Microcontrollers boost performance and peripherals

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Feb 15, 2006

A new more powerful addition to the eCOG range of microcontrollers features more on-chip Flash and important new peripherals including USB2.0 OTG and 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet MAC.

Cambridge-based microcontroller vendor Cyan Technology has introduced a much more powerful microcontroller family to its eCOG range featuring more on-chip Flash and important new peripherals including USB2.0 OTG and 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet MAC.

The 16bit, 75MHz eCOG1X offers 45MIPS processing performance representing a three-fold increase on current eCOG devices.

All Cyan's microcontrollers offer reconfigurable and flexible peripherals.

Using Cyan's free development tool CyanIDE, the designer can set up peripherals with little or no programming effort and link them to device pins which best suit the design.

This includes the eCOG1X family whose new combinations of peripherals and higher core performance, will solve more intensive and complicated applications.

A new feature of CyanIDE is the Switch-Chip function which allows the designer to move an application between different microcontrollers in the Cyan range with a single button click.

This maximises design re-use and minimises the time required for device selection.

For example if a product upgrade or specification change needs more memory and peripherals the engineer can rapidly select the appropriate device and automatically reconfigure his application.

Paul Barwick Cyan's Sales Director said: "These additions to the eCOG range will allow us to address a vast array of new and demanding applications".

He continued: "The more powerful eCOG1X makes it perfect for motor control applications - as it has dual ADCs which can simultaneously sample analogue inputs with between 6 and 12bit resolution, and for three-phase motors there's a dedicated six-channel PWM output".

"Point of sale developers will spot the two smart card interfaces with 5V tolerant I/O - the list goes on".

"Of course CyanIDE, with its fast configuration tool and Switch-Chip facility is the key to getting the most from all of our microcontrollers" With Flash memory options ranging from 128 to 512Kbyte and connectivity features, the eCOG1X also has: a new analogue section including two flexible 12bit DACs with a 4us settling time, an LCD controller with support for direct and multiplexed drive of 1 to 4 backplane lines and the eICE built in emulator that can program the internal Flash.

With a fully configurable MMU and vectored interrupt modes, developers can have the real-time responsiveness needed for today's more demanding embedded applications.

The initial packages will include 68- and 100-pin QFN and 144pin BGA, production devices will ship in the summer of this year with further packages and options being introduced throughout 2006.

As with all eCOG devices development boards and reference designs will be available.