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

San Jose, California (ots/PRNewswire) -

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

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

ots Originaltext: Atmel Corporation
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Contact:
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