Introducing the SmartConnect SAM W25 module for edge nodes IoT applications

Now on display at Electronica 2014, the SmartConnect SAM W25 module is the industry’s first fully-integrated FCC-certified Wi-Fi module with a standalone MCU and hardware security from a single source. The module includes Atmel’s recently-announced 2.4GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi WINC1500, along with an Atmel | SMART SAM D21 ARM Cortex M0+-based MCU and Atmel’s ATECC108A optimized CryptoAuthentication engine with ultra-secure hardware-based key storage for secure connectivity.

With nearly 5 billion connected devices expected next year with another 25 billion predicted by 2020, designers are now demanding more flexible, cost-optimized modules that provide a complete end-point solution from a single vendor. The fully-integrated SAM W25 delivers a secure ‘plug and play’ solution integrating wireless technologies with the design flexibility required for these IoT developers.

The billions of devices in edge nodes IoT applications will be powered by an embedded processing unit such as an MCU, and connected through a secure wireless signal. As more embedded developers start designing IoT apps for smart, secure connected devices, the need for solutions that integrate an MCU, hardware security and pre-certified wireless connectivity solution into one box will become a critical piece of the IoT puzzle; thereby, designers will no longer need wireless or encryption expertise to create an IoT gadget or gizmo.

Atmel’s FCC-, Telec-, IC- and CE-certified SAM W25 is a standalone solution that gives designers an all-in-one platform with a low-power MCU, hardware security and FCC-certified wireless connectivity from a single source. The small packaged module is cost optimized to lower the overall bill of materials for battery-operated applications ranging from remotes to home automation devices and beyond.

“IoT will impact nearly everyone’s lives ranging from their garage to their lighting systems, door locks, thermostats, fitness monitors, medical devices and more,” said Kaivan Karimi, Atmel Vice President and GM of Wireless MCUs. “Every one of these IoT devices will require an integrated edge node solution that delivers an MCU and secure wireless connectivity. Atmel’s SAM W25 delivers just that—a fully integrated secure wireless MCU module with over-the-air upgrade functionality that simplifies the complexities of wireless and security, and gives our customers time-to-market advantage. Atmel is committed to making it easier for IoT designers to bring their latest products to market with fully integrated modules that are ‘out-of-the-box’ ready to use, so developers can focus on developing features that will enhance the consumer experience.”

Key features of the Atmel SmartConnect SAM W25 include

• Turnkey system with integrated software that includes TLS 1.0 and a TCP/IP stack WPA2 personal and enterprise security
• FCC-certified 2.4GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi WINC1500
• Atmel | SMART ARM Cortex M0+-based SAM D21; 256KB Flash; 32KB SRAM
• Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
• Over-the-air updates
• ATECC108A CryptoAuthentication engine with ultra-secure hardware-based key storage for secure connectivity

Though the Atmel SAM W25 module won’t be available until December 2014, Electronica attendees can now get a firsthand sneak peek at the ‘plug and play’ solution. To help accelerate design development, Atmel offers a SAM W25 integrated module on an Xplained starter kit platform which will be available next month as well.

Low power just got lower with the Atmel | SMART SAM L21

Well, low power just got lower. The Atmel team is excited to announce that it has reached a new low-power standard for its ARM Cortex-M0+ based MCUs with power consumption down to 40 µA/MHz in active mode and 200nA in sleep mode. In addition to ultra-low power, the new platform features full-speed USB host and device, Event System and Sleepwalking,12-bit analog, AES, capacitive touch sensing and much more.

With billions of devices predicted for the Internet of Things (IoT) market by 2020, there is a need for lower power MCUs that will power these applications without adding load to utility grids or requiring frequent battery changes. Atmel’s latest Atmel | SMART platform is designed specifically for these applications, expanding battery life from years to decades.

Consuming just one-third the power of comparable products in the market today, the new low-power SAM L21 family is the first on the new platform expanding the Atmel | SMART 32-bit ARM-based products using Atmel’s proprietary picoPower technology.

While running the EEMBC CoreMark benchmark, Atmel’s SAM L21 family delivers ultra-low power running down to 40µA/MHz in active mode, consuming less than 900nA with full 32kB RAM retention and real-time clock and calendar, and 200nA in the deepest sleep mode. With rapid wake-up times, Event System, Sleepwalking and the innovative picoPower peripherals, the SAM L21 ultra-low power family is ideal for handheld and battery-operated devices in a variety of markets including IoT, consumer, industrial and portable medical applications.

Architectural innovations in the new platform enables low-power peripherals including timers, serial communications and capacitive touch sensing to remain powered and running while the rest of the system is in a lower power mode, further reducing power consumption for many always-on applications.

The Atmel SAM L21 family has amazingly low current consumption ratings for both the active and sleep mode operation which will be a great benefit in targeting the growing battery-powered device market,” said Markus Levy, president and co-founder, EEMBC. “With billions of devices to be brought to market during the era of the Internet of Things, designers can utilize Atmel’s ultra-low power SAM L family to ensure an increased life in these battery-powered devices. To instantiate this power data from Atmel, I’m looking forward to seeing the results from this new platform running our newly established ULPBench, aimed at the ultra-low power microcontroller industry.”

“Atmel is committed to providing the industry’s lowest power technologies for the rapidly growing IoT market and beyond for battery-powered devices,” expained Reza Kazerounian, Atmel SVP and GM, MCU business unit. “Developers for IoT edge nodes are no longer just interested in expanding the life of a battery to one year, but are looking for technologies that will increase the life of a battery to a decade or longer. Doing just that, the new 32-bit MCU platform in the Atmel | SMART family integrating our proprietary picoPower technologies are the perfect MCUs for IoT edge nodes.”

Engineering samples of the SAM L21, along with development tools and datasheet will be available in February 2015. Meanwhile, the SAM L21 can be found all this week in Hall A5, Booth 542 at Electronica.

Introducing the next-generation of 8-bit megaAVR MCUs

Since its initial launch in 2002, megaAVR microcontrollers (MCUs) have become the go-to choice of Makers everywhere. Ranging from the uber-popular ATmega328 to ATmega32U4, the chips can be found at the heart of millions of gadgets and gizmos, including an entire lineup of Arduino boards, 3D printers like RepRap and MakerBot, and innovative DIY platforms such as littleBits, Bare Conductive and MaKey MaKey. Heck, they’ve even captured the hearts of celebrity creator Sir Mix-A-Lot!

Designed for engineers of all levels from the professional developers to the Maker community, the 8-bit megaAVR MCUs are ideal for applications in a variety of markets — automotive, industrial, consumer and white goods.

Today, we are excited to announce the next generation of this incredibly-popular family, with the debut of new 8-bit megaAVR MCUs. Spanning from 4KB to 16KB Flash memory, the new devices provide next-generation enhancements including additional analog functionality and features for the latest low-power consumer, industrial, white goods and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

This expansion of megaAVR family will deliver all the benefits of previous generations including a simple, easy-to-use interface for a seamless upgrade and binary compatibility with existing 8-bit megaAVR MCUs.

“With over 20 years of MCU experience, we are proud to launch our third generation of 8-bit megaAVR MCUs to the market today—a family that has been highly recognized by a variety of communities from the professional designers using our Atmel Studio ecosystem to the hobbyist and Maker in the AVR Freaks and Arduino communities,” explained Oyvind Strom, Atmel Senior Marketing Director. “As the leader in the 8-bit MCU market, Atmel continues to add easy-to-use, innovative products to our broad portfolio of MCUs.”

Key features of megaAVR MCUs include:

• Simple, easy-to-use
• Low power
• Wide selection of development tools including free Atmel Studio IDE
• Extensive set of peripherals, including ADC, Analog Comparator, SPI, I2C and USART
• Single-cycle instructions running 1MIPS per MHz
• Designed for high-level languages with minimal code space
• Real-time performance with single cycle I/O access

Among a number of other new attributes:

• Unique ID for every device enabling a more secure device for IoT applications and wireless networks
• Improved accuracy of internal oscillators for UART serial communications
• Enhanced accuracy of internal voltage reference for better analog-to-digital conversion results

Makers seeking to accelerate their design are encouraged to check out our ultra-low cost Xplained Mini development platform, which is currently available for only $8.88 USD (see what we did there?) in the Atmel Store and fully compatible with 8-bit megaAVR MCUs. The new boards can easily be connected to any Arduino board making it ideal for a variety of projects and prototypes using an Arduino board.

The megaAVR 8-bit MCUs are fully supported by Atmel’s development eco-system including Atmel Studio 6.2, the integrated development environment (IDE) for developing and debugging Atmel | SMART Cortex-M and Atmel AVR MCU-based applications. Atmel Studio 6.2 gives designers a seamless and easy-to-use environment to write, build, simulate, program and debug their applications to write, build, simulate, program and debug your applications written in C/C++ or assembly code using the integrated GCC compiler and AVR assembler. With Atmel’s broad portfolio of AVR products and easy-to-use development software, designers can quickly bring their 8-bit MCU to market. Additionally, designers have access to the company’s embedded software including the Atmel Software Framework and application notes, and the Atmel Gallery app store.

Currently on display at Electronica 2014, the Atmel mega168PB, mega88PB and mega48PB are now available in 32-pin QFN and QFP packages with additional devices slated for later this year. All devices are sampling now. Production quantities for the mega168PB devices are available now while the mega88PB and ATmega48PB devices will be available in February 2015.

Want to explore the AVR microcontrollers a bit further? Head on over to the official page. Those wishing to learn more about the backstory and inspiration of the Maker Movement’s favorite 8-bit MCU can do so from the co-inventor himself here.

Report: Internet of Things to reach 30 billion devices in 2020

The global Internet of Things (IoT) market will increase 13% to just over $3 trillion in 2020, a new IDC forecast has revealed. During this timespan, the number of installed and connected devices is expected to surpass 30 billion.

IDC defines the IoT as a “network of networks of uniquely identifiable endpoints (or ‘things’) that communicate without human interaction using IP connectivity – be it ‘locally’ or globally.” This connected ecosystem includes everything from intelligent systems and network equipment to data integration and other types of software, applications, services and security.

As IoT moves beyond the hype and promise, a variety of vendor strategies and key players will emerge to find success in meeting customers’ needs as well as growing new revenue streams from this net new market opportunity, IDC points out.

“The opportunities presented by IoT are driving widespread attention among both traditional and non-traditional ICT vendors looking to take advantage of emerging revenue opportunities,” explained Vernon Turner, IDC Senior Vice President. “We’re still in the early stages of maturation and IoT represents unparalleled opportunity in government, consumer, and enterprise environments.”

The research firm notes that homogeneity of connectivity needs has enabled the North American market to sidestep border-driven IoT adoption challenges and set the groundwork for IoT market growth. In addition, government mandates and more openly eco-conscious cultures will drive the Western Europe and APAC regions to outpace North America in terms of IoT revenues and installed base through 2020.

“There will be no one leader in this market,” added Carrie MacGillivray, Vice President, IoT and Mobile Service & Infrastructure. “The market will rely on partnerships, federation, and innovative services to create truly valuable IoT solutions.”

Evident by the emergence of recent [Atmel powered] Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, startups are working feverishly to carve out their strategies to capitalize on this market and will ultimately drive the innovation pace of larger vendors. Gartner recently revealed that by 2017, over half of the IoT solutions on the market will originate from startups that are less than three years old.

IDC isn’t the only research firm anticipating an uptick for the Internet of Things market. In fact, Gartner predicts that there will be 26 billion installed units by 2020, up from 0.9 billion just five years ago. The firm also believes the IoT processor, sensor and communications markets are set for 30% growth over the next five years.

Meanwhile, Strategy Analytics has stated that there will be 4.3 connected devices for every person on earth come 2020, when 33 billion devices are expected to be in use throughout the world. Cisco has also been an aggressive advocate of IoT, noting that not only are 13.5 billion devices are connected today, but there will be 50 billion device connections by the end of this decade.

While some projections are a bit more optimistic than others, it is without question the IoT will surely go mainstream over the next couple of years. As we’ve previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, the rapidly evolving IoT represents perhaps the greatest potential growth market for semiconductors throughout this time period. And, that is precisely why Atmel remains focused on designing the absolute lowest power sipping products, particularly with regards to MCUs. Whether it’s bringing wireless capabilities to an embedded design or securely connecting an IoT application, we’re making it easier than ever to create the smarter world of tomorrow.

Don’t forget, you can experience all the latest in IoT firsthand this week at Electronica 2014! From November 11-14th, head on over to Messe München where you will find a plethora of smart solutions throughout the the Atmel booth — located in Hall A5, Booth 542.

 

Internet of Things will generate 400 zettabytes of data by 2018

The Internet of Things will generate an astonishing 400 zettabytes (ZB) of data per year by 2018, according to a new report from Cisco. To put things into perspective, a zettabyte is a trillion gigabytes.

The company’s annual Global Cloud Index study reveals that data from connected devices will reach 403ZB each year by 2018, up from 113.4ZB in 2013. In particular, Cisco cites a number of real-world business examples that will drive this rise in data, including a Beoing 787 aircraft which generates 40TB per hour of flight or an automated manufacturing facility that produces approximately 1 TB per hour (of which 5 GB is transmitted to a data center).

As the report highlights, cloud-based services are essential for most Internet of Everything (IoE) applications, which increases the ability for people, data, and things to communicate with one another over the Internet. Despite this huge growth in data from IoE devices, only a small amount will actually be sent to data centers for storage and subsequent analysis.

Moreover, the company notes that data created by connected devices worldwide will be 277 times higher than the amount of data being transmitted to data centers from end-user devices, while 47 times higher than total data center traffic by 2018.

Another key component of the Internet of Everything and cloud services adoption will be the growth of IPv6 capability among users, devices, network connectivity, and content enablement. Globally, 24% of Internet users will be IPv6-capable by 2018, while nearly half of all fixed and mobile devices will be IPv6-enabled.

According to Google, the percentage of IPv6 global users on in late September 2014 was 4.54%, up from 1.82% the same time last year — an increase of nearly 150% in the last year alone.

Explore the latest predictions by reading the Global Cloud Index in its entirety here.

Video: Vegard Wollan reflects on life and innovation

In the final segment of my interview with AVR microcontroller creator Vegard Wollan, I asked about his background and innovation at Atmel.

In response to my question of how he views his expertise, Vegard noted that he started out as a computer architect and digital designer. It’s simple to see the ease-of-use DNA in the AVR product line when Vegard then noted that he soon saw himself as someone that could make life easy for embedded designers. I think this focus on the customer pervades all of Atmel to this day.

Vegard Wollan reflects on his history of innovation at Atmel.

I went on to ask Vegard what he does in his spare time. His response? Exercising and boating off the beautiful, dramatic Norwegian coastline. I think physical activity is a key thing. In fact, I wish someone had warned me as a young man that engineering has an occupational hazard. You can make a good living sitting at a desk. This was less true when I was an automotive engineer, as I had to go the experimental garage and walk around Ford’s giant complex in Dearborn, Michigan. Nowadays, we all seem chained to a computer, and stuck in a chair all daylong. So, exercise and boating sounds like a great way to stay active and balance our lives a little bit!

As I pictured Vegard sailing around Norway looking at beautiful sunsets, I wondered if that was inspired him to be so innovative. He responded that the primary source of innovation at Atmel is working with a team of creative innovative people. I think this is true in most human endeavors. When I asked my dad why some restaurants had really good service, he noted that good people like to work with other good people. That is why Vegard is spot-on, and quite humble in noting that innovation comes from a team, not any single person.

Want to learn more about the backstory of AVR? You can tune-in to the entire 14-part series here.

Print my ride! Your next car will be 3D-printed in less than two days

History was made when the world’s first 3D-printed car drove out of Chicago’s McCormick Place during the 2014 International Manufacturing Technology Show back in September. The vehicle components took 44 hours to print, and after a swift assembly, the vehicle named “Strati” headed off the showroom floor.

The brainchild of Local Motors, Stratri was produced in one piece using direct digital manufacturing (DDM), the first time this method has been used to make a car. Obviously, mechanical components like batteries, motor and wiring were still come from third party sources; while the seats, body, chassis, dash, center console, and hood were all 3D-printed. And not only will Strati be the world’s first 3D-printed car, it’ll also be the first car that you can download and print yourself. Sorry, car salespeople!

“This brand-new process disrupts the manufacturing status quo, changes the consumer experience, and proves that a car can be born in an entirely different way,” explained John B. Rogers, Jr., CEO of Local Motors.

The technology behind the Strati was pioneered at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Local Motors is hoping the Strati proves the viability of using sustainable, digital manufacturing solutions in the automotive industry, and plans to launch production-level 3D-printed cars that will be available to the general public for purchase in the months following the show.

“This project represents the unique opportunity DOE’s National Laboratory System offers to the industry, to collaborate in an open environment to deliver fast, innovative, manufacturing solutions. These partnerships are pushing the envelope on emerging technologies, such as large scale additive manufacturing, and accelerating the growth of manufacturing in the United States,” revealed Craig Blue, Director of Advanced Manufacturing Program and Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL.

In 2010, 3D printing company Stratasys and engineering firm Kor Ecologic unveiled the Urbee at the 2010 SEMA car show in Las Vegas. The Urbee featured a 3D-printed shell mounted on a more traditional metal chassis.

Rather the print dozens of smaller sub-assemblies and screwing, gluing or bolting them together, the concept car features a main body structure built up as a single module using a BAAM Machine (Big Area Additive Manufacturing) with a deposition rate of 40 pounds per hour.

The Strati is printed by stacking down layer after layer (212 layers in total) of a combination of filament comprised of 80% ABS plastic and 20% carbon fiber reinforcement. The three-axis printer then melts these materials and forms them to the vehicle’s mold.

AMT’s Vice President of Exhibitions and Communications Peter Eelman claims, “This feature returned IMTS to its roots as a forum where the latest technologies are first seen. This year is no exception, and we are confident that this will be the most exciting ETC effort yet.” It is hard to argue with that! Imagine two decades from now simply clicking ‘print’ on your home manufacturing machine and having a new set of wheels assembled in front of your eyes!

Rogers believes Local Motors could start manufacturing vehicles by 2015, with initial use on city streets, before getting approval for highway use down the road. The initial retail cost for a vehicle will start around $17,100 and go upwards of $30,000.

The engine consists of a 12-kW electric motor powered by a 6.1-kwh battery. With roughly 3.5-hour charge, a driver can expect a 62-mile range. Sorry speed demons, but the top speed of the Strati is 40mph.

“Because you can literally print the car any way you want, if your family goes from two people to three–with a child, you trade in and recycle the center part of your car and all the components that outfit the family. Whatever you can imagine is what this process can entail,” said Rogers.

Now, less than two months after both the International Manufacturing Technology Show and World Maker Faire, the team behind the first 3D-printed car is presenting at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. There, they will yet again construct a Strati car before a live audience; however, this time it’ll be printed and assembled in its entirety two full days faster than the original.

Just announced, Local motors will be also be giving away 12 3D-printed vehicles to car nodders as part of their new ‘pimp’ the car ‘ModMen’ Challenge. The contest opens for entries in late January 2015, with the dozen winning design proposals to be announced in March and delivery of the 3D-printed cars to winning teams beginning in May.

“From racing, to street, to show, car modification has always been the true soul of vehicle innovation,” Rogers added. “At Local Motors, our goal is to fuel the next great generation of ‘Hot Rodders’ by putting the newest technology in their hands, and the ModMen Challenge does exactly that. These are not just 12 cars customized with aftermarket parts, but a peek into the future of automotive re-imagination. I cannot wait to see how this group pushes the boundary of 3D-printed cars.”

 

Exploring Atmel’s new microcontrollers, IoT and wearables

More and more companies, regardless of their vertical, are trying to get closer to their customers and see various aspects of the internet of things (IoT) as the way to do so. For a good example, here is Salesforce Wear Developer Pack which, as they say:

..is a collection of open-source starter apps that let you quickly design and build wearable apps that connect to the Salesforce1 Platform. Millions of wearable devices connected to the cloud will create amazing new application opportunities.

Since Salesforce.com cuts across all industries this has potential impact in many different market segments.

And, the wearable devices that they list are Google Glass, Android Wear, Samsung Gear Watch, Myo Armband, Nymi Bionym, Pebble Watch, Jawbone UP, Epson Moverio, Vuzix Smart Glasses, Oculus Rift, Meta Glasses.

This combination brings home that the internet of things isn’t just about the things, it is about connecting the things back to the cloud so that the data generated can be aggregated where it has much greater value.

I am sure that people will design SoCs for various aspects of IoT, but even if they do I think it will be in old processes, not even 28nm, so they can integrate sensors and analog and wireless on the same chip. But more likely a lot of these will be small boards with microcontrollers, wireless and sensors on different chips. For example, take a look at the iFixit teardown of the Fitbit, which in its current incarnation is about one inch by quarter of an inch.

An important aspect of doing this sort of design is having enough microcontrollers with the right combination of features. You can’t afford to have twice as much flash as you need or too many unused functions. The Atmel microcontroller product finder shows that at present they have 506 different ones to choose from.

The most recent two are SAMA5D4, and SAMD21 which are specifically targeted towards wearables and IoT projects. These are the latest two products in the Atmel SAM D family.

One area of especial concern in this market is security since it is too dangerous to simply try and do everything in software on the microcontroller. Keys can be stolen. Software can be compromised if it is in external RAM. An area of particular security concern is to make sure that any JTAG debug port is secure or it can be used to compromise almost anything on the chip.

So what are these chips?

The SAMA5D4 is an ARM Cortex-A5 device with a 720p hardware video decoder. It has high security with on-the-fly capability to run encrypted code straight out of external memory, tamper detection, secret key storage in hardware, hardware private and public key cryptography and ARM TrustZone. It supports both 16 and 32 bit memory interfaces for maximum flexibility. It is targeted at applications that require displays, such as home and industrial automation, vending machines, elevator displays with ads, or surveillance camera playback.

The SAMD21 is the latest Atmel microcontroller based on the ARM Cortex-M0+ but in addition to the features on earlier cores it also has:

• Full speed USB device and embedded host
• DMA
• Enhanced timer/counters for high end PWM in Lighting and motor control – I2S
• Increased I2C speed to 3.4Mbit/S
• Fractional PLL for audio streaming

As you can deduce from the feature set it is target at medium end industrial and consumer applications, possibly involving audio and high power management.

And, to show that this sort of market is starting to become real, at the salesforce Dreamforce event earlier in the week a keynote was given by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas (and a founder of Beats that Apple recently acquired). In a chat with Marc Benoiff, CEO of Salesforce.com, he has already leaked that he will introduced a wearable wrist computer that doesn’t require a phone to piggy-back on (unlike the Apple Watch).

Watch the chat:

Looking for more information on the SAMA5D4? It can be found here.

This post has been republished with permission from SemiWiki.com, where Paul McLellan is a featured blogger. It first appeared there on October 17, 2014.

Striker is a real-time wearable cadence tracker

The Manifold crew has designed an open source hardware platform capable of tracking real-time running cadence.

Dubbed “Striker,” the prototype boasts both an Atmel powered wristwatch as well as an Atmel based footpod.

More specifically, key wristwatch specs include:

• Sparkfun Pro Micro (ATmega32U4 MCU)
• 850mAh lithium ion battery
• Power cell (Lipo Charger/Booster)
• SPDT mini power switch
• Monochrome 128×32 SPI OLED graphic display
• 
XBee 2mW PCB Antenna (Series 2)

Key footpod specs?

• Fio v3 (ATmega32U4 MCU)
• 110mAh lithium ion battery
• 
Force sensitive resistor
• Terminal block (2-pin 3.5mm)
• XBee 2mW PCB antenna (series 2)

“Striker will remain in the lab for now, but hopefully something like this will become more readily available for runners everywhere,” a Manifold rep by the name of Chad explained.

“As far as a custom solution goes, rather than inventing a watch to receive and display the cadence data it would actually make more sense to build an app for an existing watch platform. Then all you need is a footpod capable of detecting foot strikes and sending the data along using a communication protocol that the watch platform can speak like Bluetooth.”

Interested in learning more about Striker? You can scoot on out the project’s official page, along with the relevant code (Arduino + 3D models) and Fritzing breadboard sketches here.

 

Introducing Atmel’s new LIN family for in-vehicle networking

LIN (Local Interconnect Network) is a serial network protocol used for communication between various automobile components to enable comfort, power-train, infotainment sensor, and actuator applications. The LIN Consortium was founded by five automakers (BMW, Volkswagen Audi Group, Volvo Cars, DaimlerChrysler) in the late 1990s, with the first fully-implemented version of the new LIN specification (1.3) published in November 2002. Version 2.0 was later introduced in September 2003, offering expanded capabilities and support for additional diagnostics features.

Fast forward 11 years later, Atmel is excited to announce its next-generation family of LIN transceivers, system basis chips (SBC) and voltage regulators for a wide-range of vehicle applications. The new family is the industry’s first to comply with the new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) hardware recommendations and provide scalable functionality to improve the overall system cost.

“As the leading provider of automotive LIN ICs, Atmel is committed to bringing more innovative LIN products to the market,” said Claus Mochel, Atmel Marketing Director for Automotive High Voltage Products.

All the new devices in this new family feature an LDO with outstanding minimum supply voltage of 2.3V combined with linear mode current of 130uA to support data storage even during an unexpected shut down. This new family is compliant with the latest standards including LIN 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.2A and SAEJ2602-2. Some members of the family also include application specific functions such as relay drivers, watchdog, high-side switches and wake up inputs to enable system designers to build innovative in-vehicle network applications in next-generation automobiles.

The devices are available in DFN packages with heat-slug and wet-able flanks to support optical solder inspection. These next-generation devices also provide a family package footprint so that designers can upgrade their designs with various devices within the LIN SBC family.

“Our expanded LIN portfolio includes pin-outs that are the first to support the new OEM hardware recommendations enabling system designers to develop differentiated LIN systems in next-generation vehicles. Atmel’s LIN family footprint makes it easier to migrate upwards and devices in the family offer application-specific functionality for various LIN-connected applications such as window lifters, sun-roofs, trunk opener or seat controls,” Mochel added.

Key features of the ATA6632/33/34 include:

• +3.3V/5V/85mA LDO suitable for usage with low-cost multi layer ceramic capacitors
• 2.3V lowest operating voltage
• Very low current consumption in linear mode
• Sleep current; Normal mode current
• DFN 8 (3x3mm) and DFN16 (3*5.5mm), wet-able flanks included, allowing automatic optical inspection of the solder joint

In order to accelerate the design development, an evaluation kit is also available to support the new LIN devices. The ATAB663xxxA development kit allows designers to quickly start designing with Atmel’s LIN family. The kit is easy-to-use with a pre-defined set-up. All pins are easily accessible for quick testing. The kits allow designers to select master or slave operation with a mounting option for LIN pull-up resistor and series diode.

Those interested will be happy to learn that samples for all family members are now available. You can find more detailed information — including datasheets and request forms — here.

Heading to Munich next week for Electronica 2014? Cruise on over to the Atmel booth — located in Hall A5, #542 — to discover how we’re bringing the IoT to the connected car though simple, touch-enabled human machine interfaces. There, you will find a number of automotive demos, including a door handle powered by Atmel’s fourth generation LIN device that features a curved touch-enabled glass display, providing excellent multi-touch performance for future automotive applications, and utilizing Atmel’s XSense and the maXTouch 2952T.