Oki uses ARM RISC core in new 32-bit microcontroller series

Oki uses ARM RISC core in new 32-bit microcontroller series
By Semiconductor Business News
March 13, 2002 (2:38 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020313S0026

SAN FRANCISCO -- Oki Semiconductor today rolled out a new general-purpose 32-bit microcontroller--based on a RISC processor core from ARM Ltd.--which is aimed at lowering the cost of embedded system designs while easing the system-development transition to higher levels of 32-bit performance.

At the Embedded Systems Conference here, the U.S. chip operation of Japan's Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd. said the ML674000 series was designed to deliver 32-bit processing at 16-bit cost. The 32-bit MCU is packed with an interrupt controller (with 24 interrupts), two channels of direct memory access (DMA), 16-bit system and counter timers, two channels of UART, a 2-by-16-bit pulse width modulator (PWM), and other hardware functions.

Oki said the 32-bit controller offers designers the use of ARM software development tools along with the wide range of hardware features. This combination makes the chip suitable for industrial controllers, security/surve illance systems, medical instruments, games, toys, digital players, and other devices, according to Oki. The chip is housed in a 128-pin TOFP package.

"Customers reliant upon a wide variation of 16- or 32-bit MCUs can now take advantage of an industry-standard ARM architecture and readily available software development tools at a lower cost," said Ike Saeed, vice president of marketing for Oki Semiconductor, based in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Samples of the ML674000 are available now. In quantities of 10,000 units, the 32-bit MCU is priced at $4.95 each.