Called the PIC18F K42 family, the range is said to feature the largest total memory of any 8bit PIC MCU, with up to 128kbyte of flash and 8kbyte of RAM. While CIPs simplify the implementation of common system functions such as sensor interface, signal generation and power conversion, the K42 range also features a 12bit A/D converter with computation, automating analogue signal analysis for real-time system response.
Other features of the MCUs include: configurable logic cells; idle, doze and peripheral module disable low power modes; improved serial communications; and DMX, DALI and LIN protocols, in addition to I2C and SPI.
Microchip says the DMA controller enables data transfers between memory space and peripherals without CPU involvement, improving system performance and lowering power consumption. When interrupts are required, vectored interrupts provide faster response times with fixed latency to reduce software overhead.
Code development is simplified with the MPLAB Code Configurator and the K42 family is said to be suitable for applications including touch sensing, automotive, industrial control, IoT, medical and white goods.
