Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Ramtron International | Subject: VRS51L3072
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 24 September 2007
Speedy MCU take nonvolatile memory
onboard
The addition of FRAM to the fast and flexible Versa 8051 MCU creates a quick and reliable nonvolatile data storage and processing system.
New from Ramtron, the VRS51L3072 is an 8051-based microcontroller with 2Kbit of nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) The addition of FRAM to the fast and flexible Versa 8051 MCU creates a quick and reliable nonvolatile data storage and processing system that is ideal for saving system status, data logging, and storing nonvolatile variables in a range of applications from sensors and meters to industrial controls, instrumentation and medical devices
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 1 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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"We have expanded the Versa 8051 family with the 2Kbit FRAM MCU for our customers who require a lower density FRAM for real-time data collection and storage".
"The high-performance core in the VRS51L3072 controls peripherals and gathers data, and its onboard digital signal processing (DSP) functions process the data, which is then stored in FRAM", says David Lee, Ramtron International Strategic Marketing Manager.
"Pin-compatible with our 8Kbit FRAM MCUs, it's a cost effective alternative for applications that require less than 8Kbit of FRAM".
Further reading
Serial F-RAM remembers pressure transmitters
F-RAM device stores configurable parameters such as transmitter ranges, signal types, fluid properties etc, and retains the data when power is removed.
Ferroelectric RAM puts events on the record
Integrated event monitoring device continuously monitors state changes, stores them in FRAM and alerts the host system to the changes.
FRAM offers upgrade for Flash applications
High-density nonvolatile ferroelectric RAM features low power consumption and communicates via a high-speed serial peripheral interface.
FRAM simplifies the design cycle by eliminating the code overhead accompanying Flash data storage, and the limited endurance and drawn out write cycles of Flash/EEPROM.
Unlike Flash, FRAM bytes can be modified without first erasing an entire sector, rendering it easier to use.
And unlike Flash/EEPROM, FRAM provides virtually unlimited read/write cycles and fast data writes.
The VRS51L3072 combines 2Kbit of FRAM with a fully integrated, high-performance system-on-chip.
Features include an advanced 40MIPS, single-cycle 8051 core, 64Kbit Flash with in-system/in-application programming, 4Kbit SRAM, DSP extensions, and a robust digital peripheral set.
Operating at 3.3V over the entire industrial temperature range, the VRS51L3072 is the ideal embedded data acquisition solution for a wide array of advanced applications.
The VRS51L3072 MCU features 2048byte of true nonvolatile RAM (no battery/supercap required to maintain data) mapped into the VRS51L3072's XRAM memory for easy access, fast writes and essentially unlimited endurance.
One of the fastest 8bit processors on the market, its advanced core can deliver up to 40MIPS throughput and is instruction-compatible with standard 8051s for smooth device migration.
The inbuilt hardware multiplier, accumulator and divider unit with 32bit barrel shifter significantly outperforms 8bit processors when executing DSP operations (FIR filtering, sensor output linearisation, multiple-byte arithmetic operations etc).
It performs 16bit signed multiplication and 32bit addition in one cycle and 16bit signed division in five cycles.
The barrel shifter enables logic/arithmetic shift operations.
The 40MHz internal oscillator cuts system costs by eliminating the need for an external crystal oscillator.
A USB-JTAG interface is included for user-friendly and quick device programming and real-time, in-circuit debugging/emulation of the user application without the need for a costly emulator.
Dual universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters operate at up to 1.25Mbit/s.
Each UART incorporates a dedicated baud rate generator with 20bit equivalent resolution.
The communication speed on the serial peripheral interface can be configured up to 20Mbit/s and transactions are adjustable from 1 to 32bit.
Two pulsewidth counter modules provide advanced timer control, simplifying event duration measurement.
And there are eight pulsewidth modulators with 16bit adjustable resolution.
Each PWM includes its own timer, which can also be used as general purpose timers.
Other support peripherals include an I2C interface, three 16bit general purpose timers/counters with three timer capture inputs, a watchdog timer, and 49 interrupts that share 16 interrupt vectors.
The device is packaged in a RoHS-compliant 64-QFN.
Engineering samples of the VRS51L3072 are available now.
Unit pricing starts at US $4.50 for quantities of 10,000 units.
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