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For Embedded Applications, MCU Manufacturers Are Different

For Embedded Applications, MCU Manufacturers Are Different

April 19 , 2024 0

Benefiting from the expanding demand in AIoT, industrial control, automotive electronics and other fields, the global embedded systems market is showing a rapid growth trend. According to the data, it is expected that by 2027, the global market for embedded systems will grow to more than 330 billion US dollars, and will continue to maintain high and stable growth.

As one of the core hardware of embedded systems, MCU performance continues to innovate and promote the realization of more powerful embedded systems. Under the impact of the global intelligent wave, whether it is industrial control, automotive electronics, or the increasingly prosperous AIoT, the traditional embedded system has begun to fail to meet the new needs of all application scenarios, and efficient, intelligent, safe and interconnected have gradually become the core keywords of its development.

On March 29, the 2024 International Integrated Circuit Exhibition and Conference (IIC Shanghai) hosted by AspenCore, the world's leading technology media organization in the field of electronic engineering, opened in Shanghai Zhangjiang Science Hall, and the "MCU and Embedded System Application Forum" held at the same time. Experts from many outstanding semiconductor companies at home and abroad introduced the application status of their latest MCU products in wireless, motor, automotive and multimedia fields. Each has different advantages, and each product is also specialized for different embedded applications, which can be described as "eight impenetrables crossing the sea, each shows his magic."

Wireless MCUS Enable The Industrial Internet OF Things

St has a broad MCU/MPU portfolio, and the STM32, which began in 2007, is a key enabler of the creativity of embedded developers around the world. In addition to providing embedded developers with cutting-edge hardware and software technology, comprehensive support, and high-quality, reliable products, the STM32 helps them create smarter, more connected, and more secure designs.

According to the 2022 Aspencore Embedded Product Survey, the STM32 is the top choice for developers worldwide on 32-bit MCUS. At the meeting, Song Zhiwu, stmicroelectronics wireless product marketing manager, mainly introduced the 2.4GHz and sub-GHz product series.

The STM32WBA in the 2.4GHz series targets low power, relatively short range, and supports Bluetooth Low Power 5.4, Zigbee, OpenThread, and Thread-based matter multi-protocol SoCs. In terms of manufacturing process, the STM32WBA uses a 40nm process and +10 dBm output power to support more low-power modes. In addition, the STM32WBA series is based on the 100MHz ARM® Cortex® -M33 core with a CoreMark score of 407. SESIP Level 3 certification, compliant with the US Network Trust Mark and EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED) regulations.

The SPIRIT series RF transceivers in the sub-GHz series, including SPIRIT2(S2-LP) and SPIRIT1, are dedicated RF chips primarily used for sub-1GHz applications. The STM32WL SoC is the world's first LORA-enabled long range wireless microcontroller family. The latest STM32WL3 has a built-in energy efficient, multi-protocol RF transceiver that uses the world's license-free dedicated industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio bands for long-range communication. In addition to the main RF transceiver, the STM32WL3 microcontroller also integrates an ultra-low power RF transceiver, which can be turned off by the system during continuous monitoring of the wake signal, thus saving power.

Motor Control Products To Consider The Core Elements

Founded in August 2015, Nanjing Lingou Chuangxin is a national high-tech enterprise focusing on the design of control and drive integrated circuits and overall solutions. The company's core business is MCU, Gate Driver, and power module (IPM). Wang Chaoqun, marketing Solutions director of Lingou Chuangxin, introduced the company's vehicle scale chips, including AT039, which is used in embedded motor drivers; And MCU+Drivers integration product AT086.

According to reports, Lingou Chuangxin's vehicle scale products have passed AEC-Q100 certification, and adopt integrated Gate Driver+MOS+OPA+LDO architecture in motor control, supporting CAN/ LIN bus communication. "In our product innovation concept, we follow the principle of making fewer devices, more concise PCB, easier to develop." Wang Chaoqun said that in the motor control products, the core element must be considered, that is, the accurate and reliable sampling of input signals such as current and voltage, "accuracy, anti-interference and stability are a big challenge."

The control scheme of Ling Ou Chuangxin involves power tools, cleaning appliances, high-speed air ducts, electric appliances, etc. The chip scheme for vehicles is mainly used in vehicle air conditioning compressors, automotive water pumps/oil pumps/ventilation fans, automotive electronic expansion valves/damper/intake grilles, etc. At the same time, in terms of ecological construction, in addition to the official website selection table and development board, there are graphical design tools LKSMotor and debugging tools LKS SCOPE, and mass production service provider provides mass production burning tools.

With Each Iteration, You Solve Problems That Weren't Solved Before

Wuhan Core Source Semiconductor is a listed company Wuhan Power Source Information Technology Co., LTD., a wholly-owned subsidiary, the main products are microprocessor MCU, small capacity memory chip EEPROM, power device SJ-MOSFET and so on. Among them, in the field of MCU, it has launched general high-performance CW32F003/030 series, safe low-power CW32L083/031/052 series, radio frequency CW32W031/CW32R031 series, vehicle gauge CW32A030 series products. Widely used in consumer electronics, smart home, Internet of Things, industrial control, medical electronics and automotive electronics industries.

"In 2021, we launched our first Cortex-M0-based MCU product using Honghongli's 110nm ULL (ultra-low leakage) process. In 2023, we launched another ultra-low power product, and since then, we have gone further and further on the road to ultra-low power." Speaking of the development of the MCU industry, Zhang Yafan, technical director of Wuhan Core Source Semiconductor, believes that for traditional industries and the emerging Internet of Things field, ultra-low power MCU is still promising.

However, in order to achieve true low power consumption, it is necessary to meet the strict requirements of fast wake up, peripheral power saving, and simple peripheral circuits, so MCU manufacturers continue to iterate on the internal IP, pilot production and verification testing on the new process, in order to expect to solve the problem that the previous product has not been solved in the new product.

Zhang gave a series of examples of core-source semiconductors achieving functional expansion in product iterations. For example, extend the level adaptability of UART and I2C to the full voltage range, increase the automatic switching function of RS485 transceiver hardware, increase the RXD and TXD interchange and internal loopback function of UART, increase the LSB/MSB interchange function of UART, and so on... "Even though our products are still very small, we have a lot of room to grow. Although we still need to gain experience, we will continue to go." Finally, he shared with everyone a famous saying, "Although the road is far, the action is coming; Though it is difficult to do, it will be done."

Reliability IS The Cornerstone OF MCU Products

Founded in 2016, Yatri started with 32-bit MCUS based on the Arm Cortex-M4 kernel. In 2018, after the introduction of 55nm process, it was officially mass-produced for external sale, named AT32 series, and accumulated sales exceeded 100 million in 2021. The company launched 288MHz high-efficiency and wireless Bluetooth BLE MCU for IoT applications in 2022, and obtained AEC-Q100 certification to enter the automotive chip circuit in 2023, "We released the first low-power MCU this year, and will release the first motor dedicated MCU in the second half of the year to achieve diversified product layout." Said Lin Jinhai, product marketing director of Yatli Technology.

At present, Yatri Technology has produced more than 10 series, nearly 200 models of products, mainly Arm Cortex-M4 core MCU, covering M0\M3\M4 and some high-end M7 market. AT32 32-bit M4/M0+ MCU products have covered low power consumption, value type, mainstream type, high performance, automotive, motor and wireless, full series Pin-to-Pin compatibility (AT32F405 does not support), can be quickly upgraded iteration, and the full series supports -40~105 °C industrial level operating temperature. Own development sLib secure code protection support.

Lin Jinhai said that Yatli AT32 MCU has obvious advantages in the performance comparison with the same level products of Youshang. "In the proportion of product applications, industrial/motor control accounts for the largest proportion, up to 40%; This is followed by industry applications (medical /IoT/ communications) at 16% and commercial applications at 14%." The esports keyboard and mouse have very high requirements for USB Report Rate, and also require fast response to keys, support high sampling rate of optical sensors, etc. The AT32F405 has passed various USB compatibility tests, and can support various RGB light effects (breathing light, running light, intelligent cycle light effect). Meet the requirements of light efficiency and performance improvement while supporting USB firmware updates, enabling an MCU for mouse, keyboard and receiver.

Bringing Green Energy Chips Into Every Home

Although Yuan Neng Core is a new company established less than 1 year, but in 8 months after the establishment of a series of products have been achieved mass production. The company has diversified products and provides complete solutions and chip products, including Motor MCU, highly integrated Predriver MCU with optimized structure, fully integrated All in One and highly integrated IPM module.

Huang Zhikai, general manager of Yuannengxin Technology, said that the company's biggest vision is to bring green energy chips into every home, "Only by creating efficient integrated chips to accelerate green energy replacement, can we achieve customers and contribute to a green earth." The so-called efficient integrated chip means that the efficiency of the previous chip is 60%, 70%, 80%, and the core will integrate 5 or 6 integrators efficiently, and upgrade the traditional brush motor.

The early traditional motor drive architecture is separate, there are MCU, driver, power supply on the driver board, and the core integrates all of these in an IC, seemingly just to re-integrate the chip on the market, in fact, it is not. Huang Zhikai said that first of all, when integrating the driving MOS, factors such as the direct push effect should be considered, and then the current sampling resistance, RC filter and even the resistor of the comparator should be integrated, and then through the internal interconnection, it can be efficiently integrated in the same package.

Take the star product MY10002V0405 as an example, the maximum support 24V system, the maximum phase current in a package to support 5A, the maximum power 50W, the heat dissipation design is very superior. There is also the MYp50051A 500V half-bridge module with 2 MOS+HVIC, and the 600V full-bridge module with 6 MOS+HVIC, both with a boot-up diode.

According to reports, the development of All in one product has come to the second generation, in addition to the operation amplifier, comparator, but also the RC filter resistor, MOS tube and other integration. The whole product platform is divided into 40 volts, 80 volts, 600 volts, PN structure, double N structure. An 80-volt fully integrated chip can achieve a maximum power of 100w motor drive, and it is expected that 200w motor products will be launched at the end of this year. In application, Yuanneng core products are mainly for fans, power tools, electric travel, large and small home appliances, robots, energy storage and automotive motors and other seven directions.