Microchip Upgrades Its Latest dsPIC to 200 MHz High-Speed Processing
Microchip Unveils a High-Speed Upgrade for Its Latest dsPIC: Now Operating at 200 MHz
Microchip has announced its newest addition to the digital signal controller (DSC) family, the dsPIC33A series. This latest line marks a significant upgrade with a 200 MHz clock speed—the highest ever for dsPIC processors. The new dsPIC33A family features an enhanced core capable of faster operations and higher precision mathematics compared to previous models. It includes a double-precision floating point unit (DPFPU) and a comprehensive set of digital signal processing (DSP) instructions. Additionally, it offers up to 128 K of Flash memory for program storage.
BonChip Electronics, a leading distributor of electronic components, is proud to offer the Microchip dsPIC33A family as part of our extensive product portfolio. We provide seamless access to this cutting-edge technology, coupled with our exceptional customer support and rapid delivery services.
New, higher performing dsPIC targeted at a broad variety of control applications.
Contrary to the field of AI, where lesser precision math can be employed to expedite processes, signal processing demands the high precision of floating point math to achieve optimal results. A digital signal processor (DSP) must sample at speeds exceeding the frequency of the signal being analyzed and perform highly precise calculations within the brief timeframe allowed by higher sampling rates. The 200 MHz clock speed and double-precision floating point unit (DPFPU) in the dsPIC33A family address these requirements, catering to the need for faster and more accurate signal processing in our increasingly digitized world. Additionally, these chips come with enhanced computational capabilities, featuring faster analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and higher precision pulse width modulation (PWM) outputs.
We had the opportunity to speak with Joe Thomsen, vice president of Microchip’s digital signal controller business unit, to gain deeper insights into the dsPIC33A core family of DSCs.
The dsPIC33A at a Glance
Microchip introduces the dsPIC33A architecture in a new family of MCUs, starting with the dsPIC33AK128MC1xx. This series boasts compact packaging as small as 4 mm x 4 mm and offers a variety of pin counts ranging from 28 to 64. For more detailed specifications, you can refer to the [datasheet](#).
dsPIC33A family architecture.
Key Benefits of the dsPIC33A:
- Unmatched Performance: The 200 MHz clock speed and DPFPU deliver exceptional computational power for demanding signal processing tasks.
- Precision and Accuracy: The double-precision floating-point unit enables highly accurate calculations, essential for many signal processing algorithms.
- Flexibility and Scalability: The dsPIC33A family offers a range of options to suit different application requirements, including various package sizes and pin counts.
- Enhanced Peripherals: The integration of high-speed ADCs, PWMs, comparators, and op amps simplifies system design and reduces component count.
- Robust Security Features: Built-in security features protect against unauthorized access and tampering.
Ideal for a Wide Range of Applications
The dsPIC33A is well-suited for a variety of applications, including:
- Industrial Automation: Motor control, power supplies, and industrial sensors.
- Medical Devices: Imaging, patient monitoring, and medical instrumentation.
- Automotive: Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), powertrain control, and vehicle dynamics.
- Consumer Electronics: Audio processing, image processing, and wireless communications.
The dsPIC33A series comes equipped with a comprehensive set of built-in peripherals. Similar to other Microchip PIC microcontrollers, these peripherals are connected via an interconnect crossbar, providing flexibility in pin assignment. This feature allows designers to easily select the location of I/O pins, which can greatly simplify backward compatibility and PCB routing.
Microchip's dsPIC evolution.
“We've been in the dsPIC business for 20 years. When we first started out, you'd be lucky to run a control loop at 50 kilohertz,” Thomsen said. “With the dsPIC33A, we believe that without too much effort, you can run a 2-MHz control loop for the same type of control algorithm that you did back 20 years ago.”
Improved Application Efficiency
Many dsPIC applications are centered around real-time control, where fast and efficient processing is critical. These applications involve monitoring environmental sensors, processing the acquired data, and utilizing it in closed-loop or narrow-loop real-time applications. The dsPIC33A series excels in these scenarios with its fast ADCs and advanced mathematical capabilities.
Microchip has significantly upgraded the DSP engine for the dsPIC33A series, expanding the data bus, registers, and instruction set from 16-bit to 32-bit configurations. Previous generations of dsPIC relied heavily on fixed-point math. The new dsPIC33A architecture incorporates a double-precision, floating-point engine, enhancing the overall mathematical precision and efficiency.
“We enhanced all the DSP, the instructions, the engine, the multiplier, the accumulators—all for the wider data bus,” said Joe Thomsen. “It gives you a lot more efficiency.”
Enhanced MathematicalProcessing Having floating-point capability in the processor accelerates development cycles. Real-time control (RTC) systems are often developed alongside MATLAB, which uses floating-point math for modeling and code generation. Prior dsPIC generations required manual conversion from MATLAB’s floating-point math to the DSC's fixed-point format. This conversion step is rendered unnecessary with the dsPIC33A, streamlining the development process.
Reduced Interrupt Latency
Handling interrupts efficiently is a major challenge in real-time applications. Interrupt overhead, including the latency involved in saving and restoring registers on a stack, consumes valuable processing time. To address this, the dsPIC33A series comes with additional working registers. Instead of handling interrupts by pushing registers onto a stack and then popping them back, the dsPIC33A simply switches register sets, drastically reducing interrupt latency. > “We really worked hard to make sure your interrupt latency is almost zero,” said Thomsen. “As part of that, we've added a bunch of additional working registers so that when you get an interrupt, instead of pushing stuff onto a stack and then popping them when you get it back off again, you just switch register sets, and it reduces your interrupt latency time by an order of magnitude.”
Security and Software Tools
In today's world, no advanced processing device is entirely secure from potential attacks. Recognizing this, Microchip has embedded several security features within the dsPIC33A series. The DSC Flash memory includes secure debugging, restricted memory access, and a hardware immutable root of trust (RoT), providing robust security measures to protect against unauthorized access and tampering.
Automotive applications for the dsPIC33A.
Microchip set its security standards high, meeting the stringent automotive industry requirements (AEC Q-100) for performance, reliability, and manufacturing. All of the parts in the new family meet the same requirements, whether they are sold for automotive, industrial, or commercial applications.
Microchip fully supports the new dsPIC33A family with its MPLAB XC-DSC compiler and MPLAB code configurator (MCC). The MCC helps to configure the peripheral pinouts, peripheral configuration, and device-specific initialization code. Microchip offers the chip in development board form with the EV74H48A Curiosity development board.
“The dsPIC33A is very well suited for many of the wide band gap
devices we see now. Gallium nitride and silicon carbide have very fast
switching speeds,” Thomsen said. “As you start to look at supplies for
AI servers or for onboard charges for electric vehicles, where
efficiency really matters, having that very fast control loop makes a
big difference.”
BonChip Electronics: Your Partner in Embedded Solutions
BonChip Electronics is committed to providing our customers with the latest and most advanced microcontrollers for their embedded systems. The Microchip dsPIC33A is a prime example of the innovative products we offer. Our extensive inventory, coupled with our expert technical support, ensures that you have the right components for your design needs.
Contact BonChip Electronics today to learn more about the dsPIC33A and how it can enhance your signal processing applications.
