11170 Flatiron Dr.
Lafayette, CO 80026
303.828.9156  (voice)
303. 828.9316 (fax)
sales@protean-logic.com
Text Search Within Site

TICkit Mini-Computers........

Development Tools

TICkit 83/84

TICkit 63/74

TICkit 62

TICkit 57

Peripheral Processor ICs....

Xtender73

RSB509

RSB6507

Peripheral I/O Modules.......

Graphic LCD 128x64

Alpha Serial LCD 40x4

Serial to Parallel

Logic Capture POD

Board Level Devices.............

Model Rocket Altimeter

5 Point LED Star

Relay I/O Controller

6x8 LED Large Signage

Signage Matrix Controller

Instrument Display

Child's Vehicle Controller

Customizable Products.......

 Power Line Backup

Logic Analyzer

Alphatone telephone Aid

Component Shop..................

Protean Logic TICkit Mini-Computers

TICkit™ mini-computers are small programmable computing devices which are technically "micro-controllers", or more accurately "micro-interpreters". These small devices can execute relatively large and complex programs. They are optimized for I/O controlling, which means that they can control a wide variety of electrical interfaces from lights and switches to motors, printers, GPS devices, LCD screens and so on.. In addition to very capable I/O functions, it also has a great deal of data processing capability. The TICkit 83/84 device can directly support 512K bytes of non-volatile storage using abstract data structures. It implements 32 bit integer and 32 bit floating point math with also makes it a great candidate for scientific data acquisition.

All TICkit devices support advanced programming concepts like structure, encapsulation, and interrupt processing. The latest in the TICkit line also support Hybrid assembly language routines, internal token storage and even multi-threading. You can get a sense of how capable the FBasic programming language is by consulting the applications notes or the knowledge base for an abundance of documents and examples highlighting FBasic.

These devices are programmed using software that runs on your PC. The software is called an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and is available for free download. We ask that you register your software for a small fee if and when you use the TICkit in any serious program design. This ensures it's continued advancement. The IDE can also be purchased as part of a more complete development system. See all the options here.

Physically, TICkit micro-computers are RISC processor chips made by Microchip® called PIC processors. The PIC processors are relatively tiny micro-controllers designed for embedded applications. Protean implants special firmware call an interpreter which vastly expands the addressing capability and implements a large library of pre-written I/O routines. This combination yields a very small and inexpensive device that looks and acts very much like a small desk-top computer.

Every version of the TICkit can be purchased in several forms. These forms vary from the isolated TICkit processing IC to complete development systems with prototyping areas.

The TICkit interpreter has been implemented in four versions since its inception. These versions are identified by the numerical designation of the PIC processor they are implemented on. Of course new designs benefit from using the latest version, however existing products require that earlier versions continue to be available.

Protean Logic offers all versions and revisions of interpreter ICs as long as the native PIC chips are available. This ensures no designs will be orphaned within a reasonable life time.

TICkit 83/84

The TICkit 83 or 84 (40 pin version) has all the capabilities of the 63/74 with the following additional functionality:

  1. Internal Token storage - Programs up to 7K can be stored inside the TICkit IC. Internal tokens fetch faster and provide greater security than code stored in external EEproms.

  2. User interface for implementing Assembly language routines in the TICkit IC. This allows special high speed routines for things like DRAM refresh or high speed peripheral interfaces.

  3. More RAM memory for stack space as well as a 32 byte scratch pad for convenient communications between assembly and FBasic routines.

  4. Stack and Memory can be split for multi-threading capabilities. Now TICkit devices can actually run two programs at once.

  5. Enhanced audio playback functions.

 

TICkit 63/74

The TICkit 63 or 74 (40 pin version) has all the capabilities of the 62 with the following additional functionality:

  1. Address Space increases to 256K from the 64K maximum of the 62.

  2. 32 bit Floating point math routines.

  3. Pulse routines to control up to 4 RC style servos simultaneously.

  4. Audio Playback from EEprom (8 bit)

  5. Frequency output with up to 4 voices (4 different frequencies)

  6. PCAT keyboard input routine

  7. RS232 in background

  8. Second CCP output/input

  9. TICkit 74 has 8bit A/D inputs

  10. 128 bytes of RAM

  11. Significant speed increases over that of the 62.

  12. Background real-time clock.

  13. Time base interrupts.

  14. One-wire support for dallas semiconductor ICs

TICkit62

The TICkit 62 has all the capabilities of the 57 with the following additional functionality:

  1. 96 bytes of RAM.

  2. SSP unit for 3 wire or 2 wire serial busses (I2C or SPI)

  3. CCP unit for generating pulses or measuring pulses in background

  4. Speed increases over that of the 57.

  5. Better pin handling routines

TICkit57

The TICkit 57 is the first TICkit. This device was introduced in 1996.

  1. 48 bytes of RAM

  2. 2K or 64K EEprom program and data space.

  3. pin input and output routines on 16 pins

  4. RS232 in and out on any of 16 pins.

  5. pulse generation or measurement on any of 16 pins

  6. Resistance-Capacitance measurement routine.

  7. Timing routines

  8. interrupt input pin for hardware initiated sub-routine.

  9. complete symbolic debugging capability.

  10. Programmed in a structured dialect of BASIC called FBasic.