Philips Electronics NV’s Sunnyvale, California-based Philips Semiconductors is sampling its XA-G3 microcontroller, the first member of the company’s 16-bit XA – eXtended Architecture – family. The XA-G3 is compatible with Intel Corp’s 80C51 microcontroller – a direct descendent of the original 8080 – and Philips says its launch has extended the world of 80C51 microcontrollers into the 16-bit realm, giving users of familiar 80C51 architecture higher performance. Philips XA architecture is said to provide very high performance, superior code density, and to be the only 16-bit part offering upward compatibility for 80C51 users. The G3 has been designed as a general-purpose microcontroller for embedded control in the computing, communications, automotive and consumer markets. The XA-G3 is claimed to be two to three times faster than the 80C196, at the same clock frequency; it has a 30MHz clock and a typical instruction execution time of 100nS. Specific features of the XA-G3 include 32Kb of on-chip EPROM, 512 bytes of on-chip data RAM; 20-bit external addressing for 1Mb of external program and data memory space; three standard 16-bit counter-timers with enhanced features; watchdog timer; two enhanced universal asnynchronous receiver-transmitters; four 8-bit input-output ports with software configurable outputs; 2.7V to 5.5V static operation; 44-pin Quad Flat Pack, 44-pin PLCC, 40-pin Dual In-line Package; QFP and PLCC versions are pin-compatible with the 80C51. The company gave no prices.
