Embedded Processor Watch

Editor: Jim Turley

In This Issue:

• Siemens Microcontrollers Get One-Time Programmable ROM
• Weird Product of the Week: Minnow
• Industry Resources: Copper On the Rise
• New Embedded IC Announcements

Siemens Microcontrollers Get One-Time Programmable ROM

Siemens Semiconductor has added six variants to its line of 8-bit and 16-bit microcontrollers that have OTP (one-time programmable) ROM, allowing user customization. These chips, which are available now, supplement Siemens' existing line of mask-programmed microcontrollers.

Five of the six new devices come from Siemens' C500 family of 8-bit chips; the sixth one is a 16-bit C164-class device. Basically, the new 8-bitters are OTP versions of the C501G, C504, C505CA, C513, and C515C. The new C505L has an on-chip LCD controller and driver; the C504 has 16K of memory and a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller; the C505CA has 32K of memory and a CAN 2.0B interface. All six chips are aimed at consumer, industrial and automotive applications including washing machines, digital terminals, satellite receivers, and video recorders. More information is at http://www.smi.siemens.com/embedded.

While 8-bit microcontrollers might not be glamorous, they sell in enormous volumes, with more than one billion units shipping every year. In this market, cost is usually the most important characteristic, so mask-programmed parts generally prevail. But Siemens, like Microchip, Dallas Semi, and other microcontroller makers, has found that many customers value the flexibility of programmable or reprogrammable parts for moderate-volume applications. In these instances, customers are willing to pay a little extra for the option to program their own parts late in the product's development cycle.

Weird Product of the Week: Minnow

I-Bus (http://www.ibus.com) has announced the Minnow, the inevitable companion to the company's Guppy (see Embedded Processor Watch #10). Like Guppy, Minnow is a small printed-circuit board that allows two computers to share one peripheral, in this case, an IDE CD-ROM drive. The board consists of little other than three IDE connectors (one for each PC and one for the CD-ROM drive), a few buffers, and some silkscreen. I-Bus believes Minnow can be used to allow two PCs to share one enclosure, thereby saving space and "permitting greater density and system redundancy."

Industry Resources: Copper On the Rise

Use of "the world's oldest known metal" is on the rise, according to Business Communications Company, Inc., the publishers of "RLGB-217: The Copper Revolution in Semiconductors: Market Opportunities in Materials and Equipment." This weighty tome forecasts a 27% growth rate for copper-related processing equipment between now and 2003, with sales dominated by electroplate and chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) gear.

Copies of the report sell for $3,450. For more information, or to order, contact BCC (Norwalk, Conn.) at 203.853.4266 or http://www.buscom.com.

New Embedded IC Announcements

S8401, S8501 (AMCC) High-definition serial digital interface transmitter/receiver chip set for HDTV complies with SMPTE 292M; for compressors, editors, others. Price: $160/100; Samples: Now; Production: 1Q99; Call AMCC at 619.535.4260.

S8301 (AMCC) High-definition serial digital interface retimer for HDTV applications handles port bypass and signal retiming on 1.5-Gbps HDTV signals. Price: $110/100; Production: Now; Call AMCC at 619.535.4260.

IMP525 (IMP) Electroluminescent lamp driver IC uses a single 1.5-V supply, with power-saving features; for cellular telephone and pager applications. Price: $0.80/1,000; Production: Now; Call IMP at 408.434.1467.

MB86342B (Fujitsu) Dolby Digital 5.1-channel decoder provides SRS TruSurround processing in addition to AC-3 and ProLogic functions. Price: $8.90/10,000; Production: Now; Call Fujitsu at 800.866.8608.

M61040FP (Mitsubishi) Analog control circuit for lithium-ion batteries can be installed in battery pack; controls charging and discharge of batteries. Price: $3.50/1; Samples: Now; Production: 1Q99; Call Mitsubishi at 408.774.3191