Device networking specialist Oxford Semiconductor will soon sample ARM9-based SoC (system-on-chip) silicon aimed specifically at machine-to-machine (M2M) messaging. The OXETHU954 offers Ethernet, PCI, serial, and optionally USB interfaces, while its development kit includes a Linux BSP (board support package),… root filesystem, and Wind River Platform Linux.

Oxford calls Wind River Platform Linux “an integral part of the OXETHU954 network connectivity controller,” noting that the product includes packages for advanced networking, security, and Carrier Grade functionality. Additionally, the OXETHU954 SDK will include optimized “G++” compilers from CodeSourcery, according to the company.

Oxford says the OXETH954 and USB-enabled OXETHU954 will offer the interface options and low-power processing needed in factory automation, point-of-sale, and building management applications. Inter-device networking in these and other embedded environments is on the upswing, according to Harbor Research data that forecasts more than 900 million connected devices by 2009.

Growth in network-enabled devices
(Source: Harbor Research)
The OXETHU954 is based on a 200MHz ARM926EJS processor with 32KB cache and an MMU (memory management unit). Memory interfaces include an 8-/16-bit DDR1 SDRAM interface supporting up to 64MB, along with a 16-bit static memory interface supporting 16MB of Flash.

OXETHU954 function block diagram
On-board resources, peripherals, and interfaces include:

• 32Kbytes Scratch RAM
• 5-channel scatter-gather DMA engine
• 10/100 Ethernet MAC
• 32-bit, 33MHz PCI interface supports wireless networking
• 4 x high speed UARTs
  • Said to provide “full modem control and baud rates up to 1Mbaud” over RS232, RS422, and RS485
• 2 x full speed (12Mbps) USB 2.0 host ports (OXETHU954 only)
• User configurable GPIOs

SDK

Oxford will offer an OXETHU954 development kit featuring a Linux BSP and root filesystem, and Wind River Linux Platform. The SDK will include evaluation versions of Wind River's Eclipse-based Workbench and on-chip debugging tools, and an evaluation version of CodeSourcery's optimized “G++” ARM compiler suite. Additional components in the kit are a development board, flash programming module, power supply, and cables, according to the company.

OXETHU954 SDK
Availability

The OXETHU954 SDK will ship in April, priced at $2,000. The chip itself will ship at an unspecified time, in a 19x19mm 272-pin BGA package, and priced at about $13 in 10K quantities, according to the company. An extended temperature version of the chip will also be available.

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