Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) announced that it will expand its microcontroller (MCU) portfolio with the acquisition of Luminary Micro, described as the market-leading supplier of ARM Cortex-M3-based 32-bit MCUs. TI states that the addition of Luminary Micro’s Stellaris® family of Cortex-M3 processors will accelerate its ability to provide what it claims is the industry’s most complete MCU portfolio.
Stellaris devices will allow TI to address mainstream 32-bit MCU markets, giving customers access to the general-purpose processing power of the industry-standard ARM Cortex-M3 core and the Stellaris family’s advanced communication capabilities, including 10/100 Ethernet MAC+PHY, CAN, USB On-The-Go, USB Host/Device, SSI/SPI, UARTs, I2S, and I²C.
"Combining Luminary Micro’s design experience in Cortex-M3 processors with TI’s expertise in ultra-low power MSP430 MCUs and high-performance C2000™ real-time controllers now gives TI customers one MCU source for almost any application – all complemented by the industry’s most expansive embedded processing and analog portfolios," said Brian Crutcher, Vice President of TI’s Advanced Embedded Control (AEC) business.
The Stellaris family of MCUs is said to be positioned for cost-conscious applications requiring significant control processing and connectivity capabilities, including motion control, remote monitoring, HVAC and building controls, network appliances and switches, factory automation, electronic point-of-sale machines, test and measurement equipment, medical instrumentation, and gaming equipment. The recently-announced fourth generation of Stellaris devices, the LM3S9000 series, is said to break new ground in general purpose processing performance and features new combinations of connectivity, memory configurations and advanced motion control.
"Today’s announcement is great news for our customers," said Jim Reinhart, General Manager and former Luminary Micro CEO. "Moving forward, our customers not only benefit from the award-winning Stellaris family, but also enjoy the technology and manufacturing strength of TI, an experienced analog and embedded processing leader with a global footprint."
Reinhart will lead TI’s Catalog ARM MCU business and roadmap as part of TI’s AEC organization. The Cortex-M3 microcontroller business will continue to operate from its site in Austin, Texas, which will be known as TI AEC Austin.
