Introducing SEMic

Introducing SEMic -- the Silicon Engineering Microcontroller. SEMic is a generic 8-bit microcontroller macrocell that can be used as the core of your next customized controller chip. SEMic can be utilized in a wide variety of applications, such as toys and games, home appliances, security systems and other electronic systems. SEMic also includes power management circuitry including low-power and sleep modes to minimize power consumption.

SEMic supports a flexible instruction set described below. In its "native mode", it supports a 16-bit address space for separate Code and Data spaces, and a 256-byte register space. The actual memory sizes can be customized by SEI to fit your particular applications.

In addition, SEI can supply units such as counters, timers, I/O ports, etc., as well as more complex peripheral macrocells such as display controllers to accommodate your system requirements.


Wait states for different configurations.

Low Power

SEMic includes power management logic to allow it to run in power saving modes and also provides a sleep mode for powerdown in power-sensitive applications.

Low Cost

This 8-bit microcontroller core features optimum capability in a compact, cost effective package. Its minimal die size leaves you plenty of room to add the circuitry required to complete your customized microcontroller.


SEMic performance in MIPS.

Instruction Set

The SEMic comprehensive instruction set includes the following:

Move Group

8 unique instructions which move data from a source register to a destination register.

Branch Group

A set of 11 instructions that include unconditional subroutine call, return from interrupt, restore flags and unconditional jump.

Shift/Rotate Group

8 instructions that can update the carry flag but do not affect the sign or zero flags.

Arithmetic/Logical Group

A set of 20 instructions that update the sign and zero flags. The carry flag is updated by the arithmetic instructions, but not by the logical instructions.

Miscellaneous Group

This set of 6 instructions simply sets, clears, or complements the carry flag, turns interrupts on or off, and provides an NOP instruction.

Memory Spaces

The SEMic microcontroller core has 3 independent memory spaces.

Interrupts

SEMic supports 4 sources of interrupt requests, each of which is asynchronous positive edge activated. Each interrupt is individually maskable. In addition, a global interrupt enable flag can enable or disable all interrupts.

Stack

SEMic supports a 4-level, 16-bit stack for saving the program counter for subroutine calls and interrupt requests.

Flags

SEMic supports the following flag bits, updated through the execution of shift and arithmetic/logical instructions, as well as by set, clear and complement instructions, and during interrupt servicing.

Software

A SEMic assembler, linker and emulator is available to assist in software development.

The SEMic design has been modeled in Verilog and can be translated into a number of ASIC vendor libraries and technologies. SEI Design Services are available to customize core technologies like SEMic to suit your applications.


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