Micronas has added the CDC 3217G and CDC 3257G to its CDC 32xxG family of 32-bit microcontrollers for automotive applications. Like other members of the family, the new MCUs are based on a 32-bit ARM7TDMI® RISC processor core. The new chips also feature a device lock module that prevents unauthorized Flash access.
The CDC 3217G expands the high end of the family, with 1 MB of Flash and 32 KB of RAM on chip, plus four CAN bus controllers. The CDC 3257G extends 32-bit power to lower-cost applications, with 256 KB of Flash, 12 KB of RAM, and two CAN bus controllers. Both chips include peripherals such as multifunction ports, a special function ROM, and a sound generator. They also provide two UARTs, two SPI and two I²C interfaces, and up to 102 pins of general purpose I/O.
"Volkswagen was the first of several major manufacturers to design in the CDC 32xxG family in several high-volume platforms, most recently the newly launched Passat,” said Peter Zimmermann, sales & market manager, automotive at Micronas. "CDC 3257G controllers will soon be found in a major U.S. platform.”
The CAN bus controllers in each MCU support all 32 message objects with 512 bytes of dedicated RAM each, and are compliant to the Bosch V2.0B specifications. “The availability of four CAN bus controllers on-chip enables the dashboard controller to work as a gateway controller,” Zimmermann said. “Gateways typically process data to and from the engine controller, the radio/multimedia unit and the ABS module.”
Both devices feature a dedicated module to display information on an LCD panel up to 192 segments (48 x 4) without any additional hardware. The chips operate from a single 5 V power supply and can work down to 3.5 V, fulfilling the special requirements of automotive manufacturers. They are specified for a temperature range between –40 °C and +105 °C. Both devices are offered in a 128-pin PQFP and are sampling now.