Austin, TX Freescale Semiconductor is taking aim at the very low end of the 8-bit processor market, coming out with parts priced low enough for use in single-use, throw-away products. The first member of its RS08 line pushes size and pricing down, while providing compatibility with existing tools and peripherals.
The line is designed in part as a response to falling prices for 32-bit processors, which are now seeing acceptance in applications that used 8-bit chips not that long ago. Market researchers at In-Stat of Scottsdale, AZ, predict that 16- and 32-bit processors will have twice the revenue of 8-bit MCUs by 2009. That won't be because of declining usage, however. In-Stat predicts that 8-bit shipments will exceed the combined total of 16- and 32-bit parts in 2009.
Freescale is addressing this by driving down prices. The MC9RS08KA family offers pricing under 50 cents in volume, and fits in a 6-pin package, one of the smallest sizes for a microcontroller.
The family is the first member of the newly-developed RS08 core, which is a scaled-down HCS08 architecture. The RS08 core is 30 percent smaller than its predecessor and has a condensed instruction set. That reduction makes it possible to fit code for many embedded applications in small-pin-count devices that have minimal amounts of flash memory.
Aiming at applications with extreme space and price constraints, the line is designed for traditional electro-mechanical designs and portable applications such as motor control and single-use health care products.
The RS08 line is compatible with development tools used across the Freescale controller continuum. It also uses existing HCS08 peripherals, simplifying hardware development. "Ease of use is very important in 8-bit devices," says Eddie Sinnott, 8-bit marketing manager.
Utilizing software such as CodeWarrior across the full spectrum of its 8-, 16- and 32-bit processors is a key focus for Freescale. CodeWarrior provides autocoding that lets users create simple systems with just a few mouse clicks.
Speeds range up to 10 MHz at 1.8V, while on-chip memory goes up to 2 Kbytes of Flash and 63 bytes of RAM. Among its other features are Low Voltage Detect (LVD) with reset, stop or wakeup, along with auto wakeup. Four bidirectional I/O lines, an integrated clock source and a real-time interrupt trigger are also standard. A modulo timer is included. It operates on1.8- to 5.5-V supplies. In 10,000-piece quantities, pricing starts at 43 cents.
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 Compact CPU addresses low-cost applications
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