Motorola Launches Highest Performance ColdFire(R) V2 Core Microprocessor

Offering Low Power and New Advanced Peripherals, the MCF5249 Targets Industrial Control, Security/Biometrics and Audio Applications

SAN FRANCISCO, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The first product in a new family of microprocessors based on Motorola's   32-bit ColdFire architecture is generating sweet sounds for a variety of portable audio applications. With its attractive combination of large on-chip memory, integrated peripherals, low power and competitive price/performance ratio, the new MCF5249 is also creating a buzz in other markets including industrial control and security.
 

"The MCF5249 is the first of Motorola's series of integrated ColdFire processors designed for audio electronics that is targeted to be available to other markets like industrial control and imaging. Millions of Motorola's ColdFire devices are already in use in just these types of applications and we're seeing more and more new applications due to its flexibility, integration and performance," said Franz Fink, general manager of Motorola's 32-Bit Embedded Controller Division. "The MCF5249 is designed to enable fewer system components and low power consumption, resulting in lower system costs and even longer battery life, which is especially important with portable products. Customers are very excited about this new device."

The new MCF5249 MPU is the highest performance device based on the Version 2 ColdFire core -- with performance up to 125 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS at 140 MHz -- while also the lowest power ColdFire device. The MCF5249 boasts 96K bytes of on-chip SRAM, 8K bytes of instruction cache as well as a number of integrated peripherals. Two independent UARTs, two 16-bit timers, phased-lock loop clock, software watchdog timer, general purpose input/output lines, two I2C interfaces, Queued Serial Peripheral Interface (QSPI), 4-channel direct memory access (DMA), and a glueless SDRAM controller magnify the broad appeal of this versatile new product. Furthermore, the enhanced multiply-accumulate (eMAC) unit on the newest chip provides DSP functionality for fast math and signal processing capability for audio and other applications.

Serving the Design Needs of Many Markets

The MCF5249 is designed to enable embedded applications in a variety of markets, providing flexibility, high levels of integration, high performance, and at an attractive cost. This newest processor builds on the success of existing V2 ColdFire devices whose sales and designs are increasing at unprecedented rates.

Audio Electronics

On-chip audio interfaces help make it easy to design digital audio systems, such as MP3 compact disc (CD) players or any application requiring significant control processing for file management, data buffering and user interface as well as signal processing for decoding and effects processing of compressed audio files. Standard audio software modules, such as an MP3 decoder, are expected to be available from Motorola and third parties.

Imaging Security/Biometrics

The MCF5249 is becoming a popular choice for fingerprint recognition and CCTV because of its abundant on-chip memory and low power consumption. Its high level of processing power, small package size and low cost make it ideal for these applications.

Industrial control

The MCF5249 is ideal for many types of control applications where timing and communication is essential, such as electronic point-of-sale terminals, vacuum system control, and medical equipment. The Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) interface makes the MCF5249 a great choice for data acquisition systems where large amounts of data need to be stored on a hard disk, while the on-chip 12-bit A/D converter is useful for acquiring data from external sensors. The I2C interface -- a popular industry feature -- is ideal for interfacing to a wide variety of external peripherals such as display drivers, EEPROM, I/O expansions, and generic output drivers for relays.

The combination of timers, the A/D converter, DMA, eMAC, and all the serial modules make the MCF5249 well suited for basic real-time control in a wide variety of applications.

Enhanced Feature Set Paves Ideal Path for Upgrades

The MCF5249 is based on the ColdFire® 32-bit microprocessor architecture that integrates advanced features designed to dramatically boost performance, simplify system design and help reduce overall system costs. Although this microprocessor is optimized for digital audio electronics, current ColdFire users may find it an ideal upgrade from their existing Version 2 core devices due to:
 
- High performance -- with 125 [Drystone 2.1] at 140 MHz

- Low power -- with 1.3mW per MHz

- Enhanced multiply-accumulate (eMAC) unit -- provides DSP fast math and signal processing capability

- 96K Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) -- for performance intensive  applications needing fast single cycle access to internal memory

- 8K instruction cache -- helps to run program fast to enhance performance

- SDRAM controller -- for synchronous DRAM allowing fast, easy access to external memories

- Queued Serial Peripheral Interface (QSPI) -- for fast inter-system  communication

- 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) integrated on-chip -- to help further reduce number of system components and easily interface with   system devices



Optimized for Digital Audio Electronics

Worldwide portable digital music player unit shipments are expected to grow from 2.4 million in 2000 to over nine million in 2005, according to Cahners In-Stat. As the MP3 format grows in popularity due to its low cost and high capacity, addressing the convergence of home audio electronics and computer technologies is increasingly important for original equipment manufacturers. To support these market opportunities, Motorola has designed a new serial audio peripheral that virtually eliminates the need for additional audio interface devices within the system. As an example use of this attractive integrated combination device can result in up to a 40 percent reduction in component count when compared to MP3-CD players on sale today.

Features include:
- Serial audio ports compatible with Philips I2S/Sony EIAJ formats -- allows direct connection to audio devices such as analog-to-digital and  digital-to-analog converters

- CD ROM Block Decoder/Encoder -- processes CD-ROM sectors in hardware, including sync recognition, sector scrambling and CRC checksum which  allows to read/write CD-ROM data files from a standard audio CD drive, with no CPU overhead

- SPDIF/EBU Transmitter / Receiver -- enables input and output from device  in SPDIF and EBU formats

- An innovative on-chip audio data bus -- allows direct connection between audio interfaces with no intervention from the CPU

- Flash media interface -- used in applications in which audio is stored in flash media, such as MMC (multimedia card) and compact flash cards  make it ideal for portable products

- IDE master interface -- for direct connection to Hard Disk Drives or  other storage devices.

- Audio software modules -- Standard audio software modules, such as an  MP3 decoder, will also be available from Motorola and third parties.



Development Support

Motorola offers evaluation boards and software to help ease customers' development efforts and reduce time to market. The M5249C3 development board is expected to be available in April 2002, with an audio expansion daughter card to be available in the second quarter of 2002. The MCF5249 is supported by ColdFire V2-family development tools that are expected to be available through numerous independent suppliers.

Price and Availability

Samples of the 160 MAPBGA package MCF5249 are available now, with volume production expected in the third quarter of 2002. Suggested list price per unit for 10,000 pieces is US$10.30. A 144 LQFP package version of the device is planned to be available in the second quarter of 2002.

About Motorola

As the world's #1 producer of embedded processors, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector creates DigitalDNA(TM) system-on-chip solutions for a connected world. Our strong focus on wireless communications and networking enables customers to develop smarter, simpler, faster and synchronized products for the person, work team, home and automobile. Motorola's worldwide semiconductor sales were $4.9 billion (USD) in 2001. http://www.motorola.com/semiconductors

Motorola, Inc.  is a global leader in providing integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2001 were $30 billion. http://www.motorola.com/

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