32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications (Part 4)

In the first part of this series, we took a closer look at how Atmel’s AVR low-power 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) help enable the implementation of various product-differentiating features, including advanced control algorithms, voice control and capacitive touch sensing.

We also discussed powering Atmel’s AVR UC3C 32-bit automotive-grade microcontrollers with either a 3.3V or a 5V supply  (generally supporting 5V I/O), talked about Atmel’s Peripheral Event System and explored how Atmel’s low-power 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) are used to help protect IP and bolster system safety.

Today we will take an in-depth look at how Atmel’s AVR low-power 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) help streamline automotive development. As previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, evaluating current-gen microcontroller architecture requires a complete development environment, including an evaluation kit, a software development environment with compiler and debugger, as well as a comprehensive set of application examples, drivers and services.

“[Simply put], Atmel simplifies system development with the AVR Software Framework, which supports a variety of optimized interface drivers peripheral firmware, and application code – including extensive motor control algorithms, capacitive touch drivers, advanced digital signal processing algorithms (i.e., FFTs and filters such as band-pass, high-pass, and low-pass), commonly used audio and image codecs such as MP3, speech recognition engines, display drivers, and FAT12/16/32 file systems, to name a few,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“For automotive systems, the support with LIN and CAN software stacks, as well as with operating systems such as OSEK, and MCAL layers for the Autosar environment is mandatory. Model-based approaches for the development of automotive applications are becoming more and more popular, and these require additional support of design environments such as MATLAB/Simulink. Atmel AVR MCUs also support real-time trace, enabling full system operation visibility. Plus, updates with new features are available every quarter.”

In terms of software, the intuitive GUI-based Atmel AVR Studio is the industry’s most complete development environment for 8- and 32-bit applications, offering full compiler and debugger support for all AVR microcontrollers. Since peripherals are configured using the AVR Software Framework, migration between different AVR devices is truly seamless.

Atmel also supplies a wide range of hardware-based tools for in-system programming, debugging, and evaluation. The AT32UC3C-EK evaluation kit provides access to the extensive capabilities of the UC3C architecture with out-of-the-box simplicity, with the evaluation kit supporting Atmel QTouch capabilities.

“Specific examples of automotive applications with Atmel’s AVR UC3C include car audio, LED backlighting with a dimming function for the indicators, as well as interfaces for different types of sensors and switches to control the window lifter and the mirror positioning,” the Atmel engineering rep continued.

“Perhaps most importantly, a microcontroller such as the UC3C—with peripheral integration and extended processing capacity—allows an entire system architecture to be consolidated onto a single chip.”

Interested in learning more about 32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications? Be sure to check out part one, two and three of this series.

32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications (Part 3)

In the first part of this series, we took a closer look at how Atmel’s AVR low-power 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) help enable the implementation of various product-differentiating features, including advanced control algorithms, voice control and capacitive touch sensing. In part two, we discussed powering Atmel’s AVR UC3C 32-bit automotive-grade microcontrollers with either a 3.3V or a 5V supply  (generally supporting 5V I/O) and focused on Atmel’s Peripheral Event System.

And today we will exploring how Atmel’s low-power 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) are used to help protect IP and bolster system safety. Firstly, it is important to note that code protection has become a critical design consideration, as software contains an increasing amount of intellectual property (IP). As such, internal Flash memory should be locked to protect code from being read or copied – with system development significantly accelerated by making application code available from third-party devs in a locked section of the Flash memory.

“Microcontrollers must either be programmed before they are assembled on boards or programmed in-device. Yet, preprogramming creates a challenge in logistics, as devices must be programmed in a trusted facility and transported to the manufacturing site,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“In contrast, programming in-system allows the most recent code to be added during the manufacturing stage or in the field. The AVR UC3C arrives with USB drivers that support the Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU) class to allow devices to be programmed over the system’s USB port. As an alternative, a boot loader can be used to allow in-system programming using the CAN interface.”

And that is precisely why Atmel’s AVR UC3C 32-bit microcontroller architecture includes the Atmel FlashVault code protection technology, which allows the on-chip Flash to be partially programmed and locked, creating secure on-chip storage for software IP and boot loader operation.

On the system safety side, systems must be able to recover quickly from clock failure. Indeed, motor control systems must be able to shut systems down upon detection of clock failure to prevent severe damage to the motor or operator. To achieve this, the UC3C devices incorporate a main clock failure detection functionality that immediately switches over to the internal 115kHz RC oscillator in case of malfunction. The system may either continue operation using the backup clock (while triggering an alarm that the primary clock has failed) or perform any necessary shut-down operation to place the system in a fail-safe condition.

Interested in learning more about 32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications? Be sure to check out part four of this series which details how Atmel MCUs can be used to streamline automotive development. Part one can be read here and part two is available here.

Interested in learning more about 32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications? Be sure to check out part one, two, three and four of this series.

32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications (Part 1)

Atmel’s AVR low-power 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) provide higher processing performance, improved accuracy and optimized power efficiency for automotive applications. This facilitates implementation of new product-differentiating features such as advanced control algorithms, voice control and capacitive touch sensing.

More specifically, Atmel’s AVR UC3C 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) include a peripheral event system, precision clocking, and high-performance peripherals. Integrated features – such as secure Flash memory, hardware-based safety mechanisms, the ability to interface directly with analog sensors, and a configurable software framework. All of the above helps to significantly accelerate application development.

“Simply put, the difference in efficiency between 32- and 8-/16-bit systems is substantial: a generic 32-bit multiple/accumulate requires four multiplications and four additions on a 16-bit processor with additional overhead for data accessing,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“Thus, a single 32-bit multiplication could require about 20-40 cycles on a 16-bit processor. On a 32-bit UC3C processor this operation requires only a single cycle supported with a 32-bit pipeline for rapid data access. The availability of an integrated FPU also simplifies application development. The implementation of complex algorithms in particular requires less effort and the wider dynamic range maintains the highest precision.”

According to the engineering rep, implementing complex algorithms using 32-bit floating-point instructions not only increases system accuracy and efficiency, but also helps accelerate the development cycle. Indeed, a wide variety of applications can benefit from the use of a floating-point unit, including motor control and audio applications.

“Atmel’s UC3C 32-bit microcontroller instruction set is an efficient mix of 16- and 32-bit instructions that allows C compilers to balance performance and code density. Its architecture has been optimized for managing real-time events common to embedded systems while minimizing processing latency,” the engineering rep continued. “The UC3C microcontroller also includes a wide variety of state-of-the-art peripherals and interfaces – such as CAN and LIN – required by automotive control modules (ECU), while also ensuring reliable operation across the entire automotive temperature range in compliance with the AECQ100 specification.”

Atmel AVR UC3C 32-bit automotive-grade microcontrollers can be powered either by a 3.3V or a 5V supply and generally support 5V I/O. This has been achieved by moving to a modified 0.18-micron process technology, which can support higher I/O voltage levels in a reliable and cost-effective manner without any complex and expensive voltage conversion.

In addition to supporting 5V I/O, the UC3C has been designed with a wide range of high-performance peripherals required by automotive applications, which will we discuss in-depth during part two of this series. Interested in learning more about 32-bit AVR MCUs for automotive applications? Be sure to check out part one, two, three and four of this series.

Atmel accelerates automotive design (Part 2)

Yesterday, Bits & Pieces took a closer look at how Atmel is helping accelerate automotive design by closely collaborating with Vector Informatik to fully support our  32-bit AUTOSAR compliant devices.

Essentially, AUTOSAR provides an abstraction layer between hardware and application – allowing hardware-independent development and testing of the application software. It also permits the reuse of a validated application from previous designs for a new one.

“And that is precisely why Atmel has developed a microcontroller (MCU) abstraction layer (MCAL) for its 32-bit AVR automotive family devices,” Atmel engineering rep Eric Tinlot told Bits & Pieces.

“These MCAL modules and Vector’s LIN/CAN communication layers are integrated into Vector’s complete MICROSAR environment (including OS, real-time environment, diagnostic, etc). Using Vector’s DaVinci, Atmel has also developed a complete set of graphical user interfaces (GUI) for each MCAL module to help users configure all features needed in the application.”

According to Tinlot, all MCAL modules have to be configured using their respective GUI screens. The user generates the required configuration files (.h and .c files) with a single click of the ‘generate’ toolbar icon (green triangle) at the top. These configuration files, the MCAL module, and the MICROSAR package can be compiled with any AUTOSAR application onto a 32-bit AVR automotive device to design an AUTOSAR-compliant ECU node.

The following list details the specific MCALs and GUIs developed by Atmel, with the CAN and LIN drivers provided by Vector Informatik.

• General-purpose timer driver
• Watchdog driver
• Microcontroller unit driver
• Flash drivers
• EEPROM drivers
• Serial protocol interface drivers
• ICU drivers
• Pulse width modulation (PWM) drivers
• Analog-digital (A/D) converter drivers
• Digital input output drivers
• Port drivers

“Simply put, the complete AUTOSAR solution, available via Vector Informatik, allows designers to develop their own ECU firmware using an Atmel 32-bit automotive device,” Tinlot added. “Networking communication via LIN or CAN buses is also available. Meaning, the included firmware fulfills AUTOSAR spec requirements.”

Atmel accelerates automotive design (Part 1)

Current-gen cars are typically equipped with up to 70 electronic control units (ECUs) tasked with driving numerous in-vehicle functions. In recent years, more constraints in areas such as security, environment, comfort and safety have resulted in an increased number of ECUs.

“These functionalities require simultaneous interactions by sensors, actuators and control units. However, the increasing development effort needed, combined with the complexity of signal interactions among ECUs, is making this issue a challenge for car manufacturers,” Atmel engineering rep Eric Tinlot told Bits & Pieces.

“To be sure, the ever-growing number of ECU nodes and increasingly complex interactions are causing a dramatic increase in the amount and complexity of software required. This, in turn, affects software scalability, reusability, maintenance and cost efficiency throughout the product’s life cycle.”

Enter the AUTOSAR Standard, also known as Automotive Software Platform and Architecture. This open and standardized automotive software platform and architecture was jointly developed by automotive manufacturers, suppliers and tools developers. Simply put, its framework helps manage various automotive ECUs and their complex signal interactions.

“From an ECU perspective, AUTOSAR provides an abstraction layer between hardware and application that allows hardware-independent development and testing of the application software,” Tinlot continued. “It also permits the reuse of a validated application from previous designs for a new one.”

That is why Atmel has collaborated with Vector Informatik to fully support our 32-bit automotive family devices in AUTOSAR via the MICROSAR bundle provided by Vector. More specifically, Atmel has developed a so-called microcontroller abstraction layer (MCAL) for its 32-bit AVR automotive family devices. These MCAL modules and Vector’s LIN/CAN communication layers are integrated into Vector’s complete MICROSAR environment (including OS, real-time environment, diagnostic, etc). Using Vector’s DaVinci, Atmel has also created a complete set of graphical user interfaces (GUI) for each MCAL module to help users configure required features.

“All MCAL modules have to be configured using their respective GUI screens. The user generates the required configuration files (.h and .c files) with a single click of the ‘generate’ toolbar icon (green triangle) at the top,” Tinlot noted. “These configuration files, the MCAL module, and the MICROSAR package can be compiled with any AUTOSAR application onto a 32-bit AVR automotive device to design an AUTOSAR-compliant ECU node.”

Interested in learning more about how Atmel is helping to accelerates automotive design with its extensive support for AUTOSAR? Be sure to check back tomorrow for part two of this series.

7/13-cell applications with Atmel’s ATA6870 (Part I)

A standard (automotive) battery measurement system using Atmel’s ATA6870 is capable of measuring the voltage of up to 6 battery cells. Several of these ICs can be stacked in series to measure the voltage of up to 96 battery cells simultaneously. For the majority of applications, the “stacked” battery measurement IC approach is sufficient, as the number of cells measured in these applications is a multiple of three, four or six.

“In some instances, such as an e-bike application, the cell count of the battery may be of an odd number: 7 or 13 cells,” Atmel engineering rep Darius Rydahl told Bits & Pieces. “With these applications, the use of multiple, stacked ATA6870 circuits combined with a standard microcontroller (MCU) may not be the most cost-effective solution for the end application.”

According to Rydahl, a more practical, lower cost implementation is to use one ATA6870 chip in conjunction with an Atmel battery management microcontroller.

“The standard implementation of an ATA6870 battery management system consists of at least one ATA6870 battery measurement IC (maximum sixteen, connected in series) plus a general-purpose MCU for control and data processing,” Rydahl continued. “As you can see in the image above (Figure 1), the MCU is powered by the lower ATA6870 IC’s on-board 3.3V voltage regulator (VDDHVM). Communication occurs via SPI where data is transferred serially between multiple ATA6870 circuits, one IC to the next, to/from the MCU.”

As shown in Figure 1, a common ground reference is shared between the bottom ATA6870 device and the MCU. In this instance, there is no voltage offset between the MCU and the ATA6870 circuit, neatly eliminating the need for additional interface circuitry between the CLK and SPI pins of the two ICs.

In applications where the total cell count is a multiple of 7 or 13, the designer can simply add additional ATA6870 ICs to the battery stack as shown in Figure 2. However, the 7 battery cells must be split between the ICs to maintain the minimum operating voltage of 6.7V for each ATA6870 IC.

“Atmel offers two possible solutions for the seven-cell application using a battery measurement MCU as shown in Figure 3. In this example, the ATA68670 IC can be paired with either the  ATmega32HVE2, or ATmega32HVB MCU,” said Rydahl.

“Both MCUs have battery voltage and current measurement capabilities. The feature sets and peripheral offerings (number of cell measurement inputs, LIN bus interface, etc) of two MCUs are slightly different, so the specific requirements of the end application must be taken into consideration before selecting the MCU.”

Interested in learning more about using 7/13-cell applications with Atmel’s ATA6870? Be sure to check back tomorrow for part two of this series.

Hot August Nights Fever? Atmel Automotive Infographic

People love their cars. It’s one of those near universal facts. Whether they live in big cities or small rural hamlets, drive a mini or a hummer, there is just something about the sexy vroom vroom of an engine that excites people on a primal level.

Perhaps it’s the destructive force in us that is drawn to what is basically a controlled explosion on wheels. Perhaps it’s something to do with an automobile’s sleek and contoured chassis – or the human need for speed.

Or maybe, it’s because there is a certain zen to be found in tinkering with an engine. Of souping up and optimizing an already lean, mean machine, and making it purr. Somewhere in all of us is an engineer who simply wants to solve puzzles – and what greater puzzle to solve than the many moving parts to be found under the hood?

We at Atmel are especially passionate about the automotive space, having been one of the first semiconductor companies to enter the market, embracing both the productive and the creative passion from the get-go.

Telefunken (the pre- predecessor of Atmel Automotive) was founded as early as 1903, while the Heilbronn fab in Germany, acquired by Atmel in the 1980’s, was founded way back in 1960.

Atmel’s first success in automotive was (rather fittingly) the electronic ignition IC which, in 1979/1980, was installed in every Volkswagen car.

Another early milestone along Atmel’s automotive roadmap was, ironically, braking. A start-to-stop scenario, so to speak.

The market for connected vehicles is expected to grow to a whopping $53 billion by 2018, with consumers demanding more and more connectivity each year.

A study by Deloitte in 2011 determined that 46% of people between the ages of 18-24 cited connectivity as being “extremely important” to them when it came to cars, with 37% wanting to stay as connected as possible while in their vehicles. A resounding 65% identified remote vehicle control as an important feature in their next automotive purchase; while 77% favored remote diagnostics minimizing dealer visits. And let’s face it, who can blame them?

A 2013 study by Cisco went even further, positing that Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications could enable cars to detect each other’s presence and location, helping avoid accidents, lower road costs and decrease carbon emissions. The report also found that intelligent cars would lead to 7.5% less time wasted in traffic congestion and 4% lower costs for vehicle fuel.

With over 1 billion passenger cars careening through the world’s streets already, increased digitization can’t come fast enough!

Today, Atmel supplies all 10 of the top 10 tier 1 automotive electronic suppliers in the world, not only with microcontrollers (MCUs), but with touch sensor technology too. Indeed, Atmel’s latest touch innovation, the bendable, flexible, printed wonder that is Xsense, has now been fully qualified and is ready to ramp, meaning sexy curved glass dashboards are closer than you’d imagine… Not bad for a feature originally developed as a piece of wood attached to the front of a horse drawn carriage to prevent mud from splattering the driver!

Atmel is also renowned for being a leading car access supplier, meaning we make the chips that enable cool remote keyless entry (RKE) systems with immobilizers, to reduce the risk of anyone stealing your steel beauty away from you. In fact, Atmel has already delivered over 250 Million ICs for this specific application, so that’s a whole lot of key fobs! Speaking of key fobs, here’s a fun fact; holding a remote car key to your head doubles its range because the human skull acts as an amplifier.

Moving from cool keyfobs to total hotness, it’s also worth noting that Atmel sells some of the highest temperature resistant parts in the market, some of which can handle heat of up to 200°C.

Last, but certainly not least, Atmel boasts the world’s largest portfolio of Local Interconnect Network (LIN) devices, for communication between components in vehicles. The firm’s devices have OEM approvals from all major car manufacturers worldwide, which is certainly something to be proud of.

So next time you find yourself on that long and winding road, kicking into high gear and hugging those curves, spare a thought for the components, because when it comes to cars, the devil really is in the details.

Under the hood with Atmel tech

Engineers building complex systems slated for “under the hood” tasks know there is little room for weak designs in such demanding environments.

Indeed, high temperatures, strong mechanical vibration and fluctuating electromagnetic fields demand the inclusion of products based on decades of optimized architecture, meticulous manufacturing and robust testing.

And that is why Atmel’s motor driver family targets brushed and brushless DC motors capable of operating in standard temperature – or even more demanding hot engine environments.

“A wide variety of combinations integrate high-side and low-side output stages so manufacturers can easily tailor solutions to suit customer needs,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces. “Plus, our driver portfolio includes ICs for small DC motors controlled directly from the output stages, as well as motor driver system basis chips, with integrated gate drivers or pre-drivers to control separate NMOSFETs of almost any size.”

Key features include rugged design, with Atmel’s unique BCD-on-SOI architecture combining high-voltage capability with the benefits of rugged SOI technology: high temperature resistance (T-junctions up to 200°C), optimized radiation hardness, very low leakage currents, low parasitics, high switching frequency and latch-up immunity.

We also offer cost-effective ICs that require few external components, because capabilities such as LIN connectivity and diagnostics are already built in. Plus, all Atmel drivers share the same protective features—over-temperature warning and switch-off, as well as under-voltage, over-current, short-circuit and open-load detection.

Interested in learning more about Atmel’s extensive motor driver portfolio? Be sure to check out our full device breakdown here.

Atmel motor control systems for the automotive masses

Atmel has more than 15 years of experience with driver ICs for DC motors, supplying products at a high-volume for a variety of common body electronic applications, including mirror control and flap control in HVACs.

Although Atmel driver ICs are equipped with a variety of types of driver stages, they all share the same protection features – short-circuit protection, temperature warning and switch off, low voltage protection and open load detection – all of which are a must for automotive electronics.

“The continuously growing Atmel driver family includes a wide variety of combinations of integrated high-side and low-side output stages, enabling designers to easily tailor solutions to their needs,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“Our driver portfolio includes ICs for small DC motors controlled directly from the output stages. At the heart of the Atmel portfolio are motor driver system basis chips, with integrated gate drivers or pre-drivers to control separate NMOSFETs. These drivers can be used to control almost any size of NMOSFETs, for use in a broad range of applications.”

With few external components, the Atmel driver ICs with LIN communication and the Atmel AVR microcontrollers combine to create cost-efficient motor driver modules, complete with LIN functionality for harsh automotive conditions.

“In short, the Atmel motor driver family targets applications with brushed and brushless DC motors for standard temperature applications, as well as demanding high-temperature ‘under-the-hood’ applications,” the engineering rep added.

Interested in learning more about Atmel’s motor control systems? Be sure to check out our full device breakdown here.

Accessing your vehicle with Atmel

The automotive industry has certainly come a long way since Henry Ford’s Model T first rolled off the assembly line in 1908. To be sure, car (access) keys have radically evolved from the simple, unassuming steel key of yore to acting as the human interface to a vehicle.

Photographed at the Bay State Antique Automobile Club’s July 10, 2005 show at the Endicott Estate in Dedham, MA by Sfoskett

Similarly, Atmel’s automotive portfolio has also rapidly evolved since 1997 when we introduced our very first dedicated car access transmitter.

Indeed, Atmel now offers a wide range of car access devices that are ideal for developing complete system solutions with the highest levels of security and convenience, supporting remote keyless entry, immobilizer, passive entry/go or combi key applications.

“Remember, providing a high level of security is a must for car access applications, something which is also required by insurance companies worldwide,” an Atmel automotive engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“And that is why Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) systems combined with immobilizers are standard in nearly all cars today, while passive Entry/Go (PEG) applications offer the ultimate convenience for car users and are well-established in current luxury vehicles.”

Unsurprisingly, such features are increasingly making their way into medium-class cars. To meet these demands, developers require cost-efficient electronic system solutions that support a high level of integration.

As such, Atmel offers a comprehensive line of ICs (RF, LF, Atmel AVR microcontrollers) to create complete car access and remote start systems, along with dedicated RF transmitters, receivers and transceivers, as well as microcontrollers.

In addition, Atmel enables a uni-directional RF link for the keyless entry function to open or lock the doors. The immobilizer system is built with a bi-directional LF link operating with the AUT64 crypto algorithm.

And last, but certainly not least, Atmel supports a bi-directional RF link for the RKE function as well as for the extremely secure duplex RF link in a Passive Entry Go system. The lF link is used for the wake- up channel in a PEG system and the immobilizer function to start the RF communication.

Interested in learning more about Atmel’s expansive automotive portfolio? Be sure to check out some of our related blog posts from earlier this week, including “A closer look at Atmel’s vehicle portfolio,” “Atmel expands MaXTouch auto lineup,” and “LIN networking for the automotive masses.”