National Semiconductor Announces Zero-External-Component, Low-Cost Microcontroller Family.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 1996--National Semiconductor Corporation(r), a world leader in mixed signal programmable microcontrollers, analog products, and other devices for embedded applications, today announced a family of highly integrated, cost-effective, one-time-programmable (OTP) 8-bit microcontrollers. The new COP8SAx family integrates many features found externally on a typical microcontroller system, making it a complete system on a chip for most 8-bit applications. The COP8SAx family saves designers printed-circuit-board (PCB) space, manufacturing and passive component costs, while increasing reliability. This family of zero external component microcontrollers is the first solution to compete with electro-mechanical control systems cost effectively.

The COP8SAx offers full integration, with internal features such as R/C oscillator, power-on-reset (POR), pull-up resistors, schmitt-triggers and protection diodes. Designers benefit from the COP8SAx's powerful peripherals, a 16-bit timer/clock, two low power modes, wake-up on a pin-change, WATCHDOG(tm) timer and clock monitor, direct LED drive, enhanced serial interface, and the ability to fit more software in a smaller space. Low 2.7V to 5.5V operating voltage allows designers to implement intelligence in low power applications.

"A microcontroller with this level of integration offers a number of clear advantages," stated Jon Kiachian, product marketing manager. "In addition to eliminating the time required to design and assemble external components for the oscillator and reset circuit, the COP8SAx removes the added tasks of specifying, purchasing and stocking these components. A single-chip solution improves upon discrete solutions by combining the inherent reliability of an integrated device with the manufacturing simplicity of an industry-standard footprint at a significant cost savings."

The COP8SAx family also addresses software reliability issues by providing design engineers the ability to meet the recently introduced UL-1998 Safety Related Software specification from UnderWriter Lab. This standard requires applications ranging from household appliances to automotive systems to have proven reliable software.

The COP8SAx family provides the first time designer an easy introduction to developing with microcontrollers. National offers a full range of user friendly development tools including a free software simulator, a low cost Evaluation and Programming Unit ($99.00), a mid-ranged Debug Module ($699), or a full featured iceMASTER 400 ($2990) for in-circuit emulation. Software development tools have been enhanced to take advantage of the new features that can be found on this device including the C Compiler ($850) and the free COP8 Assembler/Linker/Librarian. The combination of this wide variety of tools allows the designer to pick and choose the right tool at the price they can afford.

National's patented EMI reduction technology offers low EMI circuitry, gradual turn-on drivers (GTOs) and internal Icc smoothing filters, to help circumvent many of the EMI issues influencing embedded control designs. As a result the COP8SAx has achieved a 15-20dB reduction in EMI transmissions in comparison to designs which do not incorporate this circuitry.

The COP8 8-bit microcontroller family features a range of devices based on an industry standard core architecture. Its high performance, low cost, low power core, has a 1uS instruction cycle time, and over 77% of the instructions being single byte, single cycle, offers RISC-like performance. To date, more than 500 million COP8 microcontrollers have been shipped for low, medium and high volume embedded applications in the automotive, consumer, communications, industrial controls, and office automation marketplaces.

Pricing and Availability

The COP8SAC offers 4K of EPROM program memory, 128 bytes of RAM for data memory, and 8 bytes of user storage space; it is available in 44 PLCC, 44 PQFP, 40 DIP, 28 DIP/SOIC and 20 DIP/SOIC packages. The COP8SAB device offers 2K EPROM program memory, 128 bytes of RAM, 8 bytes user storage space, and offered in 28 DIP/SOIC and 20 DIP/SOIC packages. The COP8SAA device offers 1K EPROM program memory, 64 bytes of RAM, 8 bytes user storage space, and comes in 28-pin and 20-pin DIP and SOIC packages. In the next 6 months National will be releasing the COP8SAA in the 16-pin DIP and SOIC packages. Engineering samples will be available in October, with volume production in the first quarter 1997. When the product is in production, National's Authorized Distributors worldwide will have the capability to do high-volume programming, allowing off the shelf pre-programmed devices within weeks for quick manufacturing, seasonal ramps, or code revisions.

The COP8SAB is available in a 20-pin SOIC, at a one thousand piece price of $1.86. The COPSAA will be available at less than a dollar in high volume. For more information on the COP8SAx family or other products from National, contact the Customer Response Group at 1-800-272-9959.

National Semiconductor Corporation focuses on strategic markets within the communications, personal systems, industrial and consumer markets. National Semiconductor is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has 22,400 employees worldwide.

CONTACT: Michele Holguin, 408-721-2880 (editorial)

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