Microchip Technology Quadruples Flash Microcontroller Portfolio, Shrinks Flash Memory Price Delta.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CHANDLER, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2000

Extending its leadership in field-programmable devices, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) Monday announced a comprehensive roadmap of 37 new Flash microcontrollers to enable field upgrades and Internet connectivity across hundreds of embedded applications.

The Flash product portfolio is being implemented on the company's new 0.5 micron process technology. Microchip intends to pass the cost savings onto its customers, substantially closing the price differential between Flash and one-time-programmable (OTP) memories.

"Design engineers have embraced the PICmicro(R) architecture over the years because Microchip supports all three microcontroller memory technologies -- Flash, OTP and ROM -- through consistent deliveries, seamless code migration, and development tool support to name a few," said Steve Sanghi, president and chief executive officer of Microchip.

"Today, Microchip is enhancing its field-programmable leadership by extending a very broad range of Flash, OTP and ROM product portfolios at similar pricing, allowing engineers to choose the most appropriate memory solution for their application."

Flash Microcontroller Feature Set

Microchip's 37 new PIC16FXXX and PIC18FXXX code compatible Flash microcontrollers join the company's current portfolio of 10 Flash devices which are currently shipping in volume quantities.

Every Microchip Flash device offers several industry-leading technology advantages: wide 2.0-5.5 operating voltage, integrated on-board data EEPROM down to 2.0 volts, and high endurance performance of 100,000 erase/write cycles for the data EEPROM memory.

The 37 new microcontrollers feature 1K to 64K words of Flash program memory, up to 4K bytes of data SRAM, and up to 256 bytes of data EEPROM.

Available in 8- to 84-pin configurations, these devices provide various feature sets of 10-bit, 12-channel analog-to-digital converters; power-on reset and brownout detection; comparators; capture/compare/pulse-width modulation; phase lock loop; 8x8 hardware multiply; and USB and CAN communications capability.

Innovative Self-Programming Capability

The self-programming capability enables remote upgrades to the Flash program memory and the end equipment through a variety of medium ranging from Internet and modem to RF and IRDA. Self programming is accomplished through a hardware implementation without the need for external components and without limitation on the device's operating speed or voltage.

Microchip's PICmicro Flash and OTP microcontrollers also feature In-Circuit Serial Programming(TM) (ICSP(TM)) technology, which allows the microcontroller to be programmed after being placed in a circuit board. This offers tremendous flexibility, reduces development time and manufacturing costs, and improves time to market.

ICSP technology also allows users to test and run circuit board diagnostics during the development process. Once the board is working, then the final product code can be downloaded into the system via the ICSP interface. Requiring only two I/O pins for most devices, Microchip offers the most non-intrusive programming.

The in-circuit debugging feature allows the designer to "emulate" Microchip's Flash microcontrollers without the need of an in-circuit emulator. The microcontroller itself is the "emulator." The in-circuit debugging feature utilizes the ICSP interface, allowing the user to emulate and program the microcontroller through a single interface.

The devices, when used in in-circuit debugging mode, require that two I/O pins be dedicated to debugging. These two pins are the same as the ones used for ICSP functionality. The in-circuit debugging interface also requires control of MCLR/VPP and VDD for reprogramming the device.

Flash-based microcontrollers continue to grow in usage for applications where there is an existing communication infrastructure or planned infrastructure to support remote upgrades. The Flash devices enable self-programming from a remote location.

These devices accept data from an external source via a peripheral such as the on-chip USART. It then takes this data and writes into its own program memory and does so over the entire device operating voltage and frequency range.

These new Flash devices extend Microchip's Migratable Memory(TM) technology, providing engineers with the highest design flexibility possible using PICmicro microcontrollers. Migratable Memory technology provides socket and software compatibility among all equivalent Flash, OTP and ROM memory microcontrollers in the PICmicro family.

The Migratable Memory technology allows customers to match the selection of microcontroller memory technology to the product life cycle of their application, providing an easy migration path to a lower-cost solution whenever appropriate.

Comprehensive Development Tool Suite Featuring Low-Cost In-Circuit Debugger

Microchip offers the MPLAB(R) In-Circuit Debugger (ICD) Evaluation Kit to support its Flash microcontrollers. MPLAB-ICD uses the in-circuit debugging capability of the Flash devices and ICSP technology to debug source code in the application, debug hardware in real-time and program a target Flash device.

Operating under Microchip's MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE), MPLAB-ICD offers real-time code execution, in-circuit debugging and built-in programmer. Components of the system include an in-circuit debugging module, header, demo board and MPLAB software. Pricing for MPLAB-ICD is $159.

In addition to the MPLAB-ICD Evaluation Kit, the new Flash devices are also supported by the MPLAB In-Circuit Emulator (ICE). This high-performance real-time in-circuit emulator also features the sophisticated MPLAB-IDE. Interchangeable processor modules and device adapters allow the emulator system to be easily configured to emulate different processors.

MPLAB-ICE emulates voltages as low as 2.0V and can emulate at full speed. Operating in the Microsoft Windows(R) environment, MPLAB-IDE gives users the flexibility to edit, compile and emulate all from a single user interface -- at no additional cost. Pricing for MPLAB-ICE starts at $1,995.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the 37 Flash microcontrollers is expected to range from $0.96 to $12.50 each in 10,000-unit quantities. For example, the PIC16F877A with 8K words of program memory and 256 bytes of EEPROM data memory is planned for $4.36 each in 1,000-unit quantities.

Today's announcement shows Microchip's commitment to supporting a comprehensive field-programmable microcontroller portfolio. The Flash devices will be introduced in sample and volume production quantities during the next 18 months.

Flash PowerPak

For more information, Microchip offers a free Flash PowerPak which features application notes, technical briefs, product datasheets, development systems support and much more on the company's Flash microcontrollers. Contact Microchip via the literature line at 480/786-7668, the website at www.microchip.com, or through any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor.

Microchip Technology Inc. manufactures the widely popular PICmicro(R) RISC microcontrollers which serve 8- and 16-bit embedded control applications.

Specializing in field-programmable and mixed-signal solutions, the company also offers complementary microperipheral products including stand-alone analog, interface and microID(TM) RFID devices; serial EEPROMs; and the patented KEELOQ(R) security devices.

This synergistic product portfolio targets thousands of applications and a growing demand for high-performance designs in the automotive, communications, computing, consumer and industrial control markets. The company's quality systems are ISO 9001 (1994 version) and QS9000 (1998 version) certified.

Microchip is headquartered near Phoenix in Chandler, with semiconductor fabrication facilities in both Chandler and Tempe, Ariz., and assembly and test operations near Bangkok, Thailand. Microchip employs approximately 2,600 people worldwide and has sales offices throughout Asia, Europe, Japan and the Americas.

Note: The Microchip name and logo, PIC, PICmicro, MPLAB and KEELOQ are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries. microID, Migratable Memory, ICSP and In-Circuit Serial Programming are trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.