DSP, Micros & Memory


Safety microcontrollers

17 October 2012 DSP, Micros & Memory

Texas Instruments has introduced new SafeTI design packages for safety-critical medical, industrial and energy motor control applications.

These design packages include 15 new Hercules RM4x ARM Cortex-R4 safety microcontrollers and TI’s complementary TPS65381-Q1 multi-rail power supply (PMIC).

The Hercules RM4x MCU and PMIC safety chipset maximises failure detection and mitigation while minimising software overhead. The devices adhere to the SafeTI-61508 design package, helping customers more easily achieve IEC 61508 certification and accelerate time to market with safety-critical products.

The addition of these RM4x safety microcontrollers expands the Hercules microcontroller product line, offering 35 configurations from which customers can choose to meet application-specific needs.

The new Hercules RM46x floating-point safety microcontrollers provide additional memory and performance configurations with expanded motor control capabilities and pin-compatibility with Hercules RM48x safety microcontrollers, introduced last year.

The new Hercules RM42x safety MCUs provide a smaller package, lower cost, entry-line solution with integrated motor control interfaces while also meeting safety standards. The compatible PMIC combines multiple power supplies and safety features such as voltage monitoring.

The expanded range of performance and memory options, from 100 MHz to 220 MHz lockstep ARM Cortex-R4 cores and 384 KB, 1 MB and 1,25 MB Flash, provide designers with more choices and scalability for feature-rich safety products.

Hardware safety features provide a high level of online diagnostics with lockstep cores; memory protection for the CPU and bus masters; error correction code (ECC) for Flash and RAM with single-bit error correction and double-bit error detection (SECDED).

In addition, the devices incorporate CPU and RAM built-in-self-test (BIST) for detection of potential latent faults; an intelligent error signalling module for action based on safety error; parity on peripheral RAMs; redundant analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and timers; and continuous voltage and clock monitoring.

Integrated motor control capability is enabled by enhanced pulse width modulation, sensor capture and quadrature encoder interfaces on-chip to eliminate multiple external components for motor control. The 32-channel timer co-processor serves as a diverse, redundant motor control channel and checks the integrity of the PWMs in the motor control loop.

On-chip Ethernet, CAN and USB connectivity enables networking and several options for data collection and field software upgrades. Safety documentation, including a safety manual and safety analysis reports, details how to implement Hercules microcontrollers in a safety-critical application, as well as failure modes, effects and diagnostic analysis (FMEDA) that provides the failure rate information needed to meet safety standards.

For more information contact EBV Electrolink, +27 (0)21 402 1940, [email protected], www.ebv.com



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

The end of ‘entry-level’: STMicroelectronics’ STM32C5 sets a new baseline for embedded systems
DSP, Micros & Memory
[Sponsored] Instead of incrementally improving legacy Cortex-M0+ architectures, STM32C5 introduces a Cortex-M33-based platform into the entry-level category. This changes not only performance expectations, but also how engineers approach system architecture, consolidation, and long-term scalability.

Read more...
GigaDevice expands GD25UF Series density
NuVision Electronics DSP, Micros & Memory
GigaDevice has announced the expanded density range of its GD25UF series 1,2 V ultra-low power SPI NOR Flash, now spanning from 8 Mb to 256 Mb.

Read more...
ARINC 429 line driver evaluation board
ASIC Design Services DSP, Micros & Memory
Holt Integrated Circuits have announced the release of the ADK-85104 Evaluation Board, a compact, ready-to-use platform designed to help engineers rapidly evaluate and characterise Holt’s HI-85104.

Read more...
Highly integrated 24-channel mixed signal IC
EBV Electrolink DSP, Micros & Memory
Microchip Technology has announced the LX4580, a 24-channel mixed-signal IC designed to replace multiple discrete components with a single device that supports synchronised data acquisition, fault monitoring, and motor control.

Read more...
Lower-power Thread and BLE connectivity
iCorp Technologies DSP, Micros & Memory
Espressif has released the ESP32-H21, a low-power wireless SoC aimed at Thread, Matter, Zigbee, and Bluetooth LE device designs.

Read more...
Touch-enabled 32-bit MCU
EBV Electrolink DSP, Micros & Memory
Microchip’s PIC32CM PL10 microcontroller family expands the company’s Arm Cortex-M0+ portfolio, delivering a compact, low-power 32-bit platform designed for cost-sensitive embedded applications.

Read more...
Build smarter with UNO Q
Electrocomp Express DSP, Micros & Memory
The Arduino UNO Q’s hybrid design combines a Linux Debian-capable microprocessor with a real-time STM32U585 microcontroller making it the perfect dual-brain platform for the next innovation.

Read more...
Compact AI modules for imaging
Otto Wireless Solutions DSP, Micros & Memory
SIMCom has introduced two compact smart AI modules, the SIM8666 and SIM8668, designed to simplify the development of imaging-based IoT applications.

Read more...
Compact Renesas MCU rapid development board
Dizzy Enterprises DSP, Micros & Memory
Built around the Renesas R7FA4M2AD3CFP microcontroller, the Clicker 4 board provides engineers with a ready to use solution for prototyping and testing applications that require reliable ARM based processing and flexible expansion.

Read more...
IO Ninja and Python working hand-in-hand
RF Design DSP, Micros & Memory
IO Ninja is a professional all-in-one terminal emulator, sniffer, and protocol analyser that runs natively on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and excels as a UI debugger for serial, network, USB, and all other forms of communication.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved