ST6

ST6 is a designation used in several contexts, but it is best known for a line of embedded microcontrollers produced by STMicroelectronics. The ST6 family emerged in the late 1980s and targeted compact, low-cost control applications in consumer electronics, automotive subsystems, and industrial equipment. The devices are primarily 8-bit microcontrollers, with some derivatives expanding into simple 16-bit capabilities, designed to deliver efficient performance in small-form hardware.

The ST6 microcontrollers typically integrate the processor core with on-chip memory and a set of peripherals suited to control tasks. Common features across the family include programmable I/O, timers, and serial communication interfaces; many models also offer analog-to-digital conversion and in-system programming capabilities. Development tools provided by ST and third parties supported programming in assembly or higher-level languages, along with debuggers and in-circuit emulators to facilitate embedded software development.

In the market, the ST6 line served as a practical option for legacy projects and cost-sensitive designs. Over time, STMicroelectronics shifted focus to newer families and architectures, such as later 8/16/32-bit series, while many ST6 devices remained in service in existing equipment and continued to receive maintenance support from manufacturers and distributors.

Aside from the microcontroller family, the ST6 designation is used in other domains. This article concentrates on the ST6 microcontroller lineage and its role in the history of embedded electronics.