As the world demands faster and better performance in every application, new memory technology is needed. Texas Instruments’ Ultra-Low-Power MSP430FRxx family of MCUs is the answer to that demand. This six-part audio-video training covers the dramatic advantages of FRAM-based MCUs from Texas Instruments.
What is FRAM? It stands for Ferroelectric Random Access Memory and, as the RAM part of the name already suggests, it behaves similarly to SRAM, or static RAM, allowing random access to each bit for both read and write. Unlike SRAM, however, FRAM is non-volatile, meaning stored data can be retrieved even when it’s not powered.
But there’s much more to FRAM technology. It’s exceptional compared with all types of memory technology, including flash and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) in write speeds, power consumption, endurance, and more.
Dramatically Better Write Speeds
Let’s compare the speed of an MSP430FR5969 FRAM device — code-name Wolverine — against a flash-based device. With both running at a CPU speed of 8 MHz and executing real-world application code, TI’s MSP430FR5969 MCU outperforms flash by a factor of 100. Why? Flash writes are capped at about 13 kilobytes per second; including required erase time per segment write. An FRAM device can go up to, or faster than, 2 megabytes per second, and doesn't require time to erase a segment of data. Think of the advantages when doing firmware updates, where writing 64 kilobytes of data is no longer confined by slow write/erase speeds.
Power Savings
In tests of an FRAM-based MSP430FR5969 MCU and a flash device both executing at the same clock speed, the FRAM device — blazing a hundred times faster than flash — requires less than half the power of the flash device. That is because the active-duty cycle of the FRAM device constitutes a small fraction of power, while spending most of its time in standby. This is invaluable in applications that require quick response time, lower than average power and limited peak power. In short, the MSP430FR5969 MCU leads the 16-bit MCU world in lowest active power.
Lifetime Write Endurance
FRAM devices are immensely endurable, as measured by the number of write/erase cycles that the memory can be subject to. This is particularly important where write/erase requirements are high, such as with RF technology, and the increasing use of radio-frequency identification tags in store displays, name badges or on industrial automation floors. Consider: the endurance of a single byte of flash is 10,000 write/erase cycles, but an FRAM byte can be written 100 billion times more than flash. This is virtually unlimited endurance.
Unified Memory
A major benefit of using FRAM-based MCUs is its ability to dynamically shift the boundaries of code and data memory. It actually can morph into code or data memory, based on the user’s requirements. As your application grows, you can reconfigure the boundaries of code and data without having to change the device.
By contrast, flash-based MCUs are not typically preferred for variable memory because of its erase-time requirements, and the fact that the user is required to preselect the amount of RAM and flash required for the application. As for SRAM, its volatile nature rules it out here as well.
Additional modules in this video series delve deeper into the inherent capabilities of FRAM-based microprocessors from Texas Instruments. They detail the MSP430FR5969 MCU’s core architecture and peripherals, the MSP-BNDL-FR5969LCD LaunchPad development kit, CCS projects and the device’s driver library, and the memory protection unit, among other topics. You’ll want to check out each module to gain a fuller appreciation of the multiple advantages of Texas Instruments’ MSP430FRxx family of microcontrollers featuring revolutionary FRAM technology.
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