MSC presents an Eclipse-based platform, the Eclipse Embedded studio (e2studio), from Renesas Electronics at embedded world 2012, Nuremberg in Hall 2, Booth 2-219 from February 28 to March 1, 2012. The e2studio is a new Eclipse C/C++ Development Toolkit (CDT) based development platform for Renesas’ RL78, RX and V850 families of microcontrollers (MCUs).

The e2studio is equipped with build phase plug-ins for compiler toolchains from Renesas, IAR, Green Hills Software and the free-of-charge KPIT Cummins GNU compilers. Alternatively, a complete open-source solution based on Eclipse can be used. Besides plug-in support for the various compilers, the Eclipse development environment also provides for each version a corresponding project management, version control and other useful productivity tools.

Debug support includes Renesas’ E1 & E20 on-chip debuggers, Renesas’ IECUBE full specification emulators and Segger J-Link debugger. The implemented GDB interface enables powerful debugging functions such as real time memory update and trace.

e2studio is available either bundled with Renesas toolchains or as a free-of-charge download from its website.

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MSC presents the U10 Multi-band WCDMA / GSM module from Quectel at embedded world 2012, Nuremberg in Hall 2, Booth 2-219 from February 28 to March 1, 2012. The U10 features a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) of 7.2 Mbps and a High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) of 5.76 Mbps.

The module, which was designed for use in HSPA, GPRS and EDGE modems and portable multimedia applications, has dimensions of only 37.7 mm x 29.9 mm x 5 mm and is based on the new MT6276 communications controller that is equipped with a 32-bit ARM1176 RISC processor.

Apart from a high-speed USB 2.0 interface and two analog audio inputs/outputs, for multimedia applications the U10 module additionally provides three UARTs, separate interfaces for SD and Dual SIM cards as well as an own interface for cameras with up to 8 megapixels resolution. Furthermore, a digital signal processor with MPEG-4, H.263 and H.264 codecs, which is integrated on the MT6276 communications controller, enables the recording and playing back of high-resolution images and videos in real-time.

A Bluetooth Host Controller that is fully compatible with the Bluetooth Specification Version 2.1 + EDR is also integrated on the module and enables data transfer rates of up to 3 Mbit/s. Furthermore, cost-effective and simple host-based GPS modules can also be controlled with the U10 via a serial connection.

Thanks to a wide operating temperature range from -40°C to +85°C, the module is suited for many applications such as security, video surveillance, vehicle tracking systems, wireless POS, connected navigation systems and internet gateways. In addition to OpenCPU, the U10 also supports a wide variety of high-performance Internet Service Protocols such as TCP/IP, PPP, UDP, FTP, HTP and MMS. The current consumption in WCDMA and GSM idle mode is approximately 2 mA.

MSC offers a complete U10 development kit for evaluation purposes. The kit includes hardware and software, debug and test tools, approvals, application notes and test reports.

Detailed information about the U10 UMTS/HSPA module is available from MSC and can be requested by sending an email to quectel@msc-ge.com

MSC now offers highly flexible, high performance Digitally Controlled Oscillators (DCXOs) from SiTime. These devices are ideally suited for use in telecommunications, wireless, networking and other applications where a high level of frequency accuracy is important.

Whereas conventional VCXOs require an external voltage to control the frequency, SiTime’s DCXO family of products enable users to digitally control the output frequency. Therefore, a pull range from ±25 ppm to ±1600 ppm (parts per million) is achieved and the frequency resolution is 1 ppb (parts per billion).

The DCXOs provide superior pull range linearity of less than 0.01% which is 1000 times better than conventional quartz crystal VCXOs. Furthermore, unlike traditional VCXOs designs, external D/A converters are not required with the use of DCXOs, resulting in a reduction of the number of components needed for the circuitry.

SiTime’s MEMS-based DCXOs provide developers with completely linear and low-noise solutions, which not only feature high accuracy and flexibility but also robustness and an unprecedented reliability.

The DCXOs come in three industry standard package sizes (3225, 5032 and 7050) and can optionally be operated with a supply voltage of 1.8 V, 2.5 V to 3.3 V. The first version, the SiT3907, is provided with LVCMOS outputs. Versions with differential outputs should come onto the market in the course of the next year.

MSC offers the RL78/G14 Group of microcontrollers (MCUs) from Renesas Electronics. The new 16-bit MCUs with enhanced real-time control functions incorporate proven on-chip peripheral functions of Renesas’ R8C MCU family and feature a current consumption of only 70 µA/MHz at 32 MHz.

Among other things, the new MCUs — which MSC will present at embedded world 2012, Nuremberg in Hall 2, Booth 2-219 from February 28 to March 1, 2012 — are equipped with three proven timer modules, which are compatible with timers that already exist in the R8C MCU family. Timer RD comprises two universal 16-bit timers capable of operating at up to 64 MHz, which thanks to their three-phase complementary pulse width modulation (PWM) function are ideal for motor control applications. Timer RG is additionally equipped with an encoder input with which direction of rotation and rotation speed can be measured. Timer RJ is also a 16-bit timer module than can generate pulses or measure pulse widths.

The RL78/G14 MCU devices integrate a data transfer controller (DTC) and event link controller (ELC), which significantly reduce the CPU load and lower current consumption. The DTC enables memory-to-memory data transfers without using the CPU. Compared to the DMA function of the RL78/G13 device, the DTC supports a larger number of transfer channels and activation sources. Furthermore, it also enables data transfers from the flash memory. The event link controller (ELC) allows direct connection between individual peripheral functions bypassing the CPU and interrupt controller. It is also possible to use the ELC to start peripheral functions when the CPU is stopped, thereby reducing current consumption of the new 16-bit MCUs even further.

In addition, among the technical features of the RL78/G14 MCUs are an 8-bit D/A converter (DAC) with two channels and two analog comparators with window function, which is already well-known from the R8C family of MCUs. The DAC can, among other things, be utilized to implement an audio playback function or to generate high-resolution voltage signals.

Through additional multiply, divide, and multiply and accumulate CPU instructions, the need to handle overflow interrupts when performing arithmetic operations is eliminated with the RL78/G14 MCUs. Furthermore, the on-chip debugging functions of the new MCUs now also support trace data for up to 256 branches, enabling more efficient system development and evaluation.

The new MCUs are available in flash ROM capacities ranging from 16 KB to 256 KB, RAM capacities from 2.5 KB to 24 KB and a total of 17 package configurations, including Quad Flat Package (QFP), compact Quad Flat Non-Leaded (QFN) package and Land Grid Array (LGA) package, with pin counts from 30 to 100 pins.

Development tools for the RL78/G14 Group include the IAR Embedded Workbench, Renesas’ E1 integrated on-chip debugging emulator and IECUBE full-function in-circuit emulator. Renesas also plans to release a Flash Programmer and Renesas Starter Kit (RSK) supporting these new MCUs.

MSC now offers the TPS-1 PROFINET IO single-chip device interface from Renesas Electronics. The TPS-1 device enables fast and cost-effective building of especially high-performance factory and machine networks.

The device, which is equipped with an integrated Ethernet switch, two MACs and two PHYs, meets PROFINET version 2.3, conformance class C, as well as PROFINET IRT and simplifies the PROFINET connection of microprocessors, microcontrollers and FPGAs via an established serial or parallel interface. Hence, processing of the PROFINET protocol, for example, is carried out entirely on the chip. Furthermore, apart from the voltage supply and a serial flash memory, no additional external components are needed for operation.

The TPS-1 product is a highly integrated single-chip device, which is specifically tailored to the requirements of compact field devices and drives, features a particularly compact design. Thanks to its BGA housing of only 15 mm x 15 mm with 1 mm pitch, a total area of just 260 mm² is required for a complete interface with RJ45 connector. Therefore, the TPS-1 device is ideal for applications such as compact modules, remote I/O devices, motor drives and other industrial peripherals.

Samples of the TPS-1 device and the related TPS-1 starter kit will be available in the first quarter of 2012. Mass production is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2012.

MSC now offers Micro Crystal’s 32.768 kHz quartz crystal, the CM7V-T1A. This quartz crystal features a high accuracy of ±10 ppm at 25°C and a package height of just 0.65 mm. The CM7V-T1A has a high-performance ceramic package and a footprint of 3.2 mm x 1.5 mm.
The CM7V-T1A is specifically designed for use in space-sensitive healthcare, industrial, telecommunications and navigation products and offers a wide temperature range from -55°C to +125°C. The device is fully compliant with the stringent AEC-Q200 quality standard for automotive applications.

With a low aging first year of ±3 ppm maximum and a high 5,000 g shock and vibration resistance, the CM7V-T1A also meets the highest expectations in terms of reliability. The device is RoHS compliant and 100% lead free.

In addition to the standard frequency of 32.768 kHz, Micro Crystal offers other frequency options upon request. The parts are delivered in tape and reel pack. Current delivery times are approximately eight weeks.

MSC now offers four new 32-bit All Flash microcontrollers (MCUs), the uPD70F3515, uPD70F3514, uPD70F3512 and the uPD70F3510 from Renesas Electronics. They feature a processing performance of up to 1024 Dhrystone MIPS.

The latest members in the V850E2M/MN4 embedded flash microcontroller family with a clock speed of up to 200 MHz have up to two built-in CPU cores and up to 2 MB of flash memory. Single-core versions have 64 KB of RAM and dual-core versions have 128 KB of RAM.

Detailed information and samples of the four new MCUs in the V850E2M/MN4 family of high-performance MCUs, which are available in a 304-pin fine pitch ball grid array (FBGA) package.

At SPS/IPC/DRIVES in hall 7, booth 290, MSC Vertriebs GmbH presents its new embedded platform MSC Q7-MB-EP4 ideal for fast development of embedded systems with the ARM processor based MSC Q7-NT2 Qseven module. The powerful baseboard is ready-to-use for small and medium production quantities and can save the customer in-house design effort.
The embedded platform MSC Q7-MB-EP4 has been designed to follow the latest version (1.20) of the Qseven specification and offers a CAN interface. It is designed for the industrial temperature range of -40 to +85°C and is therefore the ideal platform for the MSC Q7-NT2 Qseven™ module which is also available for this temperature range.

The new Qseven baseboard Q7-MB-EP4 offers a broad range of important interfaces for embedded applications like dual Gbit Ethernet, five USB 2.0 ports (four external), RS-232 (pin header), AC97 audio and SATA. The CAN signals are available via a special pin header. An ARM RS-232 Debug port for a console output simplifies Linux software development. For the integration of industry displays, the embedded platform provides LVDS via a JILI30 connector and a DVI connector. Furthermore the platform integrates a controller for the connection of a resistive touch screen and provides the power supply for a backlight.

To provide an option for added functionality of the 148 x 102mm compact motherboard, a mini PCI Express™ slot is integrated allowing the addition of e.g. a wireless LAN card. The mSATA slot provides an easy way to add a SATA based flash memory card. On top of that the baseboard can be individually configured by customers via the integrated MMC/SD card slot.

The compact MSC Q7-NT2 Qseven module is mounted via a proven MXM connection on the solder side of the MSC Q7-MB-EP4 baseboard, making it easy to thermally connect the Qseven™ heat spreader to a metal enclosure and provide fanless heat dissipation. Via the implemented direct digital interface (DDI) the digital video signals of the module are directly connected with the DVI connector.

The high-performance Qseven module MSC Q7-NT2 is based on the NVIDIA Tegra 290 low-power

processor with dual core ARM Cortex A9. The compact board consumes only 5 W typical. The onboard
ultra low-power 3D graphics controller GeForce OpenGL ES 2.0 offers a full HD resolution and supports MPEG4/H.264 video encoding (D1) and decoding (Full HD).

Thanks to its special graphics functionality, the Qseven module MSC Q7-NT2 is designed particularly for visualization applications, for example, in the medical sector and for image processing tasks. Demanding digital signage, multimedia, entertainment and Internet TV systems can also be implemented with the module. Furthermore, due to the extended temperature range, the platform is also perfect for use in industrial applications in harsh environments and for transportation applications.

In order to better serve customer demand for smaller and yet inexpensive quartz crystals, oscillators and real time clocks (RTCs) in the future and also round off its broad-based portfolio of clock generators and RTCs, MSC Vertriebs GmbH has now signed a pan-European distribution agreement with Micro Crystal AG, a Swiss company.

Micro Crystal AG, a subsidiary of The Swatch Group Inc. Switzerland, was founded in 1978 as a producer of timing crystals for the watch industry. Today, Micro Crystal AG is a leading international developer and manufacturer of miniature and particularly energy-efficient quartz crystal devices for use in a variety of consumer and industrial applications.

In addition to 32.768 kHz SMD quartz crystals, which are optionally available in metal or ceramic miniature packages, Micro Crystal AG also produces a wide range of high accuracy and low power consumption RTCs including the world’s smallest RTC with a footprint of only 3.2 mm x 1.5 mm. “Whether digitally compensated SMD RTCs with an accuracy of ±6 ppm over the temperature range -40°C to +85°C or AECQ qualified 32 kHz quartz crystals for keyless entry and keyless go systems – Micro Crystal AG has once again demonstrated that particularly small and innovative quartz crystal products must not automatically be especially expensive. For this reason, these products, which are still predominantly developed in Switzerland, are an ideal complement to our existing product portfolio,” said Rolf Aschhoff, Sales and Marketing Director Frequency Division at MSC.

For Rüdiger Altschuh, Marketing Manager Central Europe at Micro Crystal, the distribution agreement with MSC is another important milestone in the company’s sales policy. “We want to continuously increase our European market share. The support from a technically experienced and pan-European distribution partner like MSC – who is in a position to actively support customers in focus segments such as metering, healthcare, security and automotive with design-in – brings us much closer to achieving this goal,” said Rüdiger Altschuh.

MSC now offers the SiT9121 and SiT9122 MEMS-based differential oscillators from SiTime. These differential oscillators feature a high stability of up to ±10 ppm and only 500 femtoseconds of integrated RMS phase jitter. They are ideally suited for use in centralized and edge routers, SATA / SAS / Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), cloud storage systems, servers, wireless base stations and 10G Ethernet switches.

Both the SiT9121, designed for the frequency range 1 MHz to 220 MHz, and the SiT9122, for use in the high-frequency range 220 MHz to 650 MHz, are configurable to individual customer requirements. The frequency, which is programmable with up to 6 decimal places of accuracy, guarantees the highest level of accuracy.

Furthermore, 50,000 g shock resistance, 70 g vibration resistance as well as a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 500 million hours ensures the highest reliability even under harsh environmental conditions.

The differential oscillators are equipped with configurable LVPECL and LVDS signaling levels and are offered both in the extended commercial temperature range from -20°C to +70°C and in the industrial temperature range from -40°C to +85°C. The devices operate optionally with a supply voltage of 2.5 V or 3.3 V. In addition, the SiT9121 and SiT9122 are available in industry-standard packages with dimensions of 5.0 mm x 3.3 mm and 7.0 mm x 5.0 mm respectively and are 100% drop-in replacements for differential quartz oscillators without any design or layout changes.

Furthermore, as with all MEMS-based products from SiTime, the SiT9121 and SiT9122 differential oscillators feature very short lead times. As a rule, samples are shipped within 48 hours ex factory and production quantities are delivered within 3 to 5 weeks.

Mass production is planned to start in February 2012. Detailed information about the SiT9121 and SiT9122 MEMS-based differential oscillators can be requested by sending an email to frequency-sitime@msc-ge.com