* A sneak preview into the future of formal programming sequence definition.
It explains how the use of standards such as IP-XACT, UVM, TLM2.0 and CMSIS, together with proven register management techniques, provide dramatic increases in quality. The presentation also discusses where the next level of standardization is happening in the HW/SW Interface and profiles some of the emerging solutions. Duolog will present the white paper during DVCon in Santa Clara on Wednesday, the 29th of February, at 9.30 am PST.
“Effective utilization of standards is essential in improving the quality of the HW/SW interface and increasing SoC integration productivity,” said David Murray, Duolog’s CTO and featured DVCon speaker.
Duolog will also be presenting as part of the IP-XACT Tutorial session, Monday 27th February at 4.30 pm PST at DVCon. IP-XACT can be used to describe many aspects of the HW/SW Interface.
This “IP-XACT and UVM” presentation explains the IP-XACT HW/SW Interface constructs that can be used in the automation of the UVM register packages. It demonstrates how this automation enables a very efficient HW/SW Interface verification flow using UVM.
In addition, Duolog is exhibiting at DVCon from Tuesday, 28th to Wednesday 29th February at Booth #302. The Duolog team will be demonstrating their industry-leading Socrates tool suite.
* Rapid IP Integration using rules-based system assembly and connectivity.
* Comprehensive HW/SW Integration solutions utilizing standards such as UVM.
* Fast Integration of your I/O layer.
* A sneak preview into the future of formal programming sequence definition.
Ittiam to showcase industry's first full HD video calling solution for smartphones and tablets
MWC 2012, BANGALORE, INDIA: Following the win of two of 2011 INTERNET TELEPHONY Product of the Year Awards, Ittiam announced the latest version of its VCS Mobile. VCS Mobile is a video communication system targeted for smartphones and tablets delivering enterprise-grade performance. It enables full HD peer to peer and multi-party video calling on mobile devices.
"Smartphones and tablets will drive the next level of growth in video conferencing, the powerful processors that power these devices in addition with growing high speed connectivity makes it possible for users to engage in high quality video calling on the go," said Anil Kumar, manager, video communication system.
"With VCS Mobile we are in a position to cater to all video conferencing needs of a business, ranging from desktop video phones, high definition video conferencing systems, telepresence systems and now portable devices. VCS Mobile will also be made available on popular commercially available tablets and smartphones to allow for a wider adoption."
VCS Mobile is available on the OMAP4460 platform from Texas Instruments (TI), running Android. It leverages the rich set of API's and hardware accelerators on the TI's OMAP 4 platform to deliver 1080p peer to peer video calling and up to 6-way multi-party calls thanks to Ittiam's embedded bridge technology. The efficient implementation of VCS Mobile on OMAP 4 platform enables users to multi-task with additional applications such as desktop virtualization, while participating in a video conference.
Salient features of VCS Mobile on the OMAP 4 platform include:
* Peer-to-peer video calling at 1080p.
* Ittiam's patent pending embedded bridging technology allows you to host multi party conferences on your smartphone/tablet.
* Full-duplex Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) to ensure an exceptional audio experience.
* Intelligent, auto-adaptive bandwidth allocator to learn and adapt to the continuously changing network conditions.
"Ittiam continues to optimize its mobile HD video teleconferencing technology on TI's apps processors, hooking into the advanced smart multicore features brought with each new OMAP processor," said Fred Cohen, director, OMAP platform ecosystem, TI. "The latest VCS Mobile experience—a full HD conferencing experience with real-time multitasking driven on a single OMAP4460 processor—captures a compelling use case for the enterprise, made possible through Ittiam's innovation."
"Smartphones and tablets will drive the next level of growth in video conferencing, the powerful processors that power these devices in addition with growing high speed connectivity makes it possible for users to engage in high quality video calling on the go," said Anil Kumar, manager, video communication system.
"With VCS Mobile we are in a position to cater to all video conferencing needs of a business, ranging from desktop video phones, high definition video conferencing systems, telepresence systems and now portable devices. VCS Mobile will also be made available on popular commercially available tablets and smartphones to allow for a wider adoption."
VCS Mobile is available on the OMAP4460 platform from Texas Instruments (TI), running Android. It leverages the rich set of API's and hardware accelerators on the TI's OMAP 4 platform to deliver 1080p peer to peer video calling and up to 6-way multi-party calls thanks to Ittiam's embedded bridge technology. The efficient implementation of VCS Mobile on OMAP 4 platform enables users to multi-task with additional applications such as desktop virtualization, while participating in a video conference.
Salient features of VCS Mobile on the OMAP 4 platform include:
* Peer-to-peer video calling at 1080p.
* Ittiam's patent pending embedded bridging technology allows you to host multi party conferences on your smartphone/tablet.
* Full-duplex Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) to ensure an exceptional audio experience.
* Intelligent, auto-adaptive bandwidth allocator to learn and adapt to the continuously changing network conditions.
"Ittiam continues to optimize its mobile HD video teleconferencing technology on TI's apps processors, hooking into the advanced smart multicore features brought with each new OMAP processor," said Fred Cohen, director, OMAP platform ecosystem, TI. "The latest VCS Mobile experience—a full HD conferencing experience with real-time multitasking driven on a single OMAP4460 processor—captures a compelling use case for the enterprise, made possible through Ittiam's innovation."
TI's OMAP 5 platform takes center stage
BARCELONA, SPAIN: Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) turned the spotlight on the OMAP 5 platform, illustrating through live demonstrations the unprecedented performance capabilities of the highly anticipated addition to the OMAP processor family.
Poised to service smartphones and numerous other markets—from automotive to smart home—the OMAP 5 platform uniquely enables leading digital hubs to deliver premium content while consumers capture, edit, store, and share their own content across numerous end equipments. The result is a multimedia-rich, multitasking-intense visual experience without compromise. For a first-hand view of the OMAP5430 processor in action, visit TI's booth at Mobile World Congress 2012 (Hall 8, #8A84).
Smart multicore difference exemplified
TI's OMAP platform has long harnessed a balanced system identified as the smart multicore architecture to deliver the highest applications processing performance at the lowest possible power. The evolution of this architecture, that today comprises the OMAP 5 platform, changes what's possible in mobile computing, and delivers a superior user experience leveraging TI's mobile-optimized 28nm process. Several benefits emerge from this architecture, highlights of which follow:
Overall CPU performance: Mobile applications benefit from the distribution of interdependent activities across multiple processors to create fluid performance and fast responsiveness. However, in reality most of these applications today are single-threaded or have a dominant single-threaded task or process, and are thereby unable to partition across large numbers of CPU cores within a platform. In light of this market reality, the OMAP5430 processor includes two ARM Cortex-A15 cores that provide the highest single-thread performance of any ARM CPU.
Off-loading of real-time processing: Unique to the OMAP 5 smart multicore architecture is the use of two ARM Cortex-M4 cores to complement the two ARM Cortex-A15 cores. The M-class cores are appropriately assigned real-time control processing of multimedia tasks, like video encoding and decoding, freeing the main CPU cores to manage high level operating system tasks. In addition to minimizing the Cortex-A15 cores' interrupt rate, this off-loading function delivers an invaluable power savings—as much as 10 percent of the system power when encoding and decoding high definition H.264 content, for example.
Best-in-class GPUs: In a market driven largely by graphics performance, the ability to raise the bar without increasing power consumption is a competitive advantage benefitting any application's performance. The OMAP 5 platform represents several upgrades to preceding OMAP processor families, including the introduction of a second GPU. Through the use of dual-core PowerVR SGX544 GPUs from Imagination Technologies, the OMAP5430 processor outperforms the competition by up to 4x across common industry graphics benchmarks.
Imagination Technologies differentiates its SGX544 cores through the use of a tile-based deferred rendering architecture, which reduces bandwidth usage and minimizes power consumption when compared to competitive solutions. TI harnesses this unprecedented graphics performance by complementing the GPUs with unique OMAP platform capabilities while running the cores at their maximum limit of 532Mhz.
"The long term partnership between Imagination and TI has resulted in many market-defining firsts. With the OMAP 5 platform, the application of dual-core, industry-leading PowerVR GPUs running at their top performance is sure to create exceptional user experiences that stand at the forefront of graphics performance," said Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination Technologies.
Composition engine advantage: The SGX544 cores are augmented by still another unique OMAP architecture feature—a dedicated 2D hardware-accelerated composition engine – which can support up to 8 layers of high resolution composition without the need to go to external memory. The smart multicore system off-loads compositing to the composition engine, lowering power consumption by as much as 10x what the GPU would expend running the same eight layer composition process. This is done without passing data back to the memory, freeing the memory bandwidth for other multitasking functions.
The thermal budget: Mobile platforms are constrained to a fixed thermal budget – otherwise a device might feel too hot in a user's hand. If the processor exceeds this budget, it must be throttled. This is a process that can limit the real performance of the device. Expertly navigating this challenge to yield the ultimate performance within the mobile thermal budget, the OMAP 5 platform balances the right performance to deliver under this thermal constraint the highest possible effective MIPS, reaching upwards of 35 percent greater than the latest quad-core market solutions.
Under a realistic thermal budget representing the constraints of a hand-held device, the OMAP smart multicore architecture, coupled with TI's 28nm process, delivers performance unachievable by other processors—whether they leverage the same or different numbers and types of CPUs.
Industry-leading imaging: Today's users are expecting DSLR-like performance from their mobile devices. The OMAP 5 platform's image signal processor delivers lighting fast capture of 16MP in 0.5s, 24MP at 30fps with zero shutter lag, and enhanced low-light performance. It also enables a device to use four simultaneous camera sensors for new end user applications. For example, users operating OMAP 5 processor-driven devices are also able to capture 1080p 60fps video while simultaneously taking 12MP still images. TI's advanced camera APIs will also support new features like night shot, advanced HDR and digital re-focusing, which allows users to focus an image even after the picture is taken.
"We have achieved a superior design in the OMAP 5 platform, setting it in a class all its own," said Remi El-Ouazzane, vice president and general manager, OMAP platform business unit, TI. "The market requires unprecedented performance inside of a sub-two-watt power envelope to meet device and application requirements. The OMAP 5 platform is the industry's only applications processing platform capable of delivering on that need—creating the ultimate, most exciting end user experience possible in the market's current timeframe while setting the stage for what's to come."
Premiere demo: OMAP 5 platform-driven wireless display
During MWC 2012, booth visitors will witness the OMAP5430 processor showcasing some of its advanced capabilities. These experiences will also leverage TI's WiLink 8.0 solution for Wi-Fi connectivity. The OMAP 5 platform in action demonstrates:
* A multi-layered, fluid 3D graphical user interface by SPB, leveraging graphics and composition engines.
* A beautifully rendered game, with crisp graphics at full HD resolution.
* Web/HTML5 acceleration for faster page loads, video playback, 3D transform and Web games.
* Full-HD video playback through the wireless display connection to a 46-inch TV screen.
Poised to service smartphones and numerous other markets—from automotive to smart home—the OMAP 5 platform uniquely enables leading digital hubs to deliver premium content while consumers capture, edit, store, and share their own content across numerous end equipments. The result is a multimedia-rich, multitasking-intense visual experience without compromise. For a first-hand view of the OMAP5430 processor in action, visit TI's booth at Mobile World Congress 2012 (Hall 8, #8A84).
Smart multicore difference exemplified
TI's OMAP platform has long harnessed a balanced system identified as the smart multicore architecture to deliver the highest applications processing performance at the lowest possible power. The evolution of this architecture, that today comprises the OMAP 5 platform, changes what's possible in mobile computing, and delivers a superior user experience leveraging TI's mobile-optimized 28nm process. Several benefits emerge from this architecture, highlights of which follow:
Overall CPU performance: Mobile applications benefit from the distribution of interdependent activities across multiple processors to create fluid performance and fast responsiveness. However, in reality most of these applications today are single-threaded or have a dominant single-threaded task or process, and are thereby unable to partition across large numbers of CPU cores within a platform. In light of this market reality, the OMAP5430 processor includes two ARM Cortex-A15 cores that provide the highest single-thread performance of any ARM CPU.
Off-loading of real-time processing: Unique to the OMAP 5 smart multicore architecture is the use of two ARM Cortex-M4 cores to complement the two ARM Cortex-A15 cores. The M-class cores are appropriately assigned real-time control processing of multimedia tasks, like video encoding and decoding, freeing the main CPU cores to manage high level operating system tasks. In addition to minimizing the Cortex-A15 cores' interrupt rate, this off-loading function delivers an invaluable power savings—as much as 10 percent of the system power when encoding and decoding high definition H.264 content, for example.
Best-in-class GPUs: In a market driven largely by graphics performance, the ability to raise the bar without increasing power consumption is a competitive advantage benefitting any application's performance. The OMAP 5 platform represents several upgrades to preceding OMAP processor families, including the introduction of a second GPU. Through the use of dual-core PowerVR SGX544 GPUs from Imagination Technologies, the OMAP5430 processor outperforms the competition by up to 4x across common industry graphics benchmarks.
Imagination Technologies differentiates its SGX544 cores through the use of a tile-based deferred rendering architecture, which reduces bandwidth usage and minimizes power consumption when compared to competitive solutions. TI harnesses this unprecedented graphics performance by complementing the GPUs with unique OMAP platform capabilities while running the cores at their maximum limit of 532Mhz.
"The long term partnership between Imagination and TI has resulted in many market-defining firsts. With the OMAP 5 platform, the application of dual-core, industry-leading PowerVR GPUs running at their top performance is sure to create exceptional user experiences that stand at the forefront of graphics performance," said Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination Technologies.
Composition engine advantage: The SGX544 cores are augmented by still another unique OMAP architecture feature—a dedicated 2D hardware-accelerated composition engine – which can support up to 8 layers of high resolution composition without the need to go to external memory. The smart multicore system off-loads compositing to the composition engine, lowering power consumption by as much as 10x what the GPU would expend running the same eight layer composition process. This is done without passing data back to the memory, freeing the memory bandwidth for other multitasking functions.
The thermal budget: Mobile platforms are constrained to a fixed thermal budget – otherwise a device might feel too hot in a user's hand. If the processor exceeds this budget, it must be throttled. This is a process that can limit the real performance of the device. Expertly navigating this challenge to yield the ultimate performance within the mobile thermal budget, the OMAP 5 platform balances the right performance to deliver under this thermal constraint the highest possible effective MIPS, reaching upwards of 35 percent greater than the latest quad-core market solutions.
Under a realistic thermal budget representing the constraints of a hand-held device, the OMAP smart multicore architecture, coupled with TI's 28nm process, delivers performance unachievable by other processors—whether they leverage the same or different numbers and types of CPUs.
Industry-leading imaging: Today's users are expecting DSLR-like performance from their mobile devices. The OMAP 5 platform's image signal processor delivers lighting fast capture of 16MP in 0.5s, 24MP at 30fps with zero shutter lag, and enhanced low-light performance. It also enables a device to use four simultaneous camera sensors for new end user applications. For example, users operating OMAP 5 processor-driven devices are also able to capture 1080p 60fps video while simultaneously taking 12MP still images. TI's advanced camera APIs will also support new features like night shot, advanced HDR and digital re-focusing, which allows users to focus an image even after the picture is taken.
"We have achieved a superior design in the OMAP 5 platform, setting it in a class all its own," said Remi El-Ouazzane, vice president and general manager, OMAP platform business unit, TI. "The market requires unprecedented performance inside of a sub-two-watt power envelope to meet device and application requirements. The OMAP 5 platform is the industry's only applications processing platform capable of delivering on that need—creating the ultimate, most exciting end user experience possible in the market's current timeframe while setting the stage for what's to come."
Premiere demo: OMAP 5 platform-driven wireless display
During MWC 2012, booth visitors will witness the OMAP5430 processor showcasing some of its advanced capabilities. These experiences will also leverage TI's WiLink 8.0 solution for Wi-Fi connectivity. The OMAP 5 platform in action demonstrates:
* A multi-layered, fluid 3D graphical user interface by SPB, leveraging graphics and composition engines.
* A beautifully rendered game, with crisp graphics at full HD resolution.
* Web/HTML5 acceleration for faster page loads, video playback, 3D transform and Web games.
* Full-HD video playback through the wireless display connection to a 46-inch TV screen.
eASIC surpasses 3 million chips shipped, set to double it in 2012
SANTA CLARA, USA: eASIC Corp., a provider of NEW ASIC devices, has shipped in excess of three million chips and achieving this shipment milestone firmly solidifies eASIC’s position as a high volume supplier of custom integrated circuits. eASIC expects to be at more than double that number of shipments by the end of 2012.
“eASIC’s disruptive NEW ASIC devices are enabling OEMs and ASSP companies to get to market up to six months earlier than with traditional cell-based technology,” commented Jasbinder Bhoot, eASIC VP Marketing.
“When our customers look at the overwhelmingly positive revenue impact of getting products into the market six months sooner, it’s a logical choice to choose eASIC NEW ASIC devices rather than use cell-based ASIC technology. With eASIC, designers benefit from a much simpler, much lower cost and significantly lower risk design flow than that of cell-based ASIC. Many typical ASIC tasks such as DFT insertion, clock tree synthesis and IR drop do not need to be performed. Placement and routing tools are also developed by eASIC. In addition, OEMs benefit from a much simpler manufacturing flow that only requires one single via mask for customizing the entire chip,” added Bhoot.
“As a fabless semiconductor company, eASIC has spent considerable effort in streamlining our supply chain and ISO certified processes in order to meet the stringent requirements of our broad Tier 1 OEM and ASSP customer-base,” said Ronnie Vasishta, eASIC president and CEO.
“We are shipping devices into carrier grade wireless infrastructure applications, medical electronics, smart grid infrastructure and into consumer markets too. Some of these applications were traditionally served by FPGAs, while others by cell-based ASICs. What is crystal clear is that we are taking share away from both. FPGAs are hitting a power and performance wall in the new process nodes so a tipping point moving away from FPGA to a low cost ASIC solution is developing, while traditional cell-based ASICs just take too long to design and manufacture.”
“eASIC’s disruptive NEW ASIC devices are enabling OEMs and ASSP companies to get to market up to six months earlier than with traditional cell-based technology,” commented Jasbinder Bhoot, eASIC VP Marketing.
“When our customers look at the overwhelmingly positive revenue impact of getting products into the market six months sooner, it’s a logical choice to choose eASIC NEW ASIC devices rather than use cell-based ASIC technology. With eASIC, designers benefit from a much simpler, much lower cost and significantly lower risk design flow than that of cell-based ASIC. Many typical ASIC tasks such as DFT insertion, clock tree synthesis and IR drop do not need to be performed. Placement and routing tools are also developed by eASIC. In addition, OEMs benefit from a much simpler manufacturing flow that only requires one single via mask for customizing the entire chip,” added Bhoot.
“As a fabless semiconductor company, eASIC has spent considerable effort in streamlining our supply chain and ISO certified processes in order to meet the stringent requirements of our broad Tier 1 OEM and ASSP customer-base,” said Ronnie Vasishta, eASIC president and CEO.
“We are shipping devices into carrier grade wireless infrastructure applications, medical electronics, smart grid infrastructure and into consumer markets too. Some of these applications were traditionally served by FPGAs, while others by cell-based ASICs. What is crystal clear is that we are taking share away from both. FPGAs are hitting a power and performance wall in the new process nodes so a tipping point moving away from FPGA to a low cost ASIC solution is developing, while traditional cell-based ASICs just take too long to design and manufacture.”
Microchip upgrades enhanced core dsPIC33E and PIC24E devices to 70 MIPS
CHANDLER, USA: Microchip Technology Inc. announced the upgrade of its formerly 60 MIPS enhanced-core dsPIC33E Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) and PIC24E microcontrollers (MCUs) to 70 MIPS performance. The devices feature 536 KB Flash memory and 52 KB RAM, greater I/O capabilities, a USB 2.0 OTG interface, and enhanced motor-control, graphics, audio and real-time embedded-control capabilities.
Additionally, the family has been expanded with the release of three new non-USB 64-pin devices that are fully compatible with Microchip’s entire portfolio of dsPIC33F DSCs and PIC24H/PIC24F MCUs, software libraries and tools, providing a solid growth path for current customers.
The upgraded 70 MIPS motor-control DSCs enable designers to expand motor-control system performance in high-end industrial and commercial applications. These devices include Microchip’s industry-leading motor control PWM peripherals, enabling the generation of PWM waveforms needed to control virtually any motor, such as servos, and running dual three-phase motors in parallel. A new dead-time compensation feature reduces software overhead.
Additionally, the USB 2.0 OTG peripheral enables connections to a PC, Flash drive and other USB-enabled devices, and 70 MIPS performance means the new DSCs and MCUs support computer-interfaced applications. Three on-chip analog comparators further reduce system cost and the number of external components required. These capabilities, coupled with the family’s high integration, make them some of the most capable motor control devices on the market.
“Upgrading our recently-introduced portfolio of dsPIC33E and PIC24E devices to 70 MIPS allows our customers to benefit from higher performance at no extra cost,” said Sumit Mitra, VP of Microchip’s High-Performance Microcontroller Division. “The three new 64-pin devices with 536 KB Flash memory facilitate applications needing larger Flash and RAM memories, while still fitting into a small 9 mm x 9 mm QFN footprint.”
Additionally, the family has been expanded with the release of three new non-USB 64-pin devices that are fully compatible with Microchip’s entire portfolio of dsPIC33F DSCs and PIC24H/PIC24F MCUs, software libraries and tools, providing a solid growth path for current customers.
The upgraded 70 MIPS motor-control DSCs enable designers to expand motor-control system performance in high-end industrial and commercial applications. These devices include Microchip’s industry-leading motor control PWM peripherals, enabling the generation of PWM waveforms needed to control virtually any motor, such as servos, and running dual three-phase motors in parallel. A new dead-time compensation feature reduces software overhead.
Additionally, the USB 2.0 OTG peripheral enables connections to a PC, Flash drive and other USB-enabled devices, and 70 MIPS performance means the new DSCs and MCUs support computer-interfaced applications. Three on-chip analog comparators further reduce system cost and the number of external components required. These capabilities, coupled with the family’s high integration, make them some of the most capable motor control devices on the market.
“Upgrading our recently-introduced portfolio of dsPIC33E and PIC24E devices to 70 MIPS allows our customers to benefit from higher performance at no extra cost,” said Sumit Mitra, VP of Microchip’s High-Performance Microcontroller Division. “The three new 64-pin devices with 536 KB Flash memory facilitate applications needing larger Flash and RAM memories, while still fitting into a small 9 mm x 9 mm QFN footprint.”
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