Embedded Processor Watch

Senior Editor: Tom Halfhill
Contributor to this issue: Peter N. Glaskowsky, Nick Tredennick, and Brion Shimamoto

In This Issue:

• RapidIO Expands Narrow-Bus Options
• Guest Viewpoint: Embedded Systems and the Microprocessor
• Triscend Introduces New Configurable Chip
• TI Design Win: Sony MP3 Player
• NEC Ports Linux to VR Series
• Embedded Processor Forum June 12-16
• Microprocessor Forum Call for Proposals
• Cahners MicroDesign Resources Seeks New Analysts

RapidIO Expands Narrow-Bus Options

By Peter N. Glaskowsky

Into a market crowded with new point-to-point switched interconnects, Motorola and Mercury Computer Systems have introduced yet another: RapidIO. The new standard, which will be managed by the RapidIO Trade Association (http://www.rapidio.org), offers the same basic benefit -- high bandwidth over a narrow interface -- claimed for FibreChannel, FireWire, the HotRail Channel, InfiniBand, AMD's Lightning Data Transport, Rambus memory, and similar specifications.

Initial RapidIO implementations will use either an 8- or a 16-bit parallel interface operating at speeds from 250MHz to 1GHz, with two data transfers per clock cycle. The maximum configuration yields 4GB/s of peak throughput.

Despite the plethora of alternatives, RapidIO is likely to see widespread use. The new standard is meant to be used as a chip-to-chip and backplane interconnect within networking equipment, a market dominated by RapidIO's key supporters, which include Cisco, Lucent, and Nortel. These companies alone control enough of this market to justify the design of RapidIO-equipped embedded microprocessors and network interfaces.

The new standard is likely to compete directly with InfiniBand (http://www.infinibandta.org) in servers, however. Even RapidIO's biggest boosters are also backing InfiniBand. Motorola itself is a member of the InfiniBand Trade Association, and Cisco, Lucent, and Nortel are sponsoring members.

The inherent scalability of RapidIO and InfiniBand likely means that they will be around for a long time. It remains to be seen how well their respective trade associations will manage future transitions to higher data rates and new physical media. The PCI bus, for example, has been adapted to a number of new form factors over the years, but its failure to adapt to the evolving performance requirements of PCs, servers, and embedded systems made the InfiniBand and RapidIO efforts necessary. We hope these new standards prove even more flexible and durable. (The full version of this article is available to Microprocessor Report subscribers at http://www.MDRonline.com/mpr/h/2000/0508/141901.html).

Guest Viewpoint: Embedded Systems and the Microprocessor

By Nick Tredennick & Brion Shimamoto

Generations of engineers have learned to solve problems with microprocessor-based methods. We have, in fact, created a microprocessor-based culture of problem solving. It has become our default problem-solving method. But applications in the embedded systems market now require design goals in what we call the leading-edge wedge -- the overlap of zero-cost, zero-power, and zero-delay segments.

Microprocessors are not the best solution for applications in the leading-edge wedge because they cannot meet the range of computational requirements efficiently enough. Programmable logic devices allow dynamically "paged" hardware to efficiently solve a range of application requirements with the right resources at the right time. This is the beginning of the long demise of the microprocessor. The demise will take a long time, however, because our industry lacks engineers with the training to implement efficient dynamic logic solutions with programmable logic devices. (The full version of this article is available to Microprocessor Report subscribers at http://www.MDRonline.com/mpr/h/2000/0424/141702.html).

Triscend Introduces New Configurable Chip

Triscend is sampling a new member of its E5 family of configurable system-on-a-chip (SOC) devices, which combine an 8032-compatible core with programmable logic. The new TE502 has a 40MHz 8032 core, 8K of on-chip RAM, 256 configurable system-logic cells, and up to 92 programmable I/Os (PIOs). It's a lower-end version of Triscend's TE505, which has twice as much RAM, twice as many configurable cells, and up to 124 PIOs. Both devices have a 40Mbyte/s internal bus. Triscend provides a GUI tool that allows developers to surround the CPU core with application-specific peripherals (see Embedded Processor Watch #21, http://www.MDRonline.com/epw/issues/epw_21.html). The TE502 is scheduled to enter production this quarter and will cost $12.45 in 100-piece quantities. For more information: http://www.triscend.com. --T.R.H.

TI Design Win: Sony MP3 Player

Sony is using the Texas Instruments TMS320C5409 DSP in its new Vaio Music Clip Internet-audio player, which can run for five hours on a single AA battery. The player has 64M of flash memory, a USB port for connections to PCs, and can play audio files in MP3, Windows Media, and other formats. Sony's Open MG copyright-protection technology complies with Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) guidelines. TI's 'C5409 is a 16-bit fixed-point DSP. For more information: http://www.ti.com/sc/. --T.R.H.

NEC Ports Linux to VR Series

NEC Electronics has ported Linux version 2.3.9 to its VR series of 64-bit MIPS-compatible microprocessors, including the VR4121, VR5432, and VR5000. The company is selling evaluation kits with a development board, Cygnus GNUPro Embedded ToolSuite, PMON debugging monitor, support packages for VxWorks and pSOS, and a trial version of VioSoft's Arriba GUI development system. The boards have serial, parallel, and Ethernet ports and at least two PCI slots. The VR4121 kit costs $4,950; the VR5000 and VR5432 kits are $2,450 each. For more information: http://www.necel.com. --T.R.H.

Embedded Processor Forum: June 12-16

Registration is now open for the Embedded Processor Forum, which will be held June 12-16 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. Vendors will introduce more than 20 new embedded processors, and analysts will present six full-day technical seminars. Embedded Processor Forum will give you the in-depth technical information you need to make winning embedded-design decisions. Due to high demand, registration is filling up quickly. Detailed information about the presentations at the forum is now available on the Cahners MicroDesign Resources web site at http://www.MDRonline.com/EPF. You can also call 800.527.0288 or 408.328.3900 for more information or to receive a brochure.

Microprocessor Forum Call for Proposals

Cahners MicroDesign Resources is accepting presentation proposals for its thirteenth annual Microprocessor Forum, October 9-13, 2000, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, California.

We will consider proposals from companies making announcements of new high-performance microprocessor technology. Presentations must include significant technical detail and include new information not previously disclosed. Microprocessors disclosed in detail for the first time will be given preference. Areas of interest include processors for PCs, processors for workstations and servers, embedded processors, DSPs, and programmable multimedia processors.

Your abstract must be submitted electronically to: mailto:mpfprogram@mdronline.com

Deadline for proposals is June 1, 2000.

All presentation proposals will be kept confidential. Proposals may be preceded or accompanied by appropriate non-disclosure agreements. For more information, go to http://www.mdronline.com/mpf/call.html.

Cahners MicroDesign Resources Seeks New Analysts

Cahners MicroDesign Resources, the publisher of this newsletter as well as Microprocessor Watch and Microprocessor Report, and the organizer of Microprocessor Forum and Embedded Processor Forum, is seeking new analysts to join its team. Positions focused on either embedded processors or PC processors are available. Our analysts are highly visible thought leaders in the microprocessor industry and frequently meet with top architects and executives. Candidates must have at least five years of relevant design, marketing, or analysis experience as well as excellent communication skills. For more information, contact Keith Diefendorff (mailto:kdiefendorff@mdr.cahners.com).