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Saturday 4 July 2009
Components
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|NewsletterMicroprocessors and DSPs
Freescale offers 8-bit processor users compatible 32-bit chip
Tuesday 26 June 2007
Freescale Semiconductor has attempted to shake up the 8-bit microcontroller market with its first 32-bit MCU which is fully design and pin compatible with its 8-bit devices.
This is a bid to encourage the wider use of higher performance 32-bit MCUs in industrial applications such as medical monitoring, security systems and metering.
“The industrial market is ready to make a fast transition to the use of 32-bit microcontrollers but users are sometimes reluctant to move from the 8-bit to 32-bit world which is seen as complex and expensive,” said Bruno Baylac, director of marketing at Freescale.
The company has introduced the MCF51QE128 MCU based on a new 32-bit core, the ColdFire V1, which is pin-for-pin compatible and has a common set of on-chip peripherals and development tools as those for the MC9S08QE128 device based on the 8-bit S08 core.
“The intention has been to make the V1 as easy to use as the 8-bit
microcontroller,” said Baylac.
According to Baylac, a typical 8-bit design can be scaled up to a 32-bit based design using the same board design, software code and development tools. Code can be compiled using the same CodeWarrior development software.
“There will also be full development tool support with our wider range of Coldfire 32-bit microcontrollers over the next 12 months,” said Baylac.
Distributor Future Electronics has said it will support the Flexis QE128 MCUs in its Crossbow development board.
The MCUs run off of an external 32kHz oscillator and have an internal voltage regulator which supports a typical wake-up time of 6µs.
This is a bid to encourage the wider use of higher performance 32-bit MCUs in industrial applications such as medical monitoring, security systems and metering.
“The industrial market is ready to make a fast transition to the use of 32-bit microcontrollers but users are sometimes reluctant to move from the 8-bit to 32-bit world which is seen as complex and expensive,” said Bruno Baylac, director of marketing at Freescale.
The company has introduced the MCF51QE128 MCU based on a new 32-bit core, the ColdFire V1, which is pin-for-pin compatible and has a common set of on-chip peripherals and development tools as those for the MC9S08QE128 device based on the 8-bit S08 core.
“The intention has been to make the V1 as easy to use as the 8-bit
microcontroller,” said Baylac.
According to Baylac, a typical 8-bit design can be scaled up to a 32-bit based design using the same board design, software code and development tools. Code can be compiled using the same CodeWarrior development software.
“There will also be full development tool support with our wider range of Coldfire 32-bit microcontrollers over the next 12 months,” said Baylac.
Distributor Future Electronics has said it will support the Flexis QE128 MCUs in its Crossbow development board.
The MCUs run off of an external 32kHz oscillator and have an internal voltage regulator which supports a typical wake-up time of 6µs.
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