Microchip announces the industry’s first MOST150 coaxial transceiver. Extending the usage of coaxial cabling to powerful automotive infotainment networks based on the latest MOST150 standard, the recently introduced OS82150 integrates a coaxial cable driver and coaxial cable receiver into a small-footprint, 4x4mm QFN package.

Microchip announces the MCP9600, the world’s first thermocouple-conditioning integrated circuit to combine precision instrumentation, a precision temperature sensor and a precision, high-resolution ADC, in addition to a maths engine pre-programmed with the firmware to support a broad range of standard thermocouple types: K, J, T, N, S, E, B and R.

Microchip has added the LAN9353/4/5 Three-Port, 10/100 Industrial Ethernet Switches to its reliable portfolio of Ethernet solutions, including Ethernet switches, controllers, bridges and PHYs. Featuring the IEEE 1588-2008 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) standard for clock accuracy in the sub-ns range, these highly integrated Ethernet switches offload both synchronisation and communications processing from the host CPU.

Capacitive sensors can form a cheaper way to build a proximity antenna than using infra-red technology and consume less power. Traditional extended range proximity sensors have used infra-red technology, which suffers from both high costs and high power consumption. Capacitive sensing, on the other hand, can provide a lower cost and lower power alternative.

Microchip announces the expansion of its eXtreme Low Power (XLP) PIC MCU portfolio. Features of the PIC24F GB4 family include an integrated hardware crypto engine with both OTP and Key RAM options for secure key storage, up to 256KB of Flash memory and a direct drive for segmented LCD displays, in 64-, 100- or 121-pin packages.

  MCUs with integrated drivers are providing a boost for the growing LCD market. By Mary Tamar Tan, Applications Engineer, Microchip Technology, and Rodger Richey, Director Engineering & New Product Development, Microchip Technology.

Microchip has announced a series within its PIC32MX1/2 32-bit MCU family that features a 256KB Flash configuration and 16KB of RAM in small-footprint packages. These latest additions to the MCU family provide flexibility to low-cost applications that need complex algorithms and application code, and they are coupled with Microchip’s comprehensive software and tools for designs in graphics, touch sensing and general-purpose em...

Microchip Technology has announced that AUDI AG is networking the Audi virtual cockpit system in its new high-class Q7 SUV Models using MOST technology, following a similar deployment in its TT Coupe Models. Specifically, Audi is utilising Microchip’s OS81110 and OS81118 MOST150 Intelligent Network Interface Controllers (INICs), which provide 150Mb/s performance and support all MOST network data types.

Expanding its growing portfolio of 8-bit PIC MCUs, Microchip has announced two families with Core-Independent Peripherals (CIPs) which combine to perform functions autonomously, without the core. This allows the 8-bit devices to be used in a broader range of applications, such as LED lighting, motor control, wearables, consumer electronics, IoT and safety-critical systems.

Microchip Technology announced that designers using the Automotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR) to develop and reuse their in-vehicle software can now connect their systems to not only networking technologies such as CAN and LIN, but also to the MOST Cooperation’s automotive-proven MOST networking technology.

Expanding its Human Interface Solutions portfolio, Microchip Technology's MTCH6303 supports touch sensors with up to 1,000 nodes and diagonals of up to 10”. The projected-capacitive touch controller provides multi-touch coordinates as well as a ready-made multi-finger surface gesture suite that brings modern UI elements, such as pinch and zoom, multi-finger scrolling and swipes, to any embedded design, with minimal host requirements.

Demand for improvements in digital control to increase power supply efficiency is coming from every aspect of industry, presenting semiconductor manufacturers with the challenge and opportunity to develop more advanced solutions. By Philip Ling

Microchip announces the PIC32 Harmony Software Decoder Framework and Microsoft Windows Media Audio (WMA) Decoder Library for 32-bit PIC32 MCU-based consumer-audio application development within the MPLAB Harmony Integrated Software Framework.  The WMA Decoder Library includes a modular framework for audio decoders, including support for MP3 and AAC, allowing easier audio application development.

Microchip Technology announces that registration is open for its European MASTERs Conference at HTW - Berlin, Germany. 

Kia Motors is enriching its infotainment system with powerful smart-phone connectivity in its flagship Kia K900 luxury sedan (known as Quoris in some countries), using Microchip’s OS81110 INIC (Intelligent Network Interface Controller). Building on years of experience using Microchip’s MOST INICs, Kia adopted the latest MOST150 standard for the 2015 K900 in order to take advantage of its internet-connectivity capabilities.

At Sensors Expo, Microchip took the opportunity to announce a combined analogue and digital current sensor: the PAC1921. This device is the world’s first high-side current sensor with both a digital and configurable analogue output that can present power, current or voltage over the single output pin. Simultaneously, all power-related output values are also available over the 2-Wire digital bus, which is compatible with I2C.

The first USB3.0 smart hubs to enable host and device port swapping, I/O bridging and various other serial communication interfaces have been introduced by Microchip. The USB5734 and USB5744 feature an integrated MCU that enables new functionality for USB hubs while lowering overall BOM costs and reducing software complexity.

Microchip Technology, have announced that a wide variety of brands from carmakers General Motors and Toyota Motor, including both volume and luxury vehicles, continue to deploy Microchip’s MOST50 devices in their infotainment systems. Their growing usage over the years recently resulted in Microchip reaching the 25m milestone for MOST50 Intelligent Network Interface Controllers shipped.

Featuring high performance of over 67dB SNR and over 96dB SFDR, two families of high-speed ADCs have been introduced by Microchip Technology. The MCP37DX0-200 and MCP372X0-200 families feature 12- and 14- bit pipelined ADCs with a maximum sampling rate of 200MS/s and enable high-precision measurements of fast input signals.

  The 14-member dsPIC33EP “GS” family of DSCs (Digital Signal Controllers), introduced by Microchip, delivers the performance needed to implement more sophisticated non-linear, predictive and adaptive control algorithms at higher switching frequencies.