20 June 2008
Analog Devices Delivers Precision MCU With ARM7 Core Analog Devices, Inc., a member of the ARM Connected Community, has launched the ADuC706x family, which expands its precision analog microcontroller portfolio. The MCU family, with best-in-class data conversion performance for hardware, firmware and industrial systems, is targeted at engineers designing smart sensing, factory automation and instrumentation equipment. The ADuC706x family includes two 24-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and a host of analog peripherals with a 32-bit ARM7 core to create a solution for precision sensing applications, the company explained.
“Precision sensing requires a low noise, high resolution signal conversion architecture,” said Mike Britchfield, product line director, Precision Signal Processing, Analog Devices. “With its on-chip 24-bit sigma-delta ADCs, the ADuC706x provides the resolution required by today’s high-performance industrial and instrumentation equipment, while keeping the noise low. This performance, complemented by the simplicity of a single-chip solution, handles all data acquisition, processing and communications functions at the signal source.” Designed for 4–20 mA loop-powered applications in factory automation and for precision instruments, the ADuC706x family includes the ADuC7060, ADuC7061 and ADuC7062. The devices feature an ADC noise performance of just 60 nV and offer five times more processing power for a given clock rate, according to Analog Devices. In addition to the 24-bit sigma-delta ADCs and ARM7 core with eight interrupt priority levels, the new precision analog microcontrollers incorporate 32 Kbytes of flash memory and 4 Kbytes of SRAM, a programmable gain amplifier, multiplexers, buffers, an auxiliary 24-bit ADC for cold junction compensation and interfacing to thermocouple applications, and SPI (serial peripheral interface), UART (universal asynchronous receivers-transmitters) and I²C ports. The devices consume just 2.6 mA with all peripherals activated. The ADuC706x family is available in sample quantities and will be in full factory production in November 2008, Analog Devices confirmed.
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