Freescale announces ultra-low-end core for new entrants to 8-bit

Freescale Semiconductor is introducing an ultra-low-end 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) core to meet demand for smaller, more cost-effective solutions. Ideal for traditional electro-mechanical designs that require additional functionality, the core is designed to allow increased integration while staying at a low price point.

Freescale’s RS08 ultra-low-end core is a simplified version of its high-performance, low-power HCS08 architecture. The core is 30 percent smaller and features a condensed instruction set, allowing compact and efficient coding of most embedded applications in small-pin-count devices with less than 16K of flash memory. These changes offer engineers a simpler, faster way to get microcontroller-based applications to market.

Freescale is developing a new version of the CodeWarrior™ Development Studio to support the RS08 core. It is designed to accelerate application development with a built-in project wizard that helps create working projects in as few as seven clicks. The RS08 represents some of the initial returns on Freescale’s investment to strengthen its 8-bit portfolio and is the starting point of a performance roadmap outlined today that will provide compatible peripherals and tools from 8- to 32-bit.

The RS08 core will introduce a tiny and short addressing mode, which allows for more efficient access and manipulation of the most commonly used variables and registers. Additionally, Freescale has added a shadow program counter to the core for more efficient subroutine calls. The RS08 will use the same bus structure as the HCS08, which will enable the use of the same peripheral and memory modules. In addition, both architectures will be supported by compatible debug interface hardware.

Freescale plans to announce a family of RS08-based processors in the spring of 2006. Preliminary pricing is targeting the sub 50-cent (USD) suggested resale range.