Winter 2012

LEARNMOTION CAN FD HD VIDEO8-bIT MCUs

March/April 2015

MOTION

The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, dsPIC, FlashFlex, KEELOQ, KEELOQ logo, MPLAB, mTouch, PIC, PICmicro, PICSTART, PIC32 logo, rfPIC, SST, SST Logo, SuperFlash and UNI/O are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. FilterLab, Hampshire, HI-TECH C, Linear Active Thermistor, MTP, SEEVAL and The Embedded Control Solutions Company are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. Silicon Storage Technology is a registered trademark of Microchip Technology Inc. in other countries.Analog-for-the-Digital Age, Application Maestro, BodyCom, chipKIT, chipKIT logo, CodeGuard, dsPICDEM, dsPICDEM.net, dsPICworks, dsSPEAK, ECAN, ECONOMONITOR, FanSense, HI-TIDE, In Circuit Serial Programming, ICSP, Mindi, MiWi, MPASM, MPF, MPLAB Certified logo, MPLIB, MPLINK, Omniscient Code Generation, PICC, PICC-18, PICDEM, PICDEM.net, PICkit, PICtail, REAL ICE, rfLAB, Select Mode, SQI, Serial Quad I/O, Total Endurance, TSHARC, UniWinDriver, WiperLock, ZENA and Z-Scale are trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries.SQTP is a service mark of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. GestIC and ULPP are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Germany II GmbH & Co. & KG, a subsidiary of Microchip Technology Inc., in other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective companies. © 2015, Microchip Technology Incorporated, All Rights Reserved.

Contentsdesign articles19 Powerful MPLAB® Harmony

Configurator Accelerates Your 32-bit Embedded Software Development

21 Getting Started with SuperFlash® Technology

24 Going the Distance to Secure Our Future

27 Avoid Input Damage with ±500 Volt Protection

29 App Specialist Coedrus Introduces the Infinite Possibilities of the Internet of Things

30 Learn.DigilentInc.com34 Coding For Young Engineers

features15 Product Spotlight17 The Savings Are In Bloom

featured Video

MPLAB® Harmony Configurator

showcase 4 Long Range Meets Low Power

Wireless LoRa™ Technology Ideal for Battery-Operated Sensor and Low-Power Internet of Things and Machine-to-Machine Applications

6 Across the MilesStack-on-Board RN2483 LoRa Technology Wireless Modem Enables Internet of Things

new products 8 Down to the Nanosecond

New 8-bit MCU Family is First to Provide Multiple Independent, Closed-Loop Power Channels and System Management

10 Video Streaming Hits the RoadIntroducing the World's First H.264 Video I/O Companions Optimized for MOST® High-Speed Automotive Infotainment and ADAS Networks

12 Motion Monitoring Made EasyMM7150 Motion Module Speeds Design Cycles for Embedded and Internet of Things Applications

13 Easing the CAN Migration PathMCP2561/2FD CAN FD Transceiver Family Serves Both CAN and CAN FD Protocols

2

March/April 2015

2

Don’t Miss the Next Issue of MicroSolutions

Published six times a year, MicroSolutions is a valuable resource for product and technology news about Microchip’s innovative solutions. Subscribe today to receive email notifications when each new issue of MicroSolutions is ready. Use the link below:

Find Us on These Social Channels

Microchip Technology Inc. 2355 W. Chandler Blvd. | Chandler, AZ 85224 | www.microchip.com

3

EDITOR’S NOTE

Make a difference in the world

The hacker, engineering and designer community is a creative and enthusiastic force that is capable of coming up with solutions to a variety of serious issues that face us all, either in our local communities or on a global scale. With this in

mind, Microchip is pleased to support this movement by sponsoring or participating in some special opportunities to help you make a difference.

Challenging you to “build something that matters”, the 2015 Hackaday Prize is now underway. Submit your idea for a design that solves a problem in some way, and then document and build a prototype of your design. Throughout this process, you will find opportunities to engage with others in the community and possibly win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to space! The deadline for submitting your entry is August 17th, so visit the hackaday prize website now to get all the details. Also follow Microchip on social media to learn about ways you can use some of our products in your project and to take advantage of some special offers we’ll have for you.

If you live in the US and enjoy the hackathon atmosphere, check out the “hack to the future” hackster hardware weekend series of events. They have hit the road to do a 10 city tour in an original and hackable DeLorean DMC 12—sporting a Microchip logo on its hood—to educate, connect and help the community create designs for a better future. There will be speakers, food, prizes and hardware kits, including some of our chipKIT™ Fubarino® Mini boards. While the tour has already passed through some cities, there are several more stops to go, plus future international locations are being planned.

Microchip will also be returning to Maker faire Bay area, being held May 16–17 at the San Mateo County Event Center. This family-friendly festival also encourages makers of all ages, from students to professionals, to show their creative side. Stop by our booth to learn how the 32-bit, Arduino® compatible chipKIT embedded platform can bring your designs to life. What kind of innovative solution can you envision? Microchip has the products and tools to help make it a reality.

As always, we would be happy to get your feedback on MicroSolutions. Feel free to email us at Msfeedback@microchip.com.

(continued on page 5)

SHOWCASE

4

With analysts predicting that there will be 25 billion connected things in use by 2020, the explosive growth

of the Internet of Things (IoT) market is chal-lenging developers to establish a simple, robust infrastructure with limited resources. They are seeking a solution that requires a minimum total cost of ownership and is easy to design. It should also offer a short time to market, great interoperability and nationwide deployment.

To meet these demands, Microchip is pleased to partner with other members of the lora alliance to help standardize the Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) being deployed around the world to enable IoT, Machine-to-Machine (M2M), smart city and industrial applications. These low-power applications have requirements—such as long-range connectivity, longer battery lifetimes and low cost for volume deployment—that cannot be served by other existing wireless technologies. We have also recently announced the RN2483 fully-certified LoRa Sub-GHz, 433/868 MHz modem, which is the first in a series of LoRa technology modems. You can read about it in the article on page 6.

Long Range Meets Low PowerWireless LoRa™ Technology Ideal for battery-Operated Sensor and Low-Power Internet of Things and Machine-to-Machine Applications

enables long-range connectivity, longer Battery life and lower costs

lora technology overviewLoRa technology is a proprietary wireless technology developed by Semtech Corporation. It utilizes a spread spectrum modulation in the Sub-GHz band to support a range of more than 10 miles (suburban). Its low power consumption enables a battery life of greater than 10 years. Offering a high network capacity, it allows de-velopers to connect millions of wireless sensor nodes to LoRa technology gateways. LoRa technology is capable of demodulating 20 dB below noise level, significantly improving immu-nity to the inference when combined with inte-

grated forward error correction. Its high sensitivity of −148 dBm also enables extremely long-range connectivity. In comparison to 3G and 4G cellular networks, LoRa technology is far more scalable

and cost effective for embedded applications.

lorawan™ protocolThe lorawan protocol is a LPWAN specification intended for wireless battery-op-erated devices in regional, national or global networks. Its star topology eliminates synchroni-zation overhead and hops—as compared to mesh networks—which reduces power consumption

LoRa technoloy is far more scalable and cost effective

for embedded applications.

GATEWAYS GATEWAYS

The LoRa™ network helps to enable Internet of Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M), smart city and industrial applications.

and enables multiple concurrent applications to run on the network. The LoRaWAN protocol targets key requirements of the IoT such as secure bi-directional communication, mobility and localization services to provide seamless interoperability among smart “things” without the need for complex local installations.

The LoRaWAN protocol addresses a variety of applications by providing different protocol classes:• Class A: Bidirectional End Devices –

These devices allow for bidirectional communications whereby each end device's uplink transmission is followed by two short downlink receive windows.

• Class B: Bidirectional End Devices With Scheduled Receive Slots – In addition to the Class A random receive windows, Class B devices open extra receive windows at scheduled times. (Available in future release)

• Class C: Bidirectional End Devices With Maximal Receive Slots – these devices have nearly continuously open receive windows that are only closed when trans-mitting. (Available in future release)

lorawan protocol securityThe LoRaWAN protocol implements several layers of encryption to ensure the highest security for the whole infrastructure:• Unique Network session key ensures

security on Network Server/Network level

• Unique Application session key ensures security on the Application Server/Application level

• Application key specific for the end-device

• Network operator cannot decrypt Application Data

lora technology infrastructureThe architecture of the LoRa technology network is a star topology. End devices

transfer data to gateways which pass data to the network server. There are currently two LoRa technology network options available:

private networkComprised of individually managed networks and local area networks, the LoRa technology private network consists of three basic parts:• Microchip end nodes• LoRa technology gateway• LoRa technology network server

Our complete, fully-certified, LoRa technology end-device modems make it easy to es-tablish an IoT infrastructure. The modems have embedded LoRaWAN on board to easily connect to any LoRa Alliance-certified gateway and network services.

public networkIncorporating telecom/operator managed networks and nationwide deployment, the LoRa technology public network consists of four basic parts:• Microchip end nodes• LoRa technology gateway• LoRa technology public network operator

(telecom)• LoRa technology network server

Telecom companies integrate gateways on towers and provide network service. Microchip end devices are embedded with the LoRaWAN protocol to easily connect to the telecom service provider.

The benefits of the LoRa technology infrastructure include:• Star topology with two-way communication• Minimizes synchronization overhead• Not constrained to a single application

like ZigBee®

• Easily connect millions of nodes to LoRa technology gateways

• Adaptive data rate feature on network server

• Optimizes the network capacity, battery lifetime, and creates a fully-scalable system

• Strong ecosystem established with partners

• Supports local area network and nationwide deployment

Visit the low power wide area network page on Microchip's website for more infor-mation on our LoRa technology solutions. You'll find additional information, including a complete list of LoRaWAN partners, on the lora alliance website.

The LoRa name and associated logo are trade-marks of Semtech Corporation or its subsidiaries.

LoRa™ Gateway

Network Server

End Nodesd NodesEnd

LoRa™ Technology Infrastructure

SHOWCASE

5

(continued on page 7)

SHOWCASE

6

Designers of wireless applications have long struggled with the dilemma of providing longer range while offering

lower power consumption in their products. By employing LoRa™ technology, designers can now maximize both while reducing the need for additional repeaters. As the first in a series of LoRa™ technology modems, the rn2483 is a revolutionary end-node solution that enables extremely long-range, bidirectional communi-cation with significant battery life for Internet of Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M), smart city and industrial applications.

The RN2483 is a fully certified LoRa Sub-GHz, 433/868 MHz European R&TTE Directive As-sessed Radio Modem that can help you accelerate your devel-opment time while reducing your development costs. It combines a small modem form factor of 17.8 × 26.7 × 3 mm with 14 GPIOs, provid-ing the flexibility to connect and control a large number of sensors and actuators while taking up very little space. Because LoRa technology has a much longer range than other wireless protocols, the RN2483 is able to operate without repeaters, reducing the total cost of ownership. Additionally, the RN2483 addresses the need to secure network communication by supporting AES-128 encryption.

Across the MilesStack-on-board RN2483 LoRa™ Technology Wireless Modem Enables Internet of Things

Makes it easy to tap the 10-Mile and 10-Year Battery life of lora technology wireless networks

As a founding member of the LoRa Alliance, Microchip is working to ensure its modems are compatible with all partner gateways and back-end network service providers. The RN2483 comes with the lorawan™ class a protocol stack, so it can easily connect with the estab-lished and rapidly expanding lora alliance infrastructure—including both privately managed local area networks (LANs) and telecom-operated public networks—to create Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) with nationwide coverage. This stack integration also enables the modem to be used with any microcontroller that has a UART

interface, including hundreds of Microchip’s PIC® MCUs. The RN2483 also features Microchip’s simple ASCII command interface for easy configuration and control.

With its scalability, robust communication, mobility and the ability to operate in harsh outdoor environments, the RN2483 is well suited for a broad range of low-data-rate wireless monitoring and control designs. For smart city applications, it can be used in street lights, parking meters and traffic sensors. It can also be used in energy mea-surement applications such as electricity, water and gas smart meters. The RN2483 also can be designed into industrial, commerical and home automation applications such as HVAC controls, smart appliances, security systems and lighting.

The RN2483 is a revolutionary end-node solution that enables extremely long-range, bidirectional communication.

The RN2483 is well suited for a broad

range of low-data-rate wireless monitoring and control designs.

available for purchase in May. It will sell for $10.90 each in 1,000-unit quantities. Development boards are also expected to be available for purchase in May. They will allow you to utilize Microchip’s proven and free MPLAB® X Integrated Development Envi-ronment to help speed your product develop-ment time. For additional information, contact your Microchip sales representative.

The LoRa name and associated logo are trade-marks of Semtech Corporation or its subsidiaries.

RN2483 LoRa™ Technology PICtail™/PICtail Plus Daughter Board

Samples of the RN2483 are available now to beta customers and it is expected to be widely

Register Now – www.microchip.com/biricha

Boston, Massachusetts June 2–4, 2015Class: PWR 9101Format: Hands-OnSchedule: 8:30 AM–9:00 AM Arrival and registrationDate: Tuesday, June 2, 2015 9:00 AM to

Thursday, June 4, 2015 5:00 PM

Location: Westboro Executive Park 112 Turnpike Road, Suite 100 Westborough, MA 01581The last day will nish early to facilitate travel. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided all three days. Refreshments included.

Are you looking to learn how to implement digital power supplies into your next design? Microchip has teamed up with Biricha Digital Power to o er world-leading expertise and training at the Digital Power Supply Design Workshop, scheduled for June 2–4, 2015, at our Westborough, Massachusetts, Regional Training Center.

This highly technical and hands-on design workshop will bene t power supply designers as well as embedded systems programmers. Over the course of three days, the training will cover all of the necessary theory to design and implement digital power supplies using Microchip’s dsPIC33F family of microcontrollers. Learning will be reinforced through numerous labs and attendees will receive a Digital Power Starter Kit plus all of the software examples and templates which are used during the workshop. (Day 1 is optional and is intended for engineers who have little or no experience with PIC® MCU programming.)

SHOWCASE

7

NEW PRODuCT

8

Offering a level of capability not traditionally found on low-cost 8-bit PIC® MCUs, the new pic16(l)f1769

family integrates up to two complete sets of Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs), designed to optimally drive switch-mode power supplies and apply sophisticated modulation of the output for high-resolution, dimmable lighting applications.

It is also the first family of PIC MCUs to offer up to two independent closed-loop channels. This is achieved with the addition of the Programma-ble Ramp Generator (PRG), which automates slope and ramp compensation, and increases stability and ef-ficiencies in power conversion applications. The PRG provides real-time, down to the nano-second responses to a system change, without CPU interaction for multiple independent power channels. This allows you to reduce latency and component counts while improving your system’s efficiency.

The PIC16(L)F1769 family includes intelligent analog and digital peripherals, including tri-state op amps, 10-bit Analog-to-Digital Con-verters (ADCs), 5- and 10-bit Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs), 10- and 16-bit PWMs,

Down to the Nanosecond New 8-bit MCU Family is First to Provide Multiple Independent, Closed-Loop Power Channels and System Management

flexible interconnections of advanced analog and digital integration increase system capabilities while simplifying design

and high-speed comparators, along with two 100 mA high-current I/Os. The combination of these integrated peripherals helps support the demands of multiple independent closed-loop power channels and system management, while providing an 8-bit platform that simpli-fies design, enables higher efficiency and increases performance. This helps eliminate the need for many discrete components in power-conversion systems.

In addition to power-conversion peripherals, these PIC MCUs have a unique hardware-based LED dimming control function that eliminates

LED current overshoot and decay. This is enabled by the interconnections of the Data Signal Modulator (DSM), op amp and 16-bit PWM. The synchro-nization of the output switching

helps smooth dimming, minimizes color shifting, increases LED life and reduces heat.

Taking 8-bit PIC MCU performance to a new level, the PIC16(L)F1769 family’s Core Inde-pendent Peripherals—such as the Configurable Logic Cell (CLC), Complementary Output Gen-erator (COG) and Zero Cross Detect (ZCD)—are designed to handle tasks with no code or supervision from the CPU to maintain operation

The new PIC16(L)F1769 family integrates up to two complete sets of Core Independent Peripherals.

This allows you to reduce latency and component counts

while improving your system’s efficiency.

(continued on page 9)

Advanced and Broad Power Management PortfolioMicrochip's Digitally Enhanced Power Analog Devices for a Fully Programmable and Flexible Solution

suited for a variety of power supply, battery management, LED lighting, exterior/interior automotive lighting and general-purpose applications. In addition to their other features, the family offers EUSART, I2C™/ SPI and eXtreme Low Power (XLP) Technology. Devices are avail-able in small form-factor packages, ranging from 14 to 20 pins.

development supportThe PIC16(L)F1769 family is supported by Microchip’s standard suite of world-class development tools, including the MplaB® icd 3 (DV164035) and pickit™ 3 (PG164130) In-Circuit Debuggers and MPLAB Code Configurator. This plug-in for our free MplaB X integrated develop-ment environment (IDE) provides a graph-ical method to configure 8-bit systems and peripheral features, getting you from concept to prototype in minutes by automatically

after initial configuration. As a result, they simplify the implementation of complex control systems and give you the flexibility to innovate. The CLC peripheral allows you to create custom logic and interconnections specific to your application, reducing inter-rupt latency, saving code space and adding functionality. The COG peripheral is a pow-erful waveform generator that can generate complementary waveforms with fine control of key parameters such as phase, dead-band, blanking, emergency shut-down states and error-recovery strategies. It provides a cost-effective solution, saving both board space and component cost. The ZCD senses when a high-voltage AC signal crosses through ground, which is ideal for TRIAC control functions.

With their capability for multiple independent, closed-loop power channels and system management, the PIC16(L)F1769 are well

NEW PRODuCT

9

generating efficient and easily modified C code for your application.

Contact your local Microchip Sales Office for information on pricing and availability of samples and production quantities for various devices in the PIC16(L)F1769 family.

NEW PRODuCT

10

According to global information company IHS Technology, the automotive display market will grow exponentially over

the next six years. Driver Information Dis-plays (DIDs) are one of the fastest growing segments, with an expected increase from 30.8 million units in 2014 to 102.8 million in 2020. Driven by safety requirements, the camera market in motor vehicles is also projected to explode. The convergence of consumer electronics, infotainment, driver information displays and camera-based Ad-vanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is creating the demand for streaming high-quality video in all car classes.

As a result, Microchip recently announced the world’s first H.264 video I/O companion inte-grated circuits (ICs) optimized for the proven and robust Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) high-speed automotive infotainment and ADAS network technology. The os85621 and os85623 expand our existing family of MOST I/O companions to now include cost-effective video codec solutions.

Featuring a low-latency, high-quality H.264 codec and an on-chip Digital Transmission

Video Streaming Hits the Road Introducing the World's First H.264 Video I/O Companions Optimized for MOST® High-Speed Automotive Infotainment and ADAS Networks

h.264 Video encoders and decoders simplify applications requiring high Quality, low latency and content-protected Video transmission

Content Protection (DTCP) coprocessor, the OS85621 enables you to implement a com-prehensive content-protected video trans-mission solution within days. Video streams with restricted access from devices—such as

DIDs, digital media drives and TV tuners—can now be easily transmitted as encrypted H.264 over a MOST network, satisfy-ing today’s market demand for high-quality audio and video within the automotive environ-

ment. The OS85621’s on-chip DTCP copro-cessor supports hardware acceleration of the computation-intensive operations required for DTCP authentication and content protection. Up to eight independent data streams can be simultaneously routed through the DTCP coprocessor’s cipher engine for M6 or AES-128 encryption/decryption.

The ultra-low-latency mode of the H.264 codec enables single-digit millisecond latency from video input to video output, including encoding, transmission over a MOST network and decod-ing. This real-time, high-speed video process-ing makes the OS85623—which has no DTCP coprocessor—ideal for camera-based ADAS applications that are designed to enhance vehicle safety.

Our family of MOST® I/O companions now includes cost-effective video codec solutions.

The OS85621 enables you to implement a comprehensive content-protected

video transmission solution within days.

(continued on page 11)

development supportTo ensure compatibility with other DTCP devices and further reduce development efforts, the OS85621 and OS85623 are supported by our free and ready-to-use dtcp-stack for i/o companions. Additionally, the optional OS85621 Most togo reference design makes the creation of automotive ADAS and infotainment systems easy, enabling you to focus on application software development.

Contact your local Microchip Sales Office for information on pricing and the availability of samples and production quantities of the OS85621 and OS85623.

Both devices feature a number of hardware interfaces commonly used for infotainment data exchange. Their video-interface port supports a variety of industry-standard formats and resolutions, including HD for seamless interfacing to video sources. A streaming port supports legacy audio formats and 7.1 multi-channel audio up to 24 bits. Two independent, inter-chip-communication Media local Bus (MediaLB®) ports provide a seamless interface to Microchip’s Intelligent Network Interface Controllers (INICs) for MOST networks, as well as application pro-cessors. These video I/O companion chips also feature an additional Transport Stream Interface for compressed video streams.

NEW PRODuCT

11

NEW PRODuCT

12

Developing applications with motion/position sensors can be difficult. Cre-ating complex algorithms to filter,

compensate and fuse the raw data from the sensors requires specialized knowledge and can be very resource intensive. Designers of the latest embedded and Internet of Things (IoT) applications are looking for a solution that allows them to easily integrate motion capabilities into their custom boards and get their products to market quickly.

Recognizing this, we recently announced a new motion module that makes it easy and cost effective to add motion capability to an endless variety of embedded and Internet of Things applications. The MM7150 Motion Module contains our SSC7150 motion co-processor combined with 9-axis sensors, including a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis mag-netometer and a 3-axis gyroscope from Bosch. This device is preprogrammed with sophisticated sensor fusion algorithms which intelligently filter, compensate, and combine the raw sensor data to provide highly accurate position and orientation information. This allows virtually anyone to add this capability to a product design without needing to spend years becoming a motion expert.

The small-form-factor MM7150 Motion Module is self-calibrating during operation utilizing data

Motion Monitoring Made EasyMM7150 Motion Module Speeds Design Cycles for Embedded and Internet of Things Applications

small-form-factor solution includes ssc7150 Motion coprocessor with integrated sensor fusion algorithms, accelerometer, Magnetometer and gyroscope sensors

from the sensors. A simple I2C™ connection to most MCUs/MPUs allows applications to easily tap into the module’s advanced motion and position data. The module is also single sided to allow it to be easily soldered down during the manufacturing process.

The MM7150 Motion Module can be used for a myriad of Internet of Things, embedded, indus-trial and consumer electronics applications, including portable devices, robotics, commercial

trucks, industrial automation, patient tracking, smart farming, remote controls, gaming devices, toys and wearable devices. The potential uses

are only limited by your imagination.

development supportThe MM7150 pictail™ plus daughter Board (AC243007) makes it easy to develop your motion applications. It plugs directly into the explorer 16 development Board (DM240001) to enable quick and easy prototyping utilizing Microchip’s extensive installed base of PIC® MCUs.

Contact your local Microchip Sales Office for additional information on pricing and availabil-ity for the MM7150 Motion Module. To learn more about getting started with Microchip's motion products, visit our Motion and position solutions page.

The MM7150 Motion Module allows you to easily integrate motion capabilities into your design.

Add motion capability to an endless variety of embedded and Internet of Things applications.

(continued on page 14)

NEW PRODuCT

13

In-vehicle networking growth continues to be driven by the need for electronic monitoring and control. As application features in power

train, body and convenience, diagnostics and safety increase, more Electronic Control Units (ECUs) are being added to existing Controller Area Network (CAN) buses, causing automotive OEMs to become bandwidth limited. In addition, the end-of-line programming time for ECUs is on the rise due to more complex application pro-grams and calibration, which raises production line costs. The emerging CAN Flexible Data-Rate (FD) bus protocol solves these issues by increas-ing the maximum data rate while expanding the data field from 8 data bytes up to 64 data bytes. Microchip has been involved since the beginning of CAN FD, planning and developing products to help serve overall system needs. We use a global perspective, which allows our customers to sell their end products across all regions of the world.

As an interface between a CAN protocol controller and the phys-ical two-wire CAN bus, our new family of CAN FD transceivers—the Mcp2561/2fd—can serve both the CAN and CAN FD protocols. This product family not only helps automotive and industrial manufac-turers with today’s CAN communication needs, but also provides a path for the newer CAN FD networks that are increasingly in demand. With

Easing the CAN Migration PathMCP2561/2FD CAN FD Transceiver Family Serves both CAN and CAN FD Protocols

cost-competitive transceivers Meet and exceed global automotive requirements and offer increased Maximum data-rate capability

their robustness and industry-leading features, which include data rates of up to 8 Mbps, the MCP2561/2FD transceivers enable you to implement and realize the benefits of CAN FD.

These new transceivers have one of the industry’s lowest standby current consumption (<5 µA typical), helping meet ECU low-power budget requirements. Additionally, these devices support operation in the −40°C to 150°C temperature range, enabling their use in harsh environments. They are available in 8-pin PDIP, SOIC and 3 × 3 mm DFN (leadless) packages, providing additional design flexibility for space-limited applications.

This family of transceivers also provides two options. The MCP2561FD comes in an 8-pin package and features a SPLIT pin. This SPLIT pin helps to stabilize the common mode in biased split-termination schemes. The MCP2562FD is

available in an 8-pin package and features a Vio pin. This Vio pin can be tied to a secondary supply in order to internally

level shift the digital I/Os for easy microcontrol-ler interfacing. This is beneficial when a system is using a microcontroller at a Vdd less than 5V (for example, 1.8V or 3.3V), and eliminates the need for an external level translator, decreasing system cost and complexity.

Microchip's CAN HS and CAN FD transceivers are approved by major automotive and industrial OEMs.

MCP2561/2FD can serve both CAN and CAN FD protocols.

featured at can fd plug festThe MCP2561/2FD transceivers were successfully used to test CAN FD network designs at the Plug Fest organized by the CAN in Automation (CiA®) Interest Group, held on March 25th in Detroit, Michigan. Both Kvaser—a supplier of advanced CAN solutions to engineers designing and deploying systems across a wide range of industries—and Intrepid Control Systems used these transceivers on their respective

CAN FD boards at this event. Intrepid Control Systems supplies the neoVI, ValueCAN and WaveBPS CAN testing products to all major automotive OEMs.

The MCP2561FD and MCP2562FD CAN FD transceivers can be ordered for sampling and volume production from microchipdirect or from Microchip’s worldwide distribution network.

NEW PRODuCT

14

PRODuCT SPOTLIGHT

15

digital-to-analog converters with non-Volatile Memory and i2c™ feature 8-, 10- and 12-bit resolutionOffered in 8-pin TSSOP packages, the low-power, single and dual-channel Mcp47feBXX families of general-purpose DACs are ideal for applications in the consumer and industrial markets—

such as wireless microphones, mp3 player accessories and blood glucose test devices—and appli-cations such as motor control, instrumentation, sensor calibration, and set point/offset trimming. The integrated EEPROM enables DAC settings to be recalled at power up, for added system flexibility. The choice of 8-, 10- and 12-bit resolution provides flexibility with design requirements and cost. The various shutdown modes significantly reduce the device current consumption for power-critical applications. More information.

new family of 3V serial Quad i/o™ interface superflash® Memory devices provides the fastest erase times in the industryThe sst26Vf family of 3V Serial Quad I/O™ interface (or SQI™ interface) SuperFlash® memory devices is available with 16-Mbit, 32-Mbit or 64-Mbit of memory, and is manufactured using

Microchip’s high-performance CMOS SuperFlash technology, which provides the industry’s fastest erase times and superior reliability. Sector and block erase commands are completed in just 18 ms, and a full chip erase operation is completed in 35 ms. Competing devices require 10 to 20 seconds to complete a full chip erase operation, making the SST26VF approximately 400 times faster. De-signed for low power consumption, the SST26VF is ideal for energy-efficient embedded systems. More information.

5 GHz Power Amplifier Module Extends the range, reduces production costs of wlan applications Based on ieee 802.11ac wi-fi® standardAchieving the maximum data rate and longest range, while min-imizing current consumption, is essential to designers of Wi-Fi®

MIMO access-point, router and set-top-box systems. The sst11cp22 5 GHz Power Amplifier

(continued on page 16)

Module (PAM) for the IEEE 802.11ac ultra high data rate Wi-Fi standard delivers 19 dBm linear output power at 1.8% dynamic Error Vector Magnitude( EVM) with MCS9 80 MHz bandwidth

modulation. Additionally, the SST11CP22 delivers 20 dBm linear power at 3% EVM for 802.11a/n applications, is spectrum mask compliant up to 24 dBm for 802.11a communication, and has less than 45 dBm/MHz RF harmonic output at this output power, making it easier for the system board to meet FCC regulations. More information.

Microchip licenses ethercat® technology for its next-generation ethernet controllersThe EtherCAT standard is a proven and robust industrial com-munication protocol that is expanding its market presence in drive and I/O applications. With EtherCAT technology’s “on

the fly” processing and use of standard Ethernet cabling, which eliminates expensive switch fabrics, Microchip’s next-generation slave controllers offer the high level of integration and cost optimization required for current and future industrial applications. This includes the Internet of Things (IoT), since EtherCAT technology is a perfect fit for adding connectivity to industrial IoT designs. More information.

Most150 inics enable cost-effective implementations of smart-antenna Modules inside VehiclesBy employing the new MOST150 technology coaxial physical layer specification, the os81118af Intelligent Network Inter-face Controller (INIC) with integrated coax transceiver is able

to support smart-antenna module connectivity to in-vehicle MOST150 Advanced Driver Assis-tance System (ADAS) and infotainment networks. The MOST150 coaxial physical layer is ideally suited for smart-antenna telematics and other data traffic from AM/FM, DAB, SDARS, DVB-T, 3G/LTE, GPS and Wi-Fi® signals that increasingly need to connect with in-vehicle networks for high-bandwidth control, audio, video and Internet Protocol (IP) communication. Using proven and low-cost coaxial cabling to simultaneously deliver communication signals and power to these in-vehicle systems simplifies design and installation efforts while lowering costs and reducing vehicle weight for easier compliance with environmental regulations. More information.

PRODuCT SPOTLIGHT

16

DE

V T

OO

L D

EA

LS

17

The Savings Are In bloom

Spring is a time for fresh starts and new projects. Look through our April dev tool deals to find some special items that might help inspire your creativity. To take advantage of these special sale prices, go to www.microchipdirect.com and add the item to your cart. Add

the coupon code during checkout. These are limited time offers so act quickly to get yours while the deals are still available and supplies last.

Mtch101 touch sensing demo Board (dM160220)microchipdirect coupon code: tp1513

No experience required! Quickly and easily implement Microchip’s mTouch® technology in any application with the Mtch101 touch sensing demo Board. This kit consists of a Proximity Sensor Board and an MTCH101 MCU Board to provide you with a turnkey proximity

detection companion application right out of the box. Save 40% and get your kit for just $17.99.

MplaB® starter Kit for digital power (dM330017)microchipdirect coupon code: tp1514Explore the capabilities and features of the dsPIC33F GS Digital Power Conversion family with the MplaB® starter Kit for digital power. This digitally controlled power supply board consists of one independent DC/DC synchronous buck converter and one independent DC/DC boost converter. Each power stage includes a MOSFET-controlled 5W resistive load. The Starter Kit also includes an on-board debugger/programmer. Get yours for 30% off the regular price.

MeB/MeB ii uart-to-usB adapter Board (ac320101)microchipdirect coupon code: tp1515

The MeB/MeB ii uart-to-usB adapter Board uses the MCP2200 Breakout Module to convert USB-to-UART signals that can be accessed directly by the PICtail™ connector on either the Multimedia expansion Board (MeB) or the Multimedia expansion Board ii (MeB ii). It’s on sale now for $18.99.

(continued on page 18)

8-bit wireless development Kit - 2.4 ghz ieee 802.15.4 (dM182015-1)microchipdirect coupon code: tp1516Save almost $140 on this easy-to-use evaluation and development platform for your IEEE 802.15.4 applications. The 8-bit wireless development Kit - 2.4 ghz ieee 802.15.4 is pre-programmed with the MiWi™ protocol stack and comes with two PIC18 Wireless Development Boards with a PIC18F46J50 XLP microcontroller, two MRF24J40MA transceiver PICtail™ daughter cards, two LCD serial accessory boards, two RS232 serial accessory boards, two USB A to Mini-B cables and two RS232 serial cables. Order your kit today.

DEV TOOL DEALS

18

(continued on page 20)

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

19

Powerful MPLAb® Harmony Configurator Accelerates Your 32-bit Embedded Software Development

MplaB harmony is a flexible, abstracted, fully integrated firmware development platform for all 32-bit PIC32 microcontrollers (MCUs). It takes key elements of modular and object-oriented design, adds in the flexibility to use a RTOS or work without one,

and provides a framework of software modules that are easy to use, configurable for specific design requirements and that are purpose-built to work together. It also integrates the licens-ing, resale and support of Microchip and third-party middleware, drivers, libraries and real-time operating systems.

One of the key aspects of the framework is the MPLAB Harmony Configurator tool (MHC). Its graphical interface allows you to select and configure all Harmony components, including mid-dleware, system services and peripherals. The MPLAB Harmony Configurator environment reduces the amount of time it takes to change the configuration of peripherals any time during development, while practically eliminating the possibility of bugs in the peripheral and middleware configurations.

MPLAB® Harmony Block Diagram

Application(s)

RTOS(Third Party)

Common System Services

Middleware

Plug-In Plug-In Driver

OSALDriverMiddleware

DriverDriverDriverDriver Driver

PLIBPLIBPLIBPLIB PLIBSystem

ConfigurationRTOS

Configuration

Hardware

SoftwareFramework

MPL

AB

® H

arm

ony

Con

figur

ator

(MH

C)

DESIGN ARTICLE

20

MHC features include a clock configurator that provides a graphical user interface to configure the oscillator module of the PIC32 devices. While simulating the normal operation of the oscillator module, the MHC clock configurator contains interactive controls, dynamic output, and visual warnings to help guide you in es-tablishing the desired system clock configu-ration. The MHC clock configurator supports the configuration of system clock frequency, peripheral bus clock, reference clock, and USB PLL. Additionally, the auto-calculation feature of MHC is designed to determine the divider and multiplier values in the SPLL, based on a user-requested system clock frequency.

The graphical pin manager is another highlight of MHC. It enables you to configure the pins of Microchip devices quickly and intelligently.

The tool consists of a graphical representation of the state of the component and a table that allows you to configure the pins of the device.

Our MPLAB Harmony Configurator video on YouTube provides you with an overview of the features of this powerful plug-in.

The combination of MPLAB Harmony Software Framework, the MPLAB X Integrated Develop-ment Environment (IDE) and the MPLAB XC32 compiler offers you a one-stop shop for all your PIC32 embedded software needs. If you are looking to get your product to market quickly while facing ever-shorter product design schedules and decreasing budgets, you will definitely benefit from this easy-to-use code development solution.

(continued on page 22)

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

21

Getting Started with SuperFlash® Technology

In the “How Fast Is Your Memory?” article in the January/february 2015 issue of MicroSolutions, we introduced you to our NOR Flash products with SuperFlash Technology. These products come in a variety of bus interfaces, speeds, voltages and packages. Below are some things to

consider when selecting a Flash solution:

nor vs. nand flash MemoryNOR and NAND Flash memory differ in the way connections are made between the individual memory cells. In NOR Flash memory, each cell is individually connected to the bit line in parallel. NAND Flash memory cells are connected in series to a bit line. The series connection reduces the number of ground wires and bit lines, result-ing in a higher-density layout. For a given process technology and density, a NAND Flash memory is about 60% smaller than a NOR Flash memory. This provides a lower cost per bit than NOR Flash memory. However, NAND Flash memory does not provide a random-access external address bus. Therefore data can only be read in pages. This makes NAND Flash memory similar to data storage devices like hard disk drives and optical memory. On the other hand, NOR Flash memory is better suited for accessing program code, such as a computer’s BIOS or firmware. NOR Flash memory is read similarly to random-access memory, which is perfect for execute-in-place applications.

nand norMain application File Storage Code Executionstorage capacity High LowXip capabilities No Yescost per Bit Better –active power Better –standby power – Betterwrite speed Good –read speed – Good

Table 1 - NAND and NOR Flash Memory Selection Criteria

NOR Cells NAND Cells

DESIGN ARTICLE

22

what is execution in place (Xip)?Execution In Place (XIP) refers to executing

program code directly from external storage rather than copying it into RAM first. Running program code from external storage allows ad-ditional RAM to be freed up for dynamic data. For XIP to be possible, you must have random access capability, the appropriate memory mapping and sufficient bandwidth. NOR Flash memory is well suited for XIP. Since program code in NAND Flash memory must be copied into RAM before being executed, NAND Flash memory is not able to utilize XIP.

which Bus interface should You choose?NOR Flash memory devices are available with either a serial or parallel bus interface. The choice of which bus to use is often dictated by the required data rates of the application as well as the amount of available I/O on the mi-crocontroller and the board space available. With the ongoing demand for smaller and cheaper end products, more designs are now being switched to a serial interface to reduce board space and component price.

Today’s microcontrollers are often bond pad limited. This means that the size of the die is limited by the space needed for bond pads rather than for the microcontroller gates or cir-cuitry. Eliminating bond pads results in a smaller die size, which increases the number of die on a wafer and reduces the cost per die. Additionally, the use of more pins increases the assembly

parallel flash Memory

serial spi flash Memory

data throughput High Medium

pin count 32+ 8+package size Large Smallpower consumption Medium Low

cost High Low

Table 2 - Parallel vs. Serial SPI Flash Memory

and packaging costs of both the microcontroller and the memory device. This is why there has been a major shift from using parallel Flash memory devices to using serial Flash memory devices. However, switching to fewer pins means lower data throughput. To offset this lower data throughput, a quad I/O serial interface is being used in the latest memory devices, creating a line of products called Serial Quad I/O™ (SQI™) Flash memory.

SQI Flash memory devices read and write through a 4-bit multiplexed synchronous serial communication interface, which enables true low-pin-count, high-bandwidth-code XIP appli-cations. The firmware commands are very similar to those of SPI, but with 4-bit I/O instead of single-bit I/O. Therefore, this interface pro-vides approximately four times the data throughput of SPI. Compared to parallel Flash memory devices, SQI Flash memory devices provide very fast performance without requiring large, expensive and high pin-count packages.

what is the serial flash discoverable parameters (sfdp) standard?The Serial Flash Discoverable Parameter (SFDP) standard is an open standard approved by JEDEC. The goal of this standard is to allow interchangeability between Flash memory devices from different manufacturers of Flash products. Each manufacturer’s memory has differences in performance specifications, memory maps and features. SFDP allows the use of a single driver which reads identifying

Flash Memory Performance Comparison Chart

(continued on page 23)

DESIGN ARTICLE

23

information out of a table of values stored on the Flash device. The benefit of using

this standard is that information about multiple Flash parts no longer needs to be stored in system software. This helps to future-proof the software, allowing you to use lower-cost Flash devices as they become available without needing to update your software.

Our serial and parallel Flash memory products are an excellent choice for applications requir-ing superior performance, excellent data reten-tion and high reliability. Visit our superflash technology page or contact your local Microchip Sales Office for more information on selecting the right serial or parallel Flash memory device for your latest application.

(continued on page 25)

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

24

Going the Distance to Secure Our Future

The rapidly growing analog Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) market is greater than $23 billion, with more than 60 million camera shipments made worldwide in 2014. This is mostly driven by a huge growth in adoption due to the threat of terrorism, increased vehicle traffic con-

gestion, and a greater need for public transportation and public space monitoring. Analog CCTV cameras transmit video over standard 75Ω coaxial (coax) cable. Since analog CCTV cameras are installed worldwide, there are essentially millions of miles of coaxial cable already installed and being used by the analog CCTV industry. Typical applications for CCTV video include:• Public space monitoring - street corners, elevators• Public transportation monitoring - subways, bus and train stations• Street intersection monitoring - red light cameras• Traffic monitoring - freeway congestion and license plate tracking• Security surveillance - homes, apartments and businesses• Event monitoring - concerts, protests, weather

When analog CCTV video is consulted to review an incident, it frequently offers very poor quality facial recognition capabilities and indistinct images of objects and events. Given these limitations, security agencies are starting to require solutions that allow this type of surveillance and monitoring to be captured in much higher resolution. As this market starts to transition to digital High-Definition CCTV (HD-CCTV), the ideal solution would be able to use the existing CCTV coax cabling infrastructure for a variety of next-generation HD digital video applications.

A High-Definition Video Transmission StandardThere are several solutions which can fulfill this need for higher-resolution video over existing cabling. However the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers’ (SMPTE) Serial Digital Interface (SDI) is one of the best—if not the best—solution for making this transition. Since it is very important to have the full raw data for analytic processing, SDI provides very-high-resolution imagery at the full uncompressed bandwidth. SDI is a standard for digital video transmission, using standard 75Ω impedance coax cable in most cases. The most common data speeds are 270 megabits per second (Mbps) to 2.97 gigabits per second (Gbps). The most commonly de-ployed speed for SDI is HD-SDI (1.485 Gbps). However, speeds of up to 6 Gbps are theoretically possible. In many cases HD-SDI is used interchangeably with HD-CCTV.

25

a single-cable solution for Video, power and controlThe typical coax cable run for HD-SDI solu-tions is 150-500 meters in distance. Micro-chip’s eQco30t5 3G/HD-SDI Video Cable Driver and eQco30r5 3G/HD-SDI Video Cable Equalizer chipset fully meets this dis-tance requirement. Both devices come in a space-saving 16-pin 4 × 4 mm QFN. When designed onto an HD-SDI camera board and an HD-SDI digital video recorder (DVR) board, the EQCO30T/R5 chipset can achieve distanc-es up to 220 meters over a 75Ω coax cable, depending on cable quality. For applications re-quiring cabling over longer distances, HD-SDI transmission can be achieved at lower speeds. For example, a cable length of 720 meters sup-ports SDI cameras. A typical board design is shown in Figure 1.

High-Resolution HD-SDI CCTV Image

Typical Analog CCTV Image

(continued on page 26)

DESIGN ARTICLE Microchip’s EQCO30T5 and EQCO30R5 HD-SDI chipset enables simultaneous high-speed video, power over coax, and camera control (RS-485) over a single coax cable. This eliminates the need to run extra line for power and control to the camera at the remote end.

extending Your application’s reachFor applications where a transmission distance greater than 220 meters is required over 75Ω coax cable, the EQCO30T/R5 chipset has been designed into the eQco-sdi-30-7502 Repeater. Each HD-SDI repeater unit receives an attenuated HD-CCTV signal and extends it up to 220 meters over the coax cable. Up to five HD-SDI repeaters can be added in series to achieve up to 1 kilometer in distance. Only the repeater nearest the recorder needs to be provided with the system power and the camera control signals. Similarly, the control signals and power (if needed) can be fed to a camera by the repeater nearest to it. Camera control is accomplished via RS485, the most commonly used communications protocol.

EQCO-SDI-30-7502 Repeater

Figure 1 - EQCO30T5 on Camera and EQCO30R5 on a DVR Board

Up to 5 Mbpsuplink

Up to1000 mA DC

HighDefinitionCamera

Electronics

EQCO30T5

Up to 3Gbps

downlink

Up to 5 Mbpsuplink

Up to 3 Gbps

downlink

Up to 220 meters

75Ω Coax

Up to1000 mA DC

Frame Store + CameraControl

Electronics

EQCO30R5

EQCO30T5 On Camera EQCO30R5 on DVR Board

4.8, 16, 32 Channel DVRHD-SDI

26

DESIGN ARTICLE The repeater contains three critical components to correct and then retransmit

the signal:• Adaptive Equalizer to return the signal to

its original amplitude and modulation• Reclocker to resynchronize the signal,

bringing it back to its original condition• Cable Driver to retransmit the signal with

its original characteristics restored

If you have a surveillance or monitoring ap-plication that requires higher resolution at longer distances, please contact your local Microchip Sales Office for more information on our HD-SDI solutions. The EQCO30T5, EQCO30R5 and EQCO-SDI-30-7502 can all be purchased from microchipdirect.

The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo and PIC are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners. © 2015 Microchip Technology Inc. All rights reserved. 1/15DS00001744B

Create Next Generation Medical Devices with MicrochipIndustry-Leading Components Backed by World-Class Design Support

www.microchip.com/medical

Add next-generation capabilities such as touch-screen capacitive sensing, wireless connectivity, integrated analog functions, security and authentication and longer battery life while lowering your overall system cost and time to market. Our combination of innovative products, dependable delivery and years of experience in enabling embedded medical solutions for customers around the world makes Microchip Technology your experienced partner of choice for medical designs.

Features• Extend battery life with

XLP technology• Add touch sensing with PIC® MCUs• Add wired and wireless connectivity

• Add security and authentication• Add integrated analog functionality• Get world-class support for

medical designs

(continued on page 28)

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

27

Avoid Input Damage With ±500 Volt Protection Circuit

The simple, reliable and cost-effective ±500V protection circuit described in this article is ideal for eliminating the possibility of input damage to very sensitive and expensive low-voltage, high-impedance bench and handheld measuring instruments. The protection

is accomplished by limiting the amount of current going into the measuring instrument. The circuit will protect against destructive high voltages inadvertently connected to the probes (VMEAS) of up to 500 VDC of positive and negative polarity.

circuit descriptionThe circuit consists of two transistors, Q1 and Q2, and one resistor, R. Both Q1 and Q2 are Microchip lnd150, 500V N-channel depletion mode MOSFETs with gate-to-source ESD protection in a SOT-89 surface mount package. Q1 and Q2 are configured back-to-back as two constant current sources with a nominal value of 1.0 mA. Resistor R sets the current limiting value. Figure 2 is a typical low-voltage high-impedance measurement instrument. Figure 3, on the next page, is a simplified equivalent circuit showing the protection scheme.

Under normal operation, the absolute value of VMEAS is less than the supply voltage of the circuit. Q1 and Q2 will be fully on with a maximum guaranteed RDS of 1.0 kΩ. Since the instrument’s input impedance is typically very high (above 10 MΩ), the additional 2.0 kΩ series resistance from Q1 and Q2 will not affect measurement accuracy.

Figure 1 - A ±500V Protection Circuit for Low-Voltage High-Impedance Measuring Instruments

Figure 2 - A Typical Low-Voltage High-Impedance Measurement Instrument

DESIGN ARTICLE

28

Under the fault condition, the absolute value of VMEAS is greater than the supply voltage. Q1 limits the current to 1.0 mA against large positive voltages and Q2 limits the current to −1.0 mA against large negative voltages across VMEAS.

For example, if VMEAS is connected to ±500V, Q1 and Q2 will limit the input current to ±1.0 mA, causing the input voltage to the measurement instrument to clamp to 1.3V above its supply voltage (when R = 600Ω) and 0.7V below ground.

Typically, the measuring instrument has ESD protection diodes connected from both probes to its power supply and ground. The ESD pro-tection diodes can usually handle 1.0 mA con-tinuously. If there are no ESD diodes provided, external diodes D1, D2, D3 and D4 can be added.

calculation for resistor ValueFor a current limiting value of ±1.0 mA, R can be approximated by the following equation:

where, ID = desired constant current value, VGS(OFF) = pinch-off voltage, and IDSS = saturation current at VGS = 0V.

VGS(OFF) and IDSS are device characteristics and will vary from lot to lot. Actual constant current values are not critical as long as the power dis-sipation of the LND150 is less than 600 mW.

Figures 4A and 4B are pictures of current due to VMEAS vs. VMEAS voltage of the actual circuit. R1 was chosen to be 1.0 kΩ.

PDiss = 600 mW = (constant current value)(max. input voltage).

Figure 3 - A Simplified Equivalent Circuit Showing the Protection Scheme

Figure 4A Figure 4B

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

29

App Specialist Coderus Introduces the Infinite Possibilities of the Internet of Things

Recognized for their expertise and reputation for producing quality mobile and embedded applications using Microchip’s solutions, Coderus has recently joined the Microchip Design Partner Program

as an App Developer Specialist. They offer their customers a great foundation for developing applications for the much-hyped Internet of Things (IoT) and for facing the associated challenges that lie ahead.

Now that computing technology has sufficient capacity and performance, combined with the extended reach of Internet access and advances made in low-power wireless communications devices, the IoT has emerged as a viable proposition for many applications. This creates many new opportunities to generate valuable data from a vast array of industry sectors including medical and green energy, for example. For the first time, vast amounts of data can be collected and ma-nipulated in almost real time, proving invaluable in reducing the costs associated with predicting problems. Eventually this may also result in self-healing systems.

The ‘thing’ in the Internet of Things, refers to the almost infinite sensing/data gathering device possibilities. Some that we can most easily relate to can be found in a heart monitor, wearable fitness device or a vehicle monitoring system—all of which are able to provide the user with helpful information or alert them to a potential problem. Enhancing the capabilities of devices that support people’s disabilities, such as hearing aids, will also be possible. As long as the sensing devices can connect to a central service through an Internet connection, information can be gathered and processed in an entirely automated fashion.

Coderus’ ‘development without barriers’ ethos, relationship with Apple® for creating iOS apps and accessory development solutions, as well as experience producing solutions for Android™ and Windows® mobile platforms have all led to their recent Microchip Design Partner status as an app solution provider for Microchip in Europe. To learn more about how Coderus can help you develop apps to aid in device collaboration, please visit www.coderus.com.

(continued on page 31)

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

30

Learn.DigilentInc.comA Place to Get Started with Microchip PIC32 Microcontrollerscontributed by digilent, inc.

Learning needs a starting point. With a multitude of options available on the market, users new to embedded systems often struggle to find a place to get started. Traditionally, embedded systems are taught in university laboratories or pushed into a half-day workshop. However, both of these

teaching platforms leave a lot to be desired when it comes to information retention. This is why Digilent created the digilent learn site teaching tool. Not only does it address this shortcoming, it also aug-ments traditional learning by giving users a free guided resource that can be studied at their own pace.

learn.digilentinc.comThe Digilent Learn Site is an open, freely accessible community resource for sharing teaching and learning material focused on electrical and computer engineering. The site is built around a growing collection of hands-on projects that offer insight and design experience in key areas like analog circuit design, microprocessor pro-gramming and digital circuit design. All of the projects are hosted under the Creative Commons license, so anyone can use, modify, and repost as desired. Each project is self-contained and designed to expose a fun-damental concept in hardware or software design. This platform allows individuals, universities and training environments to explore and pursue goals at their own pace.

chipKit™ embedded platform: our preferred learning platform for McusThe chipKIT embedded platform refers to a community of hardware and software developers—from hobbyists to professionals—as well as a design approach, centered around Microchip’s PIC32 mi-crocontroller architecture. There are a few unique characteristics inherent to the chipKIT embedded platform that make it ideal for use as a teaching tool by resources such as the Digilent Learn Site.

Each project is self-contained and designed to expose a fundamental concept in hardware or software design.

DESIGN ARTICLE

31

hardware capabilities of the chipKit embedded platform

All chipKIT embedded platform boards are built around the powerful PIC32 microcontroller ar-chitecture. The desire was to provide users with access to technology that would remain current for several years beyond the learning phase. The hardware platforms are developed to be low cost and "plug and play" to equip users with a quick set-up time, which is perfect for new or inexperienced users.

ide optionsThe following IDEs are available for free to use in conjunction with chipKIT embedded platform products:• The Multi-Platform Integrated Development

Environment (MPIDE) is a modified and extended form of the Arduino® IDE. It supports PIC32-based chipKIT embedded platform boards while maintaining compat-ibility with the original Arduino community. It is a free, open-source program that runs on Windows®, Mac®, and Linux® operating systems and features several built-in libraries and examples with a simplified programming language derived from C++.

• The Universal Embedded Computing IDE (UECIDE) is a new, modular IDE that supports many different board families and toolchains. The Plug-In Manager allows you to select and download the modules (boards, cores, and compilers) that you intend to use. It is similar in appearance and operation to MPIDE and uses the same chipKIT libraries and compiler.

(continued on page 32)

• MPLAB® X IDE is a debugging environment as well as an editor that integrates a compiler. It is used by the majority of professional, industry-level PIC® MCU users and provides a migration option for MPIDE users into a production-level development tool.

the communityThe chipKIT embedded platform community consists of a large audience that reaches beyond electrical and computer engineers to also include students, hobbyists, hackers and educators. This community lends itself to a pri-marily online cooperative learning experience which is manifested through sharing example projects, contributing code, creating tutorials, giving and receiving feedback and relating experiences.

Multi-Platform Integrated Development Environment

MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment

DESIGN ARTICLE

32

how to get started As a starting point, we suggest you visit

chipKit.net to familiarize yourself with the community. After that, visit the digilent learn site. Based on your comfort level, there are two options for immersing yourself in the content.

If you are new to hardware or electronics, or are just looking for a place to begin, we suggest the Learn chipKIT Starter bundle. Included in this bundle is a comprehensive parts kit, a USB cable and the chipKIT uC32™ board. Concepts covered in the Learn Site projects include simple electronics using a breadboard, digital logic, running displays, multiplexing, I/O expanders, counters, PWM, analog inputs and using simple ICs, just to name a few.

If you prefer a more traditional approach to learn-ing embedded systems, we suggest the chipKIT Pro Starter bundle. This bundle includes a chipKIT Pro MX7 board along with six Pmods™, which are used to teach concepts such as com-munication, I/O control, timing and delays, inter-rupts, and debugging in MPLAB X IDE.

Uses MPIDE - Ideal for New Users

Uses MPLAB® X IDE - Traditional Approach

Once you have your own hardware, you can begin utilizing the Digilent Learn Site. You may select several navigation options: single projects, topic pages, design challenges or comprehensive project sets grouped together as modules.

When you have selected your project, you can expect the following format:

1. introduction: an explanation of the concepts that will be covered throughout the project.

2. Before You Begin: concept requirements that are added to help users gauge their level of readiness and to offer suggestions on where to locate supporting material.

3. inventory: the list of materials and software necessary for the completion of the project.

4. the project lesson: the in-depth explana-tion of fundamental concepts.

5. related Material: supporting concepts for the material presented in the lesson.

(continued on page 33)

DESIGN ARTICLE

33

6. project design: a step-by-step guide to applying the topics from the

lesson to the actual design of the project; most often in the form of building circuits, hardware setup, or software setup.

7. project test: a test that a user can perform to get a feel for how well the knowledge has been retained. This section enables the identification of problem areas which may need some extra attention.

8. design challenge: a challenge for users to apply what they have learned in the project, which enhances the understanding and exemplifies the different ways in which the concepts can be applied to other projects outside of the Learn Site environment.

where to go from here?Visit the chipKit projects page to see the micro-controller projects laid out for chipKIT products. We also encourage you to join the community at chipKit.net or at digilent's educator forum. Also, if you will be attending Masters 2015, be sure to join us for our "Introduction to chipKIT™ Embedded Platform" class.

about digilentFounded in 2000 by two engineering educators, Digilent's mission is to make electrical engineer-ing and design technologies understandable and accessible to all, by enabling educators and students with modern technologies, tools and teaching approaches.

DE

SIG

N A

RT

ICLE

34

Coding for Young EngineersWearable Codebug™ Computer Provides Fun and Engaging Introduction to Coding and Physical Electronics

Many parents and educators are looking for creative ways to encourage children to pursue a rewarding and meaningful career in engineering. However, since engineering offers some pretty tricky barriers to entry for youngsters, anything that simplifies it or makes it

fun will be more likely to encourage them to get started with their first projects.

With this in mind, a team of engineers and academics located near Manchester in the UK have developed a very simple kit that enables young children to easily create code in a graphical web environment and then load it onto a PIC® MCU via a USB cable. Interactive tutorials and code development are all hosted on the CodeBug website, so there’s no need for additional software to be installed on your PC or tablet.

Once the code has been downloaded onto the MCU, the CodeBug can be disconnected from the USB cable. It is powered by a standard CR2032 lithium coin cell, which allows it to be used in a variety of creative ways without being tied to a power source. Offering a 5 x 5 matrix of LEDs, push buttons, touch inputs and easy access to various I/O, the CodeBug inspires kids to create a number of fun projects. And, of course, once the youngsters are engaged and more skilled, they will be well prepared to make the step up to using MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for creating more challenging projects.

Funding for CodeBug is well on its way. Visit the codebug Kickstarter page to learn more about this new and fun educational resource. Also visit Microchip's academic program page to learn about the unique benefits and resources we offer for students, university educators and researchers worldwide.