Fujitsu Introduces New Built-In OSDC and USB Host 32-bit RISC Microcontroller

Fujitsu Limited today announced that it has jointly developed with subsidiary Fujitsu VLSI Limited, a new 32-bit RISC microcontroller that controls character displays for television screens/monitors, including cathode ray tubes (CRTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and plasma display panels (PDPs). The new MCU, the MB91F312, is embedded with both a high-resolution onscreen display controller (OSDC) and a universal serial bus (USB) host interface, enabling customers to deliver high-resolution, high-performance home theater systems.

With the evolution of television screens in ever larger sizes, there has been a growing need for OSDCs capable of displaying information from peripheral systems, such as TV display modes or DVD players, with progressively higher quality and colorful expression. The devices also need to be equipped with a comprehensive communications interface that allows audio/video equipment to be connected to a TV set.

To accommodate these demands, Fujitsu developed the MB91F312, which is equipped with both a high-resolution OSDC and USB host and operates at speeds of 40MHz. This microcontroller enables high-speed processing of character displays in high-resolution TVs, and also enables a USB mouse or keyboard to be directly connected to a TV or set-top box.

Sample Pricing and Availability

Product name : MB91F312

Price (excl. taxes) : 2,900 yen (in Japan)

Shipment date : July 3, 2003

Special Features of Fujitsu's MB91F312 MCU

• Maximum clock frequency of 40MHz (52 MIPS)
  With a maximum clock frequency of 40MHz, offering the ability to process 52 MIPS, this product can handle the enormous processing resources required.
• High-resolution character display with wide display area.
  With a wide display field of 42 characters by16 lines and a font resolution of 24 x 32 dots per character, even large-screen TVs can display characters in crystal-clear resolution without needing to use enlarged font sizes.
• 1,792 character types-largest in the industry-stored in font memory.
  With a bountiful collection of fonts to choose from, this product offers greater flexibility in font design. Even multi-colored font designs can be used in menu displays.
• Equipped with USB host functions.
  The product is equipped with a USB macro that has host functions for USB communications. Thus, a set-top box running on this MCU will be able to connect and control peripherals, such as a USB mouse or keyboard, on its own. In addition, connecting a USB printer to the embedded system would enable print outs of the display screen.

The product is equipped with a USB macro that has host functions for USB communications. Thus, a set-top box running on this MCU will be able to connect and control peripherals, such as a USB mouse or keyboard, on its own. In addition, connecting a USB printer to the embedded system would enable print outs of the display screen.

Major Specifications