IBM expands into embedded market with two PowerPC-based

IBM expands into embedded market with two PowerPC-based devices
By Semiconductor Business News
March 12, 2002 (7:54 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020311S0070

EAST FISHKILL, N.Y. -- IBM Corp. here today expanded its efforts in the embedded processor market, rolling out a pair of chips based on its PowerPC RISC microprocessor line.

The new chips--part of the IBM PowerPC 4xx family of 32-bit embedded RISC processors--are geared for data storage systems, routers, gateways, wireless basestations and other products.Manufactured in IBM's advanced 0.l8-micron CMOS SA-27e copper process technology, the company is offering two new devices: the 440GP and 405GPr.

"IBM continues to broaden its PowerPC offerings with a new breed of high-performance, low-power, integrated processor solutions, providing embedded chip designers a wide array of options," said Ron Tessitore, vice president of PowerPC and Network Technology Development at IBM's Microelectronics Division.

The 440GP comes in 400-, 466-, and 500-MHz speed grades and is the first device now available to use the PowerPC BookE architecture, an enhanced PowerPC architecture.

The 440GP is a superscalar processor, based on a 128-bit "CoreConnect" bus and high-performance peripherals, including PCI-X bridge and a doubled-data-rate (DDR) SDRAM controller. The processor has a bandwidth of 4.2-gigabits-per-second.

The new 405GPr is a low-power, embedded processor that comes in 266-, 333- and 400-MHz speed grades. The 405GPr is a pin-compatible upgrade to the PowerPC 405GP, and incorporates a PCI interface, an SDRAM controller, a 64-bit on-chip CoreConnect bus, a Fast Ethernet controller and other on-chip peripheral support.

The 440GP is sampling today at 400-MHz and is priced at $75 in 10,000-piece lots. Production quantities will be available this summer. The 405GPr is sampling today at 266-MHz and is $33 in similar lots. Production quantities are due in June.