Freescale Announces Ultra-Low-End Core For New Entrants To 8-bit

Austin, TX -- Freescale Semiconductor is introducing an ultra-low-end 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) core. Suited for traditional electro-mechanical designs that require additional functionality, the core is designed to allow increased integration while staying at a low price point.

Freescale's RS08 ultra-low-end core is a simplified version of its low-power HCS08 architecture. The core is 30 percent smaller and features a condensed instruction set, allowing compact and efficient coding of most embedded applications in small-pin-count devices with less than 16K of flash memory.

"Freescale has been a leading player in the 8-bit market for years," said Fred Zieber, founder and president of Pathfinder Research. "The introduction of this core positions Freescale to compete in the ultra-low-end, cost-sensitive 8-bit market that has evolved over recent years due to the development of new categories of disposable electronics."

Freescale is developing an advanced version of the CodeWarrior Development Studio to support the RS08 core, which is designed to accelerate application development with a built-in project wizard that helps create working projects in as few as seven clicks. The RS08 represents some of the initial returns on Freescale's investment to strengthen its 8-bit portfolio and is the starting point of a performance roadmap outlined today that will provide compatible peripherals and tools from 8- to 32-bit.

"We have focused on providing 8-bit solutions that are an easy-to-use alternative to simple logic," said Mike McCourt, vice president and general manager of Freescale's Microcontroller Division. "We are surrounding the silicon with a support environment that delivers the training, tools and software that will help accelerate our customers' time to revenue."

The RS08 core will introduce a tiny and short addressing mode, which allows for more efficient access and manipulation of the most commonly used variables and registers. Additionally, Freescale has added a shadow program counter to the core for more efficient subroutine calls. The RS08 will use the same bus structure as the HCS08, which will enable the use of the same peripheral and memory modules. In addition, both architectures will be supported by compatible debug interface hardware.

SOURCE: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.