Microcontrollers Feature Configurable Peripherals

The Programmable System on Chip (PSoC) family of microcontrollers makes its mark by including right on the chip reconfigurable digital and analog resources, known as PSoC blocks, as well as an array of fixed functions, such as temperature sensor, flexible clocking and interrupt controller. The family also integrates an 8-bit microcontroller, 8K to 32K flash memory, and SRAM in a low-cost, small-footprint package.With this new family, called the CY8C25x/ 26x, users select the exact peripheral types and quantities, how they interconnect, and how they pin-out to the circuit board by setting a few values into registers. By changing register settings, the microcontroller can completely change its configuration to support the changing state of an application. Furthermore, this flash-based MCU can be programmed as late as final in-circuit test, which means that software and hardware can be developed in parallel, the company says. Prices of the PSoCs start at $1.76 each/1.000.