Renesas R32C/118 Microcontrollers for Industrial and Consumer Electronics

Renesas announced (May 28) the R32C/118 Group microcontrollers with on-chip flash memory, as part of the R32C/100 Series  incorporating the R32C/100 32-bit CPU core. The R32C/118 Group is suitable for a wide range of applications, including consumer electronics and industrial equipment.

The R32C/118 Group is the successor to the M32C/80 Series in the M16C Family and features:

1. The processing performance is approximately 2.2 times of the existing Renesas M32C/80 Series
   The R32C/118 Group incorporates the R32C/100 CISC CPU core, providing improvements in operation  processing performance, bus usage efficiency, and code efficiency. The R32C/118 Group has a maximum operating frequency of 48 MHz in contrast to 32 MHz for the M32C/80 Series. In combination with improvements to the CPU core architecture, this results in overall processing performance approximately 2.2 times that of  the M32C/80 Series.
2. On-chip peripheral functions
   The R32C/118 Group incorporates a CAN module, providing support for a networking standard that is widely used in the in-car equipment field and industrial fields such as factory automation. Provide nine serial interface channels (existing M32C/80 Series has seven). A variety of on-chip peripheral including a DMA controller, watchdog timer, advanced-functionality timers, DAC, and ADC.
3. Pin compatibility and expanded operating voltage range.
   the R32C/118 Group maintains pin compatibility and peripheral function compatibility with the M32C/80 Series. This allows users to utilize existing hardware resources while developing products with improved performance and extended functionality. The R32C/118 Group extends the lower limit of the voltage range at the maximum operating frequency. The voltage range of the existing M32C/80 Series was 4.2 V to 5.5 V (when operating at 32 MHz), and that of the R32C/118 Group is 3.0V and 5.5 V when operating at a faster 48 MHz.

Renesas R32C/118 Group 32-Bit Microcontrollers

Specification of R32C/118 Group Microcontrollers

The R32C/100 CPU core used by the R32C/118 Group is the top-end CPU core in the M16C Family. It incorporates the following enhancements to deliver superior performance.

• On-chip 32-bit multiplier and single-precision FPU, combined with enhanced barrel shifter, for dramatically improved operation processing performance.
• Improved code efficiency by optimized instruction set.
• Improved bus efficiency with expanded on-chip memory bus width.
• Address space expanded to 64 Mbytes and support for connecting large-capacity  external memory and peripheral devices.
• Enhancements to the operation circuits enabling 32-bit x 32-bit + 64-bit -> 64-bit  multiply-and-accumulate operations to execute in a single clock cycle.

The R32C/118 Group has an operating voltage range of 3.0 V to 5.5 V and a  maximum operating frequency of 48 MHz. The extension to the M32C/80 Series, the R32C/118 Group delivers approximately 2.2 times the processing performance. It has 40 Kbytes of on-chip RAM that is ideal for applications such as storing communication log data.

The R32C/118 Group also incorporates peripheral functions suitable for a wide  range of industrial and consumer applications, such as audio devices. As LAN  support it has a two-channel CAN module (supporting 32-slot message buffer) that  is compatible with a networking standard that is widely used in the automotive field and industrial fields such as factory automation. This simplifies the development of network-capable systems using CAN.

Also, the seven-channel serial interface of the existing M32C/80 Series has been expanded to nine channels. This enables a larger number of control devices and supports enhanced system functionality. A variety of on-chip peripheral functions also includes a watchdog timer, high-functionality timers, four DMA controller channels, 26 channels of 10-bit A/D converter, two 8-bit D/A converter channels, a CRC calculation circuit for improved communication data reliability, and an X-Y converter circuit supporting high-speed rotation or enlargement of image data.

Moreover R32C/118 Group incorporate 512 Kbytes on-chip flash memory, these microcontrollers can support larger programs. They also incorporate 8 Kbytes of  data flash for storing data that is separate from the area for storing programs. The large flash memory capacity eliminates the need for external EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), thereby reducing the total number of component parts in the system.

The R32C/118 Group has a single-line debugging interface. This enables to connect an emulator using only one terminal of the microcontroller, so debugging can be performed in actual operation conditions. The interface also supports on-board programming of the on-chip flash memory. The E30A emulator is under development and will be released soon.

Sample shipments will begin in September 2007 in Japan.

Source: Renesas R32C/118 Microcontrollers for Industrial and Consumer Electronics  

Update, related news:

Renesas Introduce 32-bit CISC Microcontrollers with On-Chip FPU

Renesas expand its the 32-bit R32C/100 microcontrollers by introducing the new two R32C/118 group microcontrollers with 512KB on-chip flash memory. The new microcontrollers runs at up to 48MHz, and it incorporate the R32C/100 32-bit CISC CPU core. R32C/118 group microcontrollers have a floating point unit (FPU) capability and support critical functions of manufacturing processing applications, such as pressure and temperature control, process flow control, and analytical metering operation.

Ritesh Tyagi, director, Renesas Technology America, Inc., said:

As distributed-control architectures become popular choices in process control systems, fieldbus controllers must deliver more computation power…

To make this happen, MCUs are now required to process various control tasks not only at a central control unit, but also at end control points such as sensors and actuators. At the same time, factory automation equipment has to perform all aspects of operations in real time, including closed-loop process control, data logging, monitoring and diagnostics. All of these requirements are driving the integration of MCUs to a higher level, allowing MCUs to provide better, more reliable connectivity solutions in process control systems…

The microcontrollers’ floating point unit is highly efficient in handling signal-processing tasks that are often required in factory automation applications, such as running control-loop filters and connecting legacy fieldbuses. The new microcontroller ensure effective communication over fieldbus gateways between factory floor systems and process flow control systems.

R32C/118 microcontrollers are successors to and upward compatible with the chips in the 32MHz M32C/80 series in the M16C family and can run existing M32C/80 software. They use the same 100-pin LQFP package, are pin compatible, and provide better code efficiency and higher throughput. The MCUs also have new and enhanced peripheral functions and an expanded operating voltage range. As a result, customers can improve system performance simply by upgrading from an M32C/80 device to an R32C/118 MCU.

R32C/118 microcontrollers include a CAN module that supports a 32-slot message buffer for the robust networking standards widely used in factory automation equipment. Other on-chip peripheral functions include a 9-channel serial interface, watchdog timer, 4-channel DMA controller, advanced-functionality timers, 10-bit 26-channel A/D converter, and 8-bit 2-channel D/A converter. There is also a CRC calculation circuit for improved communication data reliability, and an X-Y converter circuit for high-speed rotation or enlargement of image data.

The R32C/118 MCUs provide 512 Kbytes of on-chip flash memory and 40Kbytes of RAM for handling larger programs. They also incorporate 8 Kbytes of data flash that is separate from the area for storing programs and eliminates the need for external EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory).

These devices will be supported by an advance single-line debugging interface that allows system engineers to connect a debug emulator using only one pin of the MCU. The debugging interface also supports on-board programming of the on-chip flash memory. A comprehensive suite of software development tools (C/C++ Compiler) is also available. A new on-chip debugging emulator is currently under development and will be available by Q4/2007.

Price and availability
R5F64186NFB (-20°C to + 85°C): $11.50 - September 2007
R5F64186DFB (-40°C- to +85°C): $12.75 - September 2007

About Renesas Technology Corp.
Renesas Technology Corp. is one of the world's leading semiconductor system solutions providers for mobile, automotive and PC/AV (Audio Visual) markets and the world's No.1 supplier of microcontrollers. It is also a leading provider of LCD Driver ICs, Smart Card microcontrollers, RF-ICs, High Power Amplifiers, Mixed Signal ICs, System-on-Chip (SoC), System-in-Package (SiP) and more. Established in 2003 as a joint venture between Hitachi, Ltd. (TOKYO:6501) (NYSE:HIT) and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6503), Renesas Technology achieved consolidated revenue of 953billion JPY in FY2006 (end of March 2007). Renesas Technology is based in Tokyo, Japan and has a global network of manufacturing, design and sales operations in around 20 countries with about 26,500 employees worldwide.