STM8AF Series: Concepts, Features, and Applications
The STM8AF Series is the latest generation of high-performance, ultra-low-power microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics. It features the ARM Cortex-M0+ core, with a 32-bit architecture and a 16-bit instruction set, which delivers better performance and lower power consumption than the Cortex-M4 and Cortex-M3 processors found in previous generations of STM8 microcontrollers.
The following concepts are important to understand when working with the STM8AF series:
- Core. The core is the heart of the MCU and contains the processor core, registers, and peripherals.
- Peripherals. Peripherals are devices that perform specific functions. For example, an LCD controller is a peripheral that allows you to drive an LCD screen. Other examples include timers or communication interfaces such as USB or CAN bus drivers.
- Registers. Registers are internal storage locations that provide access to data values such as register addresses or flags used by the CPU to control operations within each peripheral. Some registers can be written to while others can only be read from using special instructions called “register accesses”.
Additional features include an independent watchdog timer (WDT) with a configurable timeout period and automatic reset on low battery voltage detection.
Some key features of the STM8AF series include:
- A wide range of on-chip peripherals, including timers, ADC, DAC, UART, SPI, and I2C.
- Up to 128 KB of Flash memory and 8 KB of RAM.
- A variety of package options, including DIP, LQFP, and SOIC.
- Low power consumption, with sleep modes and a range of operating voltages.
- A variety of oscillator options, including an external crystal oscillator and an internal RC oscillator.
- Support for a wide range of development environments, including ST’s own STVD and STVP software, as well as third-party tools such as IAR and Keil.
STM8AF Series: Low-Cost 8-Bit MCUs For Sensing Applications
Some common applications for the STM8AF series include consumer electronics, such as TV remote controls and portable audio players, as well as automotive and industrial applications, including motor control and power supply systems.
The STM8AF Series is a family of rugged, low-power 8-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) with a flash memory of up to 256 Kbytes and a wide choice of peripherals. It is available in five different product lines:
- STM8AF6x/7x/8x: Best suited for Outdoor Applications
- STM8AF3x: Best suited for Indoor Applications
- STM8L152C6T6/STM8L152C6T8 MCUs with full software compatibility with STM8S9X2 series devices
- STM8L151C6T6/STM8L151C6T8 MCUs with full software compatibility with STM8S9X1 series devices
The STM8AF Series is available with up to 256 KB of Flash memory and 32 KB of SRAM. It also offers a wide range of peripherals including general-purpose timers, a timer/counter with PWM support, two SPI ports, two I2C interfaces, two USARTs, up to three SSP modules that support slave mode only (no master mode), six ADC channels, an enhanced 12-bit DAC that supports up to four inputs per channel and four output compare channels.
The STM8AF series offers two solutions for sensing applications: the STM8S103F3P6 and the STM8S102F3P6. Both chips have built-in analog comparators (ACMP) that can be used to detect analog signals and process them in hardware as soon as they are detected. This makes them ideal for applications where data processing is done locally on the device itself rather than remotely over a communication channel.
The ACMP is connected to three analog inputs that can be used for signal acquisition or for current measurement purposes. For example, if you want to measure currents in your home appliance or industrial equipment without installing any external components, you can use one of these inputs to connect an ammeter directly to your design without having to modify it.
STM8AF Series: Differential Protection
The STM8AF Series has two differential protection modes. The first mode, short-circuit protection (SCP), is a current-based protection scheme that monitors the voltage drop across the protected output terminals. If an overcurrent condition exists, SCP trips when the output current reaches a preset trip point.
The second mode, overvoltage protection (OVP), is a voltage-based protection scheme that monitors the voltage on the protected terminals. If an overvoltage condition exists, OVP trips when the output terminal voltage exceeds a preset trip point by more than 10%.
The STM8AF Series includes an integrated analog comparator, which supports both single-ended and differential inputs as well as programmable hysteresis and response time for both inputs.
This feature simplifies the design of many applications where detecting a change in voltage level is required. For example, this comparator can detect when a door or window has been opened. It can also be used to monitor voltages on electrical connections (known as bus scanning).
STM8AF Series VS STM8L Series
The STM8AF and STM8L Series are two families of microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics. They are both based on the ARM Cortex-M3 core, but they differ in their peripherals and memory architecture.
The STM8AF family is packaged in a 100-pin LQFP package. It has up to 256 KB of Flash memory, 64 KB of RAM, up to 4 USARTs, up to 4 SPI masters, up to 2 CAN controllers, up to 2 I2C controllers, up to 8 timers (including PWM), up to 4 SysTick timers and up to 16 general-purpose I/Os.
The STM8L Series is packaged in an 84-pin LQFP or 48-pin QFN package. It has up to 256 KB of Flash memory, 64 KB of RAM, up to 4 USARTs, up to 2 SPI masters with bit twiddling modes for FIFO support, up to 2 CAN controllers, and up to 8 general-purpose I/Os (I2C pins shared with GPIO).
STM8AF Series: Different Types
- Standard: Without any external components, this version has a total supply current of 200 µA (maximum), 1 MHz operating frequency, and 2 kB of Flash Program Memory. It can be used in sleep mode with less than 5 µA standby current at 2 MHz.
- STM8AF6: With two resistors connected between VDD and VSS, this version is optimized for applications requiring high speed or low power consumption. It has a total supply current of 200 µA (maximum), 1 MHz operating frequency, and 4 kB of Flash Program Memory. This version also can be used in sleep mode with less than 5 µA standby current at 2 MHz.
- STM8AF11: With one resistor connected between VDD and VSS, this version is optimized for applications requiring low power consumption. It has a total supply current of 220 µA (maximum), a 1 MHz operating frequency, and a typical standby current of 50 nA.
- STM8AF12: This version can also be operated with one resistor between VDD and VSS, but offers higher performance than the STM8AF11. It has a total supply current of 350 µA (maximum), a 1 MHz operating frequency, and a maximum operating voltage of 5 V.
- STM8AF13: This version is optimized for applications requiring low power consumption and high performance. The device has a total supply current of 600 µA (maximum), a 1 MHz operating frequency, and a typical standby current of 250 nA.
Why You Might Use The STM8AF Over The STM8S?
If you’re looking for a general-purpose microcontroller with built-in analog circuitry, then you’ll likely want to pick up a STM8AF chip instead of an STM8S. But what exactly does this mean?
Well, let’s take a look at the two chips and compare them side by side.
The STM8AF is an 8-bit microcontroller with integrated analog features, while the STM8S is an 8-bit microcontroller without any analog capabilities. The difference between these two chips is largely due to the fact that the STM8S was designed for low-power applications.
The STM8AF is a member of the family of ARM Cortex-M0+ microcontrollers from ST Microelectronics. It’s very similar to the popular Atmel ATMega328P, but it has a few differences that make it better suited for specific applications.
The main difference between these two chips is that the Atmel has more onboard memory (32KB vs 2KB), but the STM8AF has more peripherals and features. For example, it has a built-in analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which can be used for measuring voltages or temperatures, or other analog signals. It also has built-in timers, serial communication ports, and much more.
Conclusion
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