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Revolutionising the Future of Industrial IoT with Nuvoton's MA35D1 MPU


Image of the MA35D1 MPU in an Industrial automation IIoT environment

Introduction to Nuvoton's MA35D1 and its significance for IIoT

As the world gears towards a more connected and automated future, the industrial sector is not left behind. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the use of interconnected devices, sensors, and software in industrial applications for efficient, safe, and cost-effective operations. IIoT has significant implications for the industrial sector, including enhanced supply chain management, predictive maintenance, and remote monitoring. The increased use of IIoT will lead to a reduction in operational costs, improved product quality and safety as well as increased revenue. In this article, we explore how Nuvoton's MA35D1 MPU can help revolutionise the future of IIoT.


What is the MA35D1 MPU?

The MA35D1 MPU is a high-performance, low-power, and cost-effective MPU designed for IIoT applications. The MA35D1 is based on the Arm Cortex-M4F core and is equipped with high-speed connectivity, advanced security, and stacking DDR SDRAM. The MPU is ideal for applications such as edge gateways, industrial controllers, and HMI devices. You can view a good overview of this IIoT powerhouse MPU on Nuvoton's new video:



Key features of the MA35D1 MPU

High Speed Connectivity

The MA35D1 MPU is equipped with high-speed connectivity, including Ethernet, CAN, and USB 2.0. The Ethernet interface supports 10/100Mbps and IEEE 1588v2 for precise time synchronisation. The CAN interface supports CAN 2.0B and CAN FD for reliable communication in harsh industrial environments. The USB interface supports high-speed data transfer, making it ideal for HMI devices.


To ensure that the MA35D1 MPUs can be perfectly integrated, developers can choose from a very large number of interfaces and peripherals:

  • up to two 1Gbit Ethernet MACs

  • 1x USB host & 1x USB host/device

  • Serial interfaces (17 UARTs, 4x CAN FD, 2x QSPI, 6 I2C, 4x SPI/I2S)

  • 2x SDHC Controller

  • 18 PWM and 4 quadrature encoders for motor control

  • up to 208 GPIOs

  • up to 8 channels at 12-bit ADC

  • 2x camera interface

  • 24-bit RGB interface (FullHD@60Hz)

  • 2D graphics accelerator

  • 264 & JPEG decoder

Advanced Security

The MA35D1 MPU features advanced security, including a hardware cryptographic engine, secure boot, and TrustZone technology. The hardware cryptographic engine supports AES, DES, and SHA encryption for secure data transfer. The secure boot ensures that only authenticated firmware is loaded onto the device, preventing malicious attacks. The TrustZone technology provides secure execution environments for critical applications, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.

Diagram showing the Trusted Secure Island for the MA35D1

A summary of the MA35D1's security features:

  • TrustZone

  • Secure Boot

  • Trusted Secure Island (TSI) an isolated secure hardware unit, which performs all the operations of the cryptographic accelerators

  • Crypto Engine: AES256, SHA512, ECC, RSA4096, SM2/3/4

  • True Random Number Generator (TRNG)

  • Key Store to protect key

  • 8 Kbit One Time Programmable (OTP) memory

Stacking DDR SDRAM

The MA35D1 MPU supports stacking DDR SDRAM, enabling higher memory density and bandwidth. The stacking DDR SDRAM also reduces the PCB footprint, making it ideal for compact designs. The MA35D1 MPU supports up to 256MB of stacking DDR SDRAM, enabling high-performance data processing in IIoT applications.


MA35D1 provides LQFP and BGA package parts with stacking a 128 MB to 256 MB DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM.


The MA35D1 advantages of stacking the DDR SDRAM:

  • Fine-tuned DDR SDRAM performance by chip vendor

  • Easier system design and manufacturing

  • Lower EMI interference

  • Reducing PCB layers / area

  • Reducing BOM and production costs

Advanced HMI and multiple peripherals supported by MA35D1 MPU

The MA35D1 MPU supports advanced HMI and multiple peripherals, making it ideal for IIoT applications. The MPU features a TFT-LCD controller, supporting up to 24-bit colour depth and resolutions up to 1024x768. The MA35D1 MPU also supports multiple peripherals, including SDIO, SPI, UART, and I2C. The MPU's advanced HMI and multiple peripherals enable the development of user-friendly and feature-rich IIoT applications.


For better user experience in graphical HMI, the MA35D1 integrates a LCD display I/F, with a resolution up to 1080P at 60 FPS with the following features:

  • Hardware cursor

  • On Screen Display (OSD)

For superior graphics performance, there is an integrated 2D graphics engine which comprises:

  • BitBlt

  • Rotation

  • Multi source Alpha Blending

  • Color Format Converting

It also supports video playback with an integral JPEG and H.264 decoder as well as 4/5 wire resistive touch without an external IC, which is impressive.

Image showing the application segments for  the MA35D1

Applications for the MA35D1 MPU

The MA35D1 MPU is ideal for a wide range of IIoT applications, including industrial automation, smart manufacturing, smart cities, and smart agriculture. Its high-speed connectivity, advanced security, and support for multiple peripherals make it an ideal choice for complex IIoT networks.


Edge Gateway

  • IIoT Edge Gateway

  • Smart Building

  • Smart Agriculture

  • T-Box

  • 4G/5G Base Station


AI/ML

  • Keyword Spotting

  • Face Recognition

  • Number Recognition


HMI & Industrial Control

  • Industrial HMI

  • Home Appliances

  • Medical Devices


New Entergy

  • PV Inverter

  • Battery Management System (BMS)

  • Smart Grid


Conclusion

In conclusion, the MA35D1 MPU can revolutionise the future of IIoT. The MPU's high-speed connectivity, advanced security, and stacking DDR SDRAM make it ideal for IIoT applications that require reliable communication, secure data transfer, and real-time data analysis. The MPU's advanced HMI and multiple peripherals enable the development of user-friendly and feature-rich IIoT applications. The MA35D1 MPU's TrustZone technology provides a secure execution environment for critical applications, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality. The MA35D1 MPU is the ideal choice for IIoT applications that require high-performance, low-power, and cost-effective solutions.



Alternatively, if you're looking for more resources, including a Data Sheet for the whole MA35D1 MPU family, click the link to view our Nuvoton Technical docs.

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