8-pin microcontrollers for small cost-sensitive applications

19 April 2006 DSP, Micros & Memory

STMicroelectronics has released a new series of 8-bit microcontrollers in tiny 8-pin packages, which are intended to be used in simple, very cost-sensitive applications such as security, lighting, power control, small appliances, sensors and motor control. The new ST7FLITEUS series extends the embedded peripherals of the company's easy-to-use ST7Lite Flash MCU family into very inexpensive small devices, which it claims enable users to develop applications quickly and easily.

The new MCUs are available in 8-pin SO, DIP, and DFN packages. The DFN version, said to be the smallest 8-pin MCU in the market, is 0,9 mm thick with a surface area of only 15,75 mm²They integrate key system peripherals like an enhanced 12-bit auto-reload timer with PWM output, 8-bit Lite timer with input capture capability, very fast 10-bit ADC with up to five channels, and an internal RC oscillator. The devices have 1 KB program memory and are qualified over the -40 to 125°C.

Motor control applications in particular can benefit from the auto-reload timer, which operates over the 250 Hz to 4 MHz frequency range, generating a PWM signal with output compare function.

The 8-bit Lite timer includes prescaler, watchdog, realtime base and input capture. A trimmable 8 MHz RC oscillator offers multiple prescaler ratios, and an additional 32 kHz low power Auto Wake-Up oscillator operates alongside the five power-saving modes: Halt, Auto Wake-Up from Halt, Active Halt, Wait and Slow.

Development support is available through a complete set of hardware and software toolchains from ST and third parties.

ST's ST7Lite family is a full range of entry level 8-bit Flash microcontrollers intended for cost-sensitive applications, now available from 8-pin to 20-pin variants. All the MCUs use the same single-voltage Flash technology and are programmed using the same tools.

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