Digital Signal Controllers Address Motion Apps

Promising ease of use for motor-control applications, the dsPICxxx digital-signal controllers combine a 16-bit flash microcontroller, peripherals and a DSP on a single chip. Eight devices in all, they feature six- or eight-channel PWM control, a 10-bit, 500 ksamples/s a/d converter, quadrature encoder interface, output/input compare units, and communication peripherals. Up to 144 KB of flash memory and up to 8 KB of data space are provided. The devices, despite standard DSP restrictions, operate on supplies from 2.5V to 5.5V. They are available in 28-, 40-, 64- and 80-pin packages with three or five 16-bit timers. In addition, a comprehensive package of development tools, libraries, and reference designs are available. Price ranges from $5 to $14 each/5,000. MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC., Chandler, AZ. (480) 792-7668.