Freescale S12XF Microcontrollers for Automotive Application

Freescale Semiconductor has expanded its family of 16-bit automotive microcontrollers (MCUs) with FlexRay technology and flash memory scaling to 512K.

Source: Business Wire, Austin, Texas, Nov 30, 2006

The MC9S12XF family provides a high-performance distributed control solution for embedded nodes on FlexRay networks used in body, chassis and safety applications. FlexRay technology provides up to 10 times the speed of existing communications protocols for automotive networks. This leap in network performance can enable more nimble and versatile stability control systems, more precise engine management and weight-saving electronic "brake-by-wire" systems that eventually may replace bulky hydraulic brakes.

Ray Cornyn, Freescale’s global manager of automotive microcontrollers said:

FlexRay technology provides the high-speed communications bandwidth required by today’s active driving systems and tomorrow’s autonomous cars with drive-by-wire capabilities…

…To help proliferate this innovative technology, Freescale offers a growing portfolio of standalone FlexRay controllers and 16- and 32-bit FlexRay embedded MCUs. Today’s S12XF family expansion broadens the choice of FlexRay solutions for automotive system designers.

The S12XF microcontrollers features four highly integrated MCUs offering a variety of memory configurations and Freescale’s performance-boosting XGATE coprocessor. Package options range from the 112-pin low-profile quad flat-pack (LQFP) device to the 10mm x 10mm 64-pin LQFP — the smallest FlexRay controller available.

The small-footprint S12XF MCUs are ideal for space-restricted applications, such as distributed actuator and sensor control modules that communicate with 32-bit central controllers on a FlexRay network. The 16-bit S12XF devices can serve as end nodes for a wide range of advanced safety and active driving applications, such as suspension control, active rollover prevention, active braking, lane departure warning, parking maneuver assistance and electronic parking brakes.

FlexRay communications protocol:

FlexRay technology is a deterministic, fault-tolerant communications protocol that supports data rates of 10Mbps for advanced control applications. By offering increased network throughput, this high-speed communications technology can help enable system cost reductions by reducing the number of parallel controller area networks (CAN) used to solve bandwidth bottlenecks. The high bandwidth of FlexRay technology makes it an ideal protocol for vehicle-wide network backbones, and the dual-channel architecture addresses the redundancy requirements of advanced safety systems. The combination of these benefits enables next-generation vehicle designs that are safer, more responsive, more reliable and more environmentally friendly.

A co-founder of the FlexRay Consortium, Freescale was the first semiconductor company to introduce to the automotive market a FlexRay controller based on a 16-bit architecture. Freescale offers the industry’s broadest array of FlexRay-based products and is currently the only semiconductor supplier with a FlexRay controller in a production-ready automobile. In addition, Freescale provides broad ecosystem support for its FlexRay solutions, including development software and starter kits. For more information about Freescale’s FlexRay solutions, visit http://www.freescale.com/flexray.

XGATE coprocessor:

In addition to offering FlexRay technology, the S12XF family integrates Freescale’s XGATE coprocessor module, which functions like a dedicated coprocessor for the main CPU. Introduced on the S12X architecture in 2004, the RISC-based XGATE coprocessor addresses the design challenge of achieving higher MCU performance without the cost and complexity of adding separate processors.

Running at twice the speed of the main CPU without any CPU processing overhead, the XGATE coprocessor is engineered to boost system performance by up to 100 MIPS at peak operation. As a result of this coprocessor architecture, S12XF devices can deliver performance similar to many 32-bit MCUs while retaining the benefits of Freescale’s successful S12X architecture, such as low system cost and high code efficiency.

MC9S12XF Microcontrollers Features:

• 50MHz S12X core based on a highly efficient 16-bit CISC architecture
• Integrated single/dual-channel FlexRay v2.1 supporting data rates of 2.5, 5, 8 and 10 Mb/s per channel
• FlexRay clock derived from crystals ranging from 4MHz to 40MHz for cost and EMC optimization using a PLL
• Integrated XGATE module delivering up to 100 MIPS of additional processing power
• 512KB, 384KB, 256KB and 128KB automotive-quality flash memory options with error correction code (ECC)
• 2KB and 4KB of EEPROM and 16KB, 24KB and 32KB of RAM
• Up to 16 channel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with configurable 8/10/12-bit resolution capable of 3 microseconds conversion time
• Integrated motor control module using 6-channel pulse width modulator (PWM) with fault protection and current sense inputs
• Support for control area network (CAN), local interconnect network (LIN) and serial peripheral interface (SPI) protocols
• Enhanced periodic interrupt timer with three sync sources (ADC, PMF trigger capability to enhance motor control algorithms)
• Small-footprint package options scaling to I/O needs
• Extensive tools support from S12X family MC9S12XF family availability

Freescale plans to offer samples of MC9S12XF family devices (MC9S12XF512, MC9S12XF384, MC9S12XF256 and MC9S12XF128) and evaluation boards in Q1 2007. For more information about the MC9S12XF family, visit http://www.freescale.com/files/pr/s12xf.html.

About Freescale Semiconductor:

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:FSL) (NYSE:FSL.B) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded company in July 2004. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale, a member of the S&P 500(R), is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with 2005 sales of $5.8 billion (USD).

Source: www.freescale.com