Infineon Extends Its Portfolio with Powerful Microcontrollers Optimized for Automotive and Industrial Applications

Munich, Nuremberg, Germany – February 18, 2003 – Today at the Embedded World show 2003 in Nuremberg, Germany, Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX) announced the availability of its latest microcontroller (MCU) products, a cost-optimized 16-bit microcontroller, and two new members of its 32-bit family of telematics gateway / audio processing microcontrollers. These new products expand Infineon’s portfolio of MCUs offering tailor-made performance at reasonable cost and bringing the power of intelligent electronics to product applications that people use everyday, including automotive/infotainment, durable consumer and white goods, and industrial applications.

“Infineon microcontrollers provide electronic intelligence for millions of industrial and automotive products, computer peripherals and consumer goods,” said Frank Grobe, Senior Manager Product Marketing Microcontrollers, business group Automotive & Industrial at Infineon. “Many people do not realize how greatly the adoption of these products changes the way we live, by improving the efficiency of motor driven systems and bringing new capabilities to machines and products we use every day.”

Infineon’s broad product portfolio covers cost- and performance-optimized 8-bit system-on-chip solutions, high-volume 16-bit MCUs, and powerful 32-bit microcontrollers supporting advanced real-time operating systems. Infineon enables design engineers to select the exact kind of microcontroller needed for an application, to significantly diminish design cycles and to accelerate time-to-market periods due to a high integration of complex functions into the microcontroller. At the same time, design engineers can rely on the ability to update system designs when needed, as code compatibility within the product families enables smooth migration to new products. This flexible scalability of system solutions is the key to adapt features and cost to the application requirements.

Technical information on C164SV microcontrollers

The C164SV is a cost-optimized but powerful microcontroller specifically designed for use in multi-phase brushless DC motor controls and smart-drive applications, such as used in white goods, pumps, and fans. The C164SV uses the C166 architecture offering an excellent real-time performance. Additionally, the C164SV features a powerful peripheral set, including a flexible and intelligent pulse width modulation unit (PWM) that generates tailored signals for power bridges. Those signals include death time generation and several protection mechanisms. The pulse generation including the synchronized analog digital converter (ADC) conversion works widely autonomous from the central processing unit (CPU). The high-resolving ADC offers fast conversion time to optimize the control algorithm. The combination of those features simplifies control of electrical motors (AC-, DC- motors).

The C164SV is pin-compatible to the C164CM, so that the user gains new system development possibilities and is flexible to add features like CAN-bus without extensive redesign. The C164SV is available in ROM derivatives for cost-optimized single chip applications.

Technical information on TC1910 and TC1912 (32-bit microcontrollers)

The TC1910 and TC1912 are two new members of Infineon’s family of Telematics gateway/audio processing controllers. The products are designed for use in a wide range of automotive and industrial applications. Target platforms include modular and integrated infotainment subsystems like hands free car kit with voice control, communication gateway, remote diagnostics, elevators, air conditioning systems, shutters and alarm equipment which could integrate voice-control in future as well.

The TC19xx family also supports digital audio processing, such as decoding MP3 files or Windows Media Application (WMA) files. Based on Infineon’s 32-bit TriCore Unified Processor architecture, all TC19xx members combine RISC, CISC and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) functionality in a single core. An integrated high-performance audio CODEC enables embedded speech processing functions such as acoustic echo cancellation and noise reduction without the need of additional external components.

The TC1910 and TC1912 are fully software compatible to the existing TC1920 telematics controller. This gives system designers the flexibility to upgrade and adapt the application’s performance with minimal adaption effort for migration.

In addition to the TC1910, the TC1912 offers an integrated TwinCAN controller and a third asynchronous/synchronous serial interface (UART-like ASC). Key software packages available for the TriCore based TC19xx family include Bluetooth stacks and profiles, MP3 decoding algorithm, voice and GPS data processing etc.

Availability, Packaging and Pricing

The new microcontroller solutions are available now.
The C164SV comes in a P-TQFP-64 package (Plastic Thin Quad FlatPackage), the TC1910 and the TC1912 in a P-LBGA-208 package (Plastic Low-profile Ball Grid Array).

In quantities of less than 100,000, the C164SV is priced at approximately Euro 3.50 per unit; the TC1910 is priced at Euro 15 each; and the TC1912 is priced at Euro 16 per piece.

Infineon will present the new microcontrollers at the Embedded World 2003 show (18. - 20. February 2003, Nuremberg, Germany) at booth B580 in Hall 12.

For further information on C164SV, TC1910 and TC1912 is available at www.infineon.com/microcontroller

Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for the automotive and industrial sectors, for applications in the wired communications markets, secure mobile solutions as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo. In fiscal year 2002 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 5.21 billion with about 30,400 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX). Further information is available at www.infineon.com.