Atmel Doubles On-Chip Flash Density on Its ARM7-Powered Microcontrollers, Adds Optional 256-bit AES Encryption

Rousset, France (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Drop-in Upgrade for the AT91SAM7S, SAM7X(C) Has 512K Byte
Dual-Bank Flash, up to 128K Byte SRAM and 256-Bit "Top Secret" AES

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), announced 512K byte dual-bank
Flash memory extensions to its AT91SAM7S, SAM7X and SAM7XC
microcontrollers based on the ARM7TDMI(R) processor core. Doubling
the Flash memory density from 256K bytes to 512K bytes gives software
engineers the capacity to integrate new features for their
next-generation products and true in-application programming at an
additional cost of less than 20%.

Supports true in-application programming. The Flash memory on the
AT91SAM7S512, SAM7X512 and SAM7XC512 is arranged in two separate
banks that allow the device to be programmed simultaneously with
application execution. A dual-bank implementation protects the
application against potentially catastrophic failure resulting from
unexpected power outages during firmware updates.

Networked embedded systems need more memory, bandwidth & security.
Increasingly complex communication protocols, data throughput and
streaming content used in networked embedded systems require
ever-larger amounts of data buffers and higher levels of security. To
meet this need, Atmel has doubled the density of the zero-wait-state,
32-bit wide SRAM on its AT91SAM7X512 and SAM7XC512 from 64 to 128K
bytes.

Peripheral DMA increases bandwidth by a factor of 6. Like all of
Atmel's SAM7 MCUs, the new devices have 11 to 13 dedicated peripheral
DMA channels (PDC) that increase on-chip bandwidth from a maximum of
4 Mbps, on conventional ARM7(TM) MCUs, to 25 Mbps or more. By
off-loading peripheral-to-memory transfers from the CPU, the PDC
actually increases the number of CPU operations available to the
application. This capability is unique to Atmel microcontrollers.

Optional "top secret" encryption. Another derivative, Atmel's
AT91SAM7XC, provides "top secret" encryption capability by
integrating a hardware crypto engine that can be configured to do
128-, 192- or 256-bit ("top secret") AES or triple-DES encryption.

According to Jacko Wilbrink, Atmel's ARM(R) MCUs product marketing
director, "While the smaller SAM7S series, starting with 32K to 512K
bytes of on-chip Flash, is dominant in the consumer space for
applications like USB-enabled PC accessories and toys, the SAM7X
family, with on-chip Ethernet and CAN, is winning market share in
telecom infrastructure, medical, building automation and alarm
systems. We expect the newest SAM7XC, with embedded AES and 3DES
encryption, to achieve significant market share in secured systems."

Pricing and availability. Pricing for the 512K Flash variants of
the SAM7S, SAM7X and SAM7XC devices start at US$6 in quantities of
10,000 units. The AT91SAM7S512 is available in 64-pin LQFP and
64-lead QFN green packages. The AT91SAM7X512 and AT91SAM7XC512 are
available in 100-pin LQFP and 100-ball BGA green packages.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory
and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's
broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is
able to provide the electronics industry with complete system
solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications,
computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere
You Are(R).

NOTE: Atmel Corporation. All rights reserved. Atmel(R), logo and
combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are(R) and others, are
registered trademarks, or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its
subsidiaries. ARM(R), ARM7TDMI(R) and others are the registered
trademarks or trademarks of ARM ltd. Other terms and product names
may be trademarks of others.

Information:

Atmel's AT91SAM product information may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/products/AT91/.

Press Contacts:
Peter Bishop, Communications Manager - Atmel Rousset
Phone: +33(0)4-42-53-61-50, Email: peter.bishop@rfo.atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Corporate PR - USA and Asia
Phone: (+1)408-451-2855, Email: hperlegos@atmel.com
Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe
Phone: +33(0)1-30-60-70-68, Email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com

Web site: http://www.atmel.com

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Contact:
Peter Bishop, Communications Manager, Atmel Rousset,
+33-0-4-42-53-61-50, or peter.bishop@rfo.atmel.com, or Helen
Perlegos, Corporate PR, USA and Asia, +1-408-451-2855, or
hperlegos@atmel.com, or Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications
Manager, Europe, +33-0-1-30-60-70-68, or
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, all of Atmel.