Winter2014

Nov/Dec 2012

Worlds First
2D Multi-Touch Pad with
3D Gesture Recognition
CONTROL ROBUST COMPACT IoT APPS SENSORS
 Nov/Dec 2014

Contents
SHOWCASE DESIGN ARTICLES
18 Measuring Heart Rate and
4 A Touch Above Blood Oxygen Levels for
3DTouchPad is worlds first 2D multi-touch pad with 3D Portable and Wearable Devices
gesture recognition 23 Buck-Based LED Drivers
Using the HV9910B
NEW PRODUCTS 27 Connected Things Are
6 Take Control the Future of Mobile

8-bit microcontroller family offers closed-loop digital control and 29 A Complete Solution for
Mesh Networks
safety monitoring
31 Printed Multi-Touch Sensor
8 When the Going Gets Tough Solutions for Modern Designs
5V dsPIC33 EV family offers enhanced noise immunity and 32 Accelerating Low-Level
robustness for harsh environments Code Implementation in
9 Smart Mix PIC32 MCU Applications

Latest 32-bit microcontrollers enable a wide range of applications

at lower prices FEATURES
15 Product Spotlight
11 Very Precise
16 Gifts Just For You
New high-speed devices feature industrys lowest-power 16-bit,
200 Msps stand-alone ADCs 33 Connect With Us at 2015
International CES
12 Swapping Roles
USB 2.0 four-port controller hub connects smartphones to
automotive infotainment systems
14 Power Up
Get simple analog PWM control and configurable MCU in compact
circuit solution

The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, dsPIC, FlashFlex, KEELOQ, KEELOQ logo, MPLAB, mTouch, PIC, PICmicro, PICSTART, PIC32 logo, rfPIC, SST, SST Logo, SuperFlash and UNI/O are
registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. FilterLab, Hampshire, HI-TECH C, Linear Active Thermistor, MTP, SEEVAL and The Embedded Control Solutions
Company are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. Silicon Storage Technology is a registered trademark of Microchip Technology Inc. in other countries.
Analog-for-the-Digital Age, Application Maestro, BodyCom, chipKIT, chipKIT logo, CodeGuard, dsPICDEM, dsPICDEM.net, dsPICworks, dsSPEAK, ECAN, ECONOMONITOR, FanSense, HI-TIDE, In Circuit
Serial Programming, ICSP, Mindi, MiWi, MPASM, MPF, MPLAB Certified logo, MPLIB, MPLINK, Omniscient Code Generation, PICC, PICC-18, PICDEM, PICDEM.net, PICkit, PICtail, REAL ICE, rfLAB, Select
Mode, SQI, Serial Quad I/O, Total Endurance, TSHARC, UniWinDriver, WiperLock, ZENA and Z-Scale are trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries.
SQTP is a service mark of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. GestIC and ULPP are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Germany II GmbH & Co. & KG, a subsidiary of Microchip
Technology Inc., in other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective companies. 2014, Microchip Technology Incorporated, All Rights Reserved.

2

Dont Miss the Next Issue of
MicroSolutions
Published six times a year, MicroSolutions is a
valuable resource for product and technology
news about Microchips innovative solutions.
Subscribe today to receive email notifications
when each new issue of MicroSolutions is
ready. If you prefer, you can be notified via our
RSS feed. Use the links below:
To get the latest news about Microchip and its
products via social media, be sure to Like Us on
Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter:
EDITORS NOTE
We'd Like Your Help
D
id you know that the size and scope of the Microchip website has exploded
within the past several years? Our product offerings have been steadily
expanding, reaching into a growing variety of innovative and leading-edge
applications. At the same time, we've absorbed extensive product information from a
series of significant company acquisitions that occurred during this same time frame.
Needless to say, as our business continues to expand, the additional activity keeps our
web development team very busy.
Our website is the "go to" resource for many thousands of visitors monthly who need
help selecting a product, developing an application, or learning about new technol-
ogies. They can visit our Design Centers, download software and other resources,
submit requests for technical support or get information on our training programs.
Recognizing that requirements and technology are constantly evolving, our goal is to
continuously enhance the features on our website to offer the best experience possible
to all our users. That's where you come in.
We would very much appreciate it if you would take just a couple of minutes to assist
us as we plan for the future of the Microchip website. We have developed a simple
online survey which will help us learn how you currently use our website, how well it
is working for you, and how we can make updates so that it continues to meet your
needs going forward. While the majority of the questions can be easily answered using
checkboxes and buttons, you will also have the opportunity to provide additional com-
ments if you have any suggestions for us. Click the text below to access the survey:
Microchip Website Survey
As always, we would be happy to get your feedback on MicroSolutions. Feel free to
email us at MSFeedback@microchip.com.
Find us on these social channels:
Microchip Technology Inc.
2355 W. Chandler Blvd. | Chandler, AZ 85224 | www.microchip.com
3

A Touch Above
3DTouchPad is Worlds First 2D Multi-Touch Pad with
3D Gesture Recognition
Rich and Well-Documented Development Platform Enables Advanced
Human-Interface Capabilities for Leading-Edge Applications
As a PC peripheral, the 3DTouchPad
provides out-of-the-box support for all
major operating systems.
SHOWCASE
H
ave you ever used free-space 3D gesture recognition at a range of up to
gestures to control your PC? Our 10 centimeters. It offers all the features you
new 3DTouchPad (DM160225) is an would expect from a touchpad, including sup-
innovative PC accessory which works out of port for precision, multi-finger tracking as well
the box to provide you with a range of options as multi-finger surface gestures like swipes
for using touch and gestures to and scrolling. With the addition of
It provides an
interact with your PC. It is also support for 3D hand gestures, the
intuitive and easy
the first development platform way to control the 3DTouchPad also provides an
for the PC/peripheral market flow of content. intuitive and easy way to control
that features 2D multi-touch and the flow of content. For example,
3D gestures, enabling you to easily design you can browse through pictures on your PC
advanced human-interface capabilities into using just a wave of your hand or control the
your latest products. volume of your PCs speakers by circling your
hand using an air wheel gesture.
The 3DTouchPad blends our highly responsive
projected capacitive (PCAP) sensor solutions As a PC peripheral, the 3DTouchPad supports
with our patented GestIC
technology for Windows 7/8, OS X and other major operating
(continued on page 5)
Figure 1 - 3DTouchPad System Diagram
4
systems, with no driver installation required.
Simply connect the 3DTouchPad to your PC
using the provided USB cable and it will be
automatically detected as a ready-to-use
Human Interface Device (HID). It is fully com-
patible with Windows 8 requirements, allow-
ing you to use the two-finger scrolling and
edge swipes that are part of the Windows 8
user experience.
The possibilities for this advanced blend SHOWCASE
of human-to-machine interface technol-
ogies reach beyond the PC market and
computer touchpads to include hands-
free sanitary products, home automation,
game controllers, remote controls, wearable
devices, automotive and other applications.
Using the available features, demonstrations
and sample code for the 3DTouchPad, you

2D Touchpad can unleash your creativity to develop a

variety of engaging applications such as:

Auto wake-on-proximity or gesture

Media center control
Multi Touch Pinch/Zoom used to perform a variety of input commands.
Air wheel for volume control
Scrolling A free Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows
Flicks for previous/next track
3D Free Space Gestures you to access all the data that is generated by
Mapped to Windows Events Games based on 3D positioning
the 3DTouchPad.
Virtual joystick
Content-aware gesture mapping If youre ready to get started, it's easy to add
2D and 3D human-interface capabilities to
In addition to its out-of-the-box features, your design. The 3DTouchPad costs $99.00
PC Wake-Up Joystick the 3DTouchPad comes with a rich and and can be ordered from microchipDIRECT.
well-documented Software Development Visit the 3DTouchPad page for additional
Kit (SDK) and Application Programming information including documentation and
Interface (API). The SDK gives you access downloads for the latest software and firm-
to the Colibri Gesture Suite, our easy-to-use ware releases. Be sure to also watch our
library of high-resolution x/y/z hand position 3DTouchPad video to learn more.
Content Volume/
Browsing Brightness tracking, flick, circle, and touch gestures

5

Take Control
New 8-bit Microcontroller Family Offers Closed-Loop
Digital Control and Safety Monitoring
Increased Peripheral Integration Provides Advanced Functional
Control with Hardware PID, Phase Angle Measurement and 100 mA
Current Drive
The PIC16(L)F161X family of devices
offers an expanded selection of Core
Independent Peripherals.
D
eveloped to take our 8-bit PIC
microcontroller (MCU) performance
to a new level, Core Independent
Peripherals (CIP) can simplify the implementa-
tion of complex control systems and give you
the flexibility you need to create innovative
designs. These peripherals are designed to
reduce system complexity by eliminating the
need for additional code and external com-
ponents. Hardware-based peripherals offload
timing-critical and core-intensive
This broad mix
functions from the CPU, allowing enables a wide
it to focus on other critical tasks variety of functions. given functions that increase exe-
within the system.
As the latest additions to our 8-bit product
portfolio, the peripheral-rich PIC16(L)F161X
family of devices offers an expanded selection
of Core Independent Peripherals to give you
even more control over your design. This broad
mix enables a wide variety of functions includ-
ing motor control and safety monitoring so that
you can create functions for closed-loop control
with little-to-no interaction with the core. These
capabilities allow you to create customizable
functions specific to your application while
minimizing your code development.
These new devices feature a Math Accelerator
(Math ACC) with Proportional Integral Derivative
NEW PRODUCT
(PID), which offers completely core-independent
calculations and the capability to perform 16-bit
math and PID operations. The family also
includes the Angular Timer (AngTmr), which
is a hardware module that calculates the rota-
tional angle in functions, such as motor control,
TRIAC control, or Capacitive Discharge Igni-
tion (CDI) systems. Regardless of speed, the
AngTmr allows recurring interrupts at a specific
rotational or sinusoidal angle without using the
cores computation. The CIPs can
be configured to perform a host of
cution speeds and decrease soft-
ware requirements. Offloading these functions
frees up the CPU do other tasks, consumes
less program memory and reduces the MCU's
overall power consumption.
In addition to the Math ACC and AngTmr, the
PIC16(L)F161X features several other periph-
erals designed to ease implementation and
add flexibility of various functions. The 24-bit
Signal Measurement Timer (SMT) performs
high-resolution measurements of digital sig-
nalsin hardwareresulting in more precise
and accurate measurements. This is ideal for
speed control, range finding and RPM indica-
tors. The family also includes the Zero Cross
Detect (ZCD) module, which can monitor AC
(continued on page 7)
6
line voltage, and indicate zero crossing
activity. This simplifies the development of
TRIAC control applications, greatly reduc-
ing both CPU demand and Bill of Materials
(BOM) cost. In combination with the new
High-Current I/Os (100 mA) and the proven
Configurable Logic Cell (CLC) along with
I2C, SPI and EUSART for communications,
this integration helps speed design, eases
implementation and adds flexibility.
This family also supports the implementation
of safety standards such as Class B and
UL 1998 or fail-safe operations by combin-
ing the Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT)
which monitors proper software operation
within predefined limits, improving reliability
and Cyclic Redundancy Check with Memory
Scan (CRC/SCAN) that detects and scans
memory for corrupted data. Along with the
Hardware Limit Timers (HLT), which detect
hardware fault conditions (stall, stop, etc.),
these features allow you to enable NEW PRODUCT
safety and monitoring functions in your
applications with minimum-to-zero
involvement of the CPU. The family
also offers low-power XLP technology.
Devices are available in 8-, 14- and 20-pin
small-form-factor package options.
Development Support
The PIC16(L)F161X family is supported by
our standard suite of development tools,
including the PICkit 3 In-Circuit Debugger
(PG164130) and MPLAB ICD 3 In-Circuit
Debugger (DV164035). The MPLAB Code
Configurator, which is a plug-in for the free Contact your local Microchip Sales Office
MPLAB X Integrated Development Envi- for information on pricing and the availability
ronment (IDE), provides a graphical method of samples and production quantities for
to configure 8-bit systems and peripheral the various devices in the PIC16(L)F161X
features and gets you from concept to pro- family. You can purchase these devices
totype in minutes by automatically generat- from Microchips worldwide distribution
ing efficient and easily modified C code for network or from microchipDIRECT.
your application.
7

When the Going
Gets Tough
5V dsPIC33 EV Family Offers Enhanced Noise Immunity
and Robustness for Harsh Environments
Featuring Advanced Motor Control, CAN, SENT and Touch Peripherals
for Automotive, Appliance and Industrial Applications
The dsPIC33EV devices provide 70 MIPS
performance with DSP acceleration for
high-speed control algorithm execution.
M
any designers of automotive and
appliance applications prefer to
use 5V devices because they offer
increased robustness in high-noise environ-
ments as well as easy connection to precision
sensors. Offering the performance of a DSP
with the simplicity of an MCU, the newest addi-
tions to our family of 16-bit dsPIC33 Digital
Signal Controllers (DSCs) feature 5V operation
for improved noise immunity and robustness.
They are the ideal choice for devices which
need to operate in harsh environments.
Devices in the dsPIC33EV family are the first
dsPIC
DSCs with Error Correcting Code
(ECC) Flash for increased reliability and safety.
For safety-critical applications, the dsPIC33EV
devices also include
These devices
Cyclic Redundancy
offer up to
150C operation. Check (CRC), Dead-
man Timer (DMT),
and Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT)
peripherals, as well as a backup system oscil-
lator and certified Class B software. Other key
features include up to six advanced motor
control PWMs, a 12-bit ADC, and operation-
al amplifiersan ideal combination for motor
control applications.
The dsPIC33EV devices easily interface to 5V
automotive sensors, offering improved noise
immunity and enhanced reliability. They also
NEW PRODUCT
provide plenty of performance to execute smart
sensor filter algorithms and integrate CAN com-
munication software. The higher-voltage opera-
tion enables more dynamic range and support
for larger screen sizes in automotive touch user
interfaces. These devices offer up to 150C
operation with AEC-Q100 Grade 0 qualification
to enable robust automotive applications that are
ideal for under-hood use. With their advanced
peripheral integration, the dsPIC33EV DSCs
support CAN, LIN and SENT for automo-
tive communications. They also provide 70
MIPS performance with DSP acceleration for
high-speed control algorithm execution.
Development Support
The dsPIC33EV 5V CAN-LIN Starter Kit
(DM330018) will help you get started with
your design. A new dsPIC33EV256GM106 5V
Motor Control Plug-In Module (MA330036) is
available to plug into the Low-Voltage Motor
Control Development Bundle (DV330100) for
motor control applications.
The dsPIC33EV family offers 28 SOIC, 28 QFN,
28 SPDIP, 44 TQFP, 44 QFN, 64 TQFP and
64 QFN packages, with Flash memory ranging
from 64KB to 256KB, including options with
and without CAN. Devices can be ordered from
Microchips worldwide distribution network
or from microchipDIRECT.
8

Smart Mix
Latest 32-bit Microcontrollers Enable a Wide Range
of Applications at Lower Prices
PIC32MX1/2/5 Series Offers Feature-Rich Peripheral Mix and
Large, Scalable Memory Options
Flexible, easy-to-use CAN2.0B controllers
are integrated into these new MCUs.
NEW PRODUCT
B
lending the key features of the existing capacitive touch sensing hardware for graphics
PIC32MX1/2 and PIC32MX5 families and touch-sensing interfaces; a 10-bit, 1 Msps,
of 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs), the 48-channel Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC);
latest devices in the PIC32MX1/2/5 series deliv- as well as a full-speed USB 2.0 Device/Host/
er the benefits of a rich peripheral set for a wide OTG peripheral. To maximize data through-
range of cost-sensitive applications that require put, each MCU includes four general-purpose
complex code and higher feature integration at direct memory access controllers (DMAs)
a lower cost. and two dedicated DMAs on each CAN and
USB module.
Offering up to 83 DMIPS performance and
large, scalable memory options from 64/8 KB In addition to their rich mix of integrated
to 512/64 KB Flash/RAM, these new MCUs are hardware peripheral features, these MCUs are
ideal for executing the Bluetooth
supported by the powerful MPLAB
They are ideal
audio software required for Harmony software development
for executing
low-cost Bluetooth audio appli- Bluetooth framework, which simplifies the
cations, including speakers, audio software. software development process by
consumer music-player docks, integrating the license, resale and
noise-cancelling headsets and clock radios. support of Microchip and third-party middle-
Flexible, easy-to-use CAN2.0B controllers ware, drivers, libraries and real time operating
are also integrated into these MCUs, with systems (RTOS). Readily available software
DeviceNet addressing support and program- packages, such as Bluetooth audio develop-
mable bit rates up to 1 Mbps, along with system ment suites, Bluetooth Serial Port Profile library,
RAM for storing up to 1024 messages in 32 audio equalizer filter libraries, various Decod-
buffers. This feature allows you to easily employ ers (including AAC, MP3, WMA and SBC),
CAN communication schemes for industrial and sample-rate conversion libraries, CAN2.0B
automotive applications. PLIBs, USB stacks, and graphics libraries can
significantly reduce the development time for
A wide variety of additional features include applications such as Bluetooth connectivity,
four SPI/I2S interfaces for audio processing digital audio, consumer, industrial, medical and
and playback, a Parallel Master Port (PMP) and general-purpose embedded control.
(continued on page 10)
9
Development Support
The PIC32MX1/2/5 series of MCUs is also
supported by a variety of tools including the
free MPLAB X Integrated Development
Environment (IDE), as well as the MPLAB
XC32 Compiler, the MPLAB ICD3 In-Circuit
Debugger and the MPLAB REAL ICE
In-Circuit Emulation System. Several
new development tools are also available.
These include the PIC32MX1/2/5 Starter
Kit (DM320100), PIC32MX570F512L Plug-
in Module for Explorer 16 Development
Board (MA320015) and PIC32MX270F512L
Plug-in Module for Bluetooth Audio NEW PRODUCT
Development Kit (MA320017).
The new PIC32MX1/2/5 MCUs with
the 40 MHz/66 DMIPS speed option are
available now, in 64-pin TQFP and QFN
packages and 100-pin TQFP packages.
The 50 MHz/83 DMIPS speed option for this
series is expected to be available starting in
late January 2015. Devices can be ordered
from Microchips worldwide distribution
network or from microchipDIRECT.
10
 NEW PRODUCT
Very Precise
New High-Speed Devices Feature Industrys
Lowest-Power 16-bit, 200 Msps Stand-Alone ADCs

MCP37DX1-200 and MCP372X1-200 Families Provide Low Power and

High Integration of Processing Functions in 124-Lead VTLA Packages

L
eaping past existing solutions in the field time-delay corrections in multi-channel modes.
of high-performance, high-speed A/D Data is available through the serial DDR LVDS
converters, our new MCP37DX1-200 or parallel CMOS interface and configured
and MCP372X1-200 families are ideal for com- via SPI.
munication systems, as well as for a number of
industrial and other applications An integrated digital down-converter is included
in the MCP37DX1-200 family making it ideal for
These two families feature 12-, 14- and 16-bit communications applications. The 12-bit fami-
These two families feature 12-, 14- and
16-bit pipelined A/D converters.
pipelined A/D converters with a maximum sam- lies include an integrated noise-shaping requan-
pling rate of 200 Mega samples per second tizer, which enables you to lower the noise within
(Msps). The 14- and 16-bit devices feature high a given band of interest for improved accuracy
accuracy of over 74 dB Signal- and performance. These families
This enables
to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and over are targeted for applications in the
high-precision
90 dB Spurious Free Dynamic communications markets such as
measurement of
Range (SFDR), while the 12-bit fast input signals. base stations, test equipment and
devices have 71.3 dB SNR and IF receivers.
90 dB SFDR. This enables high-precision mea-
surement of fast input signals. These devices Development Support
operate at very low power consumption of The MCP37DX1-200 and MCP372X1-200
490 mW at 200 Msps including LVDS digital are supported by the MCP37XXX-200 16-bit
I/O. Lower power-saving modes are available VTLA Evaluation Board (ADM00505), the
at 80 mW for standby and 33 mW for shutdown. MCP37XXX-200 12-bit VTLA Evaluation
Board (ADM00619) and the MCP37XXX-200
The MCP37DX1-200 and MCP372X1-200 Data Capture Card (ADM00506).
include a number of digital processing features
that will simplify your system's design and The MCP37DX1-200 and MCP372X1-200
reduce the cost and power usage. These fami- devices are available now for sampling and
lies also include decimation filters for improved volume production in 124-lead VTLA packages
SNR, individual phase, offset and gain adjust- from Microchips worldwide distribution
ment and a fractional delay recovery for network or from microchipDIRECT.

11

Swapping Roles
USB 2.0 Four-Port Controller Hub Connects Smartphones to
Automotive Infotainment Systems
Upstream Port Selectable Between USB 2.0 and HSIC, I/O Bridging
to Multiple Serial Protocols and Advanced Battery Charging Address
Requirements for Lower Power and Flexibility
The USB84604 is ideal for automotive
infotainment system designs requiring USB
port expansion and connectivity.
NEW PRODUCT
I
nnovation in automotive infotainment system The device's HSIC connectivity incorporates
design is being driven by the growing need Microchips Inter-Chip Connectivity tech-
for the seamless integration of personal nology. This enables the USB84604 UCH2
deviceslike smartphonesfor in-vehicle when connected on a circuit boardto utilize
use. By leveraging the strengths of USB con- the ubiquitous USB 2.0 protocol, dramatically
nectivity, you can quickly develop innovative, decreasing power consumption. This power
leading-edge solutions to meet this demand. reduction is most obvious when actively trans-
Offering a rich feature set, our new automo- ferring data and has been measured to be 17
tive-grade, four-port USB84604 USB2 Control- of the power consumed by a pair of traditional
ler Hub (UCH2) is ideal for your automotive in- USB 2.0 physical-layer transceivers.
fotainment system designs requiring USB port
expansion and connectivity to meet the rising The four downstream ports of the USB84604 can
consumer demand for connected vehicles. attach to an upstream port as either a full-speed
hub or as a full-/high-speed hub. When con-
The USB84604 UCH2 features nected to a high-speed host, the
This power
Microchip's FlexConnect tech- four downstream-facing ports can
reduction is
nology and an upstream port that operate at Low Speed (1.5 Mbps),
most obvious
supports both USB 2.0 and High when actively Full Speed (12 Mbps) or High
Speed Interchip (HSIC) connec- transferring data. Speed (480 Mbps). Additional-
tivity. FlexConnect technology ly, the USB84604s integrated
allows for easy port reversals or role swap- battery-charger-detection circuitry supports both
ping. The USB84604s downstream port 1 is downstream battery detection and charging,
able to swap with the upstream host port, thus providing the ability to replace external bat-
transferring the host capability to the product tery chargers with advanced battery-charging
connected to the UCH2, such as smartphones modes such as USB-IF Battery Charging
and tablets. This unique feature allows for the (BC1.2) and Apple device charging.
smartphone ecosystem of software and appli-
cations to be connected to the automobile's To ensure optimized signal strengths and
infotainment system. robust operation in the harsh Electromagnetic
(continued on page 13)
12
Interference (EMI) environments typical
of automotive applications, Microchips
VariSense and PHYBoost technologies
have also been integrated into this UCH2.
Functionality and configurations for the
USB84604 can be loaded from external Flash.
Its on-chip, One-Time-Programmable (OTP)
memory can be used to load permanent
configurations, and its System Management
Bus (SMBus) slave interface can be used
to customize the functionality. This interface
enables control of the digital and USB lines
for internal testing, configuration of the hub to
function with the desired options when enu-
merating, and the loading of custom firmware
to fully unlock the USB84604's features.
The USB84604 also enables applications
to seamlessly communicate via multiple
protocols and methods, such as I C, SPI,
2
UART and general-purpose I/O. This NEW PRODUCT
enhanced functionality allows you to
use the hub controller as a USB slave
controller. For example, if an authenti-
cation chip needs to be updated in the info-
tainment system design, this function could
be easily moved from the HMI to the breakout
box, minimizing requalification.
Development Support
The USB84604 UCH2 is the latest device to
be supported by our free ProTouch configura-
tion software tool. ProTouch software makes
it easy to generate configuration settings and
program the UCH2s internal OTP memory, different revisions of the firmware to be
or any external SPI Flash. The USB4604 evaluated on the same PCB.
Evaluation Board (EVB-USB4604) enables
The four-port USB84604 UCH2 is available
FlexConnect applications and allows access
now for sampling and volume production
to the UCH2s digital pins used in I2C, GPIO
from Microchips worldwide distribution
and UART bridging. This development tool
network or from microchipDIRECT.
also contains on-board SPI Flash to allow
13

Power Up
MCP19118 and MCP19119 Provide Simple Analog PWM
Control and Configurable MCU in Compact Circuit Solution
Industrys First PMBus Compatible Controllers With Up to
40V Operation
With the integration of a supervisory MCU,
the MCP19118/9 devices can help you
create programmable power supplies.
NEW PRODUCT
W
hile the popularity of digitally power delivery, point-of-load and automotive
controlled power supplies is growing power supplies.
rapidly due to their configurability
for a variety of operating conditions and topol- With the integration of a supervisory MCU, the
ogies, power system designers also face an MCP19118/9 devices can help you create pro-
increasing need to be able to report telemetry grammable power supplies. Key system set-
and conduct two-way communicationtypically tings can be adjusted on the fly during operation
for monitoring and fault reportingvia standard by issuing write commands to the registers in
communication interfaces such as PMBus. the device. One design can then be reused for
Also, the recently released USB Power Delivery additional applications, using firmware updates
and the USB type C connector charging spec- to change the configuration, which minimizes
ifications include variable charging design, production and inventory
The MCP19118/9 requirements across multiple plat-
voltages, which allow for rapid
provide a very
device charging but add potentially forms. The MCU core can also be
compact circuit
difficult hardware requirements. used to perform a variety of other
solution.
tasks within the application.
Addressing these challenges, the latest devices
in our portfolio of Digitally Enhanced Power With integrated linear regulators, PWM
Analog (DEPA) controllersthe MCP19118 generators, ADCs, MOSFET drivers, analog
and MCP19119provide simple, yet effective, error amplifiers and control-loop compensation,
analog PWM control for DC-DC synchronous the MCP19118/9 devices provide a very com-
buck converters up to 40V, with the configurabil- pact circuit solution. Properly implemented, this
ity of an integrated 8-bit PIC microcontroller system is capable of high conversion efficiency
(MCU). They are the industrys first devices to and excellent transient response for reduced
combine 40V operation and PMBus communi- system power losses, smaller heatsinks and
cation interfaces. These features enable quick longer battery life in portable applications.
power-conversion circuit development with an
analog control loop that is programmable in the The MCP19118 and MCP19119 are available
MCU cores firmware. This integration and flexi- for sampling and volume production from
bility is ideal for power-conversion applications, Microchips worldwide distribution network
such as battery-charging, LED-driving, USB or from microchipDIRECT.
14
 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

New Flash Memory Solution for Portable Battery-Powered

Embedded Designs
Manufactured with Microchips high-performance SuperFlash
Technology, the SST26WF016B 1.8V Serial Quad I/O (SQI)
SuperFlash Memory device offers 16 Mbit of memory. It provides
the fastest erase times of any competing device, completing
sector and block erase commands in just 18 ms and a full chip
erase operation in 35 ms. Competing devices require in the range
of 10 to 20 seconds to complete a full chip erase operation, making the SST26WF016B approxi-
mately 400 times faster. Designed for low power consumption, the SST26WF016B helps maximize
battery life in portable applications. It is an excellent choice for applications such as portable medical
devices, Bluetooth headsets, GPS, camera modules and hearing aids. More Information.

Energy-Measurement Analog Front Ends Offer High Accuracy

and Integration
Worldwide upgrades to the energy-metering infrastructure are
creating a demand for increased Analog Front End (AFE) accura-
cy and integration by designers of the latest generation of smart
meters. To meet this demand, the MCP3919 and MCP3912
Energy-Measurement AFEs integrate three and four channels of
24-bit, delta-sigma Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC), respec-
tively, with industry-leading accuracy of 93.5 dB SINAD, 107 dB THD and 112 dB SFDR for precise
signal acquisition and higher-performing end products. These are the optimal numbers of chan-
nels for single-phase energy meters with neutral monitoring (3-channel); or single-phase, three-
wire energy meters (4-channel). The high level of integration on these new AFEs also includes a
low-drift voltage reference, programmable gain amplifiers, phase-delay compensation and cyclic
redundancy check (CRC). More Information.

15
 DEV TOOL DEALS
Gifts Just For You

I
ts time again to ring in the savings on a variety of our most popular development tools.
During the microchipDIRECT 2014 End of Year Tools Sale, you can save 25% on starter kits
and boards that will help you add Ethernet and USB connectivity, multimedia capabilities,
Bluetooth audio and other features to your design. Youll also find great prices on tools to assist
you in programming and debugging your design. Below are just some highlighted products. You'll
find the full list on the 2014 End of Year Tools Sale page on our website. But act quicklythe
savings end on January 3, 2015.

PICkit 3 Starter Kit/Low Pin Count Demo Board

microchipDIRECT Coupon Code: EOY2014DT
Learn how to use the PICkit 3 In-Circuit Debugger/Programmer
using 13 lessons designed to help you get started with programming
PIC MCUs and dsPIC DSCs. The low-cost PICkit 3 Starter Kit
(DV164130) also contains a PICkit Low Pin Count Demo Board popu-
lated with a PIC16F1829-I/P, as well as a separate sample of the 20-pin
PIC18F14K22-I/P and a micro USB cable. Its a great deal at 25% off the regular price. Get your
kit today, or if you already have a PICkit 3 programmer, you can just get the Low Pin Count Demo
Board (DM164130-9), which is also 25% off during this sale.

Mikromedia Board for PIC24

microchipDIRECT Coupon Code: EOY2014DT
A palm-sized unit with amazing multimedia capabilities, the Mikromedia for
PIC24 (TMIK010) is based on the PIC24F256GB110 with USB On-the-Go
(OTG) support. It includes a 320 240 TFT touch screen display, stereo
MP3 codec, 8 Mbit serial flash, microSD card slot, headphone jack and
USB connector. It is powered by USB and can easily play MP3 files from a
microSD card with full 320 kbps quality. Save 25% during this sale and have
fun developing your next multimedia application.
(continued on page 17)

16
PIC32MZ Embedded Connectivity Starter Kit
microchipDIRECT Coupon Code: EOY2014DT DEV TOOLS DEALS
Save almost $30 and experience the high performance and
advanced peripherals of our PIC32MZ Embedded Connectivity
family of 32-bit MCUs. The low-cost PIC32MZ Embedded
Connectivity Starter Kit (DM320006) provides everything you need to
develop USB- and Ethernet-based applications including a PIC32MZ
EC Starter Kit board, a LAN8740 10/100 Fast Ethernet PHY daughter board, an Ethernet patch cord
and two USB cables.

chipKIT Fubarino Mini Development Board

microchipDIRECT Coupon Code: EOY2014DT
Smaller than a stick of gum (5.1 cm 1.9 cm), the chipKIT Fubarino
Mini (TCHIP011) is a prototyping-friendly platform for developing
Arduino compatible 32-bit applications. You can connect it directly
to your application using solder pads, or add the male expansion
headers and plug it into a breadboard. It includes a USB bootloader that works with the chipKIT
platforms MPIDE software. With its compact size and low cost, the Mini can fit almost anywhere.
Get yours for just $14.96 during this sale.

Explorer 16 Development Board

microchipDIRECT Coupon Code: EOY2014DT
The Explorer 16 Development Board (DM240001) is our "go to"
tool for anyone new to our 16-bit and 32-bit MCUs. This modular
development system supports devices from our PIC24F and PIC32
families of MCUs and our dsPIC DSCs. Processor Plug-In Modules
(PIMs) are available to enable you to easily swap devices and use
the Explorer 16 for prototyping, demonstration or development with a
variety of MCUs from other families. Order yours today and save $32.00.

PIC32 Bluetooth Starter Kit

microchipDIRECT Coupon Code: EOY2014DT
The low-cost PIC32 Bluetooth Starter Kit (DM320018) features a
PIC32MX270F256D MCU, as well as an HCI-based Bluetooth radio,
pushbuttons, LEDs, an accelerometer and a temperature sensor. It also
offers GPIO for rapid development of Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP),
USB and general-purpose applications. The free Android application,
demo code and Serial Port Profile stack will help you get started with developing your streaming
audio solution. Best of all, you can save $20 off the regular price.

Once you've looked through the full list of products on our End of Year Tools Sale page, head on
over to our December Dev Tools Deals page where you'll find more goodies being offered at up to
50% off their regular prices. Happy holidays!

17
 DESIGN ARTICLE
Measuring Heart Rate and
Blood Oxygen Levels for
Portable and Wearable Devices

T
he changes occurring in the medical and fitness fields, along with their associated
electronic devices, can truly be called revolutionary. The demands of todays healthcare
device markets are many, varied and challenging. Devices that were once primarily found
in hospitals are now used for home-medical applications, as well as for fitness monitoring. For
example, the capability to measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels is showing up more often
now in consumer products. These measurements can be taken using pulse oximeters that are
now available as both home-medical devices as well as part of integrated wrist-worn fitness
activity trackers. This article will cover the basics of pulse oximetry for medical and fitness applica-
tions. It will also examine a pulse-oximeter design example that demonstrates the measurement
of heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

What is Oximetry?
Oximetry is the measurement of oxygen saturation in blood, and is usually expressed as a
percentage. A pulse oximeter is a non-invasive device that measures the oxygen saturation
of a persons blood, as well as their heart rate. Pulse oximeters are easily recognized by their
associated clip-type probe, which is generally applied to a patients finger. A pulse oximeter can
be a stand-alone device, part of a patient-monitoring system, or integrated into a wearable fitness
tracker. Accordingly, pulse oximeters are used by nurses in hospitals, outpatients at home, fitness
enthusiasts at the gym and even by pilots in unpressurized aircraft.

What is Blood Oxygen Saturation?

Blood oxygen saturation is measured by examining hemoglobin, which is the oxygen-carrying
pigment of red blood cells that gives them their red color and serves to convey oxygen to the tis-
sues. Hemoglobin is found in two forms. The first is called oxidized hemoglobin, which is denoted
as HbO2 (i.e., oxygen-loaded). The second is called reduced-oxygen hemoglobin, which is denoted
as Hb (i.e., oxygen-depleted). So, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is the ratio of Oxy-hemoglobin
to Deoxy-hemoglobin. This can also be expressed as:

(continued on page 19)

18
DESIGN ARTICLE The value of blood oxygen saturation is
expressed as a percentage. A normal
reading is typically 97% or higher.
How Does a Pulse Oximeter Measure
Blood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2)?
One of the really interesting things about
hemoglobin is how it reflects and absorbs light.
For example, Hb absorbs more (and reflects
less) visible red light. HbO2 absorbs more (and
reflects less) infrared light. Since blood oxygen
saturation can be determined by comparing the
values of Hb and HbO2, one method for doing
this is shining both a red LED and an infrared
LED through a body partsuch as a finger
or wristand then comparing their relative
intensities. There are two common methods of
doing this: (1) measuring the light transmitted
through tissue is called transmissive oximetry,
and (2) measuring the light reflected by tissue
is called reflectance oximetry (See Figure 1).
One example of transmissive pulse oximetry
is found in hospitals. Generally, most hos-
pital patient-monitoring systems have an
integrated transmissive pulse oximeter.
On the other hand, many of the newer,
Figure 1: Two Oximetry Methods
high-end wearable fitness devices utilize the
reflectance-pulse-oximetry method.
How Does a Pulse Oximeter Measure
Pulse Rate?
When your heart beats, it pumps blood through
your body. During each heart beat, the blood
gets squeezed into capillaries, whose volume
increases very slightly. Between heart beats,
the volume decreases. This change in volume
affects the amount of light, such as the amount
of red or infrared light, that will transmit through
the tissue. Although this fluctuation is very
small, it can be measured by a pulse oximeter
using the same type of setup that is employed
to measure blood oxygen saturation.
Detailed Theory of Operation
Typical pulse oximeters monitor the oxygen
saturation (SpO2) of a humans blood, based on
the red light (using a 600-750 nm wavelength)
and infrared light (using a 850-1000 nm wave-
length) absorption characteristics of oxygen-
ated hemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxygenated
hemoglobin (Hb). This type of pulse oximeter
flashes the red and infrared lights alternately
(continued on page 20)
19
DESIGN ARTICLE through a body part, such as a finger, to a
photodiode sensor.
The photodiode is normally utilized to receive
the non-absorbed light from each LED. This
signal is then inverted using an inverting
operational amplifier, or op amp. The resulting
signal represents the light that has been
absorbed by the finger, as shown in Figure 2.
The pulse amplitudes (Vpp) of the red and
infrared signals are measured and converted
to Vrms, in order to produce a ratio value, as
given by the equation below:
Figure 2: Real-Time Red and Infrared (IR) Pulsation Signals, As Captured By an Oscilloscope
Figure 3: Sample Calibration Curve
The SpO2 can be determined using the ratio
value and a look-up table that is made up of
empirical formulas. The pulse rate can be
calculated based on the pulse oximeters
Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) sample
number and sampling rate.
A look-up table is an important part of a pulse
oximeter. Look-up tables are specific to a par-
ticular oximeter design and are usually based
on calibration curves derived from, among
other things, a high number of measurements
from subjects with various SpO2 levels. Figure 3
shows an example of a calibration curve.
(continued on page 21)
20
DESIGN ARTICLE Circuit Design Description
The following example will detail the different
sections of a transmissive pulse-oximeter
design. This design, as shown in Figure 4,
demonstrates the measurement of both the
pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation levels.
Probe
The SpO2 probe used in this example is an
off-the-shelf finger clip that integrates one red
LED and one IR LED, plus a photodiode. The
LEDs are controlled by the LED driver circuit.
The red light and IR light passing through the
finger are detected by the signal-conditioning
circuit, and are then fed into the 12-bit ADC
module that is integrated into the Digital Signal
Figure 4: Transmissive Pulse Oximeter System Block Diagram
Figure 5: Timing Diagram
Controller (DSC), where the percentage of
SpO2 is calculated.
LED Driver Circuit
A dual single-pole, double-throw analog switch,
driven by two PWM signals from the DSC,
alternately turns the red and infrared LEDs on
and off. In order to acquire the proper number
of ADC samples and still have enough time to
process the data before the next LED turns
on, the LEDs are switched on and off accord-
ing to the timing diagram in Figure 5. The
LED current/intensity is controlled by a 12-bit
Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), which is
driven by the DSC.
(continued on page 22)
21
DESIGN ARTICLE Analog Signal-Conditioning Circuit
The signal-conditioning circuit has two
stages. The first stage is the transimpedance
amplifier, and the second stage is the gain am-
plifier. A high-pass filter is placed between the
two stages.
The transimpedance amplifier converts the
few micro amps of current, which are gener-
ated by the photodiode, to a few millivolts. The
signal received from this first-stage amplifier
then passes through a high-pass filter, which is
designed to reduce background-light interfer-
ence. The output of the high-pass filter is then
sent to a second-stage amplifier with a gain of
22 and a DC offset voltage of 220 mV. The
values for the amplifiers gain and DC offset
are set to properly place the output signal level
of the gain amplifier into the MCUs ADC range.
Digital Filter Design
The output of the analog signal-conditioning
circuit is connected to the DSCs integrated
12-bit ADC module. For this example, we used
a dsPIC33FJ128GP802 dsPIC DSC. This
enabled us to take advantage of not only its
integrated DSP capabilities, but also of our
Digital Filter Design Tool.
Figure 6: Input and Filtered Data
Graph 1, shown in red, is the input signal to the FIR filter
Graph 2, shown in green, is the output signal from the FIR filter
X-Axis shows the number of ADC samples; Y-Axis shows the ADC code values
One ADC sample is taken during each LEDs
on-time period, and one ADC sample is taken
during both LEDs off-time periods. Due to the
challenges of taking light-based measure-
ments through organic tissue, the filter design
tool was used to implement a 513th-order,
digital-FIR, bandpass filter, which enabled us
to filter the ADC data. This filtered data was
then used to calculate the pulse amplitude, as
shown in Figure 6. The specifications of our
FIR bandpass filter are:
Sampling Frequency (Hz): 500
Passband Ripple (-dB): 0.1
Passband Frequency (Hz): 1 & 5
Stopband Ripple (-dB): 50
Stopband Frequency (Hz): 0.05 & 25
Filter Length: 513
FIR Window : Kaiser
The home-medical and fitness markets are
growing at a rapid pace. The demand for
devices that can measure heart rate and blood
oxygen levels will only increase over the next
few years. Pulse-oximeter reference designs
can be very helpful in providing medical and fit-
ness device designers with a head start toward
getting their designs into production and out
to market. Visit the Pulse-Oximeter Design
page on our website for more information.
22
 DESIGN ARTICLE
Buck-Based LED Drivers
Using the HV9910B

F
undamental buck converter topology is an excellent choice for LED drivers in off-lineas
well as low-voltageapplications as it can produce a constant LED current at very high
efficiencies and low cost. A peak-current-controlled buck converter can give reasonable
LED current variation over a wide range of input and LED voltages and needs little effort in feed-
back control design. Coupled with the fact that these converters can be easily designed to operate
at above 90% efficiency, the buck-based driver becomes an unbeatable solution to drive high
brightness LEDs.

The HV9910B Universal High Brightness LED Driver provides a low-component-count and
low-cost solution to implement a continuous mode buck converter. The HV9910B has two current
sense threshold voltages: an internally set 250 mV and an external voltage at the LD pin. The
actual threshold voltage will be the lower of these two voltages. The low sense voltage allows
the use of low-current sense resistor values. The HV9910B operates down to 8V input, which is
required for automobile applications, and can take a maximum of 450V input, which makes it ideal
for off-line applications. It also has an internal regulator that supplies power to the IC from the input
voltage, eliminating the need for an external low-voltage power supply. It is capable of driving the
external FET directly, without the need for additional driver circuitry. Linear or PWM dimming can
also be easily implemented using the HV9910B.

This article discusses the design of a buck-based LED driver using the HV9910B with the help of
an off-line application example. The same procedure can be used to design LED drivers with any
other lower-voltage AC or DC input; 12V for example. This information also applies to the HV9910
Universal High Brightness LED Driver.

AC Input Voltage Range Expected LED String Voltage Stabilized LED Current Expected Efficiency
Vnom,ac = 120V rms Vo,min = 20V
Vmin,ac = 90V rms
Io,max = 350 mA = 0.9
Vmax,ac = 135V rms Vo,max = 40V
freq = 60 Hz
Table 1: Buck-Based LED Driver Design Specifications

23
DESIGN ARTICLE
Figure 1: Buck-Based LED Driver Circuit Diagram
Step 1: Switching Frequency and
Resistor (R1)
The switching frequency determines the size of
the inductor L1 and size or type of input filter
capacitor C2. A larger switching frequency will
result in a smaller inductor, but will increase
the switching losses in the circuit. For off-line
applications, typical switching frequencies
should be in the range of 20 kHz150 kHz. The
higher the input voltage range (for example,
in Europe 230 Vac), the lower the frequency
should be to avoid extensive capacitive losses
in the converter. For North America's AC line,
a frequency of fS = 100 kHz is a good compro-
mise. The oscillator resistor needed to achieve
this is 228 k.
Step 2: Choose the Input Diode Bridge (D1)
and the Thermistor (NTC1)
The voltage rating of the diode bridge will
depend on the maximum value of the input
voltage. The current rating will depend on the
maximum average current drawn by
the converter.
(Equation 1)
(Equation 2)
Note: See Equation 4 for a definition of VMIN,DC.
The 1.5 factor in Equation 1a 50% safety
marginis more than enough. For this design,
choose a 400V, 1.0A diode bridge.
Placing a thermistor (or resistor) in series with
an input bridge rectifier will effectively limit the
inrush charging current to input bulk capacitor
C1 during the initial start-up of the converter.
However, adding such a passive inrush current
limiter will increase power loss in normal
steady-state operation of the converter. Hence,
a trade-off between the inrush current limit and
the power efficiency should be considered. A
good rule of thumb is that the thermistor should
limit the inrush current to not more than five
times the steady state current, as given by
Equation 2, assuming maximum voltage is
applied. The required cold resistance is:
(Equation 3)
This gives us a 200 resistance at 25C.
Choose a thermistor with a resistance around
200 and rms current greater than 0.2A for
this application.
Step 3: Choose the Input
Capacitors (C1/C2)
One limitation of a fixed switching-frequency
design is the maximum voltage transformation
ratio of 0.5. To avoid instability, the LED string
(continued on page 25)
24
DESIGN ARTICLE voltage must not exceed one half of the
lowest input voltage. For this example, the
minimum rectified voltage should be:
(Equation 4)
The hold-up and input filter capacitor required
at the diode bridge output have to be calculat-
ed at the minimum AC input voltage. The mini-
mum capacitor value can be calculated as:
(Equation 5)
where freq = 50 Hz (or 60 Hz) is the AC line
frequency. In this example, C1 26.45 F.
Note: Equation 5 yields a conservative
estimate for the least amount of capac-
itance required. See the Appendix for a
more accurate calculation of the required
capacitor value.
The voltage rating of the capacitor should be
chosen greater than the peak input voltage
with a 1012% safety margin.
(Equation 6)
Choose a 250V, 33 F electrolytic capacitor
for C1.
Electrolytic capacitors have a sizable ESR
component, making them unsuitable for
absorbing the high-frequency ripple current
generated by the buck converter. Therefore,
adding a small film capacitor in parallel with the
electrolytic capacitor is a good practice to
absorb the high-frequency ripple current. The
required high-frequency capacitance can be
computed as:
(Equation 7)
In this design example, the high-frequency
capacitance required is about 250V, 0.47F.
Step 4: Choose the Inductor (L1)
The inductor value depends on the switching
ripple current in the LEDs. Assume a 15%
ripple (a total of 30%) in the LED current.
Note: One could go up to 30% to reduce the
size of the inductor more than twice. However,
this would result in reduced efficiency and,
possibly, reduced LED lifetime.
Then, the inductor L1 can be computed at the
rectified value of the nominal input voltage as:
(Equation 8)
In this example, L1 = 2.9 mH.
The peak current rating of the inductor will be:
(Equation 9)
The rms current through the inductor will be the
same as the average current for the chosen
30% ripple. The right inductor for this applica-
tion is an off-the-shelf 2.7 mH, 0.54A (peak),
0.33A (rms) inductor.
Step 5: Choose the FET (Q1) and
Diode (D2)
The peak voltage seen by the FET is equal
to the maximum input voltage. Using a 50%
safety rating,
(Equation 10)
The maximum rms current through the FET
depends on the maximum duty cycle, which is
50% by design. Hence, the current rating of the
FET is:
(Equation 11)
(continued on page 26)
25
DESIGN ARTICLE Typically a FET with about three times the
current is chosen to minimize the resistive
losses in the switch.
For this application choose a 300V, <1A
MOSFET, such as a BSP130 from Phillips. The
actual MOSFET type should be determined
by the transistors permitted power dissipation
on the printed board. For example, a BSP130
SOT-223 package limits the dissipation to less
than a watt at 50C temperature rise, even if
the MOSFET peak current capability is 1.5A.
A good rule of thumb is to limit the overall
MOSFET power dissipation to not more than
35% of total output power by selecting the
right transistor. Selecting a larger MOSFET
may not necessarily improve overall efficiency
due to its larger gate charge causing greater
commutation losses. Moreover, the increased
gate drive current will cause higher power loss
in the HV9910 which takes its supply current
from the rectified AC line input directly. Larger
MOSFETs also tend to have larger drain-
source capacitances which increase switching
losses as well.
The peak voltage rating of the diode is the
same as that of the FET. Hence,
(Equation 12)
The average current through the diode is:
(Equation 13)
Choose a 300V, 1A ultra-fast diode.
Step 6: Choose the Sense Resistor (R2)
The sense resistor value is given by:
(Equation 14)
if the internal voltage threshold is being used.
Otherwise, substitute the voltage at the LD pin
instead of the 0.25V in Equation 14.
For this design, R2 = 0.55. Also calculate the
resistor power dissipation:
(Equation 15)
Design for DC/DC Applications
With the exception of the input filter, a similar
design procedure can be applied to DC/DC
applications. An example of such circuit can be
found in HV9910BDB3, a reference design.
Appendix
The more accurate equations for computing
the required capacitance values are:
For the example in this article, the actual
minimum capacitance required from the above
equations is 19 F (as compared to 26 F from
Equation 5).
26
 DESIGN ARTICLE
Connected Things Are
the Future of Mobile
WillowTree Apps Named Microchips First Mobile App
Developer Specialist

O
ur digital and physical worlds continue to
converge, presenting designers of connect-
ed embedded products for the Internet of
Things (IoT) market with an array of new challenges.
Designers can turn to Microchip to select from our
variety of wireless solutions, sensors and eXtreme Low Power (XLP) PIC microcontrollers, but
many also face the task of designing and developing the refined interfaces that users have come
to expect from their mobile devices. Sometimes they do not have the necessary expertise to take
on this task in-house.

Rather than trying to replicate existing interfaces, many designers would rather tap into the
installed infrastructure to create apps for monitoring and control in real time and from any location.
In combination with cloud-based connectivity, mobile apps are a natural way for users to interface
with things such as wearable fitness monitors, security systems, home automation, garage-door
openers and industrial controls. But, that first experience with an app can make or break a product.

Recognizing this need and building on our deep roster

of traditional embedded hardware and software devel-
opment design partners, we have recently added the
category of App Developer Specialist to our world-
class Design Partner Network. Companies in this cat-
egory will offer an exclusive focus on web and native-
app creation to assist you with getting your IoT design
up and running. WillowTree Apps, an award-winning
and experienced iOS, Android and mobile web app developer, has been named as our first App
Developer Specialist. Their innovative, best-in-class web and mobile app designers are ready to
help you reduce the risk, complexity and time of app creation by doing the work for you. This will
allow you to focus on the core of your IoT design and expedite your development cycle, while
(continued on page 28)

27
DESIGN ARTICLE also ensuring an excellent mobile-interface
experience for your users.
SInce WillowTree Apps wrote the first mobile
app for our Wi-Fi Client Module Develop-
ment Kit 1 we have first-hand experience
with their capabilities. This app is newly avail-
able from the Apple App Store and enables
SM
you to quickly get up and running with the
kits cloud-based demo. WillowTree can also
modify this cloud-demo app to suit a broad
range of IoT design requirements.
Visit our Internet of Things Design Center to
get information on our range of solutions that
help you successfully connect your embedded
system to the cloud.
28
 DESIGN ARTICLE
A Complete Solution for
Mesh Networks
IQRF Platform Proves Ecosystem for Developing a Range of
Wireless Applications

D
o you need to add remote wireless control to your
application? The IQRF platform supports RF
connectivity intended for use in low-power, low-speed
and low-data-volume wireless applications running in the sub-
GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM bands). It is a com-
plete ecosystem that incorporates hardware, software, devel-
opment support and services, making it extremely easy and
straightforward to develop wireless mesh networks for a wide range of applications including telem-
etry, smart metering, building automation, lighting and the Internet of Things. The DS-START-03
IQRF Development Set by MICRORISC Ltd., one of our Design Partners, provides the tools you
need to get started with your IQRF-based wireless application.

IQRF Technology Overview

Gateways allow an IQRF network to be easily connected to the rest of the world. USB gateways
support the development, local control and maintenance of a wireless network while TCP/IP gate-
wayssuch as Wi-Fi, Ethernet and GPRSprovide Internet connectivity and are supported
by the free IQRF Cloud server for easy remote monitoring, data logging and control. The free
SDK software package with libraries, drivers and tools makes it easy to add wireless functionality
to a variety of popular devices including PCs, plug computers and Raspberry Pi and Arduino
based systems.

An IRQF transceiver module is a tiny, intelligent electronic board that serves as the basic
communication component for the platform. Since the operating system is built into each trans-
ceiver, you can focus on your application development rather than the wireless implementation.
Hardware profiles (HWP), which are free and ready-to-use software plug-ins, can be uploaded
to the transceivers to allow you to communicate with peripherals over the wireless mesh net-
work with no programming required. An IQRF transceiver equipped with an HWP is called a Data
Controlled Transceiver (DCTR). DTCRs are very easy to deploy and are interoperable.
(continued on page 30)

29
DESIGN ARTICLE In addition to supporting standard
communication, every transceiver can route
packets for other nodes to extend the range
and increase the reliability of the mesh net-
work. Up to 240 hops can be supported in real
time. Dedicated routers are optional in an IQRF
wireless network. Despite its many unique and
patented features and its high level of sophis-
tication, youll find that IQRF technology is
exceptionally easy to implement.
Features
Programming-free development with IQRF
Data Controlled Transceivers reduces costs
and development time
Robust routing algorithm and automatic
discovery enable reliable wireless mesh
networks
Advanced network maintenance tools
bonding, back up, replacementsreduce
maintenance costs
IQRF IDE for programming, in-circuit
debugging and network management and
maintenance
Figure 1: DS-START-03 Contents
Figure 2: DS-START-03 Programming and Uploading Procedure
Fast Response Commands (FRC)
provide the fastest control, management
and data aggregation in mesh networks
RF Programming (RFPGM) enables
wireless application code to be uploaded
simultaneously to multiple transceivers
Standard, low-power and extra-low-power
modes operate independently in receiving
and transmitting modes
Getting Started
The DS-START-03 Development Set contains
the following items:
Three IQRF transceivers
IQRF programmer and debugger
Two universal portable development kits for
TR modules
Micro USB cable
USB flash drive with software and
documentation
Visit the IQRF Support Page where you'll find
additional information, including step-by-step
guides and instructional videos to help you get
started with your application.
30
 DESIGN ARTICLE
Printed Multi-Touch Sensor
Solutions for Modern Designs
Xymoxs Flexible Printed Sensors Combine with Microchips
Low-Power Touch Electronics

F
lexibility, total system power and cost are
critical to adding touch and gestures to product
designs. In the fast-paced consumer market,
designers face the challenge of creating innova-
tive interfaces for products such as wearables and
handheld controls, while in the industrial market they
need robust solutions for use in bar code readers,
thermostats and various other devices.

Microchip has recently partnered with Xymox Technologies to provide a complete, cost-effective
touch and gesture interface solution that is well suited to meet the cost and power design chal-
lenges of a wide array of modern applications. Xymoxs printed transparent PEDOT:PSS conduc-
tive polymer sensors are made with KODAK Highly Conductive Film (HCF). When combined with
our low-cost, low-power touch electronics, they enable fast, inexpensive development of touch
and gesture enabled devices.

You can leverage the fast turnaround and low manufacturing minimums of Xymox printed sensors
and integrate them with our versatile touch electronics solutions to keep pace with your changing
touch interface requirements. Xymox can design and manufacture a custom projected capacitive
sensor that is a cost-effective alternative to traditional ITO sensors. Xymox printed sensors are
also formable to meet the challenges of curved surfaces being used in todays modern designs.

To learn more about adding our industry-leading low-power touch electronics and Xymox
printed flexible touch sensors to your new product design, contact your local Microchip
Sales Office.

31
 DESIGN ARTICLE
Accelerating Low-Level
Code Implementation in
PIC32 MCU Applications
ThreadX RTOS Now Supports MPLAB Harmony Framework

U
sed in a huge number of products with
applications in consumer electronics, medi-
cal devices, industrial equipment and home
automation, Express Logics ThreadX RTOS is a
priority-based, fully preemptive, deterministic RTOS.
ThreadX provides basic system services such as
preemptive and round-robin scheduling, sema-
phores, message queues, mutexes, timers, interrupts and memory management. ThreadX also
offers advanced features such as Preemption-Threshold Scheduling, Integrated Event and
Downloadable Application Modules.

We are pleased to announce that the ThreadX RTOS has recently been integrated into the
MPLAB Harmony Integrated Software Framework, a set of integrated building blocks that
simplify and accelerate software development for our 32-bit PIC32 microcontrollers. MPLAB
Harmony provides the industrys most advanced framework of software drivers and middleware
components that are easy to use and configure, and that work together in complete harmony.
With this seamless integration, ThreadX for MPLAB Harmony offers you with a flexible, fully inte-
grated firmware development platform for your most demanding real-time applications. You can
be confident that your RTOS will be able to keep up with system events under the most extreme
run-time conditions.

ThreadX for MPLAB Harmony is a high-quality, easy-to-use software framework that eliminates
the bugs, hassle, and uncertainty of low-level code implementation, while improving performance
and determinism. With its many features, it will help accelerate your time to market and also
significantly reduce your development costs. The royalty-free, limited source version of ThreadX
for MPLAB Harmonywith prices starting at $6,000is available from microchipDIRECT.com.
It is also available from Express Logic in full source code form, with license prices starting
at $12,500.

32
 EVENTS
Connect With Us at
2015 International CES

O
nce again, representatives from the top consumer electronics retailers and the worlds
greatest technology leaders are getting ready to converge in Las Vegas to attend the
annual International CES. Microchip will be there too, with more than 30 demos on
display that span a wide range of product markets. Visit our main exhibit in Booth MP25656, South
Hall 2 Meeting Place at the Las Vegas Convention Center to see our broad portfolio of innovative
solutions in the automotive, computing, connectivity, Internet of Things, touch and input sensing,
and wireless markets. If you'd like more in-depth information while you're at the show, you can use
our Online Demo Request system to schedule an appointment to meet with representatives from
Microchip and to view specific demos from these different applications areas:

Automotive Zone: Learn how our connectivity and HMI solutions contribute to the advancement
of intelligence throughout the vehicle. Let our experts demonstrate our latest technologies to
further enhance mobile connectivity in the car.

Computing Zone: Need computing expertise? Stop by and experience the leading innovation of
Microchips products for computing applications.

Embedded Wireless Solutions Zone: Microchips wireless solutions are designed to get you to
market fast, so come see us and lets find the right wireless solution for your project.

Internet of Things (IoT) Zone: Our variety of wireless solutions, sensors and eXtreme Low
Power (XLP) PIC microcontrollers enable end-to-end solutions that help successfully connect
embedded systems to the cloud and take advantage of all of the benefits of doing so.

Connectivity Zone: Stop by to learn how Microchip can enhance your mobile experience and
seamlessly connect your world with our USB products.

Touch & Input Sensing Zone: Experience our award-winning solutions for 21st century input
sensingfrom buttons, sliders, touchpads and touch screens to three-dimensional gesture
sensing. Learn how our 1-2-3D solutions can be used to enable a wide range of applications.

Were excited to have this opportunity to meet you and demonstrate why we are a leading provider
of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions. See you in Las Vegas!

33
eXtreme Low Power MCUs
Extend Battery Life

Low Sleep Currents with Battery-Friendly Features

Flexible Wake-up Sources Enable battery lifetime > 20 years
Sleep current down to 9 nA Operate down to 1.8V with self
Brown-Out Reset down to 45 nA write and analog functions
Real-Time Clock down to 400 nA Low-power supervisors for safe
operation (BOR, WDT)
Low Dynamic Currents
As low as 30 A/MHz Flexible Peripheral Set
Power-efcient execution Integrated USB, LCD, RTC and
touch sensing
Large Portfolio of XLP MCUs Eliminates costly external
8100 pins, 4128 KB Flash components
Wide selection of packages,
including chip scale packages

microchip.com/xlp
The Microchip name and logo and the Microchip logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners. 2014 Microchip Technology Inc. All rights reserved. 5/14
DS00001746A