The H8/3069F's Flash Memory Can be Programmed Via a User Boot Mode -- an Industry First -- or Via the Conventional Boot and User Programming Modes

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 27, 2001-- Hitachi Semiconductor (America) Inc. today introduced the H8/3069F microcontroller (MCU), a 25 megahertz (MHz), 16-bit device with a large 512-Kilobyte (KB) on-chip flash memory, 16-KB RAM and extensive peripheral functions. The MCU, which expands the popular H8/300H series, is ideal for controlling storage devices such as CD-R/RW and DVD-ROM/RAM drives (and combinations thereof) that handle large-volume multimedia data, including still and moving images. The MCU's large on-chip flash accommodates more complex system control programs than devices with smaller-capacity flash. The H8/3069F's flash can be programmed and reprogrammed quickly even when the MCU is mounted on a circuit board, a capability that helps reduce system development times.

New method for programming the on-chip flash, User Boot Mode

Like other flash MCUs, the H8/3069F allows programming of its flash memory via three conventional methods: the PROM mode where the flash can be programmed via a high speed gang programmer, the boot mode, in which the flash can be programmed via a serial port, and the user programming mode where the flash is programmed by software running on the H8/3069F. The new device also provides greater design flexibility by offering a new fourth method: the industry's first user boot mode, in which a user can write a custom boot mode code. That control code can be tailored to meet specific system needs, such as selecting the interface to be accessed, or choosing when to erase the flash memory.

High-speed: instructions execute in 80 ns

Internal to the H8/3069F, the H8/300H series CPU core run at a low voltage, approximately 1.9 volts (V), that is generated by an on-chip step-down circuit from a 5-V or 3.3-V external power supply. Designers can select the MCU's supply voltage according to the voltage of the interfaces used in the system. On either power supply voltage, the H8/3069F provides high-speed (25-MHz) operation with a minimum instruction execution time of 80 nanoseconds (ns).

The peripherals built into the H8/3069F include functions suited to storage device control: three 16-bit timer channels, four 8-bit timer channels, eight high-precision 10-bit A/D converter channels, four Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller channels, and three serial interface channels.

Established development environment available

Fast, easy system design and debug with the H8/3069F is facilitated by the many software and hardware development products that are readily available for the H8/300H series MCUs. Software products include a C compiler, assembler, linkage editor and simulator/debugger provided in the Hitachi Embedded Workshop (HEW), an integrated development environment. Hardware products include a low-cost evaluation and development kit (EDK) and the E6000 real-time emulator.

The H8/3069F is available in 100-pin plastic QFP and thin QFP (TQFP) packages, both of which have a 0.5-mm pin pitch. Other MCUs with on-chip flash memories in the H8/300H series include the H8/3068F (384-KB flash), H8/3064F (256-KB flash) and H8/3062F (128-KB flash). These products allows designers to match memory capacity to existing requirements, then make quick system upgrades as system memory needs grow. Hitachi's future plans for the H8/300H series include the development of higher-speed chips and mask ROM versions.

Price and availability

Samples of the H8/3069F will be available 4Q 2001.

H8/3069F    Hitachi Part   Package       Quantity   Price/Availability
MCU         Number

25 MHz/5 V  HD64F3069F     100-pin QFP   10,000     $13.00/1Q 2002
or 3.3 V                   (FP-100B)


25 MHz/5 V  HD64F3069TE    100-pin TQFP  10,000     $12.20/1Q 2002
or 3.3 V                   (TFP-100B)

Reader contact

Readers can find additional product and contact information on Hitachi Semiconductor's Web site at www.hitachi.com/semiconductor or by calling 800/285-1601.

About Hitachi Semiconductor (America) Inc.

Hitachi Semiconductor (America) Inc., a subsidiary of Hitachi America, Ltd., supports the requirements of the North American marketplace with a broad range of standard and low-power semiconductor solutions. Offering some of the industry's most popular microcontrollers, microprocessors and memory components, among other semiconductor solutions, Hitachi provides chips to the world's leading device manufacturers within industrial, consumer and emerging market applications. Hitachi's substantial design engineering, research and development facilities in the United States help bring the world's best technology to U.S. customers. For more information, visit: www.hitachi.com/semiconductor

Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, consumer electronics and semiconductors, and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information, visit: www.hitachi.com

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 2000 (ended March 31, 2001) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen ($67.9 billion(1)) The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site: http://global.hitachi.com (1) At an exchange rate of 106 yen to the dollar.

Note to Editors: A specification summary is included in this release, and a photo and block diagram of the H8/3069F microcontroller are available upon request.

    H8/3069F Specifications

CPU core                    H8/300H
Operating frequency/        25 MHz / 3.0 V to 3.6 V
power supply voltage range  25 MHz / 4.5 V to 5.5 V
ROM                         512-Kbyte flash memory
                            Three flash programming methods:
                            -  Boot mode
                            - User programming mode
                            - User boot mode
RAM                         16 Kbytes
Address space               16 Mbytes
External data bus width     16/8 bits
Bus type                    Non-multiplexed
DMA controller              4 channels
16-bit timer                3 channels
8-bit timer                 4 channels
Watchdog timer              1 channel
Programmable timing         16-bit output
pattern controller
SCI  (synchronous/          3 channels
      asynchronous)
10-bit A/D      Inputs      8 channels
converter       External    Yes
                trigger
                function
8-bit D/A converter         2 channels
outputs
External interrupts         7 channels
I/O ports                   79
CS outputs                  8
Packages:     - HD64F3069F  QFP-100 (14 mm x 14 mm, 0.5-mm pin pitch)
              - HD64F3069TE TQFP-100 (14 mm x 14 mm, 0.5-mm pin pitch)