Introducing PSoC 4 L-Series: Now with 256kb Flash, and twice the analog and digi

[CypressPSoC]

The new PSoC 4 L-Series expands the ARM Cortex-M0 based portfolio with even more integrated peripherals. Highlights include:

- 48MHz ARM Cortex-M0 with 256kb Flash/32kb SRAM
- DMA Controller
- Upto 98 GPIOs
- USB FS2.0 Peripheral
- 2 x CapSense blocks
- 4 x Opamps
- 2 x Comparators
- 1 x 12-bit SAR ADC
- 8 x Universal Digital Blocks
- 8 x Timer/Counter/PWM Blocks
- 4 x Serial Comm. Blocks
- 2 x CAN 2.0 controllers
- 1.71 - 5.5 V operation

There's also an exciting new development board for this chip, the L-Series Pioneer Kit which features the world's first DUAL-ARDUINO-SHIELD board. Take advantage of those 98 GPIOs! More here: http://www.cypress.com/documentation/development-kitsboards/cy8ckit-046-psoc-4-l-series-pioneer-kit (in stock next week)

The new L-Series devices are supported in the latest PSoC Creator release, available for download here: www.cypress.com/PSoCCreator

[westfw]

So... why are there so many new chips using the M0 and M0+ cores these days?  Does it have particularly favorable licensing or something?  It's sort of an ugly core; I'd much rather have an M3 or M4 core by the time I get to 256k flash...

[autobot]

CypressPsoc - will we see something like the L family(analog/digital peripherial rich) coming with bluetooth ? that would be very interesting.

[miguelvp]

So... why are there so many new chips using the M0 and M0+ cores these days?  Does it have particularly favorable licensing or something?  It's sort of an ugly core; I'd much rather have an M3 or M4 core by the time I get to 256k flash...

5LP (Cortex M3) uses 15.5mA in active mode at 48MHz
4L (Cortex M0) uses less power at 12.8mA in active mode at 48MHz.

Pricing is another factor, M0's are way cheaper.

For some applications the M0 is more than plenty at a reduced price.

[CypressPSoC]

So... why are there so many new chips using the M0 and M0+ cores these days?  Does it have particularly favorable licensing or something?  It's sort of an ugly core; I'd much rather have an M3 or M4 core by the time I get to 256k flash...

The ARM Cortex-M0 cores provide a good combination of the 3Ps - performance, power, and price.
Cypress does also have CM3 (PSoC 5LP) and CM4 (FM4) cores in other products for higher processing performance - depends on what you'd need for your application.
A lot of designs just need the extra Flash and don't warrant a higher-power/performance core, hence the options available. Especially with the programmable hardware peripherals around PSoC, the dependency on the core is reduced with a lot of functions offloaded to hardware peripherals.

[richardman]

If a vendor wants to compete in a market segment where 8/16 bit chips are strong, then M0/M0+ are compelling because the pricing can be much lower. OTOH, if you are looking at 64K or up, then the pricing for 64K+ AVR are high and in that case, M3/M4 start to make more sense.

[CypressPSoC]

CypressPsoc - will we see something like the L family(analog/digital peripherial rich) coming with bluetooth ? that would be very interesting.

Not specifically on the L-family, but we've got new Bluetooth products on the roadmap for this year.. stay tuned for public announcements shortly!
Ever since we first made the PSoC 4 BLE, we've introduced new variants every quarter since (PSoC 4 BLE 128k, PSoC 4 BLE 256k, PSoC 4 BLE thin-CSP, PSoC 4 BLE 4.2, etc...)
more at www.cypress.com/BLE

[CypressPSoC]

If a vendor wants to compete in a market segment where 8/16 bit chips are strong, then M0/M0+ are compelling because the pricing can be much lower. OTOH, if you are looking at 64K or up, then the pricing for 64K+ AVR are high and in that case, M3/M4 start to make more sense.

just as an FYI - we recently also introduced a Cortex-M0+ MCU with up to 560kb Flash! Perfect for those times where you just need the extra memory headroom but do not want to pay for a CM3/4 core.

[nctnico]

How much RAM? Large flash doesn't do much inless there is also lots of RAM.

[poorchava]

I can't really agree with that. There  are projects which don't need much processing power as such,  but have very convoluted UI or other thing that needs a lot of raw data. 

Sent from my HTC One M8s using Tapatalk.

[CypressPSoC]

How much RAM? Large flash doesn't do much inless there is also lots of RAM.

256kb Flash / 32kb SRAM

a majority of our chips have an 8:1 Flash:SRAM ratio (some exceptions of course)

[Harvs]

Is there a public timeline on when they'll be available? Both dev boards and reels of parts. I can find anything on the cypress site.

[tszaboo]

So... why are there so many new chips using the M0 and M0+ cores these days?  Does it have particularly favorable licensing or something?  It's sort of an ugly core; I'd much rather have an M3 or M4 core by the time I get to 256k flash...

M0  now is royalty free, you need to pay 40K one time license. I actually think M3 doesnt really make much sense anymore, becuase of the M4F is getting so cheap, and you are paying for the peripherals and memory anyway. I made a quick lookup, and there was 4% difference at a unnamed Italian-French manufacturer's M3 and M4 otherwise identical micro.
That being said, I think I will find a good reason to try the PSOC at work.

[Muxr]

M0 is the most interesting part to me. Most of the stuff I use it for could be done with an 8 bit micro, so M0 offers much more capability than I need already. It's cheap and versatile. Like the ultra low power versions for battery applications.

[andyturk]

M0  now is royalty free, you need to pay 40K one time license.

Wow! Really?

Smart move by ARM. That'll go a long way towards dislodging the 8051 as the least common denominator architecture.

[CypressPSoC]

Is there a public timeline on when they'll be available? Both dev boards and reels of parts. I can find anything on the cypress site.

the development boards should be available online next week.
the part reels should be available online in the next 4 weeks.

[autobot]

>> the part reels should be available online in the next 4 weeks.

Great!

Any info about pricing, even rough info ?

[tszaboo]

M0  now is royalty free, you need to pay 40K one time license.

Wow! Really?

Smart move by ARM. That'll go a long way towards dislodging the 8051 as the least common denominator architecture.

I agree. I hate to see all these wierd 8 bit architectures, including the 8051, being used. I hope at some point all these wireless SOCs, and ASICs finally can include something sensible.

[miguelvp]

M0  now is royalty free, you need to pay 40K one time license.

Wow! Really?

Smart move by ARM. That'll go a long way towards dislodging the 8051 as the least common denominator architecture.

I agree. I hate to see all these wierd 8 bit architectures, including the 8051, being used. I hope at some point all these wireless SOCs, and ASICs finally can include something sensible.

How about MIPS32 on this little $11 gadget running linux:

http://hackaday.com/2016/01/27/cheap-wifi-devices-are-hardware-hacker-gold/

Got one on the way.

[dannyf]

For some applications the M0 is more than plenty at a reduced price.

For this application, the mcu mostly configures the onboard cpld and direct traffic after that. Not much else is needed.

[Corporate666]

just as an FYI - we recently also introduced a Cortex-M0+ MCU with up to 560kb Flash! Perfect for those times where you just need the extra memory headroom but do not want to pay for a CM3/4 core.

What part are you referring to with 560k flash?  I looked at the Cypress website and didn't see anything under PSoC4 or PSoC4BLE chips - they all topped out at 256k.  Didn't see anything under PSoC5 either.  Very curious to check out this chip

[miguelvp]

That would be their FM series
http://www.cypress.com/products/fm0-s6e1b-series-arm-cortex-m0-ultra-low-power-mcu

[Neganur]

Seems the FM has been "coming soon" for a while now. Hopefully it won't take this long for the 4L to show up in the shop.

[westfw]

BTW: I'll admit to being very happy to see M0 part with more flash.  When the early PSoC4 chips came out, I was really worried about their small flash sizes.