Micronas' new 8/16-bit controller platform reduces system costs and offers larger memory capacity in automotive electronics (0504)

With the new CDC 16xxF family of microcontrollers, Micronas presents a dual 8/16-bit solution at an 8-bit cost.
Automotive design engineers are constantly looking for solutions that reduce overall system costs; yet at the same time each new model demands more variety in memory choices.

Ideally suited to applications where cost-effectiveness is crucial such as instrumentation, steering columns, and smart junction boxes, the family offers larger memory capacity; its higher level of integration reduces overall system cost.

Freiburg, Germany, February 21, 2005 - Micronas, a leading supplier of IC and sensor system solutions for automotive and consumer electronics, announced today a new 8/16 bit controller platform that lowers overall system cost while increasing the range of memory options available to designers. Highly integrated, the CDC 16xxF family features three CAN interfaces, a superior Power Saving Module (PSM), five stepper motors drivers, five pulse-width modules, a sound generator, an integrated LCD module and many other peripherals. To simplify upgrades of existing designs, the device executes both legacy 8-bit code and 16-bit instructions, and it can address up to 256 KB of program memory without bank-switching.

Each of the three CAN modules can individually administer up to 16 objects, allowing for simple gateways putting only moderate load on the CPU. The CAN modules can be used as full- or basic CAN and meet the requirements of the Bosch specification V2.0B. The modules are ISO 16485 certified by C&S in Wolfenbüttel.

"The new CDC 16xxF family is designed for instrumentation, steering columns, smart junction boxes and other applications where cost-effectiveness is crucial that however have a higher memory requirement than the classic 64 KB limit of 8-bit controllers," said Peter Zimmermann, Market Manager Automotive ICs at Micronas. "The integrated ERM, plus all the other integrated functions, reduce overall system cost by 0.40 to 0.50 Euros."

Compared with standard controllers, the Micronas controller platform integrates many more features, allowing the designer to reduce the number of components as well as the cost of the overall system. The I/O ports are multifunctional and offer the user flexibility in circuit design and board layout. The ports can be used to drive LCD displays directly by means of the integrated LCD module, thus saving cost and space. For instrumentation and steering column applications, the controller contains an audio module allowing the user to implement simple sounds such as chimes, buzzers, turn-signals clicks, and other warning or status alerts. Power management has been enhanced with two new modes, Idle and Wake, plus an integrated Real Time Clock (RTC) module for direct support of car clock operation, eliminating the need for an external 32 KHz oscillator.

Additional features are an interrupt controller, four different timers, a 9-channel 10-bit ADC, two comparators, three UARTs, two SPI ports, and a DMA controller. The built-in Patch Module allows easy changes to ROM-based code, even in the field. Any section of software can be patched and replaced with code stored in an external EEPROM device.
The CDC 16xxF also features the patented EMI Reduction Module (ERM). ERM is a cost-saver; by reducing the need for external filtering components and reducing the number of PCB layers, the ERM alone saves 0.18 to 0.22 Euros per system.

The CDC 1607F is the master flash ROM device in Micronas' 8/16-bit car dashboard controller family. Based on the WDC65C816 CPU core, it features 256 KB of flash memory, 6 KB of SRAM and a 4 KB boot ROM. Its unique flash performance is demonstrated by up to 1 million read/write cycles and 20 year data retention at 125°C.

The Micronas development package includes an emulator with an integrated development environment and a flash-programming tool. The MicrOSEK RTOS, as well as software-application examples facilitate fast and easy prototyping and development. Micronas also offers a variety of boards for the simulation of dashboards, gateway applications and displays.

Initially the family comes in three varieties: the CDC 1607F with 256 KB flash memory in a 100 pin PQFP; the CDC 1651F with 128 KB mask ROM; and the CDC 1631F with 64 KB mask ROM. The devices are in production and samples are available now. More pin and software compatible devices of the CDC 16xxF family will follow. The CDC 16xxF family of embedded microcontrollers operates at 5 V and is available in the automotive temperature range of -40 to +105°C.