The Industry Leader in 8-bit Flash Microcontroller Shipments Becomes Largest Supplier of Development Tools
SAN JOSE (USA), 31 Mar. (PRNewswire) -
Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) announced today that it has shipped its 500 Millionth AVR(R) Flash Microcontroller. Atmel introduced the AVR 8-bit Microcontroller Architecture in 1997. Over the past six years, the AVR has become the industry's largest selling 8-bit Flash Microcontroller with a market share of over 30 percent.
"At the time of introduction, the AVR was the first new 8-bit Architecture introduced in the marketplace in 15 years. This revolutionary machine offers designers high performance, low power consumption and dense code. The combination of these features plus the ability to deliver on chip Flash Program Memory at One Time Programmable (OTP) prices made the AVR an instant success," said Graham Turner, Vice President and General Manager, Atmel Microcontroller Business Unit. "Atmel has a major commitment to growing the breadth and depth of the AVR product portfolio. There are seven design and development locations in the United States and Europe delivering AVR based standard and application specific products to customers worldwide, he added. The AVR is well supported with evaluation and debug tools supplied by Atmel or third party tool partners. In 2003 Atmel became the industry's largest supplier of 8-bit development tools shipping 43,000 development systems to customers.
The AVR 8-bit Microcontroller is based on a RISC architecture with 130 easy to learn instructions. There is code compatibility across the entire product family, so unlike other 8-bit Architectures, there is no need to learn a new instruction set or convert code when migrating to an device with a different program density, peripheral options or package type.
AVR Studio(R), the Architectural Simulator, can be downloaded from the Atmel web site at no charge. Designers can use this tool to evaluate the Architecture. Additionally, AVR Studio is the front end and human interface for all starter kits and in-circuit-emulators. The AVR is housed in through hole and surface mount packages including the very small Micro Lead Frame chip scale package. Devices are ranging from with 8 to 64 leads with Flash program memory density of 1KB to 128KB. All new AVR devices are manufactured on a revolutionary process technology, which delivers low- power, low-voltage devices that operate from 1.8 to 5V with a clock frequency of up to 24 MHz.
The AVR product portfolio consists of 58 devices. Atmel plans to introduce two new parts per month in 2004 covering a range of application specific areas such as USB, Wireless remote control and security. The USB controller family features the industry's only configurable low/high speed USB controller supporting 5 end points. The AVR wireless activities include a SmartRF processor, which combines the AVR with a high performance RF transmitter operating at 230-460 MHz.
The 32-pin Mega AVR(R) family was expanded to include new low power 4, 8 and 16 K byte versions. This family uses a new one-wire debug interface called debug wire, which uses the reset line for electrical connection. This means the designer does not have to sacrifice I/O capability to take advantage of the on-chip-debug system.
Later this month we will begin sampling the first AVR with a CAN controller integrated on chip. This device has 15 message objects and will expand our product offering in the industrial and automotive segments.
About Atmel
Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose, California with manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. Atmel designs, manufactures and markets worldwide, advanced logic, mixed signal, nonvolatile memory and RF semiconductors. Atmel is also a leading provider of system-level integration semiconductor solutions using CMOS, BiCMos, SiGe, and high voltage BCDMOS process technologies.
NOTE: Atmel(R) and combinations thereof, AVR(R) and AVR Studio(R) are the registered trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be the trademarks of others.
Information:
Atmel's AVR product information may be retrieved at: http://www.atmel.com/products/AVR/.
Emisor: Atmel Corporation
Contacto: Clive Over, Director of Press Relations - USA and Asia, tel. +1-408-451-2855, or email: cliveover@atmel.com; or Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe, tel. +33 1 30 60 70 68, or email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, both of Atmel Corporation.
Web site: http://www.atmel.com
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