STMicroelectronics has expanded its STM32 portfolio of 32-bit microcontrollers. The STM32 F0 is an entirely new family of devices combining enhanced features with the low-power ARM Cortex-M0 embedded processor for extremely cost-sensitive applications.
The enhanced features of the STM32 F0 family include up to seven timers suited for controlling items such as heaters or motors, enabling a single device to control multiple elements in an induction cooker, for example.
The MCU series also integrates hardware support for consumer electronics control (CEC) included in the HDMI interface. This simplifies design into numerous home multimedia devices, allowing connections based on the latest industry-standard protocols while leaving the microcontroller’s CPU, memory and peripherals free to perform other tasks.
The CEC kernel can be independently clocked by a low-speed 32 kHz external clock or internal 8 MHz clock. In addition, the STM32 F0’s 12 MHz I/O toggle speed allows developers to build sophisticated control applications at lower cost and lower power consumption.
Additional on-chip features include an analog block comprising a 12-bit, 1 MSps ADC, a 12-bit DAC, and two programmable input/output analog comparators tightly coupled with the DAC. With four low-power modes, including a 5,3 μA stop mode and a 2,8 μA standby mode with the real-time clock running, the energy-conscious STM32 F0 family simplifies deployment and extends battery life in applications such as remote controls, sensor networks and smart meters.
The devices will also be relevant for use in industrial controls, building automation, computer printers and white goods, game consoles, DVD/Blu-ray players and audio/video receivers.
The PWM 16-bit and 32-bit timers integrated on-chip have capabilities including 17 capture/compare input/outputs mapped on up to 28 pins, making them ideal for motor control applications. There are also two timers with infrared transmission control, which simplify implementation of infrared communication protocols.
High-performance communication features include a serial peripheral interface (SPI) with support for programmable data frame up to 16 bits and baud rate up to 18 Mbps, as well as an I2C port supporting Fast mode+ communication at up to 1 Mbps. Also, activity on the I²C port can wake the microcontroller from stop mode on address match and reduced constraints for easy communication clock setting.
Programmable analog and digital noise filtering ensure robust communication. There is also a 6 Mbps USART with support for multiple clock input options, capable of operating independently from the main processor clock frequency.
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