Advances in the architecture of PIC® and AVR® microcontrollers have optimized these devices to implement closed-loop control, so that systems offload the CPU to handle more tasks and reduce power consumption.
A key advantage of the PIC18 Q10 and ATtiny1607 microcontrollers is that their integrated circuits (ICs) manage tasks independently, reducing the processing load on the CPU. System designers can also save time and effort on the design process thanks to hardware-based ICs, which significantly decrease the amount of software that needs to be written and validated. Both families incorporate functional safety features and operate at voltages up to 5V, increasing their noise immunity and making them compatible with most analog and digital output sensors.
The new ATtiny1607 family, supplied in a compact 3 x 3 mm, 20-pin QFN package, is optimized for space-constrained closed-loop control systems such as handheld power tools and remote controls. In addition to integrating a high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides faster analog-to-digital conversion for a more deterministic system response, the devices improve oscillator accuracy, allowing designers to reduce the number of external components and lower costs.
The PIC18 Q10 family of integrated circuits (CIPs) includes the Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), which simplifies switching designs, and an A/D converter with calculations (ADC2), which performs advanced calculations and data filtering in hardware without core intervention. These CIPs allow the CPU to handle more complex tasks, such as user interface controls, while remaining in low-power mode to conserve energy until processing is required.
All PIC18 Q10 products are supported by MPLAB® Code Configurator (MCC), a free software extension that provides a graphical interface for easy configuration of peripherals and functions. MCC is included in Microchip's downloadable MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and MPLAB Xpress IDE, which requires no separate software download. Alternatively, the Curiosity High Pin Count HPC Development Board (DM164136), a fully integrated rapid prototyping board, can be used to get started with these microcontrollers.
Rapid prototyping with the ATtiny1607 family is supported by the ATmega4809 Xplained Pro (ATmega4809-XPRO) evaluation kit. This USB-powered kit includes tactile buttons, LEDs, and expansion strips for quick setup, as well as a programmer/debugger that fully integrates with Atmel Studio 7 IDE and Atmel START, a free online tool for configuring peripherals and software that accelerates development.
The PIC18 Q10 and ATtiny1607 families are now available as samples ready for volume production.
