NXP’s $3 500 MHz Cortex-M7
11
Jan
2021
NXP and Dialog stole the show this month with on one side, Dialog’s most advanced wireless MCU (including a dual core Cortex-M33 and Cortex-M0+) and on the other, NXP continuing to please us with low-cost Flashless sub $3 and $6 Cortex-M7 parts running at respectively 500MHz and 1GHz. What more can we ask for?
Let’s not forget Microchip who is sneaking a Cortex-M0+ under a PIC32 skin. For all of us who thought PIC32 prefixes meant MicroActiv or M4k cores…
Dialog released the SmartBond™ DA1469x family, Dialog’s most advanced, feature rich range of multi-core microcontroller units for wireless connectivity. This is the first Cortex-M33-based family as Dialog has mostly relied on Cortex-M0 and M0+ until now – all products of the family include both a Cortex-M0+ and a Cortex-M33.
The family consists of 4 parts increasing in features:
- DA14691: 384kB RAM, USB
- DA14695: 512kB RAM, adds LCD, charger and Quad SPI
- DA14697: 512kB RAM, adds White LED, LRA/ERM (haptic actuators)
- DA14699: 512kB RAM, adds a motor controller
The DA1669x has a configurable MAC with support for proprietary 2.4 GHz and BLE 5.2 protocols, opening up new possibilities such as accurate positioning for Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) and low latency communication exchange for applications like gaming.
Finally, the DA1469x family features a PMU eliminating the need for a separate PMIC and reducing the overall system size.
No change.
Microchip had over 160 new OPN this month all across the board (and removed 90 of them too):
- The PIC24FJ GP2/GU2 family offers 32 and 64KB of ECC Flash, 8KB of RAM, along with several core independent peripherals (CIPs) and Full Speed USB 2.0 Host/Device/OTG. (~80 parts)
- ATSAMC/D, a couple dozen additions, but no new family
- ATtiny1624: AVR® CPU with hardware multiplier – running at up to 20MHz and with 16 KB Flash, 2 KB SRAM and 256 bytes of EEPROM in a 14-pin TSSOP and SOIC packages. The family uses the latest Core Independent Peripherals with low power features including Event System, intelligent analog and advanced peripherals (~20 parts).
- We did not really this one coming: a PIC32 device with a Cortex-M core…
PIC32CM series of 5V Cortex-M0+ devices is designed for consumer, commercial, industrial and automotive applications in noisy environments. These products feature robust communications peripherals including the SERCOM module and LIN, along with advanced motor control peripherals.
This family supports the IEC 61508 (SIL 2/3) Functional Safety standard. (~20 parts)
If you have insight into the meanders of the Microchip product taxonomy, please contact us at support@keremi.com.
No change.
No change.
NXP introduced the i.MXRT1024 between the i.MXRT1021 and the i.MX1051. It is a low cost flashless Cortex-M7 based MCU running at 500MHz and priced around $3@10k.
The second family – i.MXRT117x – complements at the top of the range the i.MXRT group. It features the same Cortex-M7 with an optional Cortex-M4 running at respectively up to 1 GHz and 400 MHz. The top of the line features 2MB of RAM, 3 Ethernet ports, 2 USB and 3 CAN FD with a MIPI LCD interface and a 2D GPU. The beast cost less than $5.6@10k.
Renesas launched in the RA family (Cortex-M) the RA4M3 group. Based on the Cortex-M33 core, it uses a 40nm process for IoT applications requiring vast communication options, future proof security, large embedded RAM, and low active power consumption down to 119µA/MHz running the CoreMark® algorithm from Flash. The 100MHz Arm Cortex-M33 features:
- 512kB to 1MB Flash memory and 64kB SRAM with parity and 64kB SRAM with ECC
- 8kB Data Flash to store data as in EEPROM
- 64-pin to 144-pin packages
- Capacitive touch sensing unit (CTSU)
- USB 2.0 Full Speed
- CAN 2.0B
- Quad SPI
- SCI (UART, Simple SPI, Simple I2C)
- SPI/I2C multi-master interface
- SDHI and MMC
Overall, 27 parts were added (some of them were in the RA2L1 announced last month).
On the RL78 front, Renesas beefed up the Rl78/G13, G12, G1P families with new variants of existing products, in total 146 products.
Similarly for RX, the RX110, RX130, RX210, RX230, RX23E, RX23W, RX62T, RX63 got over 300 new part numbers.
No changes.
Cypress added 25 variants to the existing CY8C40/41 and CY8C42.
ST unveiled a handful of variants across the board.
TI disclosed a few new products in the SimpleLink family, in particular the CC1312R, a Cortex-M4 Sub-GHz wireless MCU with 352kB Flash .
Secure Cortex-M Cores get broader adoption
07
Dec
2020
Cortex-M23 and Cortex-M33 continue to gain ground across the industry, from Cypress/Infineon to Nuvoton and Renesas who unveiled new product families, based on the secure cores. It is comforting that the industry and the market are taking the right steps to minimize the risk of cyber attacks.
No change.
No change.
Microchip had 168 new OPN this month all across the board:
- ATMEGA, ATSAMC21 and DSPIC33C/E had a few dozen automotive-grade parts
- AVR128DB, a couple dozen additions, but no new family
- 80 new OPN in PIC18 are part of a newish, should we call it “series”: the Q. It is declined into Q40/41/83/84 (the Q10 and Q43 were already there), and is an interesting bunch since they span across the PIC18F04/05/06(all new)/14(existing)/15/16(new)/26/27(existing).
- Q10: Closed Loop Control with Configurable Logic Cells
- Q40: Robust MCUs for Compact Embedded Designs
- Q41: Microcontrollers for Improved Sensor Interface Designs
- Q43: Optimized Performance and Versatility for Hardware Customization
- Q83: There doesn’t seem to be a dedicated page and the reference guide points to a URL that creates an internal server error… (HTTP500). Hope they can fix it soon.
- Q84: Combine CAN Flexible Data-Rate (FD) and Core Independent Peripherals
If you have insight into the meanders of the Microchip product taxonomy, please contact us at support@keremi.com.
No change.
Nuvoton had 30 products out this month with 2 brand new series, the M251/2, based on a Cortex-M23 core and focused on industrial control applications. It runs up to 48 MHz with up to 256/32 KB Flash/SRAM. Here are some notable features:
- 1.8V to 5.5V input voltage range, -40℃ to 105℃ temperature range, from 20 pins to 128 pins, and 5 power modes with VBAT support, 138 μA/MHz in normal run mode. Power-down mode current with RTC on is down to 2.5 μA and Deep power-down current is less than 1.4 μA.
- up to eight channels of Nuvoton Patented Programmable Serial I/O (PSIO), with support for such as DMX512, HDQ, 1-wire, Microwire, and programmable encoder
- up to 16-channel 12-bit 880 kSPS SAR ADC, one Operational Amplifier (OPA), one 12-bit 1 MSPS voltage type DAC, and two rail-to-rail analog comparator (ACMP)
- built-in eXecute-Only-Memory (XOM) region, and four Memory Protection Unit (MPU) , 96-bit UID and 128-bit UCID ( Unique Customer Identification ), safety library for IEC-60730 compliance
NXP introduced the LPC550x/S0x, a low cost Cortex-M33 variant in the LPC5500 series. S is the secure version. These all run at 96MHz with Flash/SRAM from 64-256/48-96 kB. The S versions get CAN FD, and a number of secure features while the regular versions only get a regular CAN 2.0.
NXP also got a few new variants of the i.MXRT (Cortex-M7 running at 600+MHz).
In the RL78 family, there were a few updates, primarily in the G1F (BLDC motor control) series.
Last week, Renesas announced the ultra low power RA2L1 group, a Cortex-M23 based group.
20 new RA2L1 running at up to 48 MHz target home appliance, industrial and building automation, medical and healthcare, and consumer human-machine-interface (HMI) IoT applications.
The RA2L1 MCUs includes capacitive touch sensing, Flash up to 256 kB. The RA2L1 MCU was certified with an EEMBC® ULPMark™ score of 304 at 1.8V.
An interesting feature is the advanced capacitive touch IP. For example, it supports sensing through acrylic or glass panels more than 10 mm thick, which is enough for use in household equipment with thick doors or partitions. It also implements proximity sensing (hovering) and 3D gestures. This accommodates hygiene or safety limitations. The RA2L1’s capacitive touch noise tolerance meets the requirements of IEC EN61000-4-3 level 4 (radiated) and EN61000-4-6 level 3 (conducted) to assure reliable operation with minimal sensing errors.
No changes.
Cypress added 18 variants to the existing CY8C40/41/61 and CY9AF.
ST unveiled 20 new products across the board, mostly new pin/package and flash size combinations.
TI disclosed a few new products in the F2838 family (delfino).
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