Unleashing the Power of the Mighty M0+ LPC860 Microcontrollers

Never before have engineers had so many microcontroller options to choose from. Whether a project is cost-sensitive, requires large processing power or needs to operate from batteries, there is a microcontroller for every application. But while there are many cost-effective options available to engineers, the increasing demands from even the simplest designs can leave engineers with great difficulties when selecting a microcontroller.

The LPC860 – An Overview

In recognition of the changing demands from engineers, NXP has recently launched its LP860 family of 32-bit microcontrollers that fully support existing software solutions and programming environments developed by NXP.

The LPC860 integrates a 32-bit Arm^® Cortex^® M0+ CPU with a maximum clock frequency of 60MHZ, built-in nested interrupts and a system tick timer for time tracking. Regarding memory, the LPC860 offers up to 64KB of flash memory and 8KB SRAM while also providing strengthened code read protection, ideal for security in commercial products. In addition to internal booting, the LPC860 also supports boot loaders that enable firmware updates in the field, and this can be used to provide additional security measures after deployment.

Having plenty of GPIO access is a must for most commercial applications, and the LPC860 meets these demands with up to 54 GPIO and a 12-bit ADC connected to 12 selectable input channels providing sample rates up to 1.9Msps. For applications that require larger currents, 4 pins on the LPC860 support 20mA current source and sinking.

To better experience, download the block diagram.

The LPC860 includes numerous digital peripherals, including 1 x I3C, 1 x I2C, 2 x SPI, and 3 x USART, providing engineers with multiple bus options. Regarding timers, the LPC860 includes two FlexTimers with DMA capabilities and selectable hardware triggers. Not only can these timers be used in motor controller applications, but dedicated motor fault detection allows for the LCP860 to shut down an external motor upon detecting faults. In addition to the two FlexTimers, four multi-rate provide repetitive interrupt generation, and a self-wakeup timer can resume CPU operation from sleep after a predefined time.

Finally, the LCP860 integrates an internal voltage regulator for powering the internal core, thus only requiring a single voltage input (as opposed to a separate VCCIO and VCORE).

Advantages of the LPC860

By far, the biggest advantage of the LPC860 for engineers is its price-competitive nature compared to other microcontrollers of similar capabilities. The LPC860 is supported by the widely adopted MCUXpresso Suite of Software and Tools and engineers can integrate LPC860 devices into pre-existing devices using older NXP parts that require upgrading. In addition to this, the LPC860 also allows engineers to stay within the NXP ecosystem so that future upgrades (with more high-performance parts), are faced with little difficulty.

The wide range of integrated peripherals also makes the LPC860 highly versatile as it can target most applications. In addition to the integrated peripherals, the availability of I3C not only helps to future-proof the LPC860 but allows engineers to move away from the aging I2C protocol. Furthermore, the I3C peripheral supports both controller and target modes, meaning that the LPC860 can act as either a peripheral or as a main bus controller (it also allows for chip-to-chip communication between two LPC860 devices).

The integrated voltage regulator helps engineers to reduce the system cost of using the LPC860 by eliminating the need for multiple external regulators (instead, a single regulator can provide a bus voltage for multiple sensors, peripherals and the LPC860). The FlexTimers offered by the LPC860 not only allow for complex timing operations but have been designed with motor control applications in mind. For example, the LPC860 integrates a motor fault detection circuit, which not only helps to minimize external motor circuitry but allows for intelligent motor operation as well as improved safety features.

The LPC860 support for bootloaders is a particularly important feature when considering the increasing importance of cybersecurity in the electronics field. Devices that are deployed to the field may be discovered to have software vulnerabilities, and these can easily be updated in-circuit without the need for dedicated programmers and programming jigs. Thus, products using the LPC860 can integrate software upgradability and long-term support.

The last major advantage of the LPC860 is the availability of 4 high current GPIO pins. While these can be used to drive LEDs and other high-current devices, they can also be used for controlling power amplifiers that require a substantial amount of current for biasing (such as large BJTs and MOSFETs).

Applications for LPC860 Microcontrollers

Motor Applications

As the FlexTimers are ideal for use with motors, the LPC860 is an excellent candidate for use in products that use motors. Such products can include power tools, kitchen equipment, and domestic appliances that require the use of a motor. The fault detection offered by the LPC860 allows for advanced protection mechanisms to be integrated which can reduce the damage done to stalled motors, while PWM capabilities allow for real-time speed control.

Lighting Applications

The high-current GPIO can be used to power small LEDs, but if used with an amplifier, can be used to control large lighting setups. In addition to LED control, the LPC860 can also utilize its ADC to monitor the ambient light levels to adjust the brightness of LEDs via PWM dynamically, and the I3C peripheral allows for communication with other lighting systems. In addition to I3C, the combination of FTM1 and GPIO allows for the LPC860 to be used with DALI Bus, a protocol that is used to control networked lights.

Battery Charging Applications

Another potential application for the LPC860 microcontrollers is in battery charging controllers. The integrated I2C peripherals allow for the LPC860 to communicate with pre-existing charge controllers, while the combination of ADC and PWM allows for the LPC860 to read and control the state of a charge controller intelligently. For example, Lithium batteries have specific charge cycles, and the LPC860 can use its ADC to read cell voltages, while a PWM output can be used to control the charging current.

PC I3C Accessories

As I3C steadily becomes more popular, the ability of the LPC860 to operate in both target and controller modes allows for it to be used as a peripheral. One area where I3C is becoming popular is in PC motherboards that utilize I3C to control external devices such as lights, fans and sensors. Considering that the LPC860 can be used in both lighting and motor applications, the LPC860 is also an excellent candidate for next-generation PC accessories that require intelligent control via an OS.

Conclusion

The LPC860 is a cost-effective microcontroller with a powerful 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0+ core with numerous peripherals, advanced features and compatibility with existing software solutions. The ability to use the I3C controller in both target and controller modes allows engineers to create devices using a single microcontroller platform, the integrated FlexTimers allow engineers to target motor applications, and the multitude of other peripherals provides engineers with a large degree of flexibility.