Low-Pin-Count MCU Features Up to Pair of I3C Interfaces
I3C is set to become the serial interface of the future, replacing the I2C bus that’s now widely used in embedded systems to connect sensors and other peripherals to a central microcontroller (MCU) or system-on-chip (SoC).
To enable easy connections for a new wave of IoT devices, Microchip Technology rolled out its PIC18-Q20 family of low-pin-count MCUs that feature up to a pair of I3C peripherals and multi-voltage I/O (MVIO).
With flexible peripherals and the ability to operate on three independent voltage domains, it’s combined with a separate MCU in systems where real-time control, connectivity, and sensing is key. Housed in 14- and 20- pin packages as small as 3 × 3 mm, it can take over tasks—processing data from sensors, system status reporting, or handling interrupts—that can’t be performed as efficiently by the main MCU, said Microchip. While the CPU runs at a different voltage domain, the I3C peripheral operates from 1.0 to 3.6 V.
Compared to I2C, I3C delivers faster data rates while maintaining backward compatibility with legacy systems. Along with Microchip’s configurable Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs), the I3C and MVIO reduce cost and complexity as well as save space on the PCB by replacing external level shifters with on-chip multiple voltage domains. The PIC18-Q20 is supported by the company’s hardware and software development tools, including its MPLAB X and MPLAB Xpress IDE and MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC).
