16-bit USB microcontroller family

Microchip announces the 12-member PIC24FJ256GB1 microcontroller (MCU) family, which 100 nA standby current, memory up to 256 KB Flash and 16 KB RAM. The 16-bit family integrates USB 2.0 device, embedded-host, dual-role and On-the-Go (OTG) functionality. Microchip also provides software support, via free USB class drivers and applications. Applications such as reading and writing to Flash drives, interfacing to wireless networks, and system updates are all enabled through this complete, cost-effective USB microcontroller family.

In addition, the integrated Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU) peripheral—along with the royalty-free mTouch Sensing Solution software development kit—enables designers to add a capacitive-touch user interface without any external components. Combining this with Microchip’s free QVGA Graphics Software Library, engineers have access to a USB-enabled user interface solution. The devices offer up to four UARTs, three SPI ports and three I2C™ ports to expand control capabilities and also feature the “Peripheral Pin Select” pin-mapping function, which provides advanced I/O flexibility by enabling designers to map digital peripherals to different pins.

To allow design re-use, the PIC24FJ256GB1 family maintains pin, peripheral and software compatibility with Microchip’s 32-bit USB microcontroller family. Microchip’s complete portfolio of 8-, 16- and 32-bit devices is supported by a single Integrated Development Environment — the free MPLAB IDE. All PIC24F family members are supported by Microchip’s range of world-class development tools, including the MPLAB IDE, the MPLAB C30 C compiler, and the MPLAB REAL ICE emulation system. Existing owners of the Explorer 16 development board can purchase a USB OTG PIC24F plug-in module and a USB PICtail Plus Daughter Board.

The MPLAB Starter Kit for PIC24F comes complete with everything that developers need to get started, including the USB-powered MCU board, the MPLAB IDE and MPLAB C30 C complier, documentation, sample projects with tutorials, schematics, and 16-bit compatible peripheral libraries. Microchip’s free USB Host Stack, Device Stack, USB OTG Stack, Class Drivers (HID, MSD, CDC, Custom), and File Management software are available. The PIC24FJ256GB1 family is offered in 64-, 80-, or 100-pin TQFP package options, and all are available now for general sampling with volume production expected in May 2008.