Top Stories ST Microelectronics releases new Flash Microcontroller STMicroelectronics Announces Flash Memory Microcontroller Chip With Flash Protection Optimized for automotive applications, ST's ST10F168 microcontroller is more robust and more secure STMicroelectronics today announced a new Flash microcontroller chip that includes features to protect the embedded Flash memory from code read-out or system errors, such as a loss of clock signal. Called ST10F168, the new chip integrates the ST10 16-bit microcontroller core, peripherals specially selected for the automotive market, 256kbytes of internal Flash memory, 2Kbytes of dual port RAM and 6Kbytes of normal RAM. Clocked at 25MHz, it executes speed critical routines from the embedded Flash memory, so instructions typically execute in less than 80ns. Compared to previous ST10 Flash microcontrollers, the most important new feature is the addition of dedicated firmware called STEAK (ST Embedded Application Kernel), which manages the Flash memory programming to ensure reliable programming and erasing plus protection against system errors. Moreover, it includes protection against unauthorized access to the embedded software. The STEAK firmware is located in a system area of memory and does not occupy any of the memory space provided for user firmware. Flash memory in the ST10F168 allows 1000 programming cycles for each of the four embedded Flash memory banks and assures a data retention of at least 10 years. ST has already delivered to customers in the automotive and data storage industries more than seven million Flash memory microcontrollers, which is more than any other company. Peripheral blocks integrated in the ST10F168 include a CAN interface, 32-channel capture and compare unit, five 16-bit timers, 16 channels of 10-bit analog-digital converters with a conversion rate down to 7.76us, four channel pulse-width modulation unit, an asynchronous communications channel, synchronous communication channel, 56 interrupt sources with a sample rate down to 40ns, eight channel peripheral event controlled interrupts transferring data within one CPU cycle, an on-chip bootstrap loader an idle mode and two powerdown modes. The company's Web site address is http://www.st.com/. [Reprinted with kind permission from ST Microelectronics]

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