RS Components and Renesas Electronics Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corporation, the world’s number one supplier of microcontrollers (MCUs) and a leading provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, have signed a joint distribution agreement with the purpose to offer online sampling services to the engineering community.

Under the terms of the agreement which commenced on 5 April, RS will be offering online services to supply customers across Europe with newly introduced products in the Renesas microcontroller range as well as useful resources such as datasheets, demos and application notes. Samples will be delivered within 24 hours to meet the urgent requirements of design engineers and small batch production buyers.

In addition to enabling customers to purchase Renesas samples, RS will later offer all parts in the Renesas Electronics product portfolio, comprising microcontrollers, SoCs, as well as analogue and power devices, together with supporting development tools.

Fred Knowles, Head of Product Management – Electronics at RS Components said, “Renesas Electronics is ranked top of the league of microcontroller suppliers and this agreement with a first-class semiconductor vendor underlines our commitment to provide engineers with the utmost quality and selection of products for their designs.”

Achim Mescher, Director of Sales Distribution Europe at Renesas Electronics Europe added, “In order to optimise our sampling services, and to enhance our Ecommerce platform for the European customer base, we have decided to enter a partnership with RS Components. RS Components operates a highly efficient distribution service throughout Europe, and we are convinced that RS Components is the right partner to complement our current distribution network in Europe. RS Components’ outstanding Ecommerce expertise combined with their active support for designers and the company’s unrelenting dedication to new product introductions motivated us to appoint RS as a distribution partner for our European electronics business.”

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MSC now offers 12 new high-performance RX631 microcontrollers (MCUs) in 64- and 48-pin packages from Renesas Electronics. The new devices are particularly suited for compact and cost-sensitive industrial and consumer applications.

The MCUs are provided with 256 KB, 384 KB or 512 KB flash memory and achieve up to 165 DMIPS processing power at 100 MHz operation. At the same time, the new MCUs offer users a wide range of communication, timer and analog peripherals including USB 2.0 full-speed channel (Host, Device and OTG), CAN interface, 12 A/D converter channels, a 10-bit D/A converter and a real-time clock (RTC).

Furthermore, the RX631 derivatives that come in a 64-pin LQFP package, provide a six-channel multi-function timer pulse unit 2 (MTU2) with complementary six-phase PWM, a six-channel timer pulse unit (TPU), a four-channel compare match timer (CMT), a four-channel timer (TMR) and dual watchdog timers. The RX631 derivatives also feature numerous serial data communication channels, six SCI, two SPI, and one I2C. Four channels of DMA and a Data Transfer Controller make it easy to handle transfers with peripherals and ensure efficient use of the CPU.

Many functional enhancements were made to reduce system costs and power consumption, including a Vbat pin for connection to a coin cell or super cap to automatically power the RTC and a tamper-detection system within the RTC to time stamp and store an intrusion event from three different, independent sources. The RX631 MCUs also feature an on-chip temperature sensor, on-chip 50 MHz oscillator to boot up a system at high speed and on-chip voltage reference for the A/D and D/A converters. Furthermore, thanks to an on-chip data flash with up to 100000 erase cycles and finer write/erase granularity at just 2-byte write and 32-byte erase, the need for an external EEPROM device is eliminated.

Developers are provided with a wide variety of hardware and software tools for design-in of the new RX631 MCUs. For example, the popular High-Performance Embedded Workshop (HEW) integrated development environment (IDE) from Renesas Electronics, which supports the low-cost E1 JTAG on-chip debugging tool as well as the comprehensive E20 high-speed trace on-chip debugging tool. The HEW IDE and Renesas Electronics’ C/C++ compiler come with unlimited use for 60 days, and then the compiler size is limited to 128 KB thereafter.

Over the last few years, the Eclipse C/C++ Development Toolkit (CDT) has become increasingly popular. Therefore, MSC also offers its customers the Eclipse Embedded studio (e2studio), an Eclipse environment supported by Renesas Electronics. The e2studio is available as a packet together with the RX compiler from Renesas Electronics.

Samples of the new RX631 MCUs, which are pin-to-pin and software compatible with others in the RX631 MCU Group, are available now.

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MSC now offers two new high-speed optocouplers, the PS9123 and the PS9324, from Renesas Electronics. The new optocouplers feature a high communication bandwidth of 10 Mbit/s, a maximum isolation voltage of 5 kVrms and an extended operating temperature range from -40°C to +100°C for the PS9123 series and up to 110°C for the PS9324 series.

The PS9324 series has an open collector output and the maximum propagation delay time is specified as 75 ns at 25°C. The PS9123 series comes with a totem pole output, offering shorter propagation delay times as low as 65 ns at 25°C. The maximum pulse width distortion |tPHL tPLH| is less than 35 ns for the PS9324 series and less than 50 ns for the PS9123 series.

Furthermore, for operation in noisy industrial environments, the new high-performance optocouplers have an internal shield providing a common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) of minimum 15 kV/µs and typical values of 20 kV/µs.

The PS9324 optocouplers come in a small 6-pin shrink dual inline package (SDIP). The small package reduces the mounting space by 50 percent compared to a conventional 8-pin DIP package while guaranteeing a maximum isolation voltage of 5 kVrms and achieving a minimum creepage current distance of 8 mm (PS9324L2). The PS9123 is delivered in a 5-pin small outline package (SOP), allowing space saving designs.

The PS9123 series and the PS9324 series are optically-coupled high-speed isolators containing an integrated signal processing circuit and can be operated from a 2.7 V to 5.5 V supply voltage. Furthermore, the new devices comply with international safety standards such as UL, CSA and VDE (optional), making them ideally suited for applications in harsh industrial environments such as factory automation, measurement equipment and motor-control.

Samples of the new PS9123 and PS9324 series of optocouplers are available now.

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With the new PS9402 Rutronik offers the first intelligent IGBT (integrated insulated gate bipolar transistor) drive optocoupler with integrated IGBT protection functions from Renesas. The PS9402 comprises a gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) LED as the light emitting element and a light receiving IC. It is designed to drive IGBTs used in inverter devices for purposes such as motor control or solar power conversion.

The PS9402 simplifies system design and contributes to greater compactness by integrating the protection circuit that previously had to be added as an external component. The integrated IGBT protection circuit providing functionality such as under voltage lock out protection with hysteresis, desaturation detection and soft turn-off function, fault feedback and auto-reset function and an Active Miller clamp circuit. Its 16-pin SOP package has 8mm outer creepage distance and 8mm air distance. Other key features of the IGBT drive optocoupler are an output currents of 2.5A (max) and 2A (min), high Speed switching (tpHL , tpLH ≤ 200 ns), reduced supply current of 3mA (max), high common mode rejection (CMR) of 25kV/μs (min) and an extended operating temperature range of -40 to 110 degC.

It is conform with the safety standards UL, CSA, DIN-EN 60747-5-2 (VDE 0884 part 2) and is compatible to ACPL-332J.

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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 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 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.

First in market partnership with Renesas Electronics ensures comprehensive range of products for design engineers in China

RS Components (RS) the world’s leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products and the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), today announced a new partnership with Renesas Electronics China to enhance support for samples and tools leveraging the RS online platform. Under this partnership, RS customers will benefit from a more comprehensive range of Renesas products, providing more choices for design engineers. The partnership will also ensure shorter order fulfilment and faster speed to market.

To meet the needs of customers in China, RS has consistently introduced local initiatives to improve speed to market and increase productivity for local engineers. Last year, RS China implemented Alipay on its fully-transactional website for an integrated online buying experience and, in April, RS opened a new warehouse in Shanghai to provide an extensive and fully stocked inventory of over 135,000 product lines.

CM Lim, Head of Electronics, Asia Pacific at RS Components, said, “We’re very happy to be the preferred choice for Renesas China for its online initiative. We are confident that with our multiple ordering channels and assurance of next day delivery to 200 cities in China, we can bring more benefits to our customers, such as accessibility to a broader product range and increased speed to market.”

RS currently offers over 1,000 Renesas products, including microcontrollers and processors, development kits, optoelectronics, and peripheral components. The improved product range is targeted to be the widest range of Renesas offerings amongst high service distributors in the country. The partnership will enhance the RS online offering, incorporating an option for Renesas customers to request product samples, including MCU and OCD, to support their research and design process.

“With China’s customers becoming more technology-savvy, many of them are looking to do their purchases online. We have chosen to work with RS Components because of its robust online platform, and we are confident of its promise of fast next day delivery service to our customers in China. Renesas is the world’s number 1 MCU supplier: it already has a big share of the China market (23.5% in CY2010 Bill-To-Sales source: Isuppli). Our EasyGo online solution coupled with RS Components’ online capabilities provides a convenient one stop shop, reducing design lead times for our customers in China,” said Daryl Khoo, Director, MCU Products Centre, Mainland China and Hong Kong, Renesas Electronics.

“With this partnership, customers can now easily access our comprehensive and competitive line up of microcontrollers and tools through our reference designs, which also leads them to our other product lines,” Daryl Khoo continued.

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Avnet Memec, a division of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT) has confirmed a new pan-European distribution agreement with Renesas Electronics, following the merger between Renesas Technology Corporation and NEC Electronics. The agreement makes Avnet Memec a key distribution partner for the entire portfolio of Renesas microcontrollers and system-on-chip, analogue and power products throughout the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

Having partnered with NEC Electronics for more than 25 years, Avnet Memec sees the new agreement as recognition of its successful performance throughout that period, penetrating key vertical markets such as industrial automation, building & home automation, and telecommunications. The company expects to strengthen its position as it delivers the expanded range of Renesas Electronics products to its customers.

Avnet Memec marks its fifth anniversary this year, and is looking forward to celebrating with the launch of Renesas’ five-core microcontroller strategy. The five-core strategy unifies the leading-edge microcontroller technologies making up the new Renesas portfolio, which span 8-bit to 32-bit processor architectures and support numerous microcontroller peripheral functions, connectivity options, low-voltage/low-power variants, and package configurations.

“We at Avnet Memec look forward to championing Renesas’ five-core strategy, and to maximising synergies with other product groups such as ASICs, USB devices, opto-transceivers, Ethernet PHYs and analogue products,” said Jon Ellis, Vice-President Technical Marketing, Avnet Memec Europe. “We relish the challenge of building on Renesas’ number one position in microcontrollers, and to becoming the leading performer in all product groups by working with our customers throughout Europe.”

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