Microchip expands 8-bit PIC Microcontroller Range

Microchip has announced expansion of its 8-bit PIC microcontroller (MCU) portfolio, with the peripheral-rich, low-pin count PIC16(L)F161X family. These new MCUs introduce and expand the offering of Microchip's Core Independent Peripherals (CIP), which were designed to reduce interrupt latency, lower-power consumption and increase system efficiency and safety, while minimizing design time and effort. These peripherals are designed to reduce system complexity by eliminating the need for additional code and external components. Hardware-based peripherals offload timing-critical and core-intensive functions from the CPU, allowing it to focus on other critical tasks within the system.

"The expansion of the PIC16F161X family provides a broad mix of Core Independent Peripherals that enable a wide variety of functions including motor control and safety monitoring. These peripherals enable designers to create functions for closed loop control with little to no interaction with the core. This is an asset to any designer, empowering them with the ability to create customisable functions specific to their application, all while minimizing their code development," said Steve Drehobl, Vice-President of Microchip's MCU8 Division.

The PIC16(L)F161X PIC MCUs offer the Math Accelerator (Math ACC) with Proportional Integral Derivative (PID), offering completely core independent calculations, with the capability to perform 16-bit math and PID operations. The family also includes the Angular Timer (AngTmr), which is a hardware module that calculates the rotational angel in functions, such as motor control, TRIAC control, or Capacitive Discharge Ignition (CDI) systems. Regardless of speed, the AngTmr allows recurring interrupts at a specific rotational or sinusoidal angle without using the core's computation. The CIPs can be configured to perform a host of given functions that increase execution speeds and decrease software requirements. Offloading these functions frees up the CPU to do other tasks, consumes less program memory, and reduces the overall power consumption of the MCU.

In addition to the MATH ACC and AngTmr, the PIC16(L)F161X features several other peripherals designed to ease implementation and add flexibility of various functions. The 24-bit Signal Measurement Timer (SMT) performs high-resolution measurements of digital signal, in hardware, resulting in more precise and accurate measurements. This is ideal for speed control, range finding and RPM indicators. This family also includes the Zero Cross Detect (ZCD) module, which can monitor AC line voltage, and indicate zero crossing activity. Simplifying TRIAC control applications greatly reduces both CPU demand and BOM cost. In combination with the new high-current I/Os (100 mA) and the proven Configurable Logic Cell (CLC) along with I2C, SPI and EUSART for communications, this integration helps speed design, eases implementation and adds flexibility.