- Best-in-class memory and new graphics features bring sharper
user experiences to wearables and smart objects
- Advanced controller, optimized for small, circular displays,
boosts pixel-handling efficiency
- Proven power-saving architecture enables richer functionality
with longer battery life
Geneva, November 14, 2017 - The smart electronic objects
people interact with every day can be easier to use and run for
longer on batteries when designed around the latest ultra-low-power
microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global
semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of
electronics applications.
The new STM32L4+ devices -- a new generation of the STM32L4
series that stretches performance to 150DMIPS (233 ULPMark-CP) at
120MHz -- can act as the central controller in a full range of
fitness bands, smart watches, small medical equipment, smart
meters, smart industrial sensors and more. All these applications
require sophisticated functions, instant responses, and minimal
downtime for battery charging, making the ultra-efficient STM32L4+
an ideal fit.
STM32L4+ gives application designers the features they need to
achieve these goals: strong processor performance with the largest
on-chip memory for this type of ultra-low-power microcontroller,
and the most advanced graphics capabilities for smooth and fluid
user experiences. The new Chrom-GRC(TM) graphics controller can
handle circular displays (TFT-LCDs) just as efficiently as square
ones, without wasting resources managing pixels that are never
displayed. Also on-chip is ST's innovative Chrom-ART
Accelerator(TM), which enhances graphics performance.
"We all now expect smart objects to fit seamlessly into our
lives, anticipating our needs, yet requiring minimal attention
themselves," said Michel Buffa, Microcontroller Division General
Manager, STMicroelectronics. "Leveraging the controllers'
largest-in-class memory and super-efficient graphics capabilities,
STM32L4+ microcontrollers series will enable new classes of smart
products with more sophisticated features and smoother
interactions."
Designers using the STM32L4+ series can use the extensive - and
well proven -- STM32 development ecosystem, which helps streamline
design and minimize time to market. The ecosystem provides
affordable prototyping boards, software examples, free tools, and
high-quality third-party software, hardware, and integrated
development environments (IDEs) as part of the ST Partner Program.
Applications developed for the earlier STM32L4 microcontrollers can
run unchanged on the new devices, with improved performance.
The STM32L4+ devices are in production now, in various package
options. Pricing starts at $6.52 for orders of 10,000 pieces.
Please contact your local ST sales office for further
information.
Notes for editors:
ST has shipped over three billion of its advanced STM32
microcontrollers, which are used in high-tech products from the
smallest sensors and implantable medical devices to consumer
gadgets, white goods, power tools, media devices, communications,
computing and industrial control. The STM32L4+ is the latest in
this wide-ranging STM32 family. "L" stands for ST's ultra-low-power
design features and modes, which combine to ensure the chip always
consumes the least possible energy. "4" describes the
high-performing Arm® Cortex®-M core. And "+" signifies more compute
performance, more memory, more features on-chip, and more
efficient, high-performing graphics for the latest product
designs.
The enhanced memory capabilities include dual
Octo SPI ports, making these the first STM32 devices to support
this interface. The dual ports allow cost-effective and high-speed
extension of code or data storage using single/dual/quad/octal SPI,
or HyperBus(TM), Flash or SRAM memories.
The advanced power-saving technologies, proven across all
STM32L-series devices, include proprietary FlexPowerControl, which
protects important data like SRAM contents and I/O-pin states when
the device is in low-power modes. FlexPowerControl also provides
for separate power-supply domains that allow individual voltage
adjustment and power-down to meet processing loads at the lowest
possible energy, and a programmable high-accuracy clock that saves
external components and minimizes power consumption when operating
at reduced frequency. In addition, seven main low-power modes, each
with optional sub-modes, help optimize for low-power consumption,
short startup time, available peripherals, and available wake-up
sources. Among these modes, the shutdown mode reduces the current
to just 20nA. All STM32L devices also support batch-acquisition
mode, which encourages energy-efficient data capture and storage in
low-power modes with the main CPU turned off.
The generous on-chip memory of STM32L4+ devices includes
640Kbytes of SRAM to assist high-speed computation and help
maximize graphics performance. In addition, the devices in this
series provide up to 2Mbytes of dual-bank Flash memory, giving
extensive code and data storage with efficient read-while-write
capability. These are the largest memory densities available among
ultra-low-power microcontrollers in the market today. The Flash
also has extensive error-correction features, suitable for use in
safety-conscious applications.
ST's unique Chrom-ART Accelerator(TM) (DMA2D) offloads
repetitive 2D-graphics calculations from the main CPU. It can
perform 2D copies, transparency and alpha-blending operations, as
well as pixel format conversions, two times faster than the main
CPU. The saved CPU cycles can be re-allocated for real-time
processing, running concurrently with the graphic operations, or to
handle even more impressive graphic effects.
The Chrom-GRC(TM) graphics memory manager allows users to
"unsquare" circular displays, reducing graphics-handling workload
by up to 20%. From a memory stand-point, circular displays are
often managed in the same way as square displays, which wastes
memory by handling pixels that are never displayed. The STM32L4+
Chrom-GRC allows more efficient management of memory resources by
handling useful pixels only.
There are also rich digital and analog features, including
extensive USB support with Host, Device, and OTG capabilities, 17
timers for functions such as motor control, digital communication
interfaces including SPI, SAI, CAN, and high-speed digital filters
for signal processing.
The analog peripherals include high-speed analog-digital
converters (ADCs), digital-analog converters (DACs), and precision
voltage references, comparators, and op-amps. All are architected
to maximize energy efficiency in any operating mode, such as by
powering down converters in between capturing samples.
The STM32L4+ series is also available in a high-temperature
version, specified up to 125°C, which can be used in confined
environments where heat dissipation may be impaired.
Developers can take advantage of a wide variety of ecosystem
elements, to try out new ideas cost-effectively and unleash the
full potential of the new microcontroller series. These include the
affordable and flexible 144-pin STM32L4+ Nucleo board
(NUCLEO-L4R5ZI) with Arduino(TM) Uno V3 and ST morpho expansion
connectivity, and probe-free debugging.
The more fully-featured STM32L4+ Discovery Kit
(STM32L4R9I-DISCO) lets users develop and share applications, and
contains 24 bpp round LCD (1.2 inch, 390x390 pixel), 16-Mbit
on-board PSRAM and 512-Mbit Octo-SPI Flash memory interface, MEMS
microphones, and an audio codec to enhance the audio graphics
performance of a wide range of applications. Arduino, Pmod(TM), and
STMod+ connectivity provide extra expansion options.
The STM32L4+ evaluation kit (STM32L4R9I-EVAL) is a complete
demonstration and development platform for evaluating all the
microcontroller peripherals and building applications.
The associated embedded software and tools are based on ST's
economical and easy-to-use STM32Cube platform. This comprises the
STM32CubeMX initialization-code generator and configurator with
power estimation, and the comprehensive STM32CubeL4 software
package.
For more information please visit
http://www.st.com/stm32l4-plus
About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and
energy-efficient products and solutions that power the electronics
at the heart of everyday life. ST's products are found everywhere
today, and together with our customers, we are enabling smarter
driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the
next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices.
By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands
for life.augmented.
In 2016, the Company's net revenues were $6.97 billion, serving
more than 100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be
found at www.st.com
For Press Information Contact:
STMicroelectronics Michael Markowitz Director of Technical Media
Relations +1 781 591 0354 michael.markowitz@st.com
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