VIEWPOINT Dear Reader, The electronica 2008, 23rd world´s leading trade fair for electronic com- ponents, systems, and applications is just a few weeks ahead and will take place from November 11th to 14th in the New Munich Fair Centre. To in- form you about this important event we created an electronica preview starting at page 12 where you will find all the information you need to plan your visit for example how to save money with your online registration. Please note that there are new opening times due to suggestions of exhibitors and visitors, too. Of special interest for you might be the Embedded Forum at electronica, a theatre-style presentation area located in Hall A6, the dedicated “Embedded Hall”. At the Embedded Forum ICC Media will stage a 4-day forum programme with half-hour presenta- tions about technical and market trends, products, solutions, and applications. The attendance of the Embedded Forum is free for all electronica visitors. You´ll find the programme starting at page 14 and can select the most interesting presentations for you. Saving energy – what also implies protecting the environment – is a big 32-bit MCU Solutions with issue today. Especially the manufacturers of appliances are looking for new ways saving as much energy as possible. In our cover story the Flexis integrated TFT / LCD Controller MCU are described. This is a family of compatible 8- and 32-bit from Atmel with ARM926EJ and AVR32 AP7 Core technology. microcontrollers which allows the designers to evaluate both options ® before deciding the best choice for a given application. The 8-bit parts Whether you use Embedded Linux, Windows Embedded or offer the best in cost and code efficiency, while the 32-bit devices delivers a Realtime OS with GUI, we offer you the best fi t 32-bit platform for your next application. higher performance and integration, plus a migration path to other DMA supported integrated display controller with resolution up Freescale microcontrollers. The cover story highlights the benefits the to 2048 x 2048 pixel and 24-bit colour depth, graphic accelerator Flexis AC family brings to appliance designs. and virtual screen buffer helps you realise highly integrated and inexpensive graphical solutions. One of the main applications in appliances is motor control–aperfect example is a washing machine. Our FPGA & ASIC section shows that ARM926EJ solutions with display controller more and more low-cost FPGAs are used to control motors in indus- MCU DMIPS SRAM USB Ether- Misc. Bus- Linux WinCE RTOS trial applications due to cost reduction and flexibility. To reduce costs net interface AT91SAM9261 210 160K 2 Host, - Low Power 32-bit QQQ Industrial Ethernet becomes used in industrial equipment that is high- 1Dev. ly interoperable, allowing it to be easily modified for new applications AT91SAM9261S 210 16K 2 Host, - Low Cost 32-bit QQQ 1Dev. or systems. The problem is – there are many Industrial Ethernet stan- AT91SAM9263 240 96K 2 Host, 1 CAN, AC97, 2 x 32-bit QQQ dards. Boards that carry a low-cost FPGA device and Ethernet PHY 1Dev. Camera transceivers can support any IE standard with appropriate hardware and AT91SAM9RL64 210 64K 1 High - Touch ADC, 32-bit Q Speed AC97 software IP.As the FPGA is programmable, it can be easily re-configured Dev. to support any new protocol, this can be done at any time, even if the device is in a machine already on the factory floor. But as the second ar- AVR32 solutions with display controller ticle in this section shows there is already more integration with mixed- MCU DMIPS SRAM USB Ether- Misc. Bus- Linux RTOS by Atmel signal FPGAs. With mixed-signal FPGAs you can create an alternative net interface AT32AP7000 210 32K 1 High Speed 2 AC97, Camera 32-bit QQ solution for industrial motor control. In combination with an integrated Dev. soft processor these devices offer the ability to easily implement motor AT32AP7002 210 32K 1 High Speed - AC97, Camera 32-bit QQ Dev. designs for a wide range of motor types, at a cost attractive for most AT32AP7200 280 64K 2 High Speed 1 Touch ADC, 32-bit QQ applications. Host + OTG AC97, Media PostProcessor For every MCU, MSC offers a reference board with on-board TFT module and JTAG debug interface, as well as powerful BSPs. Yours sincerely Wolfgang Patelay (Editor) +49 4106 7764-15 . [email protected] MSC Vertriebs GmbH Industriestraße 16 · 76297 Stutensee 3 October 2008 Tel.: +49 7249 910 - 0 · Fax +49 7249 7993 N www.msc-ge.com V-9_2008-DJAN-4199 CONTENTS Viewpoint 3 Tools & Software Cover Story Fine-grained memory protection guarantees safe function integration 40 8- and 32-bit compatible MCUs enable energy-efficient appliances 6 Software bugs: prevention with CSE tools is better than cure 42 Exhibition Preview: Automotive Embedded Systems at electronica 2008 12 Flexible system solutions for in-car FPGAs & ASICs display instruments 44 Is motion control technology moving Test & Measurement from controllers to FPGAs? 24 Automated station saves time in FPGAs enable large power savings DPI measurements on ICs 42 for industrial motor control 28 Product News 49 Microcontrollers & DSPs Low-cost direct display control with embedded microcontrollers 30 Motor Control 8- and 32-bit compatible MCUs enable 8-bit MCUs with PFC and FOC enable efficient motor control 36 energy-efficient appliances PAGE 6 Are you ready for the low-power Flexis MCUs enable the designer to evaluate both 8-bit and 32-bit market trend? 38 options before deciding on the best choice for a given application. The 8-bit part offers the ultimate in cost and code efficiency, while the 32-bit delivers higher performance and integration, plus a migration path to other Freescale 32-bit microcontrollers. Embedded validation using an FPGA-based emulation board PAGE 12 Worldwide trends and innovations in the electronics industry will be presented during electronica 2008 at the New Munich Trade Fair Center from November 11 to 14, 2008. Around 3,000 exhibitors and 78,000 visitors are expected to attend. Is motion control technology moving from controllers to FPGAs? PAGE 24 Low-cost FPGAs offer not just better performance but also reduc- tion in system costs and implementation times for motion control applications. Are you ready for the low-power market trend? PAGE 38 New MCU families from NEC Electronics offer better power per- formance with 8-, 16- and 32-bit cores. These families are specif- ically designed for battery-operated devices, and cater for the Cover Photo majority of industrial applications requiring low-power capabilities. Freescale October 2008 4 IfIf it’sit’s notnot INTEGRITY,INTEGRITY,® itit’s’s notnot securesecure INTEGRITY® The OnlyOnly SecureSecure OperatingOperating SystemSystem Visit us at S tand A6.40 7 www.ghs.com France: +33 (0)1 43 14 37 00 Germany: +49 (0)721 98 62 580 Israel: +972 (0)9 9584060 Netherlands: +31 (0)33 4613363 Sweden: +46 (0)46 211 33 70 UK: +44 (0)1844 267950 Copyright © 2008 Green Hills Software, Inc. Green Hills, the Green Hills logo and INTEGRITY are trademarks of Green Hills Software, Inc. in the U.S.and/or internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. COVER STORY 8- and 32-bit compatible MCUs enable energy-efficient appliances By Fraser McHenry, Freescale Flexis MCUs enable the designer to evaluate both 8-bit and 32-bit options before deciding on the best choice for a given application. The 8-bit part offers the ultimate in cost and code efficiency, while the 32-bit delivers higher performance and integration, plus a migration path to other Freescale 32-bit microcontrollers. I The Flexis AC family features a range of crocontroller food chain. For experienced 8-bit tool chain. On the other hand, while remaining communications interfaces, on-chip analog users, suppliers are expanding at the high-end in the 8-bit world is altogether more comfort- circuitry and a wide range of timers and gives of the 8-bit portfolio with more powerful pe- able, some doubts may remain about the abil- designers the freedom to migrate easily between ripherals, faster CPUs, and extended memory ity of 8-bit architecture to meet the application’s 8-bit and 32-bit solutions through software and options. Some of what would traditionally be demands. In the modern home, large appli- hardware compatibility. The family is suitable considered as 8-bit MCU applications are mi- ances, such as the washing machine, dish- for a wide range of applications across the grating up the performance path, and com- washer and refrigerator can all benefit from the industrial space, and this article highlights the bined with reduced costs are fueling the growth energy-saving characteristics of advanced exceptional benefits the Flexis AC family brings in 32-bit microcontrollers. motor control technology. Consumers are not to appliance designs. only interested in saving energy costs but also in The choice for the embedded system designer reducing the environmental impact of elec- With the current global emphasis on environ- in this instance is not an easy one. Do you look tricity generating facilities. mental protection, energy efficiency and to gain additional performance and function- sustainable resource management, the design- ality from your existing 8-bit architecture, a Since the refrigerator is always on, it can con- ers of embedded systems are being influenced product that the designer is familiar with and sume up to 50 percent of the home energy by a classic push-pull combination of market has developed with in the past, but may not budget, with virtually all of that used to run the forces. Consumers are becoming much more fully meet the needs of the application? Or do compressor motor.