The TMPM370FY is ideal for motion control in home appliances and industrial applications where it reduces the need for additional components while providing significant benefits over software-based vector control running on a microcontroller.
Based on the ARM Cortex-M3 core running at 80MHz, the new device operates from a 5.0V supply and integrates Toshiba’s proprietary PMD3+ programmable motor driver technology, a vector engine (VE) 12-bit ADC functionality and a comprehensive set of peripherals and interfaces into a single 100-pin IC. The result is compact, highly efficient device that can simplify applications requiring precision control of sensored and sensorless three-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motors or three-phase induction motors. Offloading motor control to the PMD3+ means that the ARM core is free to manage other elements of the embedded design.
The two channel PMD3+ block and the single channel VE manage all of the functions needed to control a motor including three-phase PWM waveform generation at 16-bit resolution, speed control and position estimation. The 12-bit ADC provides high-speed, PWM-synchronised analogue-to-digital conversion, while an on-board comparator can be used for detecting emergency stop conditions. Other on-board features include a regulator, a single-channel encoder, power-on-reset/low-voltage detection, a watchdog timer and an 8-channel 16-bit timer.
Customer Benefits
Hardware Based Motor Control
Less software development required -> saving development time and cost
Programmable motor drive (PMD) and vector engine (VE) by hardware
Flexible speed control and motor parameter adjustment by software
Selection of schedule or single task execution in Vector Engine
Integrated analogue features like comparator, amplifier and encoder are saving additional external components.
5V single operation voltage targeting industrial motor solutions and home appliances
Oscillation Frequency Detector (OFD) supporting EN/IEC 60730 class B by hardware
Free CPU performance for general purpose due to CPU independent motor control
Embedded NANO FLASH™ providing fast response time, fast write and erase time and low power consumption
The PMD block implements a 3-phase PWM generator, dead-time controller, protection circuit and ADC timing network. Working in combination with these functions, the VE enhances efficient motor control by offloading resource-hungry computations from the main CPU. Within the VE block, a scheduler for event and priority control, a calculation core and decoder, an operation unit, a multiply-accumulate unit and vector control modules handle processing of the 3-phase current input from the MCU’s ADC and perform the FOC algorithm. With only a few simple register settings required, the PMD and VE firmware work together to manage all of the functions needed to control a motor, including three-phase PWM waveform generation at 16-bit resolution, speed control and position estimation. The MCU integrates a 12-bit ADC, providing high-speed PWM-synchronised analogue-to-digital conversion.
By implementing these functions in firmware, the MCU gives developers the freedom to combine functions from the PMD block with any proprietary motor control IP if required. Unlike a rigid, hardware-based approach, the PMD firmware imposes no penalty in terms of unused silicon if the developer chooses to implement certain parts of the algorithm using proprietary functions.
Hardware based Vector Engine (VE) boost the control efficiency of M370 series
Kind of co-processor used to speed up operations by handling some of workload of the main CPU
VE is the workhorse of the system: VE is responsible for all tasks including 3-phase current input from ADC, executing the vector control algorithm and up to generating PWM gate signals to the inverter
When M37x operates @ 80MHz, the total processing time of the VE block is only 9µs. This is shorter than high-speed MCU running at same speed but that performs vector operation by software
Vector Engine consists of
a scheduler for event and priority control
calculation core with decoder
operation unit
MAC-unit for high intensive computational calculations
Vector control modules
Users can select “Schedule” or “Single Task” execution in VE. Each schedule can be started from arbitrary task. Enables flexible combination of hardware and software
Toshiba's MotorMind simplifies development of embedded motor control applications
Toshiba Motor Control & MotorMind at Embedded World 2012
Frank Malik from Toshiba talks to ARM about ARM Cortex-M3 based microcontroller solutions for motor control and a new graphical user interface called MotorMind.
Further Video Resources
Explore our videos and learn more about Toshiba's microcontrollers and motor control solutions:
Toshiba Cortex-M3 32bit ARM MCU for Motor Control and Multi-touch resistive systemsA discussion and demonstration of Toshiba's new microcontroller and multi-touch technology. Dedicated to Motor Control applications, specifically variable speed motors, the TMPM370 offers a firmware based solution through it's on board vector engine and programmable motor drive technology. Toshiba's new multi-touch solution is ideal for industrial, medical or home appliance applications allowing a resistive screen to be used with a stylus or gloved hand.