SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
W
elcome to the Spring 2012 issue of The RX News, the quarterly newsletter from
Renesas for engineers and everyone interested in embedded applications using
the Renesas RX family of 32-bit MCUs.
IN TH I S I S S U E :
MUST SEE...............................2
MEDIA BUZZ...........................2
Dr. Micro..............................2
WHAT’S NEW..........................3
Spotlight on the RX210.......3
RX210 Starter Kit.................4
WiFi Adapter Board
from GainSpan....................4
Application Notes/
Sample Code ......................5
Interactive Courses.............6
New RX Videos....................7
COMING SOON.......................8
In this issue we continue the launch of the RX210 MCUs, first in the RX200 line of
ultra-low-power products. This new product group is off to a great start and continues to get
even better with technology upgrades, new development tools, and an expanding and rich
feature set. For further exploration of the RX200 architecture and how it overcomes tricky
design problems, we point you to the latest postings by Dr. Micro in our online community
at Renesas Rulz.
And once again we bring you the recent additions to our online application notes, interactive
courses, and YouTube videos. They’ll add new information to your understanding of how
Renesas RX MCUs are meeting the challenges of today’s complex embedded applications.
Here’s a sampling of what you’ll see:
• Quick design guides for RX610, RX62N and RX621
• How to configure SCI for SPI or I2C communication
• Free sensorless vector control algorithms for energy-efficient motor control
RX NEWS PAGE 1 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
MUST SEE
RX210 Is Here!
Now in mass production, the RX210 microcontroller group has
become a leader among low-power, 32-bit MCUs. Here are just a
few of the reasons why:
• 10mA power consumption in high-speed mode, and only 0.68mA
in low-speed operating mode
• 1.3 µA deep software standby mode (RTC ON)
• Support for extended temperature range (-40 °C to 105 °C)
• 1% high-speed, on-chip oscillator accuracy
RX210 MCUs operate down to a lower voltage, offer decreased power
consumption, and have many features to help you meet safety standards. They
are an ideal choice for home appliances, portable devices, metering instruments,
and many other products that must run demanding applications, deliver long
battery life, and incorporate energy-saving measures.
REGISTER NOW FOR THE RX210 RPB GIVEAWAY
Don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for a free RX210 Renesas Promotion
Board. The RPB with integrated USB on-chip debugger comes with all the
software you need to evaluate the performance and capabilities of the RX 32-bit
CPU core. The board is pre-programmed with a low-power demo that allows
you to measure power consumption in different power modes.
See for yourself what all the buzz is about. Just fill out the online form to
qualify for a free kit:
http://am.renesas.com/products/tools/introductory_evaluation_tools/renesas_
demo_kits/yrpbrx210/index.jsp.
MEDIA BUZZ
Dr. Micro
THE LATEST FROM DR. MICRO
Get a fresh perspective on the RX series, ask a question, and add your own
comments to Dr. Micro’s RX blog. Here are a few recent posts:
Title
RX Flash Loader Project enables field firmware updates
Date Uploaded
02-16-2012
RX200 Event Link Controller saves power, boosts performance
01-31-2012
RX MCUs offer flexibility in Flash programming options
01-16-2012
RX NEWS PAGE 2 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
W H AT ’ S N E W
Spotlight on the RX210 MCUs
The RX210 continues to impress
with its use of the latest generation of
low-power flash process technology,
which gives the best combination of
power consumption, performance,
and peripheral integration.
Our portfolio map shows what’s available now and what’s coming
in 2012 and beyond.
The RX200 microcontroller brochure is loaded with information.
http://www.rxmcu.com/USA/files/RX200_Brochure.pdf
RX NEWS PAGE 3 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
RX210 RSK
The Renesas Starter Kit for the RX210 contains
everything you need to evaluate the RX210 microcontroller and to get started in embedded system
design. The board also makes a useful platform for
evaluating the Renesas suite of development tools
for coding and debugging using HEW (Renesas
High-performance Embedded Workshop) and for
programming the device using the E1 emulator or
Flash Development Toolkit. Evaluation versions
of these software tools are included.
http://am.renesas.com/products/tools/introductory_evaluation_tools/renesas_starter_kits/rsk_rx210/index.jsp
WiFi Adapter Board from GainSpan
Bring leading-edge WiFi and web connectivity to your devices using the RX microcontroller
with a serial-to-WiFi adapter board from GainSpan. This adapter board also allows you
to evaluate the capabilities of GainSpan’s low-power WiFi modules and serial-to-WiFi
embedded software. The board is designed to plug directly into the Renesas Development
Kit (RDK) through the application header interface or the PMOD interface.
WiFi Adapter Board, part number WAB-GW-1500M, is available from
GainSpan at the following link:
http://www.gainspan.com/products/renesasadapter.php
PMOD Interface
Connect to RDR board using either
PMOD interface or application header.
Application Header
RX NEWS PAGE 4 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
Application Notes/Sample Code
Renesas offers an extensive series of application notes and sample code to
support the RX family. Here are the latest additions:
Function
Starter Kit
Flash Memory
Serial Interface
CAN
Application Example
Starter Kits
Sample
Code
Application Note
RX 600 Series Usage of Renesas Starter Kit
for RX610 Middleware Evaluation Board
RX 600 Series CAN-UART Bridge
Date
Sample
program
02-20-12
C source
01-15-12
Flash Memory
Data Flash
RX Series Virtual EEPROM for RX
C source
01-03-12
CAN
Other Communication
Function
Application Example
Software Programming
Starter-Kits
RX Family CAN Application
Programming Interface
C source
12-15-11
Design Guide
RX610, RX62N, RX621 Group Quick Design
Guide
Serial Interface
RX630 Group Communication with Flash
Memory Using the Serial Communications
Interface (Simple SPI)
C source
12-13-11
RX630 Group Communication with EEPROM
Using the Serial Communications Interface
(Simple I2C)
C source
12-13-11
RX630 Group Register Write Protection
(Clock selection and operation mode settings)
C source
12-13-11
Interrupt/Exception
Handling
RX630 Group Interrupt Request Grouping
(Level Detection Interrupt Requests)
C source
12-13-11
Low-power Architecture
RX630 Group Deep Software Standby Mode
RTC
RX630 Group 100-Year Calendar (Real-time
clock and temperature sensor application)
Watchdog Timer
RX630 Group Independent Watchdog Timer
(Autostart Mode)
C source
12-13-11
Flash Memory
RX200 Series Simple Flash API for RX200
C source
12-12-11
Flash Memory
Data Flash
RX600 Series Simple Flash API for RX600
C source
12-01-11
Flash Memory
CAN
Application Example
Software Programming
RX Family Flash over CAN
C source
11-22-11
A/D Converter
Application Example
Three-Phase Inverter
Control
RX62T Single Shunt Sensorless Vector
Control of PMSM Motors
C source
11-18-11
Other Clock Functions
12-15-11
C source
C source
12-13-11
12-13-11
RX NEWS PAGE 5 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
APPLICATION NOTES/SAMPLE CODE
Function
A/D Converter
Application Example
Three-Phase Inverter
Control
Two-Phase Encoder Input
(CONTINUED )
Sample
Code
Application Note
Date
RX62T Position Control of PMSM Motors
with Encoder
C source
11-18-11
A/D Converter
Application Example
Three-Phase Inverter
Control
RX62T Single Shunt Sensorless Vector
Control of PMSM Motor with Internal
Programmable Gain Amplifier (PGA)
C source
11-18-11
A/D Converter
Application Example
Three-Phase Inverter
Control
RX62T Three Shunt Sensorless Vector
Control of PMSM Motor with Internal
Programmable Gain Amplifier (PGA)
C source
11-18-11
A/D Converter
Application Example
Three-Phase Inverter
Control
RX62T Three Shunt Sensorless Vector
Control of PMSM Motors
C source
11-18-11
A/D Converter
Multiplier and Divider/
Multiply-Accumulator
(MAC)
Other Timer/Pulse
Function
RTC
RL78/G13 and RX62N/RX621 Digital
Stethoscope Reference Design
11-15-11
Find all of the RX Family application notes and sample code at www.rxmcu.com/appnotes.
New Renesas Interactive Courses
Renesas Interactive is home to some of the best free training on the Internet. Log in to
www.renesasinteractive.com and click on Courses and Certification for immediate access
to all the resources on this site—short courses, a free library of software downloads, and
links to the Renesas user community.
Since the last issue of the newsletter, the following RX series course has been added:
RX210 Safety Features. This course provides an overview of the safety features found
on the RX200/210 MCUs, specifically those that help with meeting the requirements
of the IEC60730 standard.
Course title, running time, and release date are listed in the table below.
Course title
Course length
Release Date
RX210 Safety Features
15 minutes
01-05-12
RX NEWS PAGE 6 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
New RX Videos
NOW PLAYING ON THE RENESAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL
RX CAN
Presenter: Stevan Dobrasevic
The Controller Area Network, better known as CAN, has been widely used in
automotive applications for many years. But recently it’s become popular in other
applications such as machine control, home appliances, and building automation.
This video explores what makes CAN serial communication so attractive to embedded
developers, especially when cost is a factor and noise immunity is important. The full
CAN implementation on the RX MCUs includes 32 mailboxes, 8 acceptance masks,
and optional FIFO buffers for low CPU overhead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9_mYoUuAaQ
RX20 0 FAMILY
Presenter: Carmelo Sansone
RX microcontrollers from Renesas are designed to balance
perfectly the three main concerns of embedded engineers:
power consumption, price, and performance. Joining this
family is the new RX200 series, which brings power consumption and operating voltage range to new levels. High
performance is now accessible to battery operated devices.
This video describes the main features and functions of
the RX200 MCUs along with tools and development kits
available to help you get started.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RdJqhVBroQ&list=PL0C7482BC6D27B776&index=4
&feature=plpp_video
RX210 PROMOTIONAL BOARD
Presenter: Carmelo Sansone
The RX210 RPB board allows you to evaluate the capability of the RX210 CPU core
and test its low-power characteristic for yourself. The board comes with a low-power
demo, debugger, compiler, and installation software. This video describes the features
and functions on the promotional board and how it can be used in low-power applications using the included tutorial and sample project.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM2HyGnYS1w&list=PL0C7482BC6D27B776
&index=1&feature=plpp_video
RX NEWS PAGE 7 OF 8
SPRING 2012
PUBLISHED BY RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.
THE CORE DIFFERENCE
RX MOTOR CONTROL
Presenter: Stevan Dobrasevic
Energy efficiency is required in a diverse range of
products that rely on embedded applications, from
washing machines and air conditioners to medical
pumps and industrial drives. Three-phase brushless
DC motors are becoming increasingly popular to address
these applications. Using sensorless implementations,
designers are able to reduce cost and increase reliability.
This video introduces the RX62T’s advanced analog
and timer peripherals, which are capable of driving two
3-phase BLDC motors at the same time.
http://youtu.be/G8SOp7qm1x8
Coming Soon!
SENSOR FUSION UPDATE
RX Sensor Fusion merges data from an accelerometer and a gyroscope, resulting
in a more accurate reading of position. Kits are in production and will be available
in April 2012. Check our web page http://www.rxmcu.com/sensorfusion in April
for a download of the RX Sensor Fusion code, which is based on an innovative
RLS Adaptive filter. An application note and “Getting Started with RX Sensor
Fusion” video will also be available.
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|
Phone: 1(408) 588-6000
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0312/PW/SP
RX NEWS PAGE 8 OF 9