Motorola ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M processor cores set new standards in integration, flexibility: MAC unit provides cost-effective DSP support.AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1996--Motorola's (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :MOT) High Performance Embedded Systems Embedded systems Computer systems that cannot be programmed by the user because they are preprogrammed for a specific task and are buried within the equipment they serve. Division Tuesday announced the ColdFire2 and the ColdFire2M, two new implementations of its ColdFire Family of variable-length (VL) RISC RISC in full Reduced Instruction Set Computing Computer architecture that uses a limited number of instructions. RISC became popular in microprocessors in the 1980s. microprocessors for embedded applications. The new ColdFire cores, one of which includes a high-speed multiply accumulate (MAC) unit, set new standards in core integration and flexibility. The ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M processors target high volume, cost-sensitive, embedded control applications including data storage and imaging as well as emerging classes of products such as digital video discs (DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. ), mini-dish satellite systems, and interactive set-top boxes. The ColdFire2M incorporates a MAC unit that provides high-performance digital signal processing See DSP. Digital Signal Processing - (DSP) Computer manipulation of analog signals (commonly sound or image) which have been converted to digital form (sampled). (DSP (1) (Digital Signal Processor) A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications (see definition #2 below). It provides ultra-fast instruction sequences, such as shift and add, and multiply and add, which are commonly used in math-intensive ) capabilities. Integrated as a computation unit in the Coldfire operand The part of a machine instruction that references data or a peripheral device. In the instruction, ADD A to B, A and B are the operands (nouns), and ADD is the operation code (verb). In the instruction READ TRACK 9, SECTOR 32, track and sector are the operands. execution pipeline, the MAC unit implements a three-stage arithmetic pipeline with a sustained instruction issue rate of one MAC per cycle for 16x16 operations. The MAC unit is implemented in less than 8500 gates and, while optimized for 16x16 multiplies, fully supports 32-bit operations as well. The new MAC opcodes provide a full-featured set of extensions to the base ColdFire instruction set. The resulting ColdFire2M core offers cost-effective performance for signal processing See DSP. algorithms in applications such as image compression Noun 1. image compression - the compression of graphics for storage or transmission compression - encoding information while reducing the bandwidth or bits required (discrete cosine transforms), speech and image processing image processing Set of computational techniques for analyzing, enhancing, compressing, and reconstructing images. Its main components are importing, in which an image is captured through scanning or digital photography; analysis and manipulation of the image, accomplished (digital filters), and disk servo controllers (control and signal processing). These applications require solutions that offer the optimal combination of functionality and performance at a price that enables competitive end-systems. ColdFire Speeds Custom Designs to Market A key benefit of the ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M cores is support for integrated single-cycle instruction cache and memories directly on the processor's local bus. The new ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M processor cores support instruction cache, RAM and ROM storage with sizes from 0 to 32 Kbytes each. This added flexibility enables customers to develop ColdFire designs optimized for the memory requirements of their specific embedded applications quickly, easily and cost effectively. The ColdFire cores' standard debug To correct a problem in hardware or software. Debugging software means locating the errors in the source code (the program logic). Debugging hardware means finding errors in the circuit design (logical circuits) or in the physical interconnections of the circuits. module provides sophisticated support for real-time trace, background-debug mode, and real-time debug features, and gives customers the unique ability to leverage their existing hardware and software development tools. For example, emulators and other tools used with a standard ColdFire processor will directly support any custom version of the core. The ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M cores are completely portable, meaning they can be synthesized to any semiconductor process technology. The new ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M processor cores are implementations of Motorola's standard ColdFire architecture. Every ColdFire core combines a 32-bit data bus, a 32-bit address bus (to address up to 4 GBytes), and 16 general-purpose 32-bit data and address registers. The processor cores also include an operand misalignment mis·a·ligned adj. Incorrectly aligned. mis  a·lign ment n. module. "The ColdFire2 and ColdFire2M cores provide highly flexible, custom-design platforms which are easily integrated into our customers' integrated microprocessor designs," said Mike Frawley, manager of systems engineering and technical marketing for Motorola's High Performance Embedded Systems Division. "This flexibility, in combination with our integrated tools support, results in a compelling solution for customers facing shrinking time-to-market windows in a wide range of consumer electronics markets, such as imaging and mass storage applications." FlexCore The new ColdFire cores are immediately available in the FlexCore Program, Motorola's cell-based custom design and manufacturing program that enables high-volume customers to cost effectively develop proprietary integrated processor solutions. The FlexCore Program allows customers to incorporate proprietary circuitry around select Motorola cores, leveraging a comprehensive array of hardware and software tools, design expertise and manufacturing capabilities. ColdFire Family ColdFire processors occupy the "sweet spot" between CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) Pronounced "sisk." The traditional architecture of a computer which uses microcode to execute very comprehensive instructions. and conventional, fixed-length RISC, where an optimum balance between code density and transistor count Transistor count is the most common measure of chip complexity. According to the Moore's Law transistor counts of the integrated circuits grow exponentially. On virtually all modern CPUs the part that takes most transistors is the cache. can be achieved. By using Motorola's unique VL-RISC technology the ColdFire architecture combines the simplicity of conventional 32-bit RISC with a memory-saving variable-length instruction set. ColdFire instruction set, an optimized subset of Motorola's 680x0 family, allows engineers to leverage existing hardware, software and engineering expertise to bring new products to market more quickly and at a lower overall development cost. In addition, ColdFire-based designs have access to the largest selection of integrated third-party tools available in the industry including compilers, debuggers, real-time operating systems and hardware tools. With 1995 worldwide sales of $8.5 billion, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector is committed to enabling its customers' success by providing systems solutions, processes and services to anticipate and respond to changing technologies and market dynamics. As the largest U.S.-based, broad-line semiconductor supplier, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector delivers global resources, product design and development expertise and the highest quality technology solutions to its customers. Motorola semiconductors power automobiles, communications and computing systems, and millions of other consumer products. ColdFire is a trademark of Motorola Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CONTACT: Motorola -- Reader contact Sue Cozart, 512/891-2134 Mark Taylor People known as Mark Taylor include:
or Capital Relations Inc. -- Editorial contact Bonnie Quintanilla, 805/230-8212 bonnie@caprel.com |
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