Fujitsu and SEGGER announce embOS real-time operating system for 16FX microcontroller series

Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe (FME) and SEGGER Microcontroller, a leading manufacturer of middleware for embedded systems, have today announced the availability of SEGGER’s real-time operating system, embOS, for FME’s 16FX microcontroller family.

FME’s 16FX family retains compatibility with the company’s16LX microcontrollers while providing customers with major performance enhancements including up to five times the computing power, a significant 80% reduction in power consumption (at the same performance) and greater on-chip functionality compared to its predecessor.

It is based on an improved CPU with significantly increased internal bus bandwidth. As a result, program execution is about three times faster (depending on the memory model used) than 16LX at the same clock frequency. For example at 24MHz, 16FX achieves more than 11 real MIPS (Dhrystone 2.1). New technology and improved design allow CPU frequencies up to 56MHz – thus enabling processing performance ranges equivalent to 32-bit processors.

The embOS port for the 16FX takes full advantage of the family’s advanced architecture. “The tiny footprint of the embOS kernel and the code-size optimised instruction set of the Fujitsu 16FX microcontroller family are a perfect match,” said Robert Teufel, COO at SEGGER. embOS offers zero interrupt latency to support the sophisticated interrupt structure on the 16FX. Other high-end features of embOS include embOSView, a graphical profiler, an unlimited number of possible tasks and no pre-configuration or assembly language required. SEGGER does not charge royalties for embOS.

The 16FX family consists of several devices ranging in package size from 64 to 144-pin, with more currently under design. All devices are available with CAN, and the new 144-pin MB96F330 offers USB MiniHost functionality as an option. The 16FX series targets key market sectors, including automotive control applications where the new devices meet the demand for higher computing power combined with a high degree of integration as well as industrial control applications. The 16FX family is developed in Fujitsu’s European Microcontroller Design Centre in Langen, Germany.