Freescale's Applications Processor Drives Ford Sync(TM) In-Car Communications and Entertainment System.Microsoft and Ford Expand Collaboration with Semiconductor Leader Selecting Popular i.MX31 for Key Automotive Market Initiative AUSTIN, Texas -- Freescale Semiconductor Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. is an American semiconductor manufacturer. It was created by the divestiture of the Semiconductor Products Sector of Motorola in 2004. Freescale focuses their integrated circuit products on the automotive, embedded and communications markets. announced that its widely-adopted i.MX31 multimedia applications processor is the engine in the Ford Sync See SYNC. [TM] in-car communications and entertainment system. Based on Microsoft Auto software, the Sync system is designed to provide consumers the convenience and flexibility to bring nearly any mobile phone or digital media player into their vehicle and operate it using voice commands or the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls. The 400 MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. version of the i.MX31 processor, with its highly efficient memory system including L2 cache (Level 2 cache) A memory bank built into the CPU chip, packaged within the same module or built on the motherboard. The L2 cache feeds the L1 cache, and its memory is slower than L1 memory. The L2 cache feeds the L1 cache, which feeds the processor. , is designed to provide ample processing power to run the Microsoft operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. , handle audio signal processing Audio signal processing, sometimes referred to as audio processing, is the processing of a representation of auditory signals, or sound. The representation can be digital or analog. for hands free phone operation and perform all of the voice recognition functionality in the Sync system. Additionally, USB USB in full Universal Serial Bus Type of serial bus that allows peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, digitizers, data gloves, etc.) to be easily connected to a computer. connectivity on the i.MX31 chip enables high-speed data transfer between the Sync system and a mobile phone or portable media device. The Microsoft Auto platform includes a complete hardware reference design that supports the i.MX31 processor. "Microsoft is committed to delivering high performance, cost-effective solutions to the automotive industry The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of motor vehicles. In 2006, more than 69 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide. and we are impressed with the price-performance, breadth of features, connectivity options and ease of re-use of the i.MX31 multimedia processor family," said Marty Thall, Embedded Devices general manager, Microsoft Corporation (company) Microsoft Corporation - The biggest supplier of operating systems and other software for IBM PC compatibles. Software products include MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Windows NT, Microsoft Access, LAN Manager, MS Client, SQL Server, Open Data Base Connectivity (ODBC), MS Mail, . "The Microsoft Auto project team evaluated i.MX31 and quickly recognized that it met all of our key requirements." Sync is a fully integrated, customizable communications and media system that is designed to allow car occupants to operate both Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and nearly all portable media players with simple voice commands or hand controls on the steering wheel. Developed by Microsoft and Ford, the Sync in-car communications and entertainment system offers an advanced level of communications and entertainment convenience. The Sync system lets users control and personalize their electronic devices in their vehicle. "Freescale's i.MX31 processor is designed for multimedia in the home, hand and car, driving a seamless experience for mobile consumers who want to take their media on the road," said Berardino Baratta, general manager of the Multimedia Applications Division, Freescale. "The Ford Sync in-car communications and entertainment system changes the landscape in automotive infotainment with its hands-free voice recognition capability, familiar Microsoft interface and operational simplicity. Ford, Microsoft and Freescale are enabling consumers to have access to all of their mobile devices and content in a user-friendly environment." Freescale's i.MX31 multimedia applications processor The Freescale i.MX31 multimedia applications processor is ideal for computationally-intensive applications such as automotive entertainment systems, video and audio media players, mobile gaming consoles and GPS systems, as well as smartphones, PDAs, ultra portable handheld computers and other wireless mobile devices. The i.MX31 processor includes leading power management, security management, digital rights management and image processing technology, a formidable combination of features OEMs desire to drive high-performance video, audio and 3D gaming content on wireless mobile devices. The processors are designed with Freescale's Smart Speed Technology that enables ultra low power An ultra low power, or ULP device, is an electronic gadget that has milli- or micro-watt power consumption. Some examples of ultra-low power devices:
Availability The i.MX31 multimedia applications processors are commercially shipping in volume and can be ordered through Freescale distributors or direct from Freescale. For more information, please visit www.freescale.com/imx31. For more information about the Ford Sync System, visit http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=25168 http://www.syncmyride.com/ About Freescale Semiconductor Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. 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 privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. 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 USD In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the U.S. Dollar. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. ). www.freescale.com Freescale[TM] and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. [c] Freescale Semiconductor Inc. 2007. |
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