EDNE May 2012 - (Page 8)

pulse INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS ARM targets Internet-everywhere apps with low-power core A RM has introduced a revision of its Cortex-M0+ processor. You can also use third- give it the combination of low power consumpCortex-M0 processor IP (intellectual party tools and RTOSs from CodeSourcery, tion in both active and standby states, and 32property), called Cortex-M0+, that will Code Red, Express Logic, IAR Systems, Mentor bit processing performance. It will “free powercritical designs from 8- and 16-bit MCU limienable its licensees to build microprocessor Graphics, Micrium and SEGGER. NXP has announced that it is a lead partner, tations”, the company says, adding that it has and microcontroller cores with very low power consumption. ARM envisages that you will use licensing the M0+: Freescale has gone one included ease-of-use features for entry-level products built with the core for applications step further and named the chip series that it designs to ease barriers to developers considsuch as sensor networks with distributed intel- will build with the core; the Kinetis L Series, with ering 32-bit solutions. Features in the ARM core design that ligence, and “smart” control systems in home a schedule to sample silicon mid-2012. As a appliances, white goods, medical monitor- lead partner in the core development, Freescale Freescale cites as contributing to L-series performance include; a reduced twoing, metering, lighting and power and stage pipeline, allowing faster branch motor control devices. First licensees instruction execution; the single-cycle for the core include Freescale and access to I/O and critical peripherNXP. als, and optimised access to program Claiming it to be the “most energymemory; and the linear 4 GB address efficient microprocessor”, ARM says space that removes the need for pagthat the core will use 9µA/MHz when ing, reducing software complexity and a semiconductor company builds it in ensuring a more 8-bit-like user exa low-power 90-nm process, and asperience. The Micro trace buffer proserts that this is “around one third of vides a low-cost trace solution that althe energy of any 8- or 16-bit proceslows faster bug identification and corsor available today, while delivering rection without the need for additional significantly higher performance”. I/O resources. As with other Kinetis The core develops the M0 prochips, Freescale will enable developcessor, with single-cycle IO to speed ment under the CodeWarrior IDE, with access to GPIO and peripherals, imMQX RTOS. proved debug and trace capability Among the third-party tool venand a 2-stage pipeline to reduce the dors, IAR Systems has extended its number of cycles per instruction (CPI) optimising C/C++ compiler and deand improve Flash accesses, further bugger tool suite IAR Embedded reducing power consumption. It uses Workbench to support the M0+ core, the same programming model as the M0. ARM’s Cortex-M0+ core IP aims to further displace 8- and and Freescale’s Kinetis L series. Flash memory size, IAR observes, is a key The Cortex-M0+ processor is sup- 16-bit microcontrollers from low-power applications factor in determining system cost ported from launch by the ARM Keil Microcontroller Development Kit, which inte- says it contributed to the core design, especial- and power consumption; it says that its comgrates the ARM compilation tools with the Keil ly in areas such as I/O handing and debug sup- piler produces extremely compact code. In the µVision IDE and debugger. MDK together with port. Freescale will build the L-series on its low- case of the M0 microcontrollers, it claims code the ULINK family of debug adapters now sup- leakage, 90-nm thin film storage (TFS) pro- generated is overall 30% smaller in standard ports the new trace features available in the cess technology; this, the company says, will benchmarks than for open-source alternatives. 8 EDN EUROPE | MAY 2012 www.edn-europe.com http://www.edn-europe.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of EDNE May 2012

Cover
Contents
International Rectifier
RS Components
Masthead
Comment
International Rectifier
Pulse
Analog Devices
Toshiba
Digi-key
Bergquist
Baker's best
Test & Measurement
Agilent Technologies
Digi-key
Audio-converter-subsystem design challenges in the 21st century
Coilcraft
Silicon Labs
Digi-key
Cover Story
Digi-key
Sensor & Test
Mechatronics in design
Vicor's insert
Understand and reduce dc/dc-switching-converter ground noise
Power MOSFETs continue to evolve
Design Idea
Product Roundup
Tales from the cube

EDNE May 2012