Product category: Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor | Subject: 68HC908QL4
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 10 September 2003
8bit MCU speeds LINbus
development in new cars
Motorola has expanded its 8bit HC08 "Q-LIN" family with a LIN-slave device, the 68HC908QL4
The QL4 helps enable rapid design of automotive options, such as power window lift motors and side-view mirrors, connected to the LINbus for control. Wiring to switches, actuators, lamps and motors can then be minimised, resulting in lower overall vehicle weight. LIN is a cost effective serial communication system for distributed electronic systems in vehicles.
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 10 September 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The QL4 is Motorola's first microcontroller (MCU) to offer fully automatic LIN slave functionality.
The Flash-based QL4 is engineered to support the LINbus operation at full LINbus communication speed (20Kbit/s).
This automation enables the QL4 to find and communicate to LIN messages at virtually any speed using its advanced automatic synchronisation and baud features.
This plug-and-play flexibility allows an automotive designer to easily use the QL4 MCU in the LINbus environment - without any code changes.
The QL4 also supports high-speed communications for rapid in-circuit programming.
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Part of a growing family of Motorola's LIN system solution devices, the QL4 sets a new standard of intelligence for automotive designers.
No LINbus synchronisation code is needed in the QL4 software and no trimming of the internal oscillator is required to communicate.
The QL4 also offers exceptional performance by helping to reduce system interrupts by more than 80% over UART solutions.
It also has the smallest driver code required to process LIN messages.
Like existing "Q" HC08 devices, the QL4 incorporates 4Kbyte of world-class Flash, with ROM-based options planned for later introduction.
Other standard features include an integrated internal oscillator that helps save money and space by virtually eliminating the need for external components, a computer operating properly (COP) watchdog, low voltage interrupt (LVI), keyboard interrupt (KBI), LED drive capability and a six-channel 10bit A/D convertor.
The 68HC908QL4 family and all QL products are designed to be compliant with the LIN 1.3 and forthcoming LIN 2.0 protocols without the need for any device timers.
LIN drivers from Volcano Communications Technologies (VCT) are planned for later in 2004.
Motorola is developing the Q-LIN devices to enable the proliferation of the LINbus worldwide in future vehicles.
Beyond automotive applications, the 68HC908QL4 family may also cost-effectively enable the LIN network in various industrial applications including appliances, motor control, home automation, copiers, exercise equipment and more.
The Metrowerks CodeWarrior Development Studio Special Edition for the MC68HC908QL4 series is available at no charge to registered users of Motorola's website.
This tool, which contains more than US $2000 of advanced tools, is designed to enable full-chip simulation and Flash programming and includes a C compiler, assembler, linker and debugger.
Samples of the 68HC908QL4 are available today with production quantities expected in 2004.
Suggested resale pricing for the MC68HC908QL4 (4Kbyte Flash, 16-pin package) in one million-piece quantities and above is expected to be less than US $1.00.
An evaluation board is available at a suggested resale price of US $199.
The board includes the complimentary Metrowerks CodeWarrior Development Studio for HC08, Special Edition with Processor Expert auto code compiler.
An emulation board is also available at a suggested resale price of US $495.
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