February 23rd, 2009 ~ by admin
ARM today announced their new embedded microcontroller core. The next in the Cortex line. The M0 implements the standard ARM7 instruction set architecture, but manages to do so in only 12,000 gates. They did so by sacrificing performance for a smaller foot print and power savings. This certainly isn’t the first RISC CPU with such a small foot print. The XAP-RISC processor also manages to do so in 12,000 or so gates.
12,000 gates translates into around 50,000 transistors, which is about the footprint of the Intel 80186 processor. In today’s world of multi-million transistor ASIC’s you’ll see this ARM core everywhere (likely you wont even know its there) . To drop in a 12,000 gate block into a modern ASIC design is nothing, and the benefits can be amazing giving the 32 bit code base available for the ARM.
Source: EE Times
February 20th, 2009 ~ by admin
In a recent deal to try to solve their cash problems, and streamline profitability, Zilog sold off its secure transaction products (namely 32bit ARM processors) to Maxim (who through the purchase of Dallas, makes many MCS-51 controllers), They also sold off their wireless division to Maxim (and the software portion of this to a company called UEI)
What does this leave? Essentially the classic Z80 processor that has been around for the last 33 years, and all the related extentions there of. Old designs tend to stick around for a long time, and the Z80 is no exception.
Source: EE Times
February 16th, 2009 ~ by admin
CNet Blog nanotech recently did an article about the 3 most recent CPU design flops by Intel, IBM, and AMD.
For Intel they chose the Itanium, and Itanium 2, there is no doubt that the Itanic as it is commonly called was a failure of epic proportions. It cost to much, and ad NO decent backwards compatibility and no existing code base. Intel of course still keeps plugging away on it.
For AMD editor Brooke chose the Puma, AMD’s much hyped and highly underperforming CPU/GPU, no argument here, it was and is a dog.
Where I disagree is the selection of the PowerPC by IBM. While Apple’s use of the PowerPC (all 10 years of it) ultimately ended in failure, the PowerPC did find its niche in many industries. Servers and supercomputers worldwide use thousands of PowerPC CPU’s. IBM has created many embedded versions which are used in everything from industrial control to running printers. IBM has also successfully license the PowerPC architecture to many other companies (over 20 at that, including a couple CPU’s running on Mars). Xilinx makes FPGA’s with multiple integrated PowerPC cores which find there way into about everything. Apple continues to be involved in PowerPC through their purchase of PA Semiconductor.
Perhaps the most well known users of the PowerPC today? The Nintendo Wii and the XBOX 360.
February 11th, 2009 ~ by admin
Today two of the leading chip design companies for mobiles phones, media players, and other ‘connected’ devices merged. SiRF, widely known for their advanced low power GPS receivers and CSR, makers of some of the most widely used Bluetooth devices in the world.
CSR’s BlueCore line of chips integrate a XA-RISC controller, while SiRF’s latest offerings use an ARM7 core. The merger will allow them to build a single chip solution with wifi, bluetooth, and GPS, a device that is likely to find itself in about every connected device you can imagine. It will be interesting to see which processing core they stick with, though it is likely the final products will end up with both.
Source: SiRF Press Release
February 6th, 2009 ~ by admin
NEC has just announced one of the smalled ARM processors you will see. As mobile phones are getting more and more complex, more and better features are being added. In a smart phone such as the Blackberry Storm, or the iPhone, it is not uncommon to have 3 or 4 (or more) ARM cores in the design. NEC just added another. The new NEC CE143 is meant for one thing, running the camera on your phone. Most phone cameras have a 2 or so megapixel cam on them, some are heading towards 8+. The CE143 is meant for 12 megapixel cameras, and can record full 1080p HD video, on your phone. Check out the size of this:
NEC CE143 ARM mobile image processor
Tiny is right and that package includes 64MB of RAM and a MB of Flash
January 30th, 2009 ~ by admin
As I am sure everyone has seen, the semiconductor industry is far from immune to the current economic recession (dare I say depression. Analysts are now saying the 2009 chip market will falls from 20-30%, and suppliers (wafers, imaging, scanners, mask sets etc) will be down over 40%.
The chip market will likely rebound some in 2010, but mainly correcting from overcautios cuts this year (we hope). The interesting part is the difference in cuts from chip makers, to their equipment suppliers. What this typically means is that semiconductor companies expect to continue using their existing equipment, ie no process improvements/shrinks any time soon. This helps avoid large capital costs, while preserving some revenue stream.
In other news, there will be A LOT of excess fab space this year.
January 26th, 2009 ~ by admin
Automotive computing in manyways is similar to your personal computer, and the same inherent problems. On your PC it is good to have the OS isolated from the normal applications (especially the internet browser). Same thing in your car, you do not want the navigation and media player functions to be able to interfere or crash the control computer. This is why most cars have DOZENS of computers. Renesas has just announced the SH7776, a dual SH-4A cored CPU. One core for the information systems, and one for the control systems. They share a common memory set, but it is segmented to prevent any problems. Each core runs at a whopping 533MHz and can output almost 2000 MIPS.
Clearly thats not enough for Renesas, they through in a graphics core too, a PowerVR core with 3D Rendering.
Source: EEProduct Center
January 13th, 2009 ~ by admin
When you think of multi-core CPU’s what comes to mind? Intel? AMD? Perhaps Nvidia, but certainly not TI.
Alas though, the embedded CPU/MCU market is by far the largest user of multicore CPU’s. Many systems controllers have an ARM main core, and then a MCS-51 core for IO stuff, or another ARM core. The iPhone has no less then 3 ARM cores in it.
TI just released the MSP430FE42X2, in large quantities its a mere $1 US. It includes 2 complete MSP430 cores, along with an LCD driver, and 32K of Flash. Where will you find it? Its marketed as a complete power meter solution, only other component needed to measure your houses power draw is a voltage regulator.
MSP430 Power Meter
The future of embedded computing IS multi-core controllers/ASICs
Source: TI (Texas Instruments)
January 13th, 2009 ~ by admin
Intel…err Marvel, who bought the Xscale line FROM Intel has just released the latest in the Xscale line up. The PXA168 wich is an ARM9 core with all the toppings (Ethernet, flash interface, USB etc). Built on a 55nm process it achieves speeds of up to 1GHz while pulling merely 1Watt of power.
Whats it for? “Web connected digital photo frames” says Marvell
Thats an incredible amount of CPU for a picture frame but it is the direction things are going. CPU’s like this are making coding much faster and easier, your embedded code can be very bloated, and inefficient, which equals faster development cycles and quicker profits.
Source: EEProductCenter.com
