MAXQ610
Detailed Description
The MAXQ610 microcontroller provides integrated, low-
cost solutions that simplify the design of IR communica-
tions equipment such as universal remote controls.
Standard features include the highly optimized, single-
cycle, MAXQ 16-bit RISC core, 64KB of flash memory,
2KB data RAM, a soft stack, 16 general-purpose regis-
ters, and three data pointers. The MAXQ core offers the
industry’s best MIPS/mA rating, allowing developers to
achieve the same performance as competing micro-
controllers at substantially lower clock rates. Combining
lower active-mode current with the MAXQ610 stop-
mode current (0.2A typical) results in increased bat-
tery life. Application-specific peripherals include
flexible timers for generating IR carrier frequencies and
modulation, a high-current IR drive pin capable of sink-
ing up to 25mA current, and output pins capable of
sinking up to 5mA ideal for IR applications, general-
purpose I/O pins ideal for keypad matrix input, and a
power-fail-detection circuit to notify the application
when the supply voltage is nearing the minimum oper-
ating voltage of the microcontroller.
At the heart of the MAXQ610 is the MAXQ 16-bit RISC
core. The MAXQ610 operates from DC to 12MHz and
almost all instructions execute in a single clock cycle
(83.3ns at 12MHz), enabling nearly 12MIPS true code
operation. When active device operation is not
required, an ultra-low-power stop mode can be invoked
from software resulting in quiescent current consump-
tion of less than 0.2A typical and 2.0A maximum. The
combination of high-performance instructions and ultra-
low stop-mode current increases battery life over com-
peting microcontrollers. An integrated POR circuit with
brownout support resets the device to a known condi-
tion following a power-up cycle or brownout condition.
Additionally, a power-fail warning flag is set and a
power-fail interrupt can be generated when the system
voltage falls below the power-fail warning voltage,
VPFW. The power-fail warning feature allows the appli-
cation to notify the user that the system supply is low
and appropriate action should be taken.
Microprocessor
The MAXQ610 is based on Maxim’s MAXQ core. The
MAXQ is a low-power implementation of the new 16-bit
MAXQ family of RISC cores. The core supports the
Harvard memory architecture with separate 16-bit pro-
gram and data address buses. A fixed 16-bit instruction
word is standard, but data can be arranged in 8 or 16
bits. The MAXQ core in the MAXQ610 family is imple-
mented as a pipelined processor with performance
approaching 1MIPS per MHz. The 16-bit data path is
implemented around register modules, and each regis-
ter module contributes specific functions to the core.
The accumulator module consists of sixteen 16-bit regis-
ters and is tightly coupled with the arithmetic logic unit
(ALU). A configurable soft stack supports program flow.
Execution of instructions is triggered by data transfer
between functional register modules or between a func-
tional register module and memory. Because data
movement involves only source and destination mod-
ules, circuit-switching activities are limited to active
modules only. For power-conscious applications, this
approach localizes power dissipation and minimizes
switching noise. The modular architecture also provides
a maximum of flexibility and reusability that is important
for a microprocessor used in embedded applications.
The MAXQ instruction set is highly orthogonal. All arith-
metical and logical operations can use any register in
conjunction with the accumulator. Data movement is
supported from any register to any other register.
Memory is accessed through specific data-pointer reg-
isters with automatic increment/decrement support.
Memory
The MAXQ610 incorporates several memory types that
include the following:
64KB program flash
2KB SRAM data memory
5.25KB utility ROM
Soft stack
Block Diagram
16-BIT MAXQ
RISC CPU
8kHz NANO
RING
2KB SRAM
IR TIMER
SPI
USART0
USART1
64KB FLASH
SECURE MMU
16-BIT TIMER
GPIO
VOLTAGE
MONITOR
IR DRIVER
REGULATOR
WATCHDOG
CLOCK
4KB ROM
MAXQ610
16-Bit Microcontroller with Infrared Module
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