Atmel Targets Lighting Applications With Four New Microcontrollers
New Chips Provide Lamp Ballast Manufacturers with Smaller, Smarter and More Flexible Devices
NANTES, France, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML), a global leader in the development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today the availability of a new family of microcontrollers designed for lamp ballast applications. These devices have been specified with the leading players within the lamp ballast market. They are meant for different types of ballast applications, including single and multiple fluorescent tube applications, systems with DALI control and HID lighting such as back projection display systems or vehicle headlamps. Both fluorescent and HID lamp ballast applications will show improved performance, flexibility and cost advantages when using Atmel microcontrollers over currently available solutions.
Atmel's AT90PWMx AVR(R) microcontrollers support the dimming fluorescent and the HID ballast segments. Both the 8-Kbyte Flash AT90PWM3 and AT90PWM2 devices integrate the DALI protocol, allowing to network the ballasts to a centralized system, thus achieving high flexibility in controlling light levels, maintenance benefits and high energy savings. The 4-Kbyte Flash AT90PWM1 offers a cost-effective solution for low-end HID lamp ballasts and dimmable fluorescent lamp, requiring an analog control interface.
Developed in partnership with one of the major lighting market leaders for the non-dimming fluorescent ballasts, the AT83EB5114 is a highly integrated and optimized C51 microcontroller. Available in a low-pin-count SO20 package, it supports a 4-Kbyte ROM and a 256-byte EEPROM.
As the electronic ballast works at high frequency, it requires a Power Factor Correction (PFC) to reduce EMI by generating current in phase with the supplied voltage. These microcontrollers have dedicated peripherals to manage both the PFC functionality and control the lamp power, thus reducing the external component count. These functionalities are ensured by 12- or 16- bit enhanced PWM generators, amplifiers, and a 10-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter. The AT90PWM3 also integrates a 10-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter. When combined with the enhanced PWM generator, new regulation schemes with a fast analog feedback loop of the lamp can be envisaged.
"This new family makes great strides for energy saving lighting systems," said Jean Desuche, Strategic Marketing for Atmel. "With Atmel's new microcontrollers, ballast applications will be able to recognize tube power, lamp aging, communicate with other lighting systems, thus providing a range of possible configurations for designers of lamp ballast and finally better visual comfort for end users."
The AT90PWM2 is available in SO24; the AT90PWM3 is available in SO32 or MLF/QFN32. Pricing for 10,000 units is $2.20 for the AT90PWM2 and $2.50 for the AT90PWM3.
The AT90PWM1 samples will be available in 3Q05 in SO24 package. Users can start designs on the AT90PWM2, as it offers compatibility with the AT90PWM1.
The AT83EB5114 ROM device is available in SO20 package for large volumes at a unit price of $1.30. A Flash version (AT89EB5114) in SO20 is also available for development purpose.
A complete development package is also available to help designers develop their new applications. It includes evaluation and debug tools.
Combined with the STK(R)500 starter kit, the STK520 expansion module ($79), and the JTAGICE mk-II emulator ($299) provide all the necessary hardware to evaluate program and test the capabilities of the AT90PWMx AVR family.
Available at $199, fluorescent ballast reference designs will provide implementation examples demonstrating how a system can be developed using minimum external components. The non-dimmable fluorescent reference design supports the AT8xC5114, while the DALI controlled dimmable fluorescent reference design supports the AT90PWM2.
Footnotes:
DALI: Digital Addressable Lighting Interface protocol
HID: High Intensity Discharge
EMI: Electro Magnetic Interferences
PWM: Pulse Width Modulation
PFC: Power Factor Correction
About Atmel
Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(SM).
NOTE: Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, AVR(R), and STK(R) are registered trademarks, and Everywhere You Are(SM) is the trademark of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be the trademarks of others.
Information:
Further information about Atmel's Lighting Microcontroller family may be retrieved at: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=AT90PWM2 for AT90PWM2 http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=AT90PWM3 for AT90PWM3 http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=AT83EB5114 for AT83EB5114
Atmel's Press Contacts:
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Tel: +33 2 40 18 18 87, Email: philippe.faure@nto.atmel.com
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Email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com
Clive Over, Director of Press Relations - USA and Asia,
Tel: +1 408 451 2855, Email: cliveover@atmel.com
CONTACT: Philippe Faure, Marketing Communications Manager,
+33 2 40 18 18 87, or philippe.faure@nto.atmel.com, Veronique Sablereau,
Corporate Communications Manager - Europe, +33 1 30 60 70 68, or fax,
+49 71 31 67 24 23, or veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, or Clive Over, Director
of Press Relations - USA and Asia, +1-408-451-2855, or cliveover@atmel.com,
all of Atmel
Web site: http://www.atmel.com/
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