Cypress MicroSystems Offers LIN Bus Design Kit for Programmable System on Chip (PSoC) Microcontroller

Reference Design Enables Customers to Quickly Implement Advanced Automotive Applications

BOTHELL, Wash., September 19, 2002 – Cypress MicroSystems Inc., a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor (NYSE: CY), today announced a reference design that enables automotive engineers to build advanced applications with LIN bus (Local Interconnect Network) communication capabilities, using a single PSoC microcontroller (MCU). The LIN Protocol Specification Version 1.2 is a low-speed communications standard used in many automotive applications, including body control, driver information, multimedia, climate control, safety equipment, cockpit electronics and Human Machine Interface (HMI).

The software-configurable PSoC MCU can replace thousands of custom microcontrollers in a broad range of embedded systems – speeding time-to-market, reducing the number of chips and decreasing overall system cost. Its flexible architecture offers significant advantages for LIN bus applications.

The PSoC MCU includes blocks of analog and digital logic that can be reconfigured to perform multiple functions. Therefore, designers of automotive systems can re-use the resources on a PSoC device to create all three configurations defined by the LIN bus specification – synchronization procedure, data transmission and data reception – and switch between them on the fly without extra hardware.

In addition, the digital PSoC blocks used to implement the LIN bus protocols minimize the required CPU loading, freeing the processor core to manage other system functions. To further streamline LIN bus implementations, the reference design includes all error-handling routines needed to be in full compliance with the standard.

"LIN bus is an effective standard for low speed communication to monitor and control automotive systems," said Nathan John, director of strategic marketing for Cypress MicroSystems. "Cypress MicroSystems not only offers a microcontroller with the power and flexibility to implement many of the types of nodes of a LIN bus network, but also provides customers with comprehensive support and tools to speed their designs. "

The PSoC microcontroller family integrates an 8-bit CPU, 4 to 16 KBytes of flash memory, SRAM, and programmable "PSoC blocks" of analog and digital system functions, in low-cost, small-footprint packages. The new reference design uses the digital PSoC blocks to implement an example LIN bus application, and supports all of the recommended baud rates (2400, 9600 and 19,200).

To develop the LIN bus reference design kit, Cypress MicroSystems partnered with Créalie, a leading French software design house specializing in embedded systems. Créalie’s expertise in software development and the latest communications technologies were key to creating the software portion of the reference design. For additional information about Créalie, visit www.crealie.com.

Pricing and Availability
The LIN bus reference design software is now available for free download by visiting Cypress MicroSystems at http://www.cypressmicro.com/download. The company also offers a LIN bus reference design kit – with one master node and two slave nodes – for $199. Customers can connect the reference board to a PC via the serial port to communicate commands over the LIN bus network.

The PSoC microcontroller family (CY8C25x/26x) is currently available for 1,000-unit pricing of $2.80. All PSoC microcontrollers include the free PSoC Designer Software Tool Set, an integrated development environment. Customers may also purchase the Basic Development Kit, including the PSoC ICE-4000, for $248.

About Cypress MicroSystems
Based in Bothell, Wash., Cypress MicroSystems designs, develops, manufactures and markets high-performance, field programmable integrated micro-based solutions for high-volume embedded control functions in computer, communications, consumer and control 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 can be accessed through its Web site at www.cypressmicro.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 Bluetooth, 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 programmable microcontrollers. More information about Cypress is accessible online at www.cypress.com.

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