SAN JOSE, California, May 19 /PRNewswire/ --

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) announced today the availability of a
new AVR(R) 8-bit microcontroller for automotive LIN networking applications.
The ATtiny87 is the second device of a LIN-dedicated low pin-count family
specially optimized for cost-sensitive LIN slave applications.

Many automotive body electronic subsystems including door lock, window
lift, wiper, light system, sun, and rain sensors are connected via LIN
networks. They require tiny LIN controllers with Analog/Digital converters
for sensor signal formatting and a versatile 16-bit timer. The ATtiny87
includes hardware LIN UART with automatic baud-rate synchronization in slave
mode. The frame processing requests only 2 interrupts; one for LIN identifier
available and one for transmit or receive completed.

The ATtiny87 (8K Flash) is fully compatible with the ATtiny167 (16 KB
Flash) and is available in the same set of packages: QFN32, SO20, and
TSSOP20. It supports AECQ-100 grade0 and can sustain ambient temperature up
to 150 degree Celsius, which is required for under-the-hood applications such
as engine sensors, water pumps, and exhaust gas systems. The ATtiny87 is also
available in AECQ-100 grade1 (125 degree Celsius).

As a result of the collaboration with Vector, a leading manufacturer of
software tools and components for automotive networking, a complete hardware
and LIN2.1 software networking solution is now available. Due to tightly
integrated hardware routines, the code size for LIN is reduced to about 1
Kbyte of Flash leaving about 7 Kbytes of Flash available for the user
application.

"One of the critical requirements for using embedded processors in the
automotive market is the availability of an effective and well-supported LIN
communication stack. Customers can easily integrate the LIN2.1 communication
stack in their application and take full advantage of the code efficiency,"
said Michel Passemard, Director of Automotive MCU Marketing at Atmel.

Vector has developed the LIN driver for the Atmel ATtiny87 and ATtiny167
microcontroller family. This new LIN driver supports communication packages
for all Automotive OEMs. In addition, associated configuration and generation
tools are also available. The LIN communication package supports all protocol
versions in master or slave configurations including transport and/or
diagnostics layers.

Atmel's AVR Studio(R) and AVR JTAGICE mkII provide a multiplatform
integrated development environment (IDE). The STK(R) 600 with STK600-SOIC
add-on starter kit is available to start development.

Availability and Pricing

The ATtiny87 is readily available for samples and volume production. It
is packaged in a 20-pin SOIC, 20-Pin TSSOP, and 32-pin QFN. ATtiny87 will be
qualified at 125 degree Celsius in all packages and 150 degree Celsius in QFN
and TSSOP packages. Prices start at US$1.12 in 10,000 quantities for the
125-degree qualified version. A 32 Kbytes Flash version will be introduced
later to complete the family of 8 KB to 32 KB Flash low pin-count LIN
controllers.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio
frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest
intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide
the electronics industry with complete system solutions focused on consumer,
industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets.

(c) 2009 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(R), Atmel logo and
combinations thereof, AVR(R), AVR Studio(R), STK(R) and others, are
registered trademarks, or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its
subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:

ATtiny87 product information can be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=4575

For further information on AVR Automotive microcontrollers, go to:
www.atmel.com/products/automcu/

For further information on Vector, go to www.vector-informatik.com

Press Contacts:
    Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Director Automotive
    Phone: +49-7131-67-2081, Email: susanne.van-clewe@atmel.com
    Helen Perlegos, Public Relations
    Phone: +1-408-487-2963, Email: Helen.perlegos@atmel.com