New M16C/64 and M16C/65 Microcontrollers from Renesas

Renesas add 12 models of M16C/64 and 20 models of M16C/65. The  new microcontrollers are targeted for consumer products such as automotive/car audio and home audio, as well as industrial applications. The new microcontrollers offer the flexibility customers need to quickly implement system functional enhancements and version upgrades of embedded system designs, and they are all fully compatible with the previous-generation products.

The microcontrollers in M16C/64 and M16C/65 groups operate at 2.7V to 5.5V and have a high-performance M16C/60 16-bit CPU core, which enables the use of existing code. Devices in the M16C/65 group operate at speeds up to 35 MHz, 30% faster than the previous generation product, while those in the M16C/64 group run at 25MHz. All of the new devices inherit the M16C family's superior technical capabilities such as excellent electro-magnetic compatibility (EMI/EMS), a low-voltage detection (LVD) circuit, a watchdog timer with an independent oscillator (125kHz) and a critical-register protection feature for enhanced fail-safe condition.

128, 256, and 512Kbytes on-chip flash memory is available for the both new microcontrollers group. A higher-density model (768Kbytes) is included in the M16C/65 group. The microcontrollers also provide a bank of 8KB data flash memory.

The new Renesas’s microcontrollers offer many improvements in the on-chip peripheral functions, including:

• Timers
• Fast ADC
• Serial I/O
• DMA controller

The devices’ 10-bit A/D converter achieves a fast conversion speed of 1.72 µs and offers more channels (up to 26). The new Renesas’s microcontrollers in the M16C/65 group have power-on reset (POR) function, high-precision (32MHz ±1.0% or less) on-chip oscillator and real-time clock (RTC).

Both groups are packed in 100-pin LQFP (14mm x 14mm) and a 100-pin QFP (14mm x 20mm) package. A 128-pin LQFP (14mm x 20mm) is also available in the M16C/65 group.

General-purpose versions have a -20 to +85°C operating temperature range; wide-temperature-range devices operate from -40 to +85°C.

For development, Renesas offers the new E8a on-chip debugging emulator, which can also be used as a flash programmer.

The new Renesas’s microcontrollers is scheduled to be available in July this year. Prices start at $5.45 (sample).

Further reading: New M16C/64 and M16C/65 Renesas Microcontrollers