Microchip Technology debuts world's lowest power large-memory 16-bit USB microcontroller family; only 16-bit MCU with OTG

Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, has announced the 12-member PIC24FJ256GB1 microcontroller (MCU) family, which is the lowest power (100 nA standby current) large-memory (up to 256 KB Flash and 16 KB RAM) 16-bit USB microcontroller family in the world. As the only 16-bit microcontroller family with integrated USB 2.0 device, embedded-host, dual-role and On-the-Go (OTG) functionality, the PIC24FJ256GB1 makes it cost effective and easy to add advanced USB features to embedded designs. Additionally, the integrated Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU) peripheral - along with the royalty-free mTouch Sensing Solution software development kit - enables designers to add a capacitive-touch user interface without any external components. When combined with Microchip's free Graphics Software Library, engineers have access to a complete, USB-enabled and cost-effective user interface solution.

USB embedded host functionality and capacitive-touch interfaces have become critical elements for a large number of embedded designs, driven by the demand for increased user friendliness, upgradeability and expandability. Now, applications that previously required a high-end chip can utilise the cost-effective, low-power 16-bit PIC24FJ256GB1 family to easily incorporate both advanced USB OTG and capacitive-touch functionality. Additionally, Microchip provides complete software support, via free USB class drivers and USB applications. And, the PIC24FJ256GB1 has ample code space for these advanced applications, while providing up to four UARTs, three SPI ports and three I2C ports to expand control capabilities and eliminate the space and cost of support chips.

"Not only does Microchip provide the lowest power large-memory USB 16-bit microcontrollers, but we have the only 16-bit option for adding OTG," said Mitch Obolsky, vice president of Microchip's Advanced Microcontroller Architecture Division.

Obolsky continued, "Add to that an integrated capacitive-touch peripheral, the free USB software to get up and running, QVGA graphics support and the industry's only seamless 8-/16-/32-bit toolchain, and it's easy to see why Microchip has become synonymous with MCUs among embedded designers across the globe."

Rarely are designers working on point applications, but rather complete portfolios of end products. To provide the flexibility that this design approach requires, the PIC24FJ256GB1 maintains pin, peripheral and software compatibility with Microchip's 32-bit USB microcontroller family. To further ease migration and protect tool investments, Microchip's is the only complete portfolio of 8-, 16- and 32-bit devices to be supported by a single Integrated Development Environment - the free MPLAB IDE.

Applications such as reading and writing to Flash drives, interfacing to wireless networks, and system updates are all enabled through this complete, cost-effective USB microcontroller family. Other example applications include: Industrial (manufacturing tools, data loggers, scanners, smart displays, gambling-machine peripherals, RFID readers, POS terminals, robot-controller interfaces, industrial timers, gas-flow analysers, cable-test fixtures); Medical (portable patient-monitoring equipment, analysis equipment, research-equipment automation, glucose meters); Automotive (bus diagnostic tools, vehicle trace recorders [black boxes], ultrasonic sensors, audio and entertainment equipment); Battery-Powered (sensors, portable meters and measurement equipment, security applications, remote controls, home automation); Consumer (business-card scanners, printers, white-board digitisers, voice recorders, uninterruptible power-supply systems, MP3 players, fire alarms, exercise equipment, home security systems, universal remote controls).

Microchip Technology