ARM7 MCUs Break Speed Limits

Based on an ARM7 TDMI-S architecture, the LPC210x series microcontrollers (see block diagram above) can operate at speeds up to 70 MHz (63 MIPs), a level said to be 10-MHz faster than similar ARM7 MCUs. As the latest additions to the LPC2000 family, the LPC2101, LPC2102, and LPC2103 feature Fast I/O capabilities, which allow bit toggling at a speed of 17.5 MHz. Power-management functions enable a power-down mode current consumption of less than 10 mA with the real-time clock running. On-board communication peripherals include two 16C550-compatible UARTs, two Fast I2C interfaces, two SPI/SSP interfaces, four timers with PWM capability, and a 10-bit a/d converter. Prices for the LPC2101 (8 KB flash/2 KB SRAM), LPC2102 (16 KB flash/4 KB SRAM), and LPC2103 (32 KB flash/8 KB SRAM) are $1.47, $1.85, and $2.20 each/10,000, respectively. ROYAL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, San Jose, CA. (408) 617-4700.