A Bridge Not Too Far: USB Chip Maker Heads Into Microcontrollers

FTDI Chip is a long-established company providing silicon solutions to “bridge technologies” for mobile devices and consumer electronics, best known for its USB chips used in such embedded development platforms as the Arduino and Diligent chipKIT Uno32. The company’s R-Chip, X-Chip, and ICs have helped propoagate the USB 3.0 protocol standard. FTDI Chip has just introduced the FT90x Super-Bridge microcontroller family to the MCU marketplace.

FTDI Chip Super-Bridge MCU Development Modules

Gordon Lunn, FTDI Chip’s global customer engineering support manager, explained to Design News that the 32-bit MCU series is optimized for use in home security, industrial control, home/building automation, data logging, and embedded multimedia applications. He added that the FT90x series consists of four embedded development modules: the MM900EV1A, MM900EV-LITE, MM900EV2A, and MM900EV3A.

The MM900EV2A and MM900EV3A development platforms are outfitted with 1.3 megapixel camera modules capable of capturing images from VGA (up to 30 fps) to SXGA (up to 15 fps) resolution with front-facing and rear-facing configurations. For building audio applications, all four development platforms have a built-in audio codec with microphone input pins, a 35 mm stereo headphone jack, and a stereo speaker output header. Lunn noted that the MCU uses an I2C bus to enhance the codec sub-circuit block electrical interface for remote digital audio applications such as wireless headphones. The I2C bus feeds the target audio device using a PCM data scheme between the wired ICs in an electronic device. The I2C bus is accessible through the MCU’s GPIO control interface pins.

The FT90x Super-Bridge MCU family has four development platforms for embedded applications.
(Source: FTDI Chip)

The MM900EV-LITE handles human-machine interface and embedded display applications by way of an embedded video engine module. A 2 x 8-pin, 2.54-mm pitch connector and 16-pin 0.5-mm pitch FFC/FPC connector allow interfacing to FT800/FT810/VM800B EVE display modules. The MM900EV1A provides an RJ45 connector for ease in 10/100 MBbps Ethernet data transmission. Like the MM900EV2A and MM900EV3A development modules, the MM900EV1A has a DC power socket, 2 RGB LEDs, reset switch, and real-time clock with coin cell battery.

The Super-Bridge MCU Architecture

The FT90x Super-Bridge MCU provides a variety of traditional microcontroller features, e.g., single 3.2 V coin cell battery operation, built-in 1.2V voltage regulator, watchdog support, timers, and GPIO interfacing ports. Lunn pointed out the unique features of the MCU are:

The shadow program memory is RAM that lives at the same address as ROM. Lunn explained that the use of the shadow program memory is faster and can be modified easily by setting breakpoints within the embedded code. The USB DFU boot loader provides protocol definition for sending new firmware to the target device.

To provide a layer of added security for an embedded hardware device, an electrically programmable fuse is used. The EFUSE provides a one-time programmable feature, thereby making it difficult to copy any internal IP that the design engineer has embedded within the MCU. Other key embedded device application support includes USB-BCD for battery charger detection and a dedicated data charging port.

The FT90x architecture.
(Source: FTDI Chip)

FT90x Interface Software Support

Lunn claimed that the MCU has a strong software tool chain, explaining how using a strong existing software development platform allows engineers to easily create hardware devices with a minimal learning curve. The company selected the GNU C/C++ and assembly compiler.

“A strong support of the software community and online coding resources is one of the key reasons behind selecting the GNU C/C++ tool chain for the FT90x,” Lunn stated. An aid in building hardware applications is that a software tool plugin can be used with the open-source Eclipse integrated development environment. Also, an open-source FreeRTOS is ported and comes with the tool chain. Lunn stated, “To help the engineer explore the features of the FT90x, a library of example applications are provided on the FTDI Chip website”.

FT90x HMI Applications

One market FTDI Chip is focusing on for its FT90x is in the HMI application space. The EVE module, along with FT90x chip, provides unique opportunities in embedded HMI applications for non-traditional consumer products such as coffee makers, washers/dryers, and refrigerators. The EVE module provides a resistive touch panel and a TFT LCD for white goods and other consumer and mobile products.

Lunn said FTDI Chip is investigating other HMI applications and markets for the FT90x, such as energy management, thermostats, lighting, HVAC, and industrial controls. Additional information on the FT90x, including datasheets, pricing, and development modules, can be found at the firm’s website.

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Don Wilcher is a passionate teacher of electronics technology and an electrical engineer with 26 years of industrial experience. He’s worked on industrial robotics systems, automotive electronic modules/systems, and embedded wireless controls for small consumer appliances. He’s also a book author, writing DIY project books on electronics and robotics technologies. His latest book, Make: Basic Arduino Projects, published by Maker Media, is on the Alabama State Department’s approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) reading list. He’s currently developing 21st century educational training products and curriculum focusing on Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Physical Computing for makers, engineers, technicians, and educators. Besides being an Electrical Engineer, he’s a Certified Electronics Technician with ETA International and Alabama State Certified Electronics Instructor.

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