Using a microcontroller for motor control is an attractive alternative to existing Application-Specific Standard Products (ASSP) that are often too specific and limited for the target application. Ranging from 8- to 100-pin devices, AVR Flash microcontrollers are well suited for simple applications such as PC fans up to highly advanced motor control applications. All AVR's incorporate a Flash program memory and an EEPROM enabling the designer to use the same microcontroller for multiple designs and to install the latest programs at any time during product life cycle. Moreover, the code compatibility of AVR allows designers to port their development to other AVR devices and serve various needs. Such flexibility results in shorter time to market and help minimizing system cost.

Motor control is realized by using the internal timers with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), Analog-Digital Converter (ADC) and I/Os with interrupt. The PWM handles the voltage pattern applied to the motor and enables speed and acceleration control. The onboard 10-bit ADC measures power consumption and provides over-current warnings to the target application while the AVR's pin- change interrupt monitors the Hall sensors of the BLDC. For sensor-less BLDC, the AVR's ADC and Analog Comparator are utilized to predict the position of the motor. All features are interrupt-based, enabling the motor control functionality to be implemented while leaving additional resources to other application requirements. Typically this could include customized start-up sequences, temperature considerations, SMBus(TM), Two-Wire Interface and SPI communication.

AVR is optimized for high level programming languages such as C and offers an unmatched code density. Low cost On-Chip Debug tools are also available and the whole tool chain is an easy and efficient development environment to designers. To strengthen AVR motor control support, a dedicated web section as been released at www.atmel.com/products/avr/mc, providing a number of new application notes, reference designs and starter-kits covering AC and BLDC motors of different types and sizes. The variety of ready-to-use implementation examples will help designers to significantly shorten their development activity and get faster to market. When additional support is required, a fully trained sales force and motor control experts are ready to assist at Email Contact.

"By providing complete solution for motor control, customers will enjoy the benefits of AVR microcontrollers, providing flexibility and cost that cannot be achieved with traditional ASSPs," said Asmund Saetre, Atmel's AVR Marketing Manager. "Introducing these new starter-kits and application notes is only a first step for AVR dedicated motor control support, and we will continue developing tools and materials to help customers in the future," he added.

Atmel provides full range of programming and development tools, all interfaced by the AVR Studio front-end. AVR Studio includes a simulator and an assembler and is available for free from www.atmel.com.

    Footnotes:
     AC= Alternate Current
     DC= Direct Current

    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(R).

NOTE: Atmel(R), logo, AVR(R) and combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are(R) and others, are the registered trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:

Further information about Atmel's AVR Microcontroller family may be retrieved at: http://www.atmel.com/products/avr/

    Press Contacts:

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     Tel: +33 2 40 18 18 87, Email: Email Contact

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     Email:  Email Contact

CONTACT: Philippe Faure, Marketing Communications Manager -
Microcontrollers, +33 2 40 18 18 87, or Email Contact, all of Atmel Corporation

Web site: http://www.atmel.com/