DRPIC166X – PIC16-Compatible Low-Power 8-bit MCU IP Core

High-Performance, Ultra-Low-Power PIC16 Replacement for FPGA & ASIC

The DRPIC166X is a low-cost, high-performance 8-bit soft IP core, fully software-compatible with industry-standard PIC16xxx microcontrollers. Designed for power-sensitive and cost-critical embedded systems, it delivers an exceptional performance-to-power ratio, making it an ideal drop-in replacement for discrete PIC16 MCUs in modern FPGA and ASIC SoC designs.

Optimized for operation with fast, dual-ported on-chip memory, the DRPIC166X enables higher throughput, deterministic timing, and lower energy consumption—without sacrificing software compatibility.

Enhanced Harvard Architecture – Up to 4× Faster than Classic PIC16

The DRPIC166X implements an enhanced Harvard architecture, featuring:

• Separate instruction and data memories

• Independent address and data buses

• 14-bit program memory

• 8-bit dual-ported data memory

• Multi-stage instruction pipeline

This architecture allows instruction fetch and data access to occur simultaneously, enabling most instructions to execute in a single clock cycle. Compared to traditional PIC16 architectures, this results in up to 4× higher execution performance.

Only control-flow instructions (GOTO, CALL, RETURN) require a pipeline refill, adding just one extra clock cycle, ensuring predictable real-time behavior.

Ultra-Low Power Design for Always-On Systems

Power efficiency is a core design principle of the DRPIC166X:

• Fully static logic

• Built-in power-save mode

• Optimized instruction execution

These features make the DRPIC166X ideal for battery-powered, energy-harvesting, and always-on embedded applications, where power consumption directly impacts product lifetime and reliability.

Target Applications

The DRPIC166X is a perfect fit for:

• Automotive motor and actuator control

• Home appliances and white goods

• Low-power remote transmitters and receivers

• Pointing devices and human interface controllers

• Telecom and industrial control systems

Professional Debugging with DoCD™

The DRPIC166X integrates DoCD™ – DCD’s Hardware Debug System, enabling real-time, non-intrusive debugging of the entire SoC.

With DoCD™, engineers can:

• Halt, run, step, or skip instructions

• Read/write all registers and SFRs

• Access program and data memories

• Debug user-defined peripherals without affecting real-time execution

This dramatically reduces bring-up time and simplifies system validation.

Verification-Ready, Technology-Independent IP

The DRPIC166X is:

• Technology-independent (FPGA & ASIC ready)

• Delivered with a fully automated testbench

• Accompanied by a complete regression test suite

This ensures fast validation, low integration risk, and a smooth SoC design flow.

DRPIC166X vs Classic PIC16 – Key Differences

PIC16 to FPGA/ASIC Migration – Why DRPIC166X?

If you are migrating from discrete PIC16 microcontrollers to custom silicon or FPGA-based systems, DRPIC166X offers:

• Zero software rewrite (PIC16 compatibility)

• Higher performance at lower clock frequencies

• Lower power consumption

• Full SoC integration with custom peripherals

• Long-term availability without MCU lifecycle risk

Why Not ARM Cortex-M?

While ARM Cortex-M MCUs are powerful, they are often overkill for cost- and power-sensitive applications traditionally served by PIC16 devices.

DRPIC166X advantages over Cortex-M:

• No licensing or royalty costs

• Much smaller silicon footprint

• Lower power consumption for simple control tasks

• Deterministic real-time behavior

• Native compatibility with existing PIC16 firmware

• Easier certification and validation for safety- or cost-driven designs

For simple control, sensing, and low-power applications, DRPIC166X delivers exactly what you need — and nothing you don’t.

Why Choose DRPIC166X?

✔ 100% PIC16 software compatibility
✔ Up to 4× higher performance
✔ Ultra-low power consumption
✔ FPGA & ASIC ready
✔ Non-intrusive professional debugging
✔ Proven, production-ready IP

ALL DCD’S IP CORES ARE TECHNOLOGY AGNOSTIC, ENSURING 100% COMPATIBILITY WITH ALL FPGA AND ASIC VENDORS.

For further details, email info@dcd-semi.com

• Software compatible with PIC16C6X industry standard
• Pipelined Harvard RISC architecture
  • 4 times faster, compared to original implementation
• 35 instructions
• 14 bit wide instruction word
• Up to 32 kB of internal Data Memory
• Up to 64 K Words of Program Memory
• Configurable hardware stack
• Power saving SLEEP mode
• Fully synthesizable
• Static synchronous design
• Positive edge clocking and no internal tri-states
• Scan test ready
• Technology independent HDL Source Code
• 800 MHz virtual clock frequency in a 0.35u technological process
• USB, Ethernet, I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, LIN, HDLC, Smart Card interfaces available