Toshiba TLCS
The Toshiba TLCS series is a family of CISC and RISC microcontrollers from Toshiba.
TLCS-47 family
The microcontrollers in the TLCS-47 category are 4-bit systems. These are no longer advertised on the Toshiba web site.
TLCS-90 family
The microcontrollers in the TLCS-90 family use a 8-bit/16-bit architecture reminiscent of the Z80. These are no longer advertised on the Toshiba web site.
TLCS-870 family
The microcontrollers in the TLCS-870 family (TLCS-870, TLCS-870/X, TLCS-870/C and TLCS-870/C1 series) use a 8-bit/16-bit architecture reminiscent of the Z80.
TLCS-900 family
The microcontrollers in the TLCS-900 family are 16-bit (TLCS-900, TLCS-900/L, TLCS-900/H and TLCS-900/L1 series) and 32-bit (TLCS-900/H1 series) systems. Most of them are CISC based, with a few systems being RISC based.
Features and differences
Current TLCS processors offer some or all of the following features:
- multifunction, bi-directional general purpose I/O ports with optional built-in pull-up resistors
- mask programmable, one time programmable, flash memory or EEPROM type of ROM. ROMless versions are also available
- a variety of serial interfaces:
- watchdog timer (WDT)
- multiplexed 10-bit A/D converters; D/A converters
- dual clock inputs and on-line clock switching by selecting different gear values (frequency divider), thus allowing either low-power low-frequency modes or high-performance high-frequency modes
- prescalable 8-bit and 16-bit timers (may be used as Programmable Interval Timers)
- 8-bit and 16-bit pulse-width modulation (PWM) and programmable pulse generation (PPG) output
- power voltage supply range between 1.8 and 5.5 Volt
- external interrupt control
- pattern generator, suitable for stepper motor control
- Chip select/wait controller
- different chip carrier formats
As demand for these features differs widely depending on the requirements for a specific project (low energy consumption; high number of I/O ports; etc.), customers can choose from a wide range of different versions.
Development tools
Toshiba offers an ANSI C compatible C compiler and an assembler. Neither tool is available for free.
The free Small Device C Compiler supports the TLCS-90.
There is a project for porting GNU assembler to the TLCS-900 family.
Alfred Arnold's The Macroassembler AS is a free assembler supporting the TLCS-47, TLCS-870, TLCS-90, TLCS-900 and TLCS-9000 families.