TI Brings Low-Cost Real-Time Control to Motors, LEDs

Texas Instruments hasrolled out a family of low-cost 32-bit microcontrollers that could bringreal-time control to hybrid vehicles, home appliances, street light networksand a host of other applications that couldn't afford it before.

Known as TMS320F280xx,the new microcontroller could be most notable for its ability to delivergreater energy efficiency to a wide variety of end products that use electricmotors.

"Thisaddresses a market space that needs real-time control but can't afford it," says Keith Ogboenyiya, a microcontroller manager for Advanced EmbeddedControllers at TI. "There's been a cost threshold that customers have had tocross if they wanted real-time control. This family (of devices) is enabling applicationsthat previously couldn't afford it."

Code-named"Piccolo," the new devices are said to cost less than $2 each in largevolumes.

TIengineers say the key to the Piccolo performance increase is its use of a hardwareaccelerator. The MCUs incorporate a programmable control law accelerator (CLA) thatoffloads control algorithms from the main CPU. By running complex high-speed controlalgorithms, the CLA frees the main CPU to handle I/O and feedback loop metrics.The result is a 5X performance boost for common closed loop applications, TIengineers say.

TexasInstruments says it is working with OEMs to incorporate Piccolo devices invariable frequency air conditioning units, as well as with LED manufacturers touse the technology to replace high-pressure sodium lamps in streetlightnetworks. By making it possible to use LEDs instead of sodium lamps in streetlights, the technology could help bring about a 50-percent efficiency boost inmetropolitan areas, thereby reducing annual carbon emissions by 1.2 millionmetric tons.

"There's a gap in themarketplace that needs real-time control, but at the right price point,"Ogboenyiya says. "This family of devices builds a framework that makes iteasier to get those applications started."