Freescale Unveils Versatile Multi-Core Processor for Telematics, Consumer and Industrial Applications

AUSTIN, Texas-- May 21, 2007 --Advancing its 32-bit leadership in the automotive and embedded markets, Freescale Semiconductor has introduced a highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) processor optimized for high-performance, power-sensitive applications requiring complex graphics, multimedia and real-time audio processing.

Built on Power Architecture™ technology, the MPC5121e SoC device is the latest member of Freescale’s mobileGT processor family — the most widely used platform solution for telematics. Manufactured on advanced 90 nanometer low-power CMOS technology, the MPC5121e is designed to deliver exceptional multimedia performance and feature-rich user interfaces within a low power envelope, without sacrificing flexibility and robustness.

“The MPC5121e is Freescale’s most powerful, feature-rich processor for telematics applications,” said Mike McCourt, vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Microcontroller Division. “The device’s multi-core architecture unites a Power Architecture core with a dedicated 2D/3D graphics core and a powerful co-processor enhanced for real-time audio and multimedia. The combined horsepower of these cores makes this processor ideal for next-generation applications that require sophisticated displays, graphics/multimedia acceleration, network connectivity and mass storage.”

The primary processing engine of the MPC5121e microprocessor is the e300 core built on Power Architecture technology, scaling to 400MHz. The MPC5121e combines the e300 core with an integrated 2D/3D graphics core and a fully programmable 32-bit RISC-based multimedia acceleration core optimized for audio processing. Freescale also plans to offer a version of the MPC5121e without the 2D/3D graphics core.

The MPC5121e processor is automotive-qualified, making it ideal for telematics, connectivity and driver interactive vehicle applications. The device meets the reliability requirements of the AEC-Q100 standard and TS14969 specification and is designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions.

In addition to addressing telematics, the MPC5121e device can be used in a broad range of embedded applications, such as networked industrial control and security/surveillance systems, networked patient monitoring systems, gaming and digital home applications, such as media gateways and set-top boxes.

Powerful, efficient multi-core architecture

The MPC5121e processor contains the PowerVR MBX Lite 2D/3D graphics core, which supports 3D texturing and shading and includes the PowerVR Vertex Geometry processor (VGP Lite) for high-performance vector processing. The processor’s fully programmable multimedia acceleration core is designed to enhance the performance of popular compressed audio formats, such as MP3, AAC, WMA and Ogg Vorbis, and to optimize performance of real-time applications. This acceleration core also supports sample rate conversion, noise reduction and acoustic echo cancellation, which are key features for speech recognition and in-vehicle hands-free applications based on Bluetooth® wireless technology.

The multi-core architecture enables fast system throughput without driving clock rates and power consumption to excessive levels. The processor architecture balances high performance with low operating power consumption, resulting in lower system cost and high reliability. Low standby power consumption also makes the device suitable for automotive system designs and mobile applications.

Rich peripheral set

The MPC5121e processor's high level of on-chip integration helps reduce BOM costs and provides a flexible processing platform for a variety of embedded applications. The device offers a rich set of integrated peripherals, including 10/100 Ethernet, PCI, SATA, PATA, two USB 2.0 On-The-Go (OTG) with an integrated high speed PHY, four CAN modules and 12 programmable serial controllers. The integrated display controller provides cost-effective support for liquid crystal display/thin film transistor (LCD/TFT) displays.

The 128Kbyte of on-chip SRAM and numerous embedded memory buffers help ensure balanced system performance and system bus throughput while reducing latency demands. Processing performance is enhanced by well balanced system resources for the e300 core, graphics core and multimedia acceleration core, as well as the DDR-I/DDR-II/mobileDDR memory controller with integrated 64-channel DMA support.

mobileGT® Alliance and Freescale ecosystem support

The mobileGT Alliance includes world-class tool suppliers, such as Wind River, QNX and Green Hills Software. It also includes a growing list of software and hardware companies to provide support for the mobileGT processor family. RTOS, software drivers, middleware and application solutions from mobileGT alliance members are planned to be available when the MPC5121e device begins sampling.

Freescale plans to offer a broad range of support for the MPC5121e device, including the CodeWarrior Development Studio mobileGT processor edition and a Linux® Board Support Package (BSP) optimized for the mobileGT architecture and the MPC5121e development platform.

The MPC5121e device is designed for application code compatibility with existing solutions based on the MPC5200 architecture. This compatibility provides easy scalability across product solutions to help bring new end products with the latest features to market quickly and at a lower cost.

MPC5121e product features

• e300 core

  • Built on Power architecture technology

  • 32 KB instruction cache and 32 KB data cache

  • Double precision floating point unit and dual integer units

  • Up to 400MHz performance delivering 760 MIPS

• User-programmable 32-bit RISC multimedia core operating at up to 200 MHz

• 2D/3D graphics core based on PowerVR MBX/VGP Lite

• Integrated display controller supporting up to 1024 x 768 XGA resolution

• 12 programmable serial controllers supporting UART, SPI, AC97, I2S

• SDRAM DDR-I/DDR-II/mobileDDR memory controller

• 10/100 Fast Ethernet media access controller (MAC)

• Three I2Cs

• PCI 2.3 interface

• Dual USB 2.0 On-the-Go (OTG) controller with an integrated high-speed PHY

• Serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) controller

• Parallel advanced technology attachment (PATA) controller

• Four CAN 2.0A/B modules

• 64-channel intelligent DMA I/O controller

• Sony/Phillips digital interface format (S/PDIF) serial audio interface

• Secure digital host controller (SDHC) supporting MMC/SD/SDIO protocols

• 27x27 mm – 1 mm pitch 516-pin PBGA package

Availability

Samples of the MPC5121e processor are planned to be available in the late second quarter.

For more information about the MPC5121e processor, visit www.freescale.com/files/pr/mpc51xx.html.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2006 sales of $6.4 billion (USD). www.freescale.com

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