The Texas Instruments MSP430 family of ultra-low-power microcontrollers consist of several devices featuring different sets of peripherals targeted for various applications. The architecture, combined with five low-power modes is optimized to achieve extended battery life in portable measurement applications. The device features a powerful 16-bit RISC CPU, 16-bit registers, and constant generators that contribute to maximum code efficiency. The digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) allows wake-up from low-power modes to active mode in less than 1 µs.
The MSP430F20xx series is an ultra-low-power mixed signal microcontroller with a built-in 16-bit timer and ten I/O pins. In addition, the MSP430F20x1 has a versatile analog comparator. The MSP430F20x2 and MSP430F20x3 have built-in communication capability using synchronous protocols (SPI or I2C) and a 10-bit A/D converter (MSP430F20x2) or a 16-bit sigma-delta A/D converter (MSP430F20x3).
Low Supply Voltage Range 1.8 V to 3.6 V
Ultra-Low Power Consumption
– Active Mode: 220 µA at 1 MHz, 2.2 V
– Standby Mode: 0.5 µA
– Off Mode (RAM Retention): 0.1 µA
Five Power-Saving Modes
Ultra-Fast Wake-Up From Standby Mode in Less Than 1 µs
16-Bit RISC Architecture, 62.5-ns Instruction Cycle Time
Basic Clock Module Configurations:
– Internal Frequencies up to 16 MHz With Four Calibrated Frequencies to ±1%
– Internal Very Low-Power Low-Frequency Oscillator
– 32-kHz Crystal
– External Digital Clock Source
16-Bit Timer_A With Two Capture/Compare Registers
On-Chip Comparator for Analog Signal Compare Function or Slope A/D (MSP430F20x1)
10-Bit 200-ksps A/D Converter With Internal Reference, Sample-and-Hold, and Autoscan (MSP430F20x2)
16-Bit Sigma-Delta A/D Converter With Differential PGA Inputs and Internal Reference (MSP430F20x3)
Universal Serial Interface (USI) Supporting SPI and I2C (MSP430F20x2 and MSP430F20x3)
Brownout Detector
Serial Onboard Programming, No External Programming Voltage Needed
Programmable Code Protection by Security Fuse
On-Chip Emulation Logic With Spy-Bi-Wire Interface
Family Members:
– MSP430F2001: 1KB + 256B Flash Memory, 128B RAM
– MSP430F2011: 2KB + 256B Flash Memory, 128B RAM
– MSP430F2002: 1KB + 256B Flash Memory, 128B RAM
– MSP430F2012: 2KB + 256B Flash Memory, 128B RAM
– MSP430F2003: 1KB + 256B Flash Memory, 128B RAM
– MSP430F2013: 2KB + 256B Flash Memory, 128B RAM
Portable Measurement & Sensing
Digital Thermometers: Uses the internal ADC and high-precision reference to measure temperature from thermistors or onboard sensors.
Handheld Glucose Meters: Ideal due to its low power consumption, small size, and ability to process precision analog signals.
Pulse Oximeters: Used for basic heart rate and oxygen saturation monitoring in portable medical devices.
Smoke and Gas Detectors: Stays in "Off Mode" (0.1 µA) most of the time, waking up instantly (<1 µs) to check sensor levels.
Smart Door Locks: Manages keypad entry or capacitive touch sensing for security systems.
Glass Break Sensors: Uses the ADC to monitor high-frequency acoustic signals for security alerts.
Smart Utility Meters: Records water or gas flow measurements. It is often paired with an RF module as a "front-end" controller.
Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS): Automotive sensors use this chip to wake up, measure pressure, and transmit data before returning to sleep.
Battery Management Systems (BMS): Acts as a secondary controller to monitor individual cell voltages in e-bikes or power tools.
Power Sequencers: Manages the timing for turning on various power rails in a complex system.
I/O Expansion: Provides extra pins or handles simple SPI-to-I2C protocol bridging.
Wake-up Controller: Monitors for a specific event (like a button press or sensor trigger) and "wakes up" the main processor.