Freescale is sampling a new family of 32-bit microcontroller units (MCUs) “for Linux applications,” the company said. The ColdFire MCF5445x family includes a dozen different parts, along with a development board provided with a complimentary Linux BSP (board support package) and toolchain.

MCUs are low-powered chips, typically based on 8- and 16-bit cores, that target embedded control applications and low-end consumer devices, such as printers, cash registers, and microwave ovens. ColdFire is Freescale's long-standing brand name for a line of 32-bit MCUs targeting higher-end applications, such as factory automation, point-of-sale terminals, test and measurement equipment, and health care devices.

ColdFire MCUs are based on the same 68K RISC architecture used in early Macintosh computers, and the chips support 16-bit and 48-bit instructions, as well as 32-bit instructions, for increased code density. Observing the rise of Linux and of 32-bit processors in the MCU market, Freescale in 2004 enhanced its flagship V4 ColdFire core by adding an MMU (memory management unit). This change enabled higher-end ColdFire parts to run “full Linux” (rather than just uClinux), and other protected memory mode RTOSes, the company notes.

In addition to traditional embedded applications, Freescale's new MCF5445x MCUs target consumer applications, such as network-attached storage (NAS) and Ethernet gateways. Thet are based on MMUful V4m cores clocked up to 266MHz. At that speed, they are said to deliver 410 DMIPS (Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS) and consume only 380mW.

Freescale MCF5445x function block diagram
(Click to enlarge)
All of the new MCF5445x chips include:

• USB 2.0 OTG (“on-the-go”) controllers with transceivers
• At least one fast Ethernet controller (FEC) with MAC (media access controller)
• External memory controller supporting DDR1, DDR2, and mobile DDR

Options include a second FEC, PCI expansion bus, ATA hard drive interface, and a cryptographic acceleration engine.

Touted features and specifications include:

• Performance of 410 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS at 266 MHz
• Memory management unit (MMU) and enhanced multiply-accumulate (EMAC) unit
• 16 KB I-Cache, 16 KB D-Cache
• 32 KB SRAM
• 10/100 Ethernet MACs (external PHYs)
• Hardware accelerated encryption
  • Random number generator
    
  • DES, 3DES, AES, block cipher engine
    
  • MD5, SHA-1, HMAC, hash accelerator
• ATA/ATAPI-6 controller (UDMA100 capable)
• 3 x UARTs
• DMA supported serial peripheral interface (DSPI) with serial boot facility
• I2C bus interface
• Synchronous serial interface (SSI) for audio codec capability
• USB 2.0 Host/Device/On-The-Go Controller
  • Full speed/low speed transceiver
    
  • High-speed ULPI support
• Four-channel 32-bit timers with DMA support
• Four-channel periodic interrupt timer
• 16-channel DMA controller
• 16-bit 133/266MHz DDR2/DDR controller
  • Supports Mobile DDR, DDR1, and DDR2
• Up to 135 general-purpose I/O
• System integration (PLL, SW Watchdog)
• 1.5V core; 1.8V/2.5V SDRAM bus; 3.3V I/O
• Low-power operation for energy-efficient designs
  • Total device power of less than 1W (running Linux OS with example applications, such as WebServer and MP3 decode and playback)
    
  • Approximately 380 mW core power at 410 DMIPS
    
  • Lowest stop mode approximately 6 mW
    
  • Highly flexible power-management modes including low-power run capability
• Temperature ranges — 0 degrees C to +70 degrees C; -40 degrees C to +85 degrees C
• Packages — 360 PBGA, 256 MAPBGA

Development board

Freescale's development board for the MCF5445x family is based on the top-of-line MCF54455 processor, described as the “superset device” of the family, in terms of having a full complement of on-board peripherals and peripheral interfaces.

M54455EVB evaluation board
(Click to enlarge)
The MCF54455EVB comes with a preinstalled Linux OS and a DVD of demonstration applications. Also provided is an open source toolchain based on CodeSourcery's enhanced GNU C Compiler (GCC). Finally, a complimentary “preview release” of Freescale's CodeWarrior Development Studio for ColdFire Architectures v7 is also included.

Tony Massimini, chief of technology at Semico Research, stated, “The MCF5445x devices' high level of performance at less than 400 mW is impressive.”

Mike McCourt, GM of Freescale's MCU division, stated, “Embedded system designers who previously thought this level of processing performance was unaffordable are now able to [add] performance and higher-speed connectivity.”

Availability

The MCF5445x line is currently sampling. Pricing for the six currently-available parts in the line ranges from $10 to $20 in 10,000 unit volumes, depending on included interfaces, clock speeds, and package sizes. The M54455EVB evaluation system is available now, priced at $850.

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