Product category: Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: National Semiconductor
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 08 February 2002
Flash MCU powers novel white goods
National Semiconductor's COP8SCR Flash microcontroller has been designed into Merloni Elettrodomestici's highly innovative digital washing machine Margherita Dialogic Ariston.
National Semiconductor's COP8SCR Flash microcontroller has been designed into Merloni Elettrodomestici's highly innovative digital washing machine Margherita Dialogic Ariston An innovation in the white goods industry, Merloni's concept allows the user to lease a washing machine instead of buying it, pay per use - a concept known from cellular phone prepaid cards - and remotely control the appliance
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 5 Jan 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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For this end, the washing machine has been equipped with the new WRAP (Web Ready Appliances Protocol) technology from WRAP, a spin-off company of Merloni, founded in June 2000.
National Semiconductor's COP8SCR Flash has been chosen as the intelligent microcontroller at the heart of the system, providing the connectivity to the call centre by communicating all the collected data and monitoring the pay-per-use service.
National's COP8 Flash technology thus is enabling the implementation of innovative services such as remote tele-assistance, tele-diagnostics and tele-alarm concepts.
"Our COP8 Flash microcontroller has the great advantage of in-system programmability and therefore is ideally suited for internet-controlled appliances such as Merloni's networked and remotely controlled digital washing machines", said Gunter Hohma, microcontroller marketing manager at National Semiconductor in Europe.
"The Virtual EEPROM feature of National Semiconductor's Flash microcontroller allows for customisation and recall of user preferences", said Mario Cipriani, digital appliances manager at Merloni Elettrodomestici.
"Also, National's COP8Flash controller provides the ability to store and retrieve access codes, dial-up numbers, and zone protection schemes which clearly set it apart from competition".
"WRAP as the new spin-off of the Corporate Electronics R and D unit from Merloni Elettrodomestici provides its technologies to Merloni as well as to other players on the market", commented Valerio Aisa, chief technical officer at WRAP.
"Our specific knowhow enables Merloni Elettrodomestici to introduce for the first time in the world a new concept for the use of household appliances, no longer based on acquiring them but on renting them by signing a pay-per-use contract".
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