Cypress MicroSystems Introduces Integrated Development Environment for PSoC Mixed-Signal Array

– Cypress MicroSystems Inc., a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY), today introduced the PSoC Designer 4.0 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for its Programmable System-on-ChipTM  (PSOCTM) mixed-signal array.  PSoC Designer 4.0 is a complete graphical toolset that helps users harness the power and flexibility of PSoC by providing “point and click” system design capability. PSoC Designer 4.0 provides device and application editors, plus a compiler, debugger and linker under a simple graphical user interface (GUI).

The PSoC Designer 4.0 IDE includes pre-configured, characterized peripheral functions—both digital and advanced analog—in the form of “User Modules”. Designers can select which user modules they need in their design; connect them onscreen; set all parameters from pull-down menus; then click on the “Generate Application” button to generate and compile code that runs on PSoC. A highly-functional, low-cost In-Circuit Emulator (ICE) is available that fully integrates with PSoC Designer 4.0, providing comprehensive debugging of device configuration and the user's application.

“PSoC gives designers the ultimate in flexibility, while PSoC Designer 4.0 spares them the complexity,” said Nathan John, director of marketing for Cypress MicroSystems. “Normally designers pick up a series of datasheets and determine how to configure components; after laboriously designing their applications, they then have to write detailed application program interfaces (APIs) to run them. Using PSoC Designer 4.0, developers simply choose the user modules they need, connect them onscreen, and click a button to generate their application—complete with APIs, vector tables, and full datasheet documentation.  The time saving the developer will experience is dramatic, on the order of two to three weeks.”

PSoC Designer 4.0 supports all PSoC devices, in all pin configurations, including the new advanced analog CY8C27xxx family. The PSoC Device Manager features Pin-out and Placement views, enabling designers to graphically connect modules and route data. The Design Rule Checker tool in the Device Editor helps speed design flow. The Application Editor supports single-stepping through mixed ‘C’ and assembly code in the listing file.

Pricing and Availability

PSoC Designer 4.0 is available for free download at www.cypress.com under Design Resources: Software and Drivers.

The CY3205-DK Professional Class Development Kit includes a full-speed in-circuit emulator (ICE) with a large trace buffer, both of which seamlessly integrate with PSoC Designer 4.0. The development kit includes everything necessary to complete a design with the new PSoC family of ICs in DIP packages; the kits also contain all materials for the first four “Tele-training” modules. The CY3205-DK is priced at $398. See www.cypress.com, Design Resources: Developer Kits, for more details.

About the PSoC Family

Programmable System-on-Chip (PSoC) devices are high-performance, field-programmable, mixed-signal arrays for high-volume embedded-control functions in consumer, industrial, office automation, telecom and automotive applications. PSoC devices integrate programmable blocks of analog and digital logic, a fast 8-bit MCU, 16 kbytes of flash memory and 256 bytes of SRAM and a multiply-accumulate controller (MAC).

All PSoC devices are dynamically reconfigurable, enabling designers to create new system functions on-the-fly. Re-using the same silicon for different functions on different clock cycles, designers can achieve more than 120% utilization of the die in many cases. In the automotive PSoC LIN bus reference design, the same transistors are re-used four times to support the different LIN communication modes; in doing so, these transistors consume less than 10 percent of PSoC hardware resources and less than 10 percent of the PSoC MCU cycles.

To further shorten design cycles, the PSoC family includes pre-programmed, specialized versions for lighting, energy, motor control, communications, automotive and battery applications. Each family member comes with a reference design and extensive application notes to speed application development.

About Cypress MicroSystems

Headquartered in Lynnwood, Wash., Cypress MicroSystems develops and markets Programmable System-on-Chip (PSoC) devices – high-performance, field-programmable ICs for high-volume embedded control functions in consumer, industrial, office automation, telecom and automotive applications. Established as a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY) in the fourth quarter of 1999, Cypress MicroSystems’ stockholders are its employees and Cypress Semiconductor. The close association with Cypress Semiconductor allows access to their process and design technology, and field sales and applications forces. More information about Cypress MicroSystems and its products—as well as access to over 100 PSoC applications notes—is available online at www.cypress.com.

About Cypress

Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY) is Connecting From Last Mile to First Mile™ with high-performance solutions for personal, network access, enterprise, metro switch, and core communications-system applications. Cypress Connects™ using wireless, wireline, digital, and optical transmission standards, including USB, Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH, Gigabit Ethernet, and DWDM. Leveraging its process and system-level expertise, Cypress makes industry-leading physical layer devices, framers, and network search engines, along with a broad portfolio of high-bandwidth memories, timing technology solutions, and reprogrammable mixed-signal arrays. More information about Cypress is accessible online at www.cypress.com.

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Cypress and the Cypress logo are registered trademarks of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. “Connectivity From Last Mile to First Mile” and “Cypress Connects” are trademarks of Cypress. “Programmable System-on-Chip,” PSoC and PSoC Designer are trademarks of Cypress MicroSystems. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.