Electronics Weekly Electronics Design & Components Tech News
Velocity Semiconductor’s 32-bit network enabled microcontroller is designed to offer what the supplier calls 32-bit performance at 8-bit processor pricing.
Targeted at embedded applications requiring controller support and Ethernet connectivity, the processor is based on a Risc CPU core developed by UK firm DCT, which is C, Java and assembly cross compatible.
The 32-bit Lightfoot core operates with an 8-bit instruction path. This combined with a three stage pipeline, dual stack design, allows operation at one instruction per clock cycle, delivering 60Mips at 60MHz operation.
The microcontroller comes with 10/100 Ethernet MAC and DMA controller, and other on-chip peripherals include an external memory controller, 2 UARTs, 3 SPI ports and a configurable 8- or 32-bit external memory bus.
A feature of the core’s low power design is a soft byte code instruction set, which allows Java and .NET based systems to run more efficiently, reducing memory space by up to 10 times and improving Java performance compared to equivalent Risc interpreters, said the supplier.
Also compiled C code can be up to eight times smaller, which will reduce memory overhead and cost.
A development kit is available at £249. This includes an evaluation board, a software development kit and royalty-free software including 32-bit ANSI C-compiler, TCP/IP stack, Java-class file translator with Java compatible libraries, and an RTOS. Various credit card-sized modules have also been developed to mount onto customer-developed motherboards.
With on-board processor, 1M Byte of Flash and SRAM, two RS232 ports and two SPI ports, four timers/counters and status and link status LEDs, the modules carry either one or two RJ45 Ethernet connectors, or an RJ45 and an USB1.1 slave or host port. Additionally a module has been developed with a compact flash interface enabling systems that are targeting wireless network connectivity. Prices range from £40-£50.
The VS2000 microcontroller range is available in the UK through distributor Focus EDL.
Tel: 01702 542301
