|
|
 
|
Freescale Brings 8-bit Ease-of-Use to 32-bit Processing; New ColdFire(R) V1 Core to Power Industry's First 8-bit-Compatible 32-bit Microcontrollers
ORLANDO, Fla.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—July 25, 2006—
As performance and memory requirements increase in
consumer, medical, industrial and motor control applications,
designers are hitting the ceiling of 8-bit performance. The new
ColdFire(R) V1 core from Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL)
(NYSE:FSL.B) is designed to provide 32-bit performance with the
ease-of-use of an 8-bit microcontroller at a price point that won't
give traditional 8-bit designers sticker shock.
The 68K/ColdFire V1 core will provide the engine for the
industry's first 32-bit devices that are compatible with 8-bit --
allowing easy migration between architectures. Products based on the
V1 core will use the same peripheral modules and development tools as
products based on the S08 architecture, providing upward compatibility
and simplifying application design.
"The 68K/ColdFire V1 core is Freescale's next step in delivering
the Controller Continuum, our roadmap for 8-bit and 32-bit product
compatibility that will give designers the ability to move
effortlessly between 8-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers," said Mike
McCourt, vice president and general manager of Freescale's
Microcontroller Division. "Our next-generation products based on the
V1 core will provide 32-bit performance with 8-bit ease-of-use at
16-bit prices."
"The introduction of the V1 core represents a significant step to
bridge the gap between 8- and 32-bit microcontroller applications,"
said Rob Lineback, senior market analyst, IC Insights. "Providing a
common set of development tools and integrated peripherals, along with
pin-compatible packages, is crucial. Freescale appears to be on track
with its efforts to join the 8- and 32-bit MCU worlds."
Ultimate Balance between Price and Performance
Freescale has a rich peripheral portfolio, built on 30 years of
microcontroller expertise. The 68K/ColdFire V1 core will leverage this
legacy to enable new application features and capabilities.
Freescale's 68K/ColdFire V1 core and 8-bit S08 architecture will share
a common set of tools, starting with the CodeWarrior(R) 6.0
development studio. The CodeWarrior tool set makes programming the
32-bit 68K/ColdFire architecture as simple and straightforward as
programming an 8-bit microcontroller.
Early supporters of the 68K/ColdFire V1 core include Opto 22, a
provider of hardware and software products for applications in
industrial automation and remote monitoring.
"Opto 22 has a long history of using Freescale microcontrollers
and microprocessors in our most successful products," said Matt Chang,
engineering manager, Opto 22. "Freescale has continued to deliver the
innovative architectures, features, tools and performance we need in a
timely and efficient manner. The introduction of the V1 core will
allow us to use both 8- and 32-bit technology in a formerly 8-bit-only
space, without the development discontinuities imposed by multiple
architectures."
The 68K/ColdFire V1 core is designed to deliver increased system
utilization, resulting in the lowest power consumption of any
68K/ColdFire products to date, while offering more processing
performance than 8-bit microcontrollers. This new
low-voltage/low-power technology allows the V1 core to achieve
aggressive stop/run currents.
The full set of ColdFire architecture registers are built into the
68K/ColdFire V1 core, and it supports the same programming model as
the 68K/ColdFire V2-V4 cores. The V1 core uses the S08 bus structure,
which enables the use of similar peripheral and memory modules. For
package pin compatibility, the V1 uses the S08's single-pin background
debug mode to create simple interface configuration.
Pricing and Availability
Freescale intends to introduce multiple products based on the
68K/ColdFire V1 core throughout 2007. Freescale anticipates products
based on the V1 core will be priced within approximately 20 percent of
our 8-bit products with comparable features. For more information
about the V1 core, visit
http://www.freescale.com/files/pr/V1coldfire.html.
About the Controller Continuum
Introduced in 1Q06, Freescale's Controller Continuum for consumer
and industrial applications features an 8- to 32-bit roadmap with
pin-for-pin compatible devices that will share common peripherals and
development tools. With the recent introduction of the RS08KA family,
Freescale provided an ultra-low-end entry point to the Controller
Continuum, and ColdFire product introductions continue to increase
access to 32-bit performance.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:FSL) (NYSE:FSL.B) is a global
leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for
the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets.
Freescale became a publicly traded company in July 2004. The company
is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development,
manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries.
Freescale, a member of the S&P 500(R), is one of the world's largest
semiconductor companies with 2005 sales of $5.8 billion (USD).
www.freescale.com.
Freescale Technology Forum
The Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) is fast becoming the embedded
semiconductor industry's premier developer conference. A global
program, FTF events feature visionary keynote speakers, in-depth
technical training, and interactive demonstrations from Freescale and
leading hardware, software and tools providers. Attendees can explore
the V1 core at the Orlando forum in a session titled "Overview of the
Industry's First 8- to 32-bit Compatible Architectures." For detailed
information about FTF events around the world, please go to
www.freescale.com/ftf.
Reader Inquiry Response
Freescale Semiconductor
P.O. Box 17927
Denver, CO 80217 USA
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.
2006.
Contact:
Freescale Semiconductor, Austin
North America:
Jessica Kreager, 512-895-2996
Email Contact
or
Lois Paul & Partners for Freescale
Mari Melguizo, 512-638-5315
Email Contact
or
Asia-Pacific:
Gloria Shiu, (85-22) 666-8237
Email Contact
or
Europe, Middle East and Africa:
Regina Cirmonova, (41-22) 799-1258
Email Contact
or
Japan:
Shinichi Sunohara, (81-3) 5437-9129
Email Contact
or
Latin America:
Ruth Ruiz, 480-814-4897
Email Contact
|
 Be the first to review this article
|
|
