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Volume 47 (Sep 14, 2005)
All Flash Innovation Seminar: Business innovations made possible with 8-bit microcontrollers
As product prices continue to fall and product life cycles become shorter and shorter, customers have begun seeking ways to boost competitiveness through cost reductions and faster time to market. After announcing in November 2004 that its entire lineup of 8-bit microcontrollers would thereafter employ flash memory, NEC Electronics released the 78K0S/Kx1+ Series and the 78K0/Kx2 Series. The "All Flash Innovation Seminar" was held to shed light on how flash microcontrollers can contribute to the shortening of development turnaround (TAT), reduction of inventory risk and improved production efficiency. A number of visitors attended the seminars in Tokyo and Osaka (Photo 1).
Keynote session:
Naoki Asami, Editor-in-Chief, Nikkei Electronics
"Bolstering software-oriented digital consumer electronics: Predicting technological trends through 2010"
At this session, Mr. Asami said that the number of processes involved in software development is predicted to increase in the digital consumer and automotive electronics fields, both of which are currently leading the electronics industry. Therefore, finding ways to develop software more efficiently and to co-design with hardware will be essential to reducing product development time. He also stressed the accelerating trend to incorporate built-in flash memory in microcontrollers. Not only do flash microcontrollers make it possible to write program software whenever and wherever using a vast array of methods, they also have the advantage of enabling developers to work on software development up until the very last minute. As companies make the shift to "all flash" in 8-bit microcontrollers, NEC Electronics is sure to continue to play an important role in the electronics industry.
Management session:
Yoichi Yano, Vice President, 4th Systems Operations Unit, NEC Electronics
"all flash MCU strategy for changing the way our customers do business"
At the management session, Mr. Yano discussed the company's all flash microcontroller business strategy.
In addition to having the same advantages as general flash microcontrollers—including shortened development TAT, reduced inventory risk and improved production efficiency—NEC Electronics' all flash MCUs have "five key benefits" * (Figure 1).
A number of advantages are offered by flash microcontrollers and customers are already employing the ones from NEC Electronics. Not only can flash microcontrollers be used to trim costs through their extensive lineups, cutting-edge processes and integrated peripheral functions, they can also provide low power consumption (approximately one-third the rate of traditional mask products) and rich development and programming environments, thereby enabling easy implementation. Moreover, flash microcontrollers contribute to improved efficiency in set development and production, result in overall reductions in lead time and costs).
NEC Electronics' all flash MCUs are currently used in digital AV products and a number of other products, and production is expected to exceed the ten-million mark (per month) by January 2006. As for future expansion, NEC Electronics currently has plans to release new products such as the world's smallest (2 x 2 mm) micro-packaged product and products integrated on LCD controllers. By strengthening collaborative efforts with our partner companies, we will be able to offer our customers the consulting support they need to find the most suitable program-writing environment for their production lines.
Technical session:
Minoru Matsuda, Senior Manager, 4th Systems Operations Unit, NEC Electronics
"A development and programming environments supporting the convenience of All Flash MCUs"
Tools and services that can be used to enhance the ease of use of all flash MCUs during the trial, manufacture and mass production stages were introduced during this seminar. One example included "Applilet," * a device driver generation tool capable of generating peripheral function setup programs (a task generally cumbersome during program development) and System Simulator SM+ * , a debugging and verification simulation system for use with PCs. Also introduced was NEC Electronics' complete programming environment and support system, which customers—at the time of mass production—can use to choose preprogramming and shipping of final product by NEC Electronics, programming by a service company, or programming on their own production line (Figure 2). In addition, a demonstration exhibit allowed seminar participants to experience our all flash MCUs and the development and programming environments (Photo 2).
Knowing that flash microcontrollers have the ability to boost the competitiveness of our customers' systems, NEC Electronics is committed to expanding our microcontroller product lineup and strengthening our support environment.
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