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1998-11-02 , S/IC-2046/29
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

Philips Semiconductors expands support for internet-enabled devices with 8-bit flash microcontrollers

Combined emWare technology and Philips Semiconductors RX+ microcontrollers shortens development time of device networks

As part of the company's goal to offer developers full Internet connectivity for control systems with reduced development time, Philips Semiconductors today announced Internet networking capabilities for its 8XC51RX+ family of microcontrollers. First possible with its 16-bit XA (eXtended Architecture) microcontrollers, Philips Semiconductors now provides networking capabilities for general control systems using its 8-bit RX+ microcontrollers through a port of EMIT (Embedded Micro Internetworking Technology™) from emWare, Inc.

"Solutions using RX+ microcontrollers and emWare's EMIT software give equipment manufacturers the ability to create powerful networks between millions of electronic products in factories, offices and homes," said Geoff Lees, director of marketing for Philips Semiconductors' Microcontroller Business Line. "The alliance with emWare also includes plans to pre-program EMIT software on our microcontrollers, providing an Internet-ready microcontroller directly from Philips Semiconductors."

Philips Semiconductors' RX+ family of 8-bit, single-chip microcontrollers contains up to 64K bytes of ROM or non-volatile flash program memory. This flash memory is both parallel programmable and serial in-system programmable. In-system programming allows devices to alter their own program memory in the actual end product under software control. All RX+ microcontrollers include a programmable counter/time array (PCA) and hardware watchdog timer.

Adding network capabilities to embedded devices with the RX+ microcontroller provides easy access to data from the devices, which can provide valuable information for marketing, sales, distribution, purchasing, and other core areas of a company. EMIT software enables access to these devices through any type of network, connecting to any type of application or user interface.

"Millions of embedded devices using 8-bit microcontrollers hold information that can be valuable to business planning and decision making," said Chris Sontag, chief technology officer and co-founder of emWare, Inc. "Using Philips Semiconductors microcontrollers, it is now possible to access information from devices easily and cost-effectively and integrate it into a large-scale enterprise through the Internet or an intranet."

At the core of EMIT software's distributed networking architecture is a micro Web server - the industry's smallest - that uses as little as 1K byte of memory at the device. Standard Internet technologies, such as Java, HTTP and a Web browser interface are used to access, control and monitor devices through emGateway, the communication link between IP networks and lightweight networks (I²C, RS485, CAN, RF). The user interface is a standard Web browser in most applications, using industry standard browser technology to reduce client-side development. The user interface can operate on a remote Web browser, a directly connected laptop, or even a handheld PDA. Where a user interface is not necessary, it can connect directly to an application or database. EMIT's open, distributed network solution provides a complete software tool kit for networking embedded devices.

The emWare Software Developers Kit, which includes EMIT software is currently available through the emStore on EDTN News at www.emstore.edtn.com or by calling emWare at 1-877-4-EMWARE (+1-877-436-9273). It will support any RX+ device. For more information and pricing on RX+ devices, contact Philips Semiconductors or any of its worldwide distributors.

Philips Semiconductors is the world's leading supplier of the most popular 8-bit architecture, the 80C51, offering more than 100 derivatives. Cahners In-Stat Group, a high-technology market research firm in Scottsdale, Arizona, reported Philips Semiconductors' 80C51 sales of US$ 416 million in 1997, a 42 percent share of the 80C51 8-bit microcontroller market. Philips Semiconductors has recently extended this successful architecture into 16-bit performance with its XA. Now customers can preserve their software, development tools and technology investment in the 80C51 while capitalizing on the 16-bit performance requirements in a market expected to double in the next two years.

emWare is the sole provider of a distributed embedded device networking software that provides Internet connectivity for any device, including those with 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers, without requiring an RTOS or a TCP/IP stack at the device. The company develops products based on open Internet standards that allow embedded device manufacturers to simplify the use, management and commerce of their products. emWare partners with major microprocessor manufacturers, tools providers, and enterprise software companies to connect any device through any network with any application. The company is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information about emWare and its products, visit the company's Web site at http://www.emware.com/.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the ninth largest semiconductor supplier in the world and the third largest supplier of discretes in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by systems labs.