MPU sets its sights on portable CD players

Toshiba has launched a dedicated 16bit microprocessor for portable CD players and digital audio applications that significantly cuts power consumption and promotes longer battery life.

Toshiba has launched a dedicated 16bit microprocessor for portable CD players and digital audio applications that significantly cuts power consumption and promotes longer battery life.

Based on Toshiba's low-power TLCS-900/L1 processor core, the new device is the world's first 1.8V, 16bit microprocessor to be specially developed for digital audio applications.

Toshiba's new processor will be made available as a mask ROM version (TMP91CW28FG) or with NOR-type Flash memory (TMP91FY28FG).

Both options feature a built-in binary coded decimal (BCD) addition/subtraction circuit.

This circuit reduces the load on the CPU core and improves reliability in portable CD players by supporting ESP (electrical shock proof) functionality to minimise 'skipping' during CD playback.

High-speed processing, increased memory and low noise, combined with low power consumption, are increasingly demanded as mobile digital audio grows in popularity.

Designed to address these demands, the new 16bit microprocessor operates from a power supply of 1.8-2.6V with a maximum operating frequency of 10MHz.

The TMP91CW28FG provides 128Kbyte of ROM, while the TMP91FY28FG offers 256Kbyte of NOR ROM.

Both versions feature 8Kbyte of RAM and can address up to 16Mbyte of external memory.

Additional built-in functionality includes UART and I2C interfaces, a 10bit ADC, a program correction circuit and a 'key-on wake up' capability.

Each device is supplied in a plastic LQFP 100-pin package.

Toshiba's new microprocessor offers full compatibility with the company's other 16bit devices based on the TLCS-900/L and TLCS-900/H cores and a C compiler for program encoding.

A development environment that supports Toshiba's real time emulator (RTE) model 15 and 25 controller is also available.

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