Infineon Provides All Necessary Ingredients For Easy Functional Safety Designs Based on Its 32-Bit TriCore™ Microcontrollers

Neubiberg and Nuremberg, Germany – March 1, 2011 – Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) today at the Embedded World Show 2011 announced a complete design package to allow functional safety according to IEC 61508 requirements for embedded designs based on its leading-edge 32-bit TriCore™ microcontrollers. Leveraging its significant experience with stringent safety requirements of automotive systems, Infineon has further developed its PRO-SIL™ safety products to address the increasing needs of the industrial market with high-level safety solutions based on its TriCore portfolio. The design package presented at Embedded World includes the SafeTcore test library, a complete TriCore-based safety kit from Hitex, named SafeTkit, and comprehensive software and documentation.

As defined in the IEC 61508 standard, the different SIL (Safety Integrity Level) levels specify what has to be observed to achieve certification of a system. This includes a safety concept proving a tolerable error rate as well as selftest functionality that permanently verifies that the system is running correctly. To allow that the implementation is done in compliance with the requirements and completely tested in a corresponding manner, Infineon PRO-SIL products now include the SafeTcore test library for TriCore devices and a safety monitor chip, CIC61508, developed by Infineon. In addition Infineon, in partnership with Hitex Development Tools, offers a comprehensive service package and the SafeTkit board-level solution with TriCore MCU and CIC61508, making it as easy as possible to certify applications in compliance with SIL while saving design resources and reducing the time-to-market for the customers.

“The PRO-SIL products for industrial safety solutions can be considered as an excellent completion to the high level production quality of the TriCore chips that is proven over many years in automotive and industrial applications,” said Peter Schaefer, Vice President and General Manager, Microcontrollers, Infineon Technologies. “Our comprehensive safety package will further drive the usage of our TriCore microcontroller family in complex industrial systems with assured functional safety.”

To fulfill the high-level SIL safety requirements the SafeTcore test library includes the following features: Gate-level testing for the TriCore to provide a very detailed testing of the silicon including CPU self check, register content check, memory checks (RAM, Flash, Cache), bus diagnostics checks, algorithm results comparison, task sequence and execution time monitoring, MPU check. These core test features are combined with detailed peripheral tests and automatic support for the safety monitor chip. The set of software tests in the SafeTcore library enables a safe execution of code with diagnostic coverage of more than 99 percent. The SafeTcore package includes also a safety manual for the integration of the various library elements into the user application and the approval of the safety integrity level.

To evaluate functional failures of a microcontroller often a second core is used. Infineon’s TriCore microcontroller already includes two cores – the TriCore itself (microcontroller and DSP) and the Peripheral Control Processor (PCP) – making the external second core for safety evaluation obsolete. Only for monitoring of resources which are used by both processing units like power or clock an external logic is needed, usually a safety watchdog. By using the independent safety watchdog device CIC61508 from Infineon, all required CPU and peripheral self test functions can be controlled.

Prices and Availability

SafeTcore test library and documentation for certification are currently available for the TC1767, TC1797 and TC1387 processors and will shortly be available for the AUDO MAX family. The new SafeTkit is based on a TriCore evaluation board with the safety monitor chip CIC61508. Besides the SafeTcore test library the supplied software package contents a complete tool chain including a free general-purpose TriCore compiler, a safety demonstration application and a test bench. A comprehendsive set of documentation including safety manuals and quick start guide complete the safety kit. Prototype boards are available and will be presented on the Hitex booth (hall 10, booth 305) during Embedded World 2011. The SafeTkit will be available on the Hitex web shop for Euro 1,495 from April 2011 onwards.

The “embedded Award 2011” goes to SafeTkit

Hitex Development Tools was awarded the “embedded Award 2011” for the SafeTkit in the category “Software”. The “embedded Award” pays tribute to especially innovative products or developments for embedded technologies. Its two categories are “Hardware” and “Software”.

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, mobility, and security. In the 2010 fiscal year (ending September 30), the company reported sales of Euro 3.295 billion with approximately 26,650 employees worldwide. With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).