Hitachi's 80-MIPS SH7709 Chipset Simplifies Development and Enhances the Performance of New Windows® CE Applications

High-performance, high-integration chipset expands popular SH-3 RISC processor family to meet future Personal Access needs

Brisbane, Calif., June 30, 1997 — Hitachi America, Ltd., Semicon-ductor & I.C. Division—whose Cool Engine SH-3 RISC processors dominate the first generation of Handheld PCs (H/PCs) based on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system—extends its lead with the SH7709 chipset, an optimized solution for the wider range of designs enabled by the forthcoming version of Windows CE. The chipset consists of the SH7709 (SH-3 series) high-performance 32-bit SuperH™ RISC engine (80-MHz, 80 MIPS, 300 MIPS/W), and the HD64461 companion ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product). The HD64461 connects directly to the SH7709, supports a 640x240, 256-color LCD, and provides an analog front end (AFE) interface for a V.34 (up to 33.6 kbps) data/fax software modem that runs on the SH7709.

Two-Chip Solution Provides Flexibility for Handling Many Applications
According to David Pelavin, product marketing manager for RISC devices at Hitachi America, Ltd., "Working with Microsoft, Hitachi chose a two-chip solution for products that will use the next version of Windows CE because this approach gives OEMs the greatest design flexibility and reduces time-to-market with a standard, off-the-shelf product. The SH7709 chipset is designed to take advantage of the enhanced operating system, and will lead to many other types of products, as well. In fact, within the information, communication and entertainment markets, we can address a myriad of Personal Access and other types of designs, such as digital cameras, Internet appliances, security systems, cellular phones, protocol converters, next generation H/PCs and many others. As OEMs invent new products for such applications, Hitachi will partner with them to provide optimized variations of the companion ASSP."

Builds on Strengths of SH-3 Series, the #1 MPU for Windows CE Products
      Hitachi's SH-3 series of 32-bit RISC Cool Engine™ devices are the de facto standard for H/PCs, since five of the seven units introduced at Comdex Fall 1996 use SH-3 series processors. Hitachi has addressed the demand for greater functionality in the Windows CE market with the design of the SH7709 chipset, giving system OEMs competitive advantages in this expanding market, and preserving their previous Windows CE software investments.

The SH7709 processor in Hitachi's new chipset is more powerful than the SH7708 (which was introduced in September, 1996): 80 MIPS at 80 MHz (SH7709) vs. 60 MIPS at 60 MHz (SH7708). The SH7709 is built with a 0.35 µm process, dissipates only 260 mW at 3.3 V and performs at 300 MIPS/W.

The SH-3 series of the SuperH RISC engine has a 5-stage pipeline, can address up to 4 Gbytes of memory, and provides single-cycle execution of basic instructions for high performance. The SuperH architecture uses a 16-bit fixed instruction length, which results in a higher code density than other RISC processors and lower memory and system costs.

The SH7709 includes an on-chip 128-entry, 4-way set associative MMU that is designed for Windows CE 1-KByte and 4-KByte page sizes. The SH7709 has an 8-KByte unified cache (also configurable as 4-KByte cache and 4-KByte RAM), 32-bit internal and 32/16/8-bit external data paths, 32x32+64'64-bit MAC, 3-channel 32-bit timer, and 2-channel user break controller for on-chip debug support, as well as a real-time clock (RTC), watchdog timer (WDT), clock pulse generator (CPG) with phase locked loop (PLL), 8-bit I/O ports, and SDRAM/Fast-Page DRAM/ROM/Flash interface. To help reduce system chip count and cost, the SH7709 additionally integrates an 8-channel 10-bit A/D converter, 2-channel 8-bit D/A converter, a 4-channel DMAC, a 1-channel 16-bit compare-match timer, and three serial communication interface (SCI) channels.

Companion ASSP Directly Connects to the MPU for Maximum Performance
The HD64461 companion ASSP completes Hitachi's two-chip SH7709 chipset. The HD64461 was jointly developed with Integrated Technology Express, Inc. (ITE)* to provide the remaining peripheral functions needed to build many Windows CE products. Hitachi sells the ASSP as part of the chipset, and it is memory mapped to the SH7709 MPU, connecting directly to it for maximum system performance.

Peripherals integrated into the HD64461 companion ASSP include an interrupt controller (INTC), a power management timer that reduces power drain when peripherals aren't in use, a UART, a standard I2C interface, I/O ports, analog front end (AFE) interface that can support a software modem, and an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) version 1.1 interface with 115-kbps to 4-Mbps communication capability. The HD64461's card controller interface supports either two PC Cards or one PC Card and one Miniature card (CompactFlash™ cards can also be used with a passive adapter to fit the PC Card form factor). A built-in color LCD controller accommodates displays with resolutions up to 640x240 and 256 colors out of a 256K palette; the controller also offers VGA CRT support.

Support Tools Help OEMs Get New Designs to Market Quickly
Hitachi and leading third-party suppliers offer hardware and software support tools for the SH7709 chipset to help system manufacturers get their ideas to market rapidly. These tools include the D9000 development platform, which was jointly developed by Hitachi and Microsoft to support 5-5-5 the SH7709 and Windows CE, as well as Microsoft's VC++ compiler and VC++ for Windows CE.

Middleware products available from third-party suppliers for the SH7709 chipset include a V.34 (up to 33.6 kbps) Data/FAX software modem, and packages for voice recognition, text to speech, voice compression, handwriting recognition, JPEG video compression, and image compression for FAX (MH, MR, and MMR).

Future Developments
Hitachi is committed to providing a roadmap for this product line. Future developments will include higher performance, higher integration, lower power versions with new and enhanced peripherals, and advanced packaging options such as chip-scale packages (CSPs). Hitachi is also developing the SH-4, which is a 64-bit superscalar SuperH RISC processor designed for 360-MIPS performance.

Price and Availability
The Hitachi SH7709 chipset—the 80-MHz SH7709 32-bit RISC MPU (Hitachi Part # HD6417709F80) and the H/PC companion ASSP in a 208-pin LQFP (Hitachi Part # HD64461)—is $70 per chipset (in sample quantities). Samples will be available in August 1997. Volume chipset production is scheduled for the first quarter of 1998.

Reader Contact
Readers can request literature package # PMH13PR007P1 from Hitachi America, Ltd., S. & I.C. Division, 2000 Sierra Point Parkway, MS-080, Brisbane, CA 94005-1897. Or they can call 1-800-285-1601, Ext. 27 or Fax 1-303-297-0447 to request literature or for referral to the closest sales location. Updated information about the SH7709 chipset is also available at Hitachi's Web site: http://www.hitachi.com

About Hitachi
Hitachi America, Ltd., Semiconductor & I.C. Division supports the requirements of the North American marketplace with a broad range of standard and low power semiconductor solutions, including RISC and CISC microprocessors and embedded controllers, ASICs, DRAMs, SDRAMs, DRAM modules, SGRAMs, SRAMs, Flash memories, Flash cards, Ferroelectric RAM devices, EEPROMs, MROMs, optoelectronic devices, hard disk drive ICs, cable/data modem ICs, LCD drivers/controllers, and wireless communications components. Substantial design engineering, manufacturing, and research and development facilities in the United States help bring the world's best technology to U.S. customers.

Hitachi's highly optimized SuperH™ RISC engine architecture provides the most efficient solution for emerging applications and power-sensitive systems without sacrificing performance and is the shipment leader in 32-bit RISC**. The H8 series of embedded controllers, which includes the H8/300, H8/300L, and H8/300H series, provides the full benefits of modern 8/16-bit general-purpose-register CISC architecture, including efficient execution of high-level language programs. The H8S series bridges the gap between the two, combining upward compatibility from H8 devices, performance approaching RISC devices, and very low power consumption.

Hitachi America, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., Japan, markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, semiconductors and provides industrial equipment and services throughout the U.S.

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is the world's leading global electronics company, with fiscal 1996 consolidated sales (ending March 31, 1997) of $68.7 billion. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment.

* About ITE
Integrated Technology Express, Inc. (ITE) specializes in computer core-logic, peripheral function, and consumer IC design and development for portable PC and PDA markets. Its wide range of technology offerings includes peripheral I/Os such as USB, PCMCIA, 1394, IrDA, FIR, and serial and parallel interfaces; power management control; RISC CPU based core logic; and mixed signal technology for modem, audio, and input/output devices. Founded in 1995 in Santa Clara, California and with subsidiaries in Taiwan, ITE is strongly committed to developing solutions for the emerging Windows CE market. Press Contact: Janet Chen at (408) 980-8168, ext. 208. Sales & Marketing Contact: Victor Lee (408) 980-8168, ext. 207. ITE website: http://www.iteusa.com

** According to the February 1997 issue of Andrew Allison's Inside the New Computer Industry newsletter, the 32-bit SuperH™ RISC architecture achieved a 32% share in 1996 and is the worldwide leader in shipments over the past three years, with 35.1 million SuperH devices shipped, 1994–1996.

SuperH is a trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. Cool Engine is a trademark of Hitachi America, Ltd. CompactFlash and CF are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

The Hitachi SH7709 chipset will enable system OEMs to capitalize on the enhanced capabilities of the next version of Windows CE in Personal Access applications, including information, communications and entertainment.