Infineon Announced Microcontroller Development Kit Supporting IO-Link V1.1 Standard Communication Systems

IO-Link is a standardized point-to-point communication system that simplifies integration of sensors and actuators into factory automation systems. It offers various benefits for end users including easier and less expensive cabling, remote diagnostics and configuration. An IO-Link system consists of an IO-Link master and one or more IO-Link devices (sensors or actuators). The IO-Link master provides the interface to the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and controls the communication between connected IO-Link devices. IO-Link enables a robust communication with built-in error detection and easy integration into well-established field bus systems with reduced and unshielded cabling. As an open interface, IO-Link can be integrated into all common field bus and automation systems.

Infineon has developed a low-cost USB kit allowing customers to easily evaluate an IO-Link master and device configuration using the high performance 16-bit XE164 as master and the low-cost 8-bit XC822 for the device node. Supported by its partners Hitex Development Tools, Technologie Management Gruppe, supplier of IO-Link software stack, and the Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden AG (ZMDI), leading provider of IO-Link PHY devices, Infineon provides a complete solution including tool chains and evaluation copies of the IO-Link software stack for both master and device. The kit includes a USB stick as the XE164-based master node including physical transceiver PHY and supporting four IO-Link channels, a single 8-bit XC822 based device node, cabling, demos and documentation. Additional projects using the 8-bit XC800 as a device have also been developed with the partners HMT microelectronic, supplier of IO-Link physical transceivers and IP, and MESCO Engineering, supplier of IO-Link device software stack.

About the XE164

The master node of the Infineon IO-Link solution is based on the XE164, a member of the XE166 16-bit microcontroller family. The XE166 real-time signal controllers offer 32-bit performance on 16-bit devices, with up to 100 MIPS and integrated MAC unit with complete DSP library. The scalable family include devices with Flash sizes from 128KB to 1600KB and packages from 64-pin to 176-pin. Up to four independent PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) units and fast AD (analog to digital) converters with 600ns conversion time are part of the powerful peripheral set.

About the XC822

The intelligent device node of the IO-Link kit is based on the low-cost XC822, one of the latest members of the scalable XC800 8-bit MCUs. With the XC800 family, Infineon has combined an 8051-core with embedded flash memory up to 64Kbyte. To reduce system costs, features such as oscillator, voltage regulator, EEPROM and supervisory circuits are integrated. Different flash sizes, scalable peripherals and innovative features like an MDU (Multiply Division Unit) co-processor make it easy to select the right product for a dedicated application. The peripherals include a Capture/Compare Unit for flexible PWM generation and an enhanced fast AD converter for precise measurement and hardware synchronization to PWM.