TI Brings Low-Cost Real-Time Control to Motors, LEDs

New family of microcontrollers features $2 price point

Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor -- Design News, November 10, 2008

Texas Instruments has rolled out a family of low-cost 32-bit microcontrollers that could bring real-time control to hybrid vehicles, home appliances, street light networks and a host of other applications that couldn't afford it before.

Known as TMS320F280xx, the new microcontroller could be most notable for its ability to deliver greater energy efficiency to a wide variety of end products that use electric motors.

"This addresses a market space that needs real-time control but can't afford it," says Keith Ogboenyiya, a microcontroller manager for Advanced Embedded Controllers at TI. "There's been a cost threshold that customers have had to cross if they wanted real-time control. This family (of devices) is enabling applications that previously couldn't afford it."

Code-named "Piccolo," the new devices are said to cost less than $2 each in large volumes. 

TI engineers say the key to the Piccolo performance increase is its use of a hardware accelerator. The MCUs incorporate a programmable control law accelerator (CLA) that offloads control algorithms from the main CPU. By running complex high-speed control algorithms, the CLA frees the main CPU to handle I/O and feedback loop metrics. The result is a 5X performance boost for common closed loop applications, TI engineers say.

Texas Instruments says it is working with OEMs to incorporate Piccolo devices in variable frequency air conditioning units, as well as with LED manufacturers to use the technology to replace high-pressure sodium lamps in streetlight networks. By making it possible to use LEDs instead of sodium lamps in street lights, the technology could help bring about a 50-percent efficiency boost in metropolitan areas, thereby reducing annual carbon emissions by 1.2 million metric tons.

"There's a gap in the marketplace that needs real-time control, but at the right price point," Ogboenyiya says. "This family of devices builds a framework that makes it easier to get those applications started."