Freescale 16 b MCU Family Targets Cost-Sensitive Instrument Cluster Applications

November 17, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

The new S12HY family combines 16 b performance with the optimal on-chip features for cost-sensitive dashboard applications in emerging automotive markets, Freescale said.

The S12HY MCUs provide on-chip integration to enable the migration from mechanical tools still used in emerging markets to modern electromechanical instrument clusters.

Because the devices offer a high degree of on-chip integration, they reduce system costs by minimizing the need for separate components, Freescale said.

An integrated liquid crystal display (LCD) driver supports up to 160 segments for LCD-based instrument clusters.

The devices' on-chip stepper motor controller can drive up to four gauges, providing step-by-step control for speedometers, tachometers and other analog gauges. The MCUs also feature a controller area network (CAN) module that simplifies data communications between the engine and dashboard cluster.

The S12HY devices offer up to 64 KB of on-chip flash memory for nonvolatile program storage, as well as 4 KB of flash memory for data storage with error correction code (ECC) technology.

"We have tailored the S12HY MCUs to meet the sweet spot of the entry-level automotive market in rapidly emerging markets, such as China and India," said Kevin Klein, global automotive MCU marketing manager at Freescale.

"Why should automotive developers have to choose costlier solutions containing more features than they need? Our S12HY MCUs offer an optimal set of on-chip features and package and memory options that developers need for cost-sensitive dashboard designs - no more and no less than what's required to design a basic electronic instrument cluster," Klein said.

The S12HY family is available in two low-profile quad flat package (LQFP) options (from 64 to 100 pins) that can be used for cost- and space-constrained cluster designs. The family also offers a migration path to S12X devices, enabling developers to scale their designs as their flash memory and performance requirements increase.

S12HY MCU features include:

• HCS12 central processing unit (CPU) core with 32 MHz bus.
• On-chip memory.
• Up to 64 KB flash with ECC.
• 4 KB data flash with ECC.
• 4 KB static random access memory (SRAM).
• Integrated LCD driver, configurable up to 40 x 4 (160 segments total).
• Stepper motor controller with up to four gauge drivers.
• Multi-scalable controller area network (MSCAN) module (supporting CAN 2.0A/B).
• Phase locked loop (PLL) frequency multiplier with internal filter.
• Two timer modules with input/output (I/O) channels that provide a range of 16 b input capture, output compare, counter and pulse accumulator functions.
• Pulse width modulation (PWM) module with up to eight 8 b channels.
• Up to eight-channel, 10 b resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC)
• Serial peripheral interface (SPI) module.
• Serial communication interface (SCI) module supporting local interconnect network (LIN) 2.0, 2.1 and SAE J2602 communications.
• Inter-integrated circuit (I2C) module.
• On-chip voltage regulator (VREG) for regulation of input supply and internal voltages.
• 64-pin and 100-pin LQFP.

Freescale plans to offer samples of the S12HY MCUs to selected customers in December 2008.

Source: Freescale Semiconductor Inc.