Renesas Technology releases 14 new 16-Bit MCUs with on-chip flash memory in M16C/5L and M16C/56 groups for automotive body and chassis control applications
Renesas Technology has announced 14 new products in the M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups, in the M16C/Tiny Series of 16-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) which belongs to the M16C Family, for automotive body and chassis control applications. Sample shipments will begin in October 2008.These new products are successors to MCUs in the M16C/28 Group and the M16C/29 Group with on-chip CAN controller, which belong to the Renesas Technology M16C/Tiny Series. They offer enhanced functionality and performance along with a full complement of on-chip peripheral functions to help reduce overall system cost. The M16C/5L Group integrates an on-chip CAN controller and the M16C/56 Group does not. Products in both groups are compatible with earlier MCUs, providing a flexible path to system feature expansion or version upgrades.
In addition, the M16C/5M Group is under development has an extension of the above groups. It will increase the number of CAN channels, integrate a LIN interface and convenient E2 data flash for data storage, and be available in three packages (64-pin, 80-pin, and 100-pin LQFP) compatible with earlier MCU products. A total of 16 product versions will be offered, and sample shipments are scheduled for the third quarter of 2009. This will offer customers an even broader range of choices to meet their requirements.
Product Background
The M16C Family of MCUs was developed to be highly reliable design. It is well regarded for its low EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference), high EMS (Electro Magnetic Susceptibility), measures to prevent malfunction, and security functions, and its low power consumption and excellent ROM code efficiency have also received high praise. Renesas Technology has developed and brought to market a large number of products in this family in response to demand from system developers for better performance and functionality.
Of these, the M16C/Tiny Series of low-pin-count MCUs built around the M16C/60 high-performance 16-bit CPU core has achieved wide adoption in a broad range of systems in automotive control field such as body and chassis control, sub-MCU in engine control, and motorbike engines and so on.
In the field of automotive control systems it is important to provide support for existing hardware and software while boosting functionality and performance. In addition, there is a need to provide compatibility with existing and emerging platforms. With this in mind, Renesas Technology designed the M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups to bring improved functionality and performance to the M16C/Tiny Series while allowing continued utilization of existing resources. These new products will enable developers to create systems with better functions and performance in a short time.
The features of the M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups are summarized below.
- (1) Compatible with earlier Renesas Technology MCUs and approximately 1.6 times faster
The M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups are built around the same M16C/60 CPU core as earlier MCUs in the series. The maximum operating frequency for the two new groups is 32 MHz, approximately 1.6 times as fast as the 20 MHz (power supply voltage of 3.0 V to 5.5 V) of the earlier MCUs. Two packages are available, 64-pin and 80-pin, providing pin and peripheral function compatibility. This makes it a simple matter to update the functions and performance of systems designed around the earlier MCUs.
- (2) Product lineup including versions with up to 256 Kbytes of flash memory, twice the maximum available previously
All products in the M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups have on-chip flash memory. The 80-pin package is available with 96 Kbytes, 128 Kbytes, or 256 Kbytes of flash memory, and the 64-pin package is available with 64 Kbytes, 96 Kbytes, 128 Kbytes, or 256 Kbytes of flash memory.
The maximum memory capacity of 256 Kbytes is twice that of earlier MCUs in the series, making it possible to accommodate larger programs that take advantage of the enhanced functions. The M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups incorporate 16 Kbytes flash memory suitable for small size program storage such as flash rewriting and so on. To help reduce the need for external memory, the new MCUs include data flash (two blocks of 4 Kbytes each) for storing data that is rated to withstand 10,000 rewrite cycles.
- (3) A variety of functions, included enhanced functions, for reduced overall system cost
The two new groups provide enhanced functionality as well as a variety of peripheral functions useful in lowering the overall system cost. The number of DMA controller channels has been increased from two to four, and other functions include a high-functionality watchdog timer that can operate using a dedicated on-chip oscillator, a low-voltage detection function, and a high-speed on-chip oscillator. These on-chip peripheral functions help reduce the number of external devices required by eliminating the need for external devices for a watchdog timer IC and an external resonator, for example.
In addition to the above, the M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups add a realtime clock capable of counting durations from one second to one week and a task monitor timer for managing task processing times. These additions make it easy to provide improved system functionality. Other on-chip functions useful for automotive control applications include timers for three-phase motor control; timers with support for input capture, output compare, and PWM output; a serial interface; a high-speed A/D converter; and a CAN controller (M16C/5L).
This full complement of on-chip peripheral functions contributes to reduced system size and cost by reducing the number of external devices required.
The M16C/5L and M16C/56 Groups also provide power-down (low-power-consumption) operating modes. Lower power consumption than when operating with external clock input can be achieved by making use of the high-speed or low-speed on-chip oscillator. Furthermore, power consumption can be reduced by using the low-speed modes, such as subclock or wait mode. These modes provide the low-power operation required for automotive body applications.
To accommodate automotive requirements, the operating temperature range is -40 to 85°C. High-temperature versions with a range of -40 to 125°C are also supported.
Available development environments will include the E8a on-chip debugging emulator, which can also be used as a flash programmer, and the affordably priced E100 full-spec emulator.
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