Quadros announces support for LPC32x0 MCUs

Developers can now combine the efficiency, flexibility and scalability of the RTXC software family with the versatile LPC32x0 family.

The LPC32x0 is based on the 32-bit ARM926EJ-S core and was developed to deliver superior performance for embedded applications requiring high performance, high integration and low power consumption.

The LPC32x0 operates at 266 MHz.

The high level of on-chip integration features up to 256 KB of SRAM, 32 KB of I- and D-cache, an external memory controller, Ethernet, USB and other peripherals including an optional 24-bit LCD controller.

The LPC32x0 family is well-suited for a range of applications including consumer, medical, industrial, automotive, network control and communication.

Quadros offers a range of embedded software solutions, including RTOS, design tools, 10/100 Ethernet software, USB software, file systems and LCD/graphics software.

The RTXC family of solutions from Quadros provides a flexible solution development and runtime solution for the LPC32x0 platform.

In addition to supporting the on-chip peripheral with drivers and protocol software, Quadros also supports the integrated VFP (Vector Floating Point) unit on the LPC32x0 family.

This coprocessor increases the speed of typical calculations by a factor of four to five in scalar mode, and more in optimised vector mode.

RTXC tasks can perform floating point (FP) calculations without regard to whether any FP context area has been set up.

When the first VFP instruction is executed by a task, the Quadros runtime system will 'catch' the VFP Illegal Access exception and automatically allocate an FPU context area and enable VFP access for the task.

The task is then resumed, and can perform FP calculations as needed.

Alternatively, tasks can explicitly enable and disable their access to the VFP to even more tightly control VFP context management.

Quadros Systems' customers using the NXP family can select the embedded development tool suite that best fits their needs.

RTXC products are available with support for the Realview Microcontroller Development Kit (MDK-ARM) from Keil, an ARM company, and IAR's Embedded Workbench for ARM (EWARM).

Quadros support for the LPC32x0 family includes the following microcontrollers: LPC3220, LPC3230, LPC3240 and LPC3250, with software integrated and tested on the Phytec phyCORE-ARM9/LPC3250 rapid development kit.