Date: 01/12/2011

ARM Cortex-M0 MCUs with integrated USB drivers from NXP

NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced the LPC11U2x series - the first microcontroller based on the ARM Cortex-M0 processor to offer integrated USB class drivers. NXP says by integrating multiple USB drivers in ROM, the LPC11U2x maximizes Flash memory utilization, saving up to 16 KB of code space so that USB integration is made faster. The NXP LPC11U00 family of microcontrollers is designed for consumer, industrial, handheld and computing applications.

NXP also announced that it will initiate a global program to sub-license its USB Vendor ID (VID) and offer Product ID (PID) numbers free of charge to MCU customers. The program eliminates a significant start-up cost for potential USB product developers. NXP and ARM have expanded mbed, the popular rapid prototyping tool platform, to include LPC11U2x to make USB development on Cortex-M0 even easier.

Key features of LPC11U2x series include:
Speeds of up to 50MHz
Up to 10KB SRAM and 32KB Flash
Up to 4KB integrated EEPROM for storing critical system data, which reduces the overall system footprint and improves security
Power-On-Reset (POR); multi-level Brown-Out-Detect (BOD); dedicated Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) for USB
Selectable USART with Smart Card Interface/UART, 2 SSP, I2C (FM+) as serial peripherals
8-channel high-precision 10-bit ADC with ±1LSB DNL
Two 16-bit and two 32-bit timers with PWM/Match/Capture
12 MHz internal RC oscillator with 1 percent accuracy over temperature and voltage

"Designing low-power products with USB connectivity is now simpler than ever," said Jan Jaap Bezemer, director of marketing, microcontroller business line, NXP Semiconductors. "By offering drivers in ROM, free Product IDs and easy-to-use tools with our low cost USB Cortex-M0 microcontrollers, we deliver all the key ingredients that embedded engineers need for successful USB application development."

The extensible on-chip USB drivers include Human Interface Device (HID), Mass Storage Device Class (MSC), and Communication Device Class (CDC). Complementing the Cortex-M0 core, the on-chip 32-bit Divide library provides deterministic cycle time execution while executing from low-power ROM. The LPC11U00 family also offers on-chip power profiles, which can be customized for any low-power application.

NXP says it is taking an important step by offering customers the option to sub-license the company's USB Vendor ID number, eliminating a significant start-up cost for USB product developers. With the LPC11U2x, NXP will also offer USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) certification, giving users the assurance that their designs comply with the USB specification and are interoperable with existing USB solutions.

NXP has partnered with the mbed project to create a new mbed NXP LPC11U24 microcontroller board.
mbed.org, the ARM-supported rapid prototyping tool for microcontrollers, has extended support of its lightweight online compiler and powerful C/C++ microcontroller SDK to the LPC11U24, making it possible to develop USB devices in a few lines of code.

"Low-cost Cortex-M0 based microcontrollers will become one of the most attractive ways to implement USB applications," said Simon Ford, Director of Online Tools at ARM. "And with the introduction of the LPC11U24 to the mbed platform, developers can prototype these applications in minutes, backed by the resources and support shared in the mbed community."

Pricing and Availability: NXP LPC11U2x microcontrollers with up to 32K Flash are currently sampling and are available from distributors worldwide. Recommended distribution unit pricing in 10,000 piece quantities for the LPC11U23FBD48/301 (48-pin LQFP package) with 24K Flash, 8K SRAM and 1K EEPROM is at US $1.53. Higher Flash options (32K - 128K) will also be available for sampling in Q1 2012.

For more information visit: www.nxp.com