Samsung says it is now sampling two new ARM9-based application processors that support Linux. Targeting smartphones, PDAs, and PNDs (personal navigation devices), the S3C2416 and S3C2450 feature on-chip 2D graphics accelerators, UARTs, LCD controllers, audio interfaces, USB, and a variety of memory support, says Samsung.

Samsung describes the S3C2416 and S3C2450 as “the newest members of its highly successful S3C24xx family of application processors.” Designed using 65nm process technology, the devices are the fruits of a long-term licensing agreement between Samsung and ARM that was last extended in February.

Both the S3C2416 and S3250 use the ARM926-EJS core. The “cost-effective” S3C2416 targets PDAs, e-readers, PNDs, and POS (point-of-sale) devices, and runs at 266MHz or 400MHz. It is packaged in a 14mm x 14mm, 330-pin FBGA (fine pitch ball grid array). The S3C2450 targets smartphones, runs at 400MHz, and comes in a 13mm x 13mm, 400-pin FBGA package.

S3C2416

Samsung touts the S3C2416's enhanced NAND controller, said to enable 512B, 2KB, and 4KB block transfers, and to interface with both MLC and SLC flash. Memory support includes NOR, OneNAND, SRAM, low-power mobile SDRAM, and mobile DDR, as well as removable storage such as SD and MMC.

A block diagram of Samsung's S3C2416
(Click to enlarge)
Features and specifications listed by Samsung for the S3C2416 include:

• Architecture:
  • 16/32-bit RISC ARM926EJ-S core
    
  • 16KB I-cache; 16KB D-cache/MMU
    
  • Supports Linux, Windows CE, and Symbian

• System Manager:
  • Little/big Endian support
    
  • Mobile SDRAM controller
    
  • Mobile DDR controller
    
  • NAND flash controller (SLC/MLC; 512B, 2KB and 4KB block)
    
  • OneNAND flash controller
    
  • iROM device booting support

• Power Management:
  • On-chip MPLL and UPLL
    
  • Power modes: normal, idle, stop, deep stop, sleep
    
  • 65nm low-power technology

• On-chip peripherals:
  • LCD controller (up to 4K-color STN and 16M-color TFT)
    
  • 2D graphics accelerator
    
  • 1-port USB host v1.1 full speed; 1-port USB device v2.0 high speed
    
  • 3-channel UART; 1-channel HS-SPI
    
  • A/D converter and touch-screen interface
    
  • 1-channel I2C; 1-channel I2S for 5.1-channel Dolby and stereo audio
    
  • PCM and AC97 audio interface
    
  • On-chip clock generator with PLL
    
  • Watchdog timer
    
  • RTC with calendar function
    
  • 4-channel PWM timers; 1-channel internal timer
    
  • 6-channel DMAs with external request pins

S3C2450

The S3C2450 offers most of the above, but, in addition, adds an ATA interface for connection to hard drives. As befits a part aimed at smartphones, it also includes a camera controller, plus a high-speed SPI interface for additional connectivity.

A block diagram of Samsung's S3C2450
(Click to enlarge)
Features and specifications listed by Samsung for the S3C2450 include:

• Architecture:
  • 16/32-bit RISC ARM926EJ-S core
    
  • 16KB I-cache; 16KB D-cache/MMU
    
  • Supports Linux, Windows CE, and Symbian

• System Manager:
  • Little/big Endian support
    
  • Mobile SDRAM controller
    
  • Mobile DDR controller
    
  • NAND flash controller (SLC/MLC; 512B, 2KB and 4KB block)
    
  • OneNAND flash controller
    
  • iROM device booting support

• Power Management:
  • On-chip MPLL and UPLL
    
  • Power modes: normal, idle, stop, deep stop, sleep
    
  • 65nm low-power technology

• On-chip peripherals:
  • LCD controller (up to 4K-color STN and 16M-color TFT)
    
  • 2D graphics accelerator
    
  • Camera controller with “image mirror” and 180 degree rotation
    
  • 1-port USB host v1.1 full speed; 1-port USB device v2.0 high speed
    
  • CF 3.0 and ATA6 controller
    
  • 4-channel UART; 2-channel HS-SPI
    
  • A/D converter and touch-screen interface
    
  • 2-channel I2C; 1-channel I2S for 5.1-channel Dolby and stereo audio
    
  • PCM and AC97 audio interface
    
  • On-chip clock generator with PLL
    
  • Watchdog timer
    
  • RTC with calendar function
    
  • 4-channel PWM timers; 1-channel internal timer
    
  • 8-channel DMAs with external request pins

Further information

According to Samsung, the S3C2416 and S3C2450 are sampling now, with mass production slated for the third quarter. Pricing was not provided.

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