Date: 09/08/2012

New Piccolo MCUs from TI packs analog and motor control functions

Texas Instruments has made available the new C2000 Piccolo TMS320F2802x microcontrollers featuring 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC), analog comparators to manage power stages and provide system protection in motor control and digital power systems. The internal comparators enable designers to implement seamless shutdown of select pulse-width modulation channels or trigger other events.

Also integrated on the Piccolo F2802x microcontrollers are high-resolution, enhanced pulse width modulators (ePWMs) which provide effective power conversion, along with motor control, using one device. Developers can add cost-effective battery charging via solar or induction to their motor control applications, as well as active power factor correction (PFC) with sufficient performance to implement internal slope compensation with peak current mode control (PCMC) of a secondary DC-DC conversion stage.

Price: The Piccolo F2802x microcontrollers start at around $1.50 in 1k volumes