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small uCs with CAN?

Hello - I'm looking for a small microcontroller that has an onboard CAN controller. If it also had an onboard CAN transciever that would be great - but I've yet to see that in any microcontroller so I'm not getting my hopes up. The problem I've run into is that I'm working on a very small board that needs a CAN interface. Right now I'm planning on using an Atmel AT90CAN128 but I'm early enough in the design stage that I could switch to something else. The problem with the AT90CAN128 is it's size and availalble packages - it comes in a TQFP 64 and a QFN 64. The TQFP is 16mm across which means it's almost as wide as the board it is destined to be on. Not an ideal situation by any means! The QFN is a much more reasonable 9mm across, but the pad on the bottom presents problems in soldering prototypes, and, more importantly, makes routing very difficult as traces can't be routed beneath the chip on the top layer of the board. Unfortunately the QFN is looking like the best option right now as I just don't think I can free up enough space for the TQFP.

I have looked at the offerings of Philips, TI, and Microchip - and the best I could find was the Microchip PIC18F2480 in a QFN 28 package. But I am not particuarly fond of the idea of using a PIC as I understand there are no good open source/free C compilers for it, and again that chip suffers from a QFN package (though a smaller QFN like this QFN 28 would help with layouts). I also have never used a PIC, so there would be the initial learning curve to get over.

My question is this: Are there any smaller microcontrollers that have onboard CAN controllers? Ideally Atmel would start making an "AT90CAN48" (an ATMEGA48 with CAN). To me a chip like this would make such great sense for so many applications that I just don't understand why it isn't on the market yet as there are no other chips with CAN in that price bracket, to the best of my knowledge.

Thanks for your help,

-Mike

Reply to
Michael Noone
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Renesas R8C/23

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Under developement, but acording to their shedule it should be available soon.

HTH

Markus

Reply to
Markus Zingg

The Atmel 89C51CC02 comes in small packages, about the same as the PIC. Or, you could look at a Microchip CAN-SPI and then any small uC of your choice ?

-jg

Reply to
Jim Granville

Markus Zingg wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

That's a nice looking chip! Nice package too - like a TQFP but .5mm pitch - exactly how it should be. Any idea on the timeframe for that chip? If it's not out yet it's too late for me - but it looks like one to keep an eye on. Also - any idea of pricing and if there will be gcc support for it? Thanks,

-Mike

Reply to
Michael Noone

I'm not related to Renesas, but if you look at the map table it should be out really soon. (I.e. 1 - 2 months from now I guess).

The R8Cs are actually "little brothers" of the M16C familly. Both are

16 bit cores but hte R8C with a reduced number of pins and functionalty to make them smaller and cheaper. The pricing should be fairly attractive. Just visit their Website and look for a distributor near you to have a qoute.

With regard to GCC - there is no GCC support, but a quite good compiler is available from them. Best thing is to probably get an eval kit (they are dirt cheap) to get an idea. I actually find this chip familly is very well done. We use the M16C parts for quite a while and are very satisfied.

Markus

Reply to
Markus Zingg

Have a look at Fujitsu MB90387, is a LQFP48

Emanuele

Reply to
Emanuele Ciarrocchi

My advise is to stay with AVR if possible. The free WinAVR + AVRStudio is one good point to stay there. I don't know where you are located, but if you are in Europe don't fool to go with Japanese vendors, they don't provide any support for small customers and you will have hard time to buy anything in quantity less

1K, the long leadtimes are normal for them as well, unless you find distributor crazy enough to keep for you buffer stock.

Best regards Tsvetan

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Reply to
tusunov

I don't know on what experience you base this statement, but with regard to Renesas (as well as Fujitsu) I made totally different experience here in Europe. Especially Renesas is very well represented. I.e. Glyn as well as Schurich deliver those controllers without problems in quantity 1. Glyn is offering excellent suport for them and is even offering their own starterkits.

Markus

Reply to
Markus Zingg

Farnell and Digi-Key in Europe do stock various Japanese vendors, and for models not held by them I have been able to get two's and three's.

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Reply to
Paul Carpenter

Un bel giorno Michael Noone digitò:

TQFP64 are usually 12x12 mm.

If 12x12 mm are fine, and you need some power, there are for example Silabs MCUs and TI DSPs:

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You could also use a smaller microcontroller without CAN, with a small external CAN controller such as MCP2515 from Microchip (which is a TSSOP package, around 6x6 mm).

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Reply to
dalai lamah

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