Microchip Technology Delivers Six dsPIC 16-bit Digital Signal Controllers for High-Performance Motor Control Applications.

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, today announced that it has begun volume production of six dsPIC(R) 16-bit Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) that offer designers performance speeds of 20 and 30 Million Instructions Per Second (MIPS), self-programming capabilities via Flash memory and industrial and extended temperature ranges. These high-performance features make the six DSCs ideal for motor control applications that require higher precision, higher-speed operation or sensorless control.

Microchip's dsPIC DSC combines the high performance of a 16-bit Flash microcontroller with the computation and throughput capabilities of a digital signal processor. The dsPIC DSCs have the "heart" of a 16-bit microcontroller with robust peripherals and fast interrupt handling capability and the "mind" of a digital signal processor that manages high-computation activities, creating the optimum single-chip solution for embedded system designs. This allows designers to integrate functions to save board space.

"The 16-bit dsPIC(R) DSC seamlessly integrates Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capabilities and microcontroller functionality in a single core. Microchip has pioneered this new emerging field of DSC with its ground-breaking dsPIC DSC family," said Sumit Mitra, vice president of Microchip's Digital Signal Controller Division.

Microchip's Enhanced Flash self-programming capability features a remote upgrade to the Flash program memory allowing code revisions in end-users' applications. These combinations of features provide flexibility, reduced development time, increased manufacturing efficiency and faster time to market.

The dsPIC30F2010 has 12K bytes of Enhanced Flash memory in a 28-pin SOIC and SPDIP package. It is ideal for controlling a motor using advanced algorithm. The dsPIC30F2010 and the dsPIC30F6010 both have a motor-control Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) module and a 500 KSPS 10-bit analog-to-digital converter. This makes them ideal for controlling motors of various kinds, such as 3-phase AC Induction Motors, 3-phase Brushless DC Motors, and Switched Reluctance Motors. The dsPIC30F6010 has 144K bytes of Enhanced Flash memory and 8K bytes of Static RAM to handle large motor control applications.

The dsPIC30F6011, dsPIC30F6012, dsPIC30F6013 and dsPIC30F6014 have 132K to 144K bytes of Enhanced Flash and 6K to 8K bytes of Static RAM to support large and complex applications. These products incorporate a CODEC interface and a 12-bit, 100 KSPS analog-to-digital converter that is suitable for a variety of applications.

These devices are equipped with an array of on-chip functions, including input capture, output compare and communication modules, such as UART, SPI(TM) interface and I2C(TM) interface.

Development Tools, Application Libraries and Reference Designs

All dsPIC30F DSCs are supported by Microchip's high-performance development systems, including: MPLAB(R) Integrated Development Environment (IDE), MPLAB C30 C Compiler, MPLAB SIM 30 Software Simulator, MPLAB ICD 2 In-Circuit Debugger, and MPLAB ICE 4000 In-Circuit Emulator. The dsPIC DSC family offers a complete solution with a vast array of application libraries, including:

--Single and double precision math library

--DSP algorithm library

--Motor control reference design

--RTOS

--TCP/IP library

--Software modem library

Availability

The dsPIC30F2010, dsPIC30F6010, dsPIC30F6011, dsPIC30F6012, dsPIC30F6013 and dsPIC30F6014 are available today in samples and volume production. For pricing or additional information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip's Web site at www.microchip.com/dspic.

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Ariz., Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip Web site at www.microchip.com.

Note: The Microchip name and logo, dsPIC and MPLAB are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the United States and other countries. I2C is a trademark of Philips Corp. SPI is a trademark of Motorola. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

Note: Pricing and photo available through editorial contact.