1.

Searchable across all major MCU manufacturers and all their MCUs simultaneously.
GOPHER's database of search parameters is extensive and consistent and allows for significant flexibility. User can search across any number of MCU manufacturers simultaneously - just one, several or all (see Manufacturers in Gopher Database). Product lines within or between manufacturers can also be searched simultaneously in any combination.

2.

Large number of search parameters
GOPHER has standardized search parameters that can be used in any combination - all relevant to an MCU search. Additionly, there are 6 additional non-searchable parameters that offer additional parametric information about the MCU. Unlike other MCU search tools GOPHER does not include microprocessors (MPUs) in the database. So all 6 parameters are relevant to an MCU search and refer only to MCU searches. Nor does GOPHER include the hundreds of thousands of MCUs that break out the root MCU into the many packaging variations (such as reel, tape, tray, tube, etc.) which are irrelevant to the project design. In fact these features come into play only during the purchasing phase when the engineer hands the design over to purchasing. But in smaller shops where the engineer does the purchasing, the packaging variations are easily located once the root MCU has been found through a GOPHER search.

3.

No limit to the number of parametric choices
Searches allow as many or as few MCU manufacturers and/or parameters as desired to be specified at the same time.

4.

Search can be narrowed iteratively by discarding unwanted or unneeded MCU features and functionality

A search can be narrowed iteratively- If too many MCUs are returned after a search, user can easily go back to the GOPHER Input Form to narrow the results. User can then refine the search criteria step-by-step using one or both of two distinct search methods as follows:

Select additional search criteria that is required for the design. This can reduce the number of search results to show ONLY those MCUs that represent the "best fit" according to the users newly added search criteria. For example, if user forgot to include a feature that was important such as a Watch Dog Timer (WDT), checking this box in Sec. 10 of the Input Form will alter the search results. Only those MCUs that feature a WDT will show up, without changing all the other parameters previously selected, but will eliminate any MCUs that showed in the previous results that did not contain a WDT.

Use GOPHER’s proprietary feature called “Zero Feature Creep” that can eliminate unnecessary functionality that is either unwanted or unneeded. For example, to eliminate all MCUs that have unwanted Masked Memory, select "0" in the drop-down menu for “MROM” in Sec.3. Similarly, analog features require additional power and cost so removing them, if unneeded would be wise. In this instance user can easily eliminate MCUs with analog to digital converters by selecting "0" in the drop-down menu for “ADC Chans” in Sec. 6. Whenever a drop-down menu has a "0" entry, user may inform the search engine that MCUs with this option are not wanted (if they are not) and should be eliminated from the search.

5.

Standardized terminology & consistency in the search parameters
The parametric data for each parameter is consistently described and searchable - e.g. standardization of all parameter headings (such as memory type/size) along with normalization of all data within each of the parameters (e.g. all memory is expressed in bytes rather than a random mix of b and kb and mb, etc), allowing for concise and meaningful searches across all MCUs.

6.

Unparalleled access to Development Tools/Support Products created specifically to support the found MCUs

GruntWare has compiled a massive database of web links that point directly to development tools/support products that have been created by the manufacturers specifically for each MCU.

Each MCU in the GOPHER database has links to products that specifically support it which come from both the MCU manufacturer itself (data sheets, app notes, evaluation boards, etc.) and from independent manufacturers (evaluation boards, debugging tools, JTAG debuggers, RTOSs, Integrated Development Environments, compilers, debuggers, simulators, etc). These GOPHER web links point to the specific web page describing each support product on the original manufacturer's site.