High Performance MCU in Only 2x2 Mm2 from Silicon Labs

27th May 2009

ES Admin

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Silicon Laboratories has announced the expansion of its best-in-class small form factor microcontrollers (MCUs) with the C8051T606 low cost 8-bit mixed-signal MCU. The world’s smallest MCU, the C8051T606 provides a high degree of functional density for programmable embedded systems in a tiny 2x2 mm2 footprint. The high-performance CPU enables greater design flexibility, and the integration of a voltage monitor and precision oscillator make the T606 ideal for space-constrained applications such as portable consumer products and accessories, gateways, and LED lighting.

The T606 offers higher levels of performance and integrated on-chip hardware peripherals giving customers design flexibility while reducing system complexity and cost. For example, the hardware implementation of I2C and UART on-chip leaves valuable code space for customer application code unlike competing solutions that require a software implementation of these features, wasting code space and CPU MIPs. An integrated 24.5 MHz precision internal oscillator and flexible UART baud rate generator allow UART communications over the full temperature and supply voltage range without the addition of a crystal. This saves cost, board space, and increases reliability.

Additionally, with a 25 MHz CPU, the T606 offers the highest level of processing power in its class, enabling real-time control, high-speed serial communication, fast interrupt servicing, and real time conversion between two different communications ports. The CPU combined with the programmable counter array (PCA) also allows a customer to implement proprietary and custom interface protocols without requiring an ASIC.

“Silicon Labs offers small footprint MCU solutions that don’t compromise on important features and performance, providing customers tangible benefits in the form of system cost savings, reduced complexity and improved design flexibility,” said Mark Thompson, vice president of Silicon Laboratories. “The T606 is the industry’s smallest 8-bit MCU, packing a powerful mixed signal feature set into a very small footprint.”