Freescale Semiconductor S08MP16 motor control modules

Freescale Semiconductor is expanding its embedded motor control portfolio with the introduction of the S08MP16. This entry-level, 8-bit microcontroller family is designed to provide an intelligent and cost-optimised solution for brushless DC (BLDC) motor control applications ranging from industrial drives to motor vehicle fuel pumps.

While the S08MP16 MCU has been optimised for brushless DC motors, it can also support other motor types, such as AC induction.

Multiple, high-speed analog comparators and an 8-channel FlexTimer pulse width modulation module protect against overcurrent by enabling fast and accurate motor shutdown.

For household appliances that need to comply with IEC60730 safety standards, an independently clocked watchdog/COP and cyclic redundancy check engine deliver clock failure protection features and memory content validation.

Designers using the S08MP16 benefit from a wide range of on-chip analog peripherals, including a programmable gain amplifier, multiple analog comparators and a 13-channel, 12-bit analog-to-digital converter with PWM hardware triggering.

The PGA enables precise motor control, with high-resolution ADC readings over a wide range of motor loads and speeds.

The hardware dead-time insertion capability of the FlexTimer is claimed to further improve system accuracy and reduce central processing unit loading, compared with software implementations.

A low-cost demonstration board is available for immediate device evaluation. The board comes with a complimentary version of the CodeWarrior IDE up to 32 KB, with the Processor Expert rapid application tool and FreeMASTER real-time control and monitoring tool.

The company also offers complimentary analog devices for motor control system solutions, including the MC33937 three-phase FET pre-driver and MC33880/87 and MC33926/32 H-bridges.