MCUs target consumer and industrial applications

Microcontrollers combine highly efficient C-language compatibility, high resilience to electromagnetic interference, low electromagnetic emissions and low power consumption.

Renesas Technology Europe has introduced a group of microcontrollers that include highly efficient C-language compatibility, high resilience to electromagnetic interference, low electromagnetic emissions and low power consumption.

Intended for consumer and industrial applications, the devices' pinout is compatible with Renesas' existing M32C/80 and M16C/60 series, enabling straightforward upgrades of existing systems, yielding a strong system performance increase, accompanied by a significant reduction in system development time.

Belonging to the M32C/87 group of microcontrollers, and based on the high-performance M32C CPU core, the devices feature a comprehensive peripheral set, complemented by highly reliable Flash memory with densities of between 256Kbyte and 1Mbyte.

In addition to the on-chip Flash memory with a maximum code-memory capacity of 1Mbyte, the microcontrollers feature an additional 4Kbyte of data or code memory and up to 48Kbyte of RAM.

The M32C/87 group's CPU core operates at a maximum clock frequency of 32MHz, resulting in a minimum instruction cycle time of 31.2ns.

This high performance level is enhanced by additional features including 32bit computational units, transfer instructions and shift operations implemented with a barrel shifter.

Peripheral functions of the M32C/87 include: 16bit timer (11 channels), USART (asynchronous/synchronous interfaces; seven channels), four-channel direct memory access controller (DMAC), 10bit A/D convertor (up to 34 input channels), 8bit D/A convertor, three-phase motor control unit, input capture/output compare unit in the so-called "intelligent I/O" section, a watchdog timer which keeps counting, using the on-chip oscillator even if the device fails and no Xin clock is available.

The M32C/87 microcontrollers include HDLC communication circuits that can be used in ISDN applications amongst others.

An IrDA interface is also available.

This feature set facilitates product designs with embedded communications functions.

Featuring on-chip voltage-reduction circuitry, the MCUs only need a single supply voltage with a typical current drain of 32mA at 5V and 32MHz.

Ultimate current reduction to 0.8uA is achieved in the so-called stop mode.

Even in this mode, the M32C/87 retains its ability to count external events and to wake up from the stop mode if an overflow should occur.

For the first time, the devices of the M32C/87 group are available with an optional number of CAN interfaces, ranging from two CAN ports in the M32C/87 to one CAN port in the M32C/87A and no CAN interface in the M32C/87B.

Hence, the devices are perfectly suited as gateways for monitoring and implementing multiple bus systems and for applications that do not need any CAN functionality.

The lower bill of materials also results in cost reductions.

The pinout of the M32C/87 is compatible with the current M32C/84 group (one CAN channel), the M32C/85 (featuring two CAN channels), and the M16C/62P, simplifying the expansion of the CAN functionality and enabling a seamless extension of existing systems.

The M32C/87 presents the customer with an application-optimised product based on the M16C platform.

The microcontrollers are available in LQFP packages with 100 or 144 pins.

Several emulator systems can be used as development tools for various user applications.

A starter kit (RSK) is available for first-time users.

Furthermore, Renesas' Compact Emulator can be used for debugging purposes while the PC7501 emulator is a suitable tool for more sophisticated development tasks.

With several packages and memory options as well as optional embedded CAN, the M16C platform and especially the M32C/87 are the perfect foundation for current and future designs in a wide and varied range of applications.

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