Atmel Launches New AVR32 Microcontroller With High Speed Communication for Digital...

Atmel Launches New AVR32 Microcontroller With High Speed Communication for
Digital Audio Solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML)
announced today the introduction of a new AVR(R)32 microcontroller with high
speed communication. Featuring Atmel's 91 DMIPS AVR32 CPU, the AT32UC3A3
includes Hi-Speed USB interface with On-The-Go, a dual high speed SD/MMC card
interface plus SDRAM and NAND flash interface with SLC, MLC, and ECC. It is
targeted to the rapidly growing digital media solutions and audio player
docking station markets, where Atmel has seen considerable success with the
AT32UC3A introduced in 2007. The AT32UC3A3 also fits a wider range of embedded
applications where fast transfer of large amounts of data is a requirement.

Distributed SRAM
AT32UC3A3 features Atmel's innovative peripheral DMA controller in combination
with a multilayer databus. This offloads the CPU by automating the
transmission of large packets of data. In addition, to the dual port SRAM
found in all AVR32 microcontrollers, the AT32UC3A3 introduces for the first
time a distributed SRAM architecture that eliminates latency and potential
delay for data flowing through the controller. The 128 KB of on-chip SRAM is
split into 3 regions, each offering a separate memory interface to the memory
and peripheral DMA controllers. This allows multiple hi-speed data transfers
to run simultaneously.

Software audio decoding
The AVR32 is unique in that it offers a wide range of DSP instructions usually
only found in high end CPUs and DSPs. Its high performance eliminates the need
for custom audio decoder hardware, and it is capable of decoding a stereo MP3
stream at less than 25 MHz. With a maximum speed of up to 66 MHz, this means
there is plenty of CPU performance left to handle "heavier" audio formats such
as AAC.

High quality playback
The AVR32 microcontroller offers an integrated stereo 16-bit bitstream DAC.
This requires only a small external power amplifier to generate the output
voltages required for line, headphones or external speakers. Playback in four
channel audio or full surround sound requires an external audio codec, usually
connected to the microcontroller's IIS interface.

High speed communication
Streaming a single digital audio track requires a bandwidth of 320 kbit/s or
less. But the consumer demands much faster communication for fast
synchronization of a large music library with cover art. The AVR32 AT32UC3A3
offers multiple high speed communication interfaces, including a Hi-Speed USB
interface with 480 Mbit/s, a NAND flash controller with support for Multi
Level Cell error correction, and an MMC/SD port with support for up to two SD
card slots with more than 12 Mbyte/s transfer speed.

Low Power consumption
Atmel's AVR32 microcontroller is one of the world's leaders in low power
design, and the AT32UC3A3 consumes less than 2.0mW/MHz in active mode. This
allows the AVR32 microcontroller to deliver more than 150 hours of audio
playback from two AA batteries. In standby mode with only Real Time Clock
running, a device can stay in the drawer for more than 9 years.

ATEVK1104 reference design - digital audio docking station
To demonstrate the digital audio capabilities of the AVR32 microcontrollers
and reduce the time to market for potential customers, Atmel has designed the
ATEVK1104 reference design. The kit demonstrates playback from USB mass
storage device, SD card or NAND flash, and shows how music can be downloaded
or streamed from a PC through the Hi-Speed USB interface. Later this year,
Atmel will introduce Bluetooth(R), and ZigBee(R) radio connectivity add-on
kits. The reference design also demonstrates Atmel's capacitive touch
solutions.

iPod docking
More than 100 million iPod(R) and iPhone(R) devices have been sold in the
market, and consumer and automotive audio equipment manufacturers are adding
iPod docking capability to their existing products. To registered Apple(R)
"Made for iPod" licensees, Atmel will provide an iPod docking extension kit to
the ATEVK1104 and ATEVK1105. The extension kit contains the hardware, firmware
and source code required to access and controls the iPod and iPhone via the
USB port.

Availability and Pricing
Samples of the AT32UC3A3 are available now. The devices are priced at US$4.41
for 10k units. The ATEVK1104 development kit is available now. The kit is
priced for US$169.

About Atmel
Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers,
advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF)
components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property
(IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry
with complete system solutions focused on consumer, industrial, security,
communications, computing and automotive markets.

(C) 2009 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(R), Atmel logo and
combinations thereof, and AVR(R), and others are registered trademarks of
Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be
trademarks of others.

Information:
Atmel's AT32UC3A3 and ATEVK1104 product information may be retrieved at
www.atmel.com/UC3A3 and www.atmel.com/EVK1104.

For further information on AVR32, go to www.atmel.com/AVR32.

Press Contact:
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations
Tel: (+1) 408 487-2963, Email: helen.perlegos@atmel.com
Oyvind Strom, Product Marketing Director AVR32
Tel: +47 72 88 43 88, Email: oyvind.strom@atmel.com

SOURCE Atmel Corporation

Helen Perlegos, Public Relations, +1-408-487-2963, helen.perlegos@atmel.com,
or Oyvind Strom, Product Marketing Director AVR32, +47 72 88 43 88,
oyvind.strom@atmel.com, both of Atmel