Low-power MCUs continue assault on portable apps - For these devices, the usual buzzwords still apply: faster, better, cheaper

摘要

The high-profile microprocessors sell in the volumes of millions, hundreds of millions if you include all those that end up in cell phones. But however you count them, they're still dwarfed by the number of microcontrollers sold each year. Heck, there's more than a hundred in some of today's automobiles, and that number is rising quickly. The applications for these low-power devices span a wide spectrum, from TV remote controls to toys to medical equipment and everything in between. While the potential performance of these devices continues to rise, the power levels are remaining fairly steady. And the programming tools are getting easier to use with each generation. Philips Semiconductors recently released the latest two members of its LPC900 family, which is based on an 8051 core. The LPC9102 and LPC9103 employ a two-clock 8051 core. Hence, they require less power to do the same job when compared to traditional 8051-based MCUs. Because Philips went with an 8051 architecture, there are a host of third-party development tools available. These parts specialize in handling sensor functions, like sensing voltage, temperature, pressure, etc.