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So how do you choose a microcontroller for a new design? Do you go to the MCU you’re familiar with and have been using for a while? Or do you opt for a company recommended chip? Or perhaps search for something appropriate to the application?
As many of you have experienced, it’s not an easy choice. With dozens of companies making MCUs in many variations, your alternatives are overwhelming. One approach is to start from scratch and write out a list of your needs, requirements, and specifications and try to match those up with available devices. Also, not easy.
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今天需要大量关注的一个应用空间是工业物联网（IIOT）或行业4.0。这包括工厂自动化，工业控制以及具有机器人，电动机控制和智能车辆的任何东西。以这些目标为示例，以下是您可能会识别出的各种功能，需求和规格中的一些：
- Real-time control:So many manufacturing functions, especially robots, need real-time computing. Whatever it is, it must be fast and get done immediately. That calls for processor speed and/or perhaps multiple processors.
- Networking:实际上，智能工厂，汽车或与其他事物连接的任何地方中的所有内容都是整个行业4.0定义的固有功能。您不仅需要传统的网络连接，还需要特殊的现场插件或基于以太网的流行链接，指向传感器和执行器和其他设备。
- Motor control:行业应用总是涉及许多电动机和不同类型的电动机。可以处理一些更先进的电机控制算法的处理器至关重要。
- Robots:Robots are everywhere. They require special handling. And usually, real-time control
- 边缘计算：The trend is to do processing at the edge of the network or facility. That is, have local computers or servers perform the computing at the point of data collection. Analytics done at the edge rather than in the cloud is important to get the kind of performance you want.
- 低潜伏期：This feature has become a key requirement in most new high-performance designs’ computing and networking. It’s what makes real-time possible.
- High performance—may need up to a 10X performance boost over current designs.
- 实时控制A必须在计算和网络中。
- 功率效率 - 尽管速度要求矛盾，但功耗也是如此。
- 设计简单和重复使用。
- Cost optimization.
Can your processor do that?
This MCU Can Do That
德州仪器公司recently announced a new version of its Sitara microcontrollers.这些MCU指定为AM243X线，具有上述功能。但是，他们如何在单个芯片中提供如此多的性能？答案：他们集成了大量电路，包括处理器，内存，网络，I/O，加速器和安全性。
例如，三种可用型号（AM2431，AM2432和AM2434）为您一个，两个或四个32位ARM-Cortex-R5F内核以每种高达800 MHz的速度运行。多个内核可让您分区设计的关键部分，以便在需要的地方获得实时响应。
为了帮助这些努力，AM243X MCUS将大量RAM放置在每个核心中，以确保数据访问或指令执行所需的速度。所有这些都可以在功耗不到1 W的情况下进行。
至于网络，他们提供了工厂自动化工程师所需的东西 - 工业网络标准连接。新的Sitara McUs包括以太网，具有向后兼容的处理10/100版本。为Profinet IRT，Profinet RT，以太网/IP，EtherCat，IO-Link Master和时间敏感网络（TSN）提供可选支持。
There are plenty of standard I/O ports to address your specific needs, including an Ethernet switch with support for RGMII 10/100/1000 plus Energy Efficient Ethernet, USB 2.0 and 3.1, six I2C ports, two UARTs, two CAN-FD, and seven SPI ports along with multiple GPIOs. Analog capability includes one multiplexed 12-bit, 4-Msample/s ADC and seven pulse-width-modulation (PWM) modules.
One essential accelerator focuses on safety and security. It covers all of the major common encryption and authentication protocols. These processors also meet the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 specifications of the IEC 61508 standard.
In addition, the chip contains a power-management subsystem with overvoltage and undervoltage sensing, power on/sequence control, and other power-related functions.
最后，这些MCU有两种尺寸：17.2-×17.2毫米，441针FCBGA和11-×11毫米，293针FC/CSP。
For a summary of all the basic features, see the functional block diagram of the Sitara AM243x MCUs in the数字。
When working with sophisticated MCUs like the Sitara AM243x, strong software support is essential. That’s available in multiple forms. It starts with the LaunchPad Development Kit, which costs less than $100. Real-time control, networking, certified protocol stacks, networking solutions, and useful control algorithms are available as examples.
