Atmel Introduces New System-in-Package Solution for Automotive LIN Networking Applications

Atmel Introduces New System-in-Package Solution for Automotive LIN Networking
Applications

New Device Offers Immediate Cost Savings to Customer with Low Memory
Requirements

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML)
announced today the availability of a new System-in-Package (SiP) solution for
LIN automotive networking applications. The ATA6616, featuring maximum
integration, is the second member of Atmel's new LIN SiP family. It combines
Atmel's LIN System Basis Chip (SBC) ATA6624 - including LIN transceiver,
voltage regulator, watchdog - and a member of Atmel's AVR(R) microcontroller
family - the ATtiny87 with 8k Flash memory - in a single package. With this
highly integrated solution, customers can create complete LIN nodes using just
one IC.

The ATA6616 (8 KB Flash) is fully compatible with the current ATA6617 (16 KB
Flash), thus allowing customers with lower memory requirements to effortlessly
switch to the new device and immediately realize cost savings.

All devices in the LIN SiP family are based on Atmel's second-generation LIN
IP, which boasts excellent EMC and ESD performance. This IP is optimized for
low-cost LIN slave applications thus enabling system cost reductions of up to
30%.

The integrated AVR microcontroller (ATtiny87) includes a hardware LIN UART
with automatic baud-rate synchronization in slave mode; integrated hardware
routines to simplify protocol stack handling and limit interrupt generation,
thus reducing the microcontroller load and flash memory consumption.

Thanks to collaboration with Vector, a leading manufacturer of software tools
and components for automotive networking, a complete hardware and LIN2.1
software networking solution is available. Using the integrated hardware
routines, the code size for the LIN protocol is reduced to about 1 Kbyte of
Flash leaving about 7 Kbytes of Flash available for the user application.

One important criterion for LIN applications is low current consumption. To
ensure that the LIN node's current consumption is well below 100 microampere
in applications that are continuously connected to the battery, the ATA6616
provides several current saving modes where different functionalities are
individually switched off or on, depending on the application requirements.

All pins of the LIN system basis chip and the microcontroller are bonded out,
thus providing customers the same flexibility and performance for their
applications as with discrete parts.

Thanks to the extremely small QFN38 package, measuring only 5 mm x 7 mm,
designers can save more than 50% of PCB size compared to conventional
solutions.

Availability and Pricing
Samples of the new LIN IC ATA6616 are now available in small QFN38 packages.
Pricing starts at US $1.80 for 10k-piece quantities. Various cost-effective
tools support designers with the development of LIN networks. A development
board is available that enables a quick start with the IC and allows
prototyping and testing of new designs. Certified LIN 2.0 and 2.1 protocol
stacks from leading suppliers are also available. Atmel's AVR Studio(R) and
AVR JTAGICE mkII development tools and the STK(R)600 with STK600-SOIC add-on
starter kit are available for the AVR's used in the LIN SiP family.

Footnote
EMC = Electro-Magnetic-Compatibility
ESD = Electronic Static Discharge
IP = Intellectual Property
LIN = Local Interconnect Network
PCB = Printed Circuit Board
QFN = Quad Flat No leads
SBC = System Basis Chip
SiP = System-in-Package
UART = Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter

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, AVR(R), AVR Studio(R), STK(R) and others are registered
trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms
and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:
Product information on Atmel's LIN SiP IC ATA6616 may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=4576

Press Contacts:
Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Director Automotive
Phone: +49 7131 67-2081, Email: susanne.van-clewe@atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations
Phone: +1 408 487-2963, Email: Helen.perlegos@atmel.com

SOURCE Atmel Corporation

Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Director Automotive, +49 7131 67-2081,
susanne.van-clewe@atmel.com, or Helen Perlegos, Public Relations,
+1-408-487-2963, Helen.perlegos@atmel.com, both of Atmel