Four digital signal controllers (DSCs) let manufacturers add a single device to products that previously required separate digital and analog control algorithms and circuits. DSC manufacturer Freescale Semiconductor, Austin, Texas (freescale.com) says its 56F8000 family controls digital and analog circuits through software running on one of the DSCs. The devices are said to control motors, digital power conversion (ac-dc power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies, frequency inverters) and advanced lighting control, such as high-brightness LED arrays for lighting building and LCD backlights.

The company says DSCs reduce motor control costs and help eliminate potential failures. The devices generate less torque ripple in motors, reducing vibration and noise though adaptive, and closed-loop control. Also, shrinking the magnetics in power supplies results in more efficient power conversion with less heat.

The latest 56F8000 DSCs come in four lead-free options, ranging from 32 to 64 pins, with flash memory from 12 to 64 Kbytes. The increased memory makes it easier to implement complex loop-control algorithms and controls.