IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 1
New Charge Management Controllers USB/AC Load-Sharing Li-Ion/Li-Polymer Battery Charger Enables
PAGE 2
8-, 16- and 32-bit USB MCUs Sample
Simultaneous AC-DC Adapter or USB-Port Battery Charging and Powering
Pack Available from Circuit Cellar
PAGE 3
of Devices!
Vote and Win! The PIC32 Design
Challenge
PAGE 4 Introducing the MCP73871 charge-management controller – a Li-Ion/Li-Polymer charger with an intelligent charge management
HI-TECH C®PRO for the PIC32 MCUs feature that enables simultaneous AC-DC-adapter or USB-port charging and powering of devices. The single-chip charger features
PAGE 5 an integrated pass transistor, and numerous battery and termination-voltage options – making it ideal for complex, space-
Sensorless FOC of an ACIM Using
Field Weakening
constrained portable applications.
PAGE 6 By enabling electronic devices to be simultaneously powered and charged via either an AC-to-DC adapter or through a USB port,
16-bit Embedded Control Design the MCP73871 charge-management controller simplifies the charging and powering of today’s portable electronic devices. With
Contest Winner: Effective Use of DSP
Technology highly accurate voltage regulation of 0.5%, the new charger extends battery life by allowing the battery to be charged closer to its
PAGE 7 optimal limit. Additionally, with its integrated pass transistor, the charger eliminates the need for an external FET, and only a few
Single-output 1.5A MOSFET Drivers small passive components are necessary. This results in smaller, less complex and less expensive designs.
MASTERs India and China
T h e M C P73 871 c h a r ge - m a n a ge m e n t
PAGE 8
Bell Power Selects Microchip
controller is ideal for portable consumer
Qwik&Low Board: A Learning Tool
electronic products, such as GPS units,
That Includes a Free Text Book phone chargers, toys, cameras, PDAs,
PAGE 9 Bluetooth® headsets, and many more.
Motor Control: dsPIC®DSCs
The MCP73871 Evaluation
PAGE 10
New Classes Offered at the RTCs Board (Part # MCP73871EV),
PAGE 11 can help you get started
Microchip Around Town using the new charger in
PAGE 12 their designs. The board is
Microchip Design Partner Program available today for $20.
Technical Training Event in Mexico
The MCP73871 charger is available in a
Check Out This Can’t Miss Video
20-pin, 4 mm x 4 mm QFN package, for
PAGE 13
ICwiki: dsPIC®DSC Schematics with $1.28 each in 10,000 -unit quantities.
Compass, Ultrasound and XBee Samples and volume production quantities
Modules
of the charger can be ordered today.
PAGE 14
What’s New in Literature? For further information, visit
PAGE 15 www.microchip.com/mcp73871
What Are Customer Saying About
microchipDIRECT?

www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

Microchip Technology Gears Up a New Circuit Cellar

Sample Distribution Program

Is USB in your future?

If you need Full-Speed USB 2.0 Device, Embedded
Host, Dual Role and On-The-Go solutions, check out
Circuit Cellar’s Microchip Technology USB Connectivity
Sample Zone – a special program created for readers
of Circuit Cellar magazine.
You could have the opportunity to receive samples
of Microchip’s 8, 16, and 32-bit MCUs with USB
connectivity, providing easy migration with a single
development environment. Circuit Cellar will also pick a
select group who will also receive complete USB Starter
kits. This group will then evaluate the kits in order
to provide detailed feedback to Microchip’s product
response team.

What’s in the Sample Kits?

Chip Kits Evaluation Kits
• One sample of each MCU: • Evaluation form
– 8-bit PIC18F14K50 • One of three USB Starter Kits
– 16-bit PIC24FJ256GB110 – 8-bit PIC18F (DM164127)
– 32-bit PIC32MX460F512L-80 – 16-bit PIC24F (DM240011)
– 8-bit PIC18F66J50 – 32-bit PIC32 (DM320003)
– 8-bit PIC18F4550
• CD-ROM with helpful applications and data sheets
• Coupon for steep discounts through http://www.microchipdirect.com

To learn more about some of the devices associated with this upcoming sample distribution, please
visit http://circuitcellar.com/USB/

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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 2

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

Don’t miss this great opportunity to win your share of

$200,000 in prizes!
Become a member of the
PIC32 Design Challenge
community today!
Vote for contestants as they design, blog and video their journey
to the top in this year-long social networking design challenge! As a
community member, you can win weekly prizes just for voting for your
favorite designs! You can also join discussions on a variety of design
topics and post blogs.
Past weekly prizes awarded to community members include:
• HP Photosmart Digital Camera and Printer Dock
• Aardvark I²C™/SPI Host Adapter
• HI-TECH PICC Enterprise Edition
• A Micrium μC Probe and MORE!

Visit the PIC32 Design Challenge web site today to view the Top 128 Designs!
These contestants were selected from a group of 396 entries in Phase 1. The contestant
that is voted the PIC32 Design Challenge’s Ultimate Embedded Designer will win a high-
end home theatre system (or cash equivalent) worth over $8,000 and a trip to the 2009
Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose!

So what are you waiting for?

Join the PIC32 Design Challenge today at
www.myPIC32.com

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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 3

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

New C Compiler Takes Advantage of PIC32’s Extensive Register Set

The new Microchip PIC32 Microcontroller (MCU) family has raised the bar in the embedded
world affording full 32-bit performance, a large register set, backwards-compatible
peripherals, and now a new C compiler design is also setting new performance standards by
fully taking advantage of PIC32’s large and versatile register set.
The PIC32 MCU easily accommodates complex applications, constructed from a large
number of functions all calling each other. Traditionally, compilers use a register calling
convention which specifies a small fixed set of registers which can be used for passing
parameters to functions. If a function requires more parameters than there are registers in
this set, the extra parameters are passed on the stack, or in other words, in memory.
This strategy is not ideal. Because the same register set is used for each function call, for
nested calls (one function calls another, which in turn calls another) the same registers are
re-used and any data they contain must be unloaded to the stack to make way for the new
parameters. This unloading is done by code which increases the application size, decreases
its speed, and stack usage consumes more RAM. Meanwhile, other registers may remain
unutilized.
A new compiler featuring Omniscient Code Generation™ (OCG) -- a novel technology that
allows the compiler to analyze the entire C program -- allows this static register calling
convention to be replaced with a dynamic convention, which is customized on a function-
by-function basis. This compiler, the new HI-TECH C® PRO for the PIC32 MCU Family from
HI-TECH Software, takes advantage of the extended register set offered by the PIC32 devices
to unleash more performance for useful work rather than behind-the-scenes housekeeping.
OCG determines the hierarchy of functions calls for the program plus the exact register
usage of each function. With this knowledge the compiler determines the optimal parameter
register scheme for each function. It then optimizes every called function resulting in better
utilization of the register set, and less reliance on the slower stack.
The two diagrams contrast the differences between traditional compilers, which typically
allow around four registers to be used for parameter passing, and the OCG compiler, which
allows most of the PIC32 registers to be used. Here, the parameters and local register
allocations for the calling function are left in situ and other, as yet, unused registers are
utilized for the parameters to subsequent calls. Less stack space is used and the PIC32
MCU is able to avoid slower load-store code sequences and fly through register-register
instructions.

For more details, visit http://www.microchip.com/PIC32

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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 4

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008
Application Note AN1206: Sensorless Field Oriented Control (FOC) of an
AC Induction Motor (ACIM) Using Field Weakening
INTRODUCTION
The utilization of an AC induction motor (ACIM) ranges from consumer to
automotive applications, with a variety of power and size optionss. From the
multitude of possible applications, some require the achievement of high
speed while having a high torque value only at low speeds. Two applications
needing this requirement are washing machines in consumer applications
and traction in powertrain applications. These requirements impose a
certain type of approach for induction motor control, which is known as
“field weakening.”
This application note describes sensorless field oriented control (FOC) with
field weakening of an AC induction motor using a dsPIC® Digital Signal
Controller (DSC), while implementing high performance control with an
extended speed range.
www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 5
This application note is an extension to AN1162: Sensorless Field Oriented
Control (FOC) of an AC Induction Motor (ACIM), which contains the design
details of a field weakening block. The concepts in this application note are
presented with the assumption that you have previously read and are familiar
with the content provided in AN1162.
CONTROL STRATEGY
Sensorless Field Oriented Control Field oriented control principles applied to
an ACIM are based on the decoupling between the current components used
for magnetizing flux generation and for torque generation. The decoupling
allows the induction motor to be controlled as a simple DC motor. The
field oriented control implies the translation of coordinates from the fixed
reference stator frame to the rotating reference rotor frame. This translation
makes possible the decoupling of the stator current’s components, which
are responsible for the magnetizing flux and the torque generation.
The decoupling strategy is based on the induction motor’s
equations related to the rotating coordinate axis of the rotor.
To translate the stator fixed frame motor equations to the
rotor rotating frame, the position of the rotor flux needs to be
determined. The position of the rotor can be determined through
measurement or it can be estimated using other available
parameters such as phase currents and voltages. The term
“sensorless” control indicates the lack of speed measurement
sensors.
The control block diagram of the field oriented control is
presented in Figure 1 with descriptions of each component
block. In particular, the field weakening block has the motor’s
mechanical speed as input, with its output generating the
reference d-axis current corresponding to the magnetizing current
generation. For additional information on field oriented control of
an AC induction motor, refer to AN1162 (see “References”).
To review tis complete application note, visit
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/
idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1824&ap
pnote=en536065
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 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008
Effective Use of DSP Technology
Winner!
Congratulations to George Heron and Milton Cram for their NUE-
PSK Digital Modem design in the 16-bit Embedded Control Design Contest!
PSK31 is one of the latest communications modes to capture the interest of hams worldwide.
Its inherent ability to dig out low, near-inaudible signals is ideally suited for low-power QRP
enthusiasts. The PSK31 digital modem engine, however, requires intense DSP processing
that is only commonly available in PC sound card. Thus the PSK operator desiring portability
for field operation is locked into using a laptop computer as a controller, which results in a
cumbersome station. But there’s hope!
This paper presents the design and construction of a stand-alone, battery-operated digital
modem using a Microchip dsPIC® digital signal controller. The project includes a character
display for transmit and receive text data, and a graphic display showing band spectrum and
tuning indicator. Using GPL open source software, the modem can be home-brewed for less
than $50 parts cost. When coupled with an SSB-capable transceiver or with a popular PSK-
xx transceiver board from Small Wonder Labs, you too can have an effective portable PSK31
station.
BACKGROUND
PSK31 was introduced in 1998 to the ham technical community at large in RSGB’s RadCom
magazine. One was able to get on the air with this digital mode using a dedicated (expensive)
DSP card, a crude DOS control program for entering/displaying messages, and interface
cables for connection to the station SSB transceiver. Later, a brilliant PC program was
developed (DigiPan12) that used a panoramic graphical display to show all signals occurring
within a band segment and received messages on the PC screen. This was an astonishing
improvement in the user interface for PSK31! Later in 2001, NN1G designed a single board
PSK31 transceiver kit (PSK-2016) that required no physical tuning, and when used with
DigiPan running on the PC it made a quite compact PSK31 station.
But even with these clever hardware and software designs, there is yet room for improvement.
The sound card in a laptop or PC is still needed for the intense computation needs of the
PSK algorithm. Even if one were to use a modern laptop for that computing power, taking an
expensive and delicate computer to the field is a hair-raising experience. It is very hard to see
the subtle spectral lines or the screen text data when viewing the laptop’s LCD display in the
bright sunlight of a mountaintop QSO. So if your laptop’s battery lasts long enough to enjoy the
joys of using PSK out in the open, and if you can see the laptop display in the bright sunlight,
and if you feel like lugging that expensive laptop out into the harsh elements, you could indeed
operate PSK31 in the field – but what an ordeal!
For more details, visit http://www.circuitcellar.com/microchip2007
www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 6
The Path to a Design
After operating for years with the challenges of
using a laptop in the field, we decided that we
wanted a PSK system that did not require the
use of a PC in any form. We wanted something
that would be very portable and compatible
with QRP operations, providing many hours of
operation from batteries. The project described
here is a result of this desire… but it took a
little time for advancing technology to pave the
road.
The initial efforts to develop a “portable PSK”
controller began about seven years ago with
a reproduction of the original G3PLX approach
described in RADCOM, but with a more current
DSP card providing the horsepower for the
PSK31 engine. The design also included a
novel Morse user interface and tight coupling to the PSK-20 transceiver. The project was
documented in the QRP literature and presented at ham conferences, but ultimately it was too
complex and fragile for wide-scale use.
A more recent approach considered was based on the use of low power DDS (direct digital
synthesis) chips for generating audio tones with the proper phase modulation. A multiplying
DAC was used for modulating and shaping the amplitude of the tones, and a microcontroller
was used to demodulate the PSK and display of the resulting characters. Analog filters were
used for filtering the PSK signal ahead of digital processing in the microcontroller. The analog
filters, however, proved to be too bulky and difficult to design when trying to use standard-
value components. Such filters also cannot provide the same level of performance as can be
obtained with digital filters. Eventually this approach was also abandoned.
Success At Last
The approach that ultimately proved workable in every regard was one in which all processing
is accomplished within a single microcontroller – one that is capable of performing the digital
signal processing “number crunching” as well as handling all control chores. The newly-
released dsPIC33 DSC from Microchip is a delightfully-powerful combination of a conventional
control processor with a DSP core for intense digital signal processing. Available in a small
package with lots of I/O for controlling peripherals, this was just what the doctor ordered!
It was perhaps fortuitous that others in our QRP club were having similar fantasies about the
same time. K5JHF was exploring the dsPIC chip family and decided they would make a good
basis for a number of projects of interest to the group. He kick-started things with the design
of a dsPIC33 project board that included such peripherals as a Programmable Gain Amplifier
(PGA), Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), EEPROM memory, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD),
quadrature rotary encoder, keyboard and interfaces for a programmer. This was enough to give
birth to what we now call the NUE-PSK31 controller.
View this complete contest submission at
http://www.circuitcellar.com/microchip2007/winners/MT2267.html
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 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

Need a 1.5A MOSFET Driver in a SOT-23

Package with an Operating Voltage Range
of 4.5V – 18V?
Generating a peak
output current of 1.5 A,
Microchip’s MCP1415 and Microchip’s Annual Strategic Technical Exchange and Review (MASTERs)
MCP1416 single-output Conference is an in-depth, highly-technical conference structured to meet
MOSFET drivers operate the needs of today’s embedded design engineers. The Conference is ideal
over a vol t a ge r an ge for those who are looking for solutions to embedded-control challenges or
from 4.5 to 18 V. The in-depth education on Microchip’s products.
inverting MCP1415 and
non-inver ting MCP1416 MASTERs classes cover the gamut of electronic engineering topics, including
MOSFET drivers are rated hands-on workshops offering instruction for object-oriented programming
for a peak output current of PIC®MCUs and dsPIC®DSCs; how to use a 16-bit Delta-Sigma ADC in
of 1.5A .B ot h d ev ic es energy metering and periodic AC signal applications; how to design LED and
have excellent latch-up LCD display systems; and how to add Ethernet, USB and ZigBee® protocol
immunity and are available communication to embedded designs.
in a miniature 5-pin SOT- Don’t miss out on the opportunity to buy Microchip world-class development
23 package. tools at a special discount of up to 40% at the conference.
Because of their small package size, designers can position the MCP141X Complete information on registration and pricing can be found at
MOSFET gate driver close to the MOSFET’s physical gate connection, http://techtrain.microchip.com/im and http://techtrain.microchip.com/cm for the
which minimizes gate bounce caused by the parasitic PCB layout. This also India and China Conferences, respectively. The closing date for registration is
minimizes gate rise-and-fall times, propagation-delay times and shoot-through Sep. 12 for Bangalore, New Delhi and Pune; Oct. 16 for Shanghai and Oct. 20
current, all of which help to increase system efficiency and reduce power for Beijing.
dissipation. Register Today & Enjoy Early Bird Benefits
The MCP141X MOSFET drivers are well-suited for a variety of consumer
India MASTERs: China MASTERs
electronic, industrial and medical applications that use power supplies.
Bangalore - Oct. 13 - 15 Shanghai (East China) - Oct. 30-31
Examples include personal computers (PCs), laptops, portable measurement
New Delhi - Oct. 16 - 18 Beijing (North China) - Nov. 3 - 4
devices and centrifuges, among others.
Lonavala (Pune) - Oct. 20 - 22
Both the MCP1415 and MCP1416 MOSFET drivers are available in a 5-pin Enjoy an early bird discount of Rs. All attendees who register and pay n or
SOT-23 package, for $0.44 each in 10,000-unit quantities. Samples and 1,000 by registering and paying on/ before Sep 10 will get a free MPLAB® ICD
volume production orders are available today. before August 29 2 Limited Edition (It is an ICD 2 in PICkit™
2 clothing with a 6-pin ICSP™ connector)
For further information, visit www.microchip.com/MCP141X. All India MASTERs Conference while stock last.
attendees will walk away with a FREE
MPLAB® C18 or C30 Compiler

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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 7

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008
Bel Power Selects the MCP6291 Op Amp
and 8-bit PIC® MCU for DC-to-DC Power
Supply
Bel Power, a division of Bel Fuse Inc., designs and
manufactures a broad range of high-quality, isolated
and non-isolated DC-to-DC converters. The MCP6291
op amp was chosen for its next-generation POE power
supply because of its availability in many industry-
standard packages, its extended temperature range and
Microchip’s short lead time. The programmability of the
PIC12F675 Flash MCU enables Bel Power to modify the
system behavior to meet specific customers’ needs. The
advantage of a programmable MCU is that changes can
be executed in firmware, without the need for in-circuit
component value changes and PCB spins.
Mark Masera, engineering director with Bel Power, said,
“Because of the breadth of Microchip’s analog and digital
components – from basic op amps, to temperature
sensors, to sophisticated MCUs – and their superior
levels of technical support, we are compelled to use
their products. Additionally, as power density continues
to climb, we are forced to consolidate the housekeeping
functionality required by a converter into one device that
can manage these features. Microchip’s PIC MCU, op amp and related support allow
us to do all of this in a timely, flexible and cost-effective manner.”
Mark Jutras, general manager of Bel Power, continued, “Bel Power requires global
logistical support for multiple design and manufacturing locations. Microchip
consistently delivers technical and sales support to our facilities in the U.S., as well
as in China.”
“Microchip’s low-power, high-bandwidth op amps, with availability in small packages
and extended temperature range operation capabilities, have developed a reputation
for standing above the competition for a wide range of customer applications,” said
Rich Simoncic, vice president of Microchip’s Analog and Interface Products Division.
“Positive feedback from a leading company like Bel Power validates Microchip’s
focus on solving both analog and digital design challenges.”
“The small footprint, integrated analog capability and low cost of the PIC12F675
MCU enables Bel Power to replace many discrete components in their design, which
reduces the board footprint, increases design flexibility and reduces overall system
costs,” said Steve Drehobl, vice president of Microchip’s Security, Microcontroller
and Technology Development Division.
For more information about, visit http://www.microchip.com/power
www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 8
Qwik&Low Board:
A Learning Tool That
Includes a Free Text Book
Microchip Academic Program will soon have a new addition to its arsenal of tools
and resources for training the next generation of PIC® microcontroller users. The
Qwik&Low Board (microchipDIRECT Part# DM183034) is a companion board
for the book titled “Coin-Cell-Powered Embedded Design” written by John B.
Peatman, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of
Technology. The book explores how nanoWatt features impact the design process. It
employs the Qwik&Low Board as the learning vehicle for the reader.
Key Features of the Board
• Peripherals’ current draw can be reduced to zero to monitor the microcontroller
current
• An eight-character LCD having a PIC18LF6390 as its controller
• PIC18LF4321 as the board’s main microcontroller
• A prototype area to allow the use of additional peripheral devices
• In-Circuit Serial Programming™ (ICSP™) technology and debugging interface,
compatible with PICkit™ 2 Starter Kit
• From factory, PIC18LF4321 is preprogrammed with QwikBug kernel firmware,
which allows the users to program and debug application programs
Additional Required Equipment (not provided with this kit)
• A CR2032 coin-cell battery
• A Digital Multimeter (DMM) with a microammeter scale having a resolution of uA
• Banana plug test leads for the DMM
• A straight-through DB-9M to dB-9F serial cable
• A USB-to-serial adapter may also be required for computers without a serial port
Getting Started
Download a free digital copy of the “Coin-Cell-Powered Embedded Design” book from
www.quikandlow.com
Remember that this board is intended as a learning vehicle and is intended to be
used with the reading of the “Coin-Cell-Powered Embedded Design” book
Chapter 3 of the book introduces the Qwik&Low Board in detail
Additional software and project source files can also be downloaded from
www.quikandlow.com
Need help? For support, got to www.quikandlow.com/support
For other educational materials and resources, refer to
www.microchip.com/academic
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 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

“I have motor control experience but I am new to

Microchip and would like to evaluate dsPIC® DSCs for
my motor control application”
Microchip provides you everything you need to prototype your application including motors, power modules, development
boards, debuggers and software. Once you have installed the free MPLAB® IDE and free student edition compiler MPLAB®
C30 C Compiler, just follow the easy directions below and purchase the components at www.microchipDIRECT.com. You can
then begin your design! Remember that all of Microchip’s 16- and 32-bit MCUs and DSCs are supported by the Explorer 16
Development Kit, so you can leverage this investment many times over the years.

For more information about our Motor Control Solutions, visit http://www.microchip.com/dscmotor RETURN TO FRONT PAGE

www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 9

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

NEW CLASSES!!!
Responding to our customers’ requests for more application-based classes, Microchip will be
Microchip’s Web Seminars allow our customers to
learn more about our products without having to
leave the office! Check out the upcoming live Web
launching the following new courses into the Regional Training Centers. Both classes are full-day, Seminars as well as some of our Web Seminars
hands-on sessions that provide designers practical knowledge and practice to help shorten design are archived to be viewed whenever you want.
times. Each class offers the attendee the opportunity to purchase the development tools used in
the class at a significant discount. For more information, please visit us at
www.microchip.com/Webseminars
HIF2131: Designing with Microchip’s Graphics Library
This hands-on class teaches students how to harness the power of Microchip’s Graphics Library
to decrease the development time of sophisticated human interfaces using graphical LCD display
technologies with various input devices. During the hands-on portion of this class, students will
use the Microchip Graphics Library, the Explorer 16 Development Board and the Graphics PICtail™
Plus Daughter Board to implement a real life application. Although the class is taught using a 16-bit
PIC24 microcontroller, the concepts directly apply to the 32-bit PIC32 microcontroller as well.

COM4201: Designing a Web-based Status Monitoring and Control

Application
This class teaches attendees how to integrate Microchip’s free TCP/IP stack software into their
application to create a system for remotely monitoring and controlling a device via the Worldwide
Web. This class highlights the cross platform functionality of Microchip’s TCP/IP stack by allowing microSOLUTIONS is
attendees to choose the platform of their choice: PIC18, PIC24 or PIC32.
distributed monthly.
ARE YOU
SUBSCRIBED?
If you would like to be
For more information or to register, contact your local Microchip Regional Training Center or
visit us at www.microchip.com/RTC
added to the mailing
list, CLICK HERE!

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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 10

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

M i crochi p Around Town

Pre-conference Workshop: Developing Flexible Linear and Switching Charger Designs
When designing battery systems for portable applications, topology selection and feature set can make or break the
success of new products. Brian Chu, Applications Engineer in Microchip’s Analog and Interface Products Division, will
explain the development of flexible linear and switching charger designs in this four-hour seminar. Embedded charger
design and the advantages of certain topologies over others will be discussed, in light of how to meet the many new
global standards of today.
Attendees will receive the MCP1631 Multi-Chemistry Battery Charger Reference Design (Part # MCP1631RD-MCC1), a complete stand-alone, constant-current battery charger for NiMH, NiCd
or constant-current/constant-voltage Li-Ion battery packs. With an input voltage range of 5.5 - 16V, the reference design utilizes Microchip’s MCP1631HV high-speed Pulse-Width Modulation
(PWM) device and a PIC16F883 microcontroller
Implementing Charging Algorithms in Firmware
Join Microchip’s Technical Staff Engineer, Keith Curtis, as he presents “Implementing Charging Algorithms in Firmware”. This presentation will demonstrate a simple loop-based design for
implementing even the most complicated charging algorithms with simple software state machines. Attendees will leave with a template for developing complex charging algorithms, and
experience with tools and processes required for creating reliable firmware systems.

For more details, visit http://www.batterypoweronline.com/bp08_supportingorg.htm

Join Vivien Delport, Applications Engineering Manager at Microchip, for a

presentation entitled “Touch Sensing: Next Generation User Interface for
the Automotive Market.” Touch sensing is fast becoming an alternative to
traditional push-button user interfaces because it requires no mechanical
movement and enables a completely sealed, modern-looking design. The
basic principles behind this technology have been around for many years,
but today’s modern embedded Microcontrollers (MCUs) make using these
measurement techniques much easier and more affordable than traditional mechanical contact switches. Capacitive touch-sensing technology has begun to show up in various market segments,
including medical, industrial, consumer and automotive; for reasons such as aesthetics, lower maintenance, cost and cleanliness. In the automotive market, capacitive touch sensing has already been
used in a variety of applications, ranging from replacing bulky mechanical user-control switches; to implementing proximity detection using a capacitive sensor; to automatically turning on dome lights
within the vehicle This presentation covers some of the common techniques available today for implementing capacitive touch sensing at a more affordable cost. The paper will then concentrate on the
variety of applications within the automotive industry for capacitive touch sensing, including the replacement of mechanical contact switches, building modern-looking slider controls, incorporating user
proximity detection, and measuring liquid levels.
http://www.aae-show.com/

Join Microchip Applications Engineer, Ezana Haile, during a half-day pre-conference workshop
entitled, “Temperature Sensing for Embedded Systems” at the Thermal Management & Technology
Symposium 2008.
This workshop will show how to identify the appropriate sensor for your application and discuss the
pros and cons of each type of sensor. Attendees will learn design and development techniques for
achieving ±0.05°C resolution and ±0.1°C accuracy from a -200°C to +1000°C temperature range.
Additionally, practical and cost-effective solutions for each sensor type will be demonstrated using
evaluation boards. Attendees will receive USB-powered, stand-alone evaluation boards for each
sensor type, and the supporting user-interface and temperature data log PC software.
Cost: $200 registering before August 25th, $300 registering after August 25th
http://www.thermalnews.com/TN08_index.php
Join Microchip’s Bill Hutchings at the the fifth annual Digital Power Forum (DPF ’08) to be held
September 15 – 17, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, CA, as he
presents a paper entitled, “Taking Digital Power Mainstream: Reference Designs, Software
and Advanced Tools.” As digital power conversion moves from the research lab into mainstream
product development, designers require more support from their silicon suppliers to speed, and
lower the risk of, product introduction. Designers are requiring more in the way of software and
design support. This paper will discuss how this can be achieved through reference designs,
application notes and advanced power-conversion simulation tools, to ease and speed the
transition to full digital control. This paper will demonstrate how this is accomplished and the
benefits derived, using examples including simple, primary-side control; digital Power Factor
Correction (PFC); and complete advanced AC-to-DC digital power-supply design.
http://digitalpower.darnell.com/index.php
at
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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 11

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

Are you looking for a

technical resource to take
your products to the next
level?
An Authorized Microchip Design Partner has the unique
advantage of helping you get to market faster. This
program provides you with a specialized resource that has
been technically and commercially qualified by Microchip.
The Design Partner Program offers special support and
technical training to keep its partners current with the
latest technology and device offerings from Microchip.
For more information visit us at
www.microchip.com/Partners
Microchip Mexico
One-day Technical
Event
24 September 2008
Join us on September 24, 2008 at a one
day technical event at the Tecnológico de
Monterrey (Guadalajara Campus)
Av. General Ramón Corona 2514
Col. Nuevo México
45201 Zapopan, Jal. México
Learn about a variety of Microchip products and key applications
in this full day of training. Participants can choose up to 4 classes
from a wide range of topics including PIC32, capacitive touch
sense, wireless technologies, motor control, lighting, USB, Ethernet,
and graphics displays using Microchip products and free software
libraries. The cost is only $99 USD and includes lunch. Classes will
be presented in a mix of Spanish and English. The complete class
list and abstracts can be downloaded from:
http://techtrain.microchip.com/downloads/mexicotraining2008.pdf
For more information, please e-mail giselle.miller@microchip.com

Need a Check out this video on YouTube called The Evolution of Robotic Dance, which is
based on The Evolution of Dance by Judson Laipply which has been a smash hit on
YouTube with nearly 92 million views.

Break?
Our customer, Kablamm Ltd. would love to get as many people as possible to see it.
If you can spare a few minutes to click on THIS LINK and watch the video, and even
better, rate it!
We think you will find it most entertaining... and best of all, it uses our PIC®MCUs!!!!

Watch This!!!!
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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 12

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008
Add more details to this wiki at www.microchip.com/wiki
This Month’s Wiki:
dsPIC® DSC
Schematics with
Compass, Ultrasound
and XBee Modules
Microchip’s ICwiki is an online,
open-content collaborative source
for microelectronic knowledge,
from a voluntary association of
individuals and groups working to
develop a common resource.
Wikis allow for linking among any
number of pages. This ease of
interaction and operation makes
a wiki an effective tool for mass
collaborative authoring.
For the complete wiki entry, visit http://www.microchip.com/wiki/Wiki.aspx?WikiID=87
www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 13
This is the demo which was presented at
Embedded World 2007. The demo acquires
angle and distance from a compass and a
ultrasound receiver, sending them to a remote
system using an XBee module connected
through UART. On the PC side, then, a GTK
graphical application (not available for
download) displays the data in a polar plot.
The Board schematics, PCB and the software
are available as a template under ERIKA
Enterprise.
Authors
Mauro Marinoni (ReTiS Lab Scuola Superiore
Sant’Anna)
Michael Trimarchi (Evidence Srl)
Claudio Scordino (Evidence Srl)
Software
The software is an EE application which acquires information from a compass and a ultrasound
receiver, sending them to a remote system using an XBee module. The application is distributed
with ERIKA Enterprise since version 1.4.0, and shows a simple implementation of a Zigbee™
serial gateway which interfaces SPI/I²C™ peripherals with a dsPIC DSC.
Hardware
This is the list of hardware components needed to reproduce the demo:
– A FLEX Base Board (light or full)
– A home made PCB (Eagle design and schematics available in the template)
– Few resistences and connectors
– A ZigBee modem (XBee from MaxSream)
– A compass (CMPS03)
– An ultrasound sensor (SRF10)
– An XBee module with an USB interface on the PC side
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 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

What’s New in Microchip Literature? Visit our Technical Documentation page on

www.microchip.com to view the documents.

Doc. Type Doc. Title DS No. Doc. Type Doc. Title DS No.
Emulating Data EEPROM for PIC18/24 MCUs and dsPIC33 DSCs 01095B PIC32MX FRM Section 17. A/D Converter 61104D
USB Human Interface Device Class on an Embedded Host 01144A PIC32MX FRM Section 14. Timers 61105D
Application Implementing a Mass Storage Device Using the Microchip USB PIC32MX FRM Section 23. SPI 61106E
01189A
Note Device Firmware Framework PIC32MX FRM Section 21. UART 61107D
Sensorless Field-Oriented Control (FOC) of an AC Induction Motor 01206A PIC32MX FRM Section 8. Interrupts 61108D
Using External Memory with PIC24F/24H/dsPIC33F Devices 01210A PIC32MX FRM Section 20. CVREF 61109D
24AA65/LC65/C65 Data Sheet 21073K PIC32MX FRM Section 19. Comparator 61110D
24LC21A Data Sheet 21160G PIC32MX FRM Section 16. Output Compare 61111D
Data Sheet
PIC32MX3XX/4XX Family Data Sheet 61143E PIC32MX FRM Section 6. Oscillators 61112E
PIC24HJ12GP201/202 Data Sheet 70282C PIC32MX FRM Section 2. MCU 61113C
PIC18F85J90 Family Data Sheet Errata 80286C PIC32MX FRM Section 9. Watchdog 61114D
dsPIC30F1010/202X Rev. A1 Silicon Errata 80290J PIC32MX FRM Section 3. Memory 61115D
PIC18F97J60 Family Rev. A0 Silicon Errata 80292D PIC32MX FRM Section 24. I²C™ 61116D
dsPIC30F1010/202X Rev. A2 Silicon Errata 80319D FRM Chapter
PIC32MX FRM Section 31. DMA 61117D
PIC24FJ64GA004 Family Data Sheet Errata 80333C PIC32MX FRM Section 7. Resets 61118E
Errata ENC28J60 Rev. B7 Silicon Errata 80349B PIC32MX FRM Section 4. Prefetch 61119D
PIC24FJ256GB110 Family Rev. A3 Silicon Errata 80369B PIC32MX FRM Section 12. I/O Ports 61120D
PIC18F97J60 Data Sheet Errata 80381A PIC32MX FRM Section 5. Flash 61121D
PIC18F72X/LF72X Rev. A Silicon Errata 80382A PIC32MX FRM Section 15. Input Capture 61122D
PIC18F85J11 Family Data Sheet Errata 80383A PIC32MX FRM Section 32. Configuration 61124D
PIC24FJ256AB110 Family Data Sheet Errata 80385A PIC32MX FRM Section 29. RTCC 61125D
User’s Guide dsPICDEM™ MCLV Development Board User’s Guide 70331A PIC32MX FRM Section 27. USB OTG 61126C
Programming PIC32MX FRM Section 13. PMP 61128D
PIC18F6XJXX/8XJXX Flash Programming Specification 39644H
Specification
PIC32MX FRM Section 33. Programming And Diagnostics 61129D
Specification Transition Socket Specification 51194Q
PIC32MX FRM Section 10. Power Saving 61130E
FRM Manual PIC32MX Family Reference Book 61132B
PIC24H FRM Section 30. I/O Ports with Peripheral Pin Select 70234B

The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, Accuron, dsPIC, KEELOQ, KEELOQ logo, MPLAB, PIC, PICmicro,
PICSTART, rfPIC and SmartShunt are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and
other countries. FilterLab, Linear Active Thermistor, MXDEV, MXLAB, SEEVAL, SmartSensor and The Embedded Control
Solutions Company are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. Analog-for-the-Digital
Age, Application Maestro, CodeGuard, dsPICDEM, dsPICDEM.net, dsPICworks, dsSPEAK, ECAN, ECONOMONITOR,
FanSense, In Circuit Serial Programming, ICSP, ICEPIC, Mindi, MiWi, MPASM, MPLAB Certified logo, MPLIB, MPLINK,
mTouch, PICkit, PICDEM, PICDEM.net, PICtail, PIC32 logo, PowerCal, PowerInfo, PowerMate, PowerTool, REAL ICE, rfLAB,
Select Mode, Total Endurance, UNI/O, WiperLock and ZENA are trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in

Packaging Microchip
the U.S.A. and other countries. SQTP is a service mark of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. All other
trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective companies. © 2008, Microchip Technology Incorporated,
Printed in the U.S.A., All Rights Reserved.
Specifications Advanced Parts Selector
Request Data Sheet Finder
Additional Literature
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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 14

 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY’S microSOLUTIONS monthly eNEWSLETTER - August 2008

What Are Customers “Trowtronics is a sub contract manufacturer, founded in 1987 we

Saying About... service the electronic assembly requirements of our customers

across a wide spectrum of products. Our customers demand that as
well as supplying a competitively priced product, we also supply
to their delivery requirements, many of which are on very critical
deadlines.
With this in mind, I am extremely pleased to have found a supplier

? in microchipDIRECT who lives up to the expectations we have of a

“Microchip offers very good personal service, the delivery times are
always adhered to. The microchipDIRECT site is a very good option as you
can look for better pricing on parts. The Microchip team is very helpful if
you have any queries regarding parts and delivery times etc.”
– Eltex Manufacring
“We are very happy of the service that we get from microchipDIRECT. We
are also very satisfied of the collaboration of Luc Archambault in Montréal
as engineering support. Microchip parts are used by CDVI in several
different high-tech current and new products. We consider Microchip as
partner for our organization.”
René Mallandain, DVI Americas LTD
www.cdvi.ca
supplier, a very rare thing in today’s marketplace.
We have had an ongoing trading relationship with them since 2006.
Our internal sales contact, Sherrie May-Reeves, is an absolute
pleasure to deal with. Always going that extra mile to ensure that
we get the pricing and delivery requirements we demand and doing
her utmost to smooth out the odd wrinkle that may appear from time
to time, she is a credit to the organization.
Having direct access to the ‘live’ stocks at Microchip is also
a bonus and allows us to accurately forecast deliveries to our
customers. We also enjoy the added value from the programming and
taping and reeling service offered.
I only wish that the rest of my suppliers were as reliable as
microchipDIRECT and I would go home a happy man at the end of each
day and maybe with a few less headaches.”
Kindest regards,
Mike Curtis
Trowtronics UK Ltd
www.trowtronics.com

Microchip’s Sample Site now offers

next-day* shipping from
Delivery is available in 48 hours to
major markets in Europe and Asia and
in 24 hours for North America!
Order samples today at
http://sample.microchip.com
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www.microchip.com Microcontrollers • Digital Signal Controllers • Analog • Serial EEPROMs 15