National Semiconductor has taken the wraps off a triad of highly integrated system-on-chip (SOC) devices — and in the process, has proclaimed a new standard for highly integrated SOCs: “appliance-on-chip”. The three new devices are the latest members of National's highly successful Geode family. Each combines a 32-bit 'x86' processor CPU core with a full system's worth of peripheral interfaces. The new devices will be supported by Embedded Linux through an arrangement with Lineo.

National expects the new appliance-on-chip ICs to strengthen the already favored position of its Geode product line, for which the company claims more than 120 design wins in high volume information appliance applications. Based on an analysis of trends among current Geode customers, National targeted the devices at the technical needs of three high growth areas for information appliances:

• SC1200 “set-top-box on-a-chip” — a single-chip solution targeting set-top appliance applications that use TV sets for display. Expected uses include interactive TV programming, web-based TV-guides, instant messaging and chat, web-surfing, email, etc.

• SC2200 “thin-client on-a-chip — a single-chip solution targeting thin client systems. Expected uses include low cost desktop computers, Internet terminals, point-of-sale systems, and terminals in airports, hotels, banks, etc.

• SC3200 “web-pad on-a-chip” — a single-chip solution for mobile personal access devices. Expected uses include PDAs, PIMs, wireless webpads, etc.

As indicated by the following summary of features, each of the three new appliance-on-chip devices contains a large percentage of the functions required to implement typical systems in one of the three targeted markets . . .

• CPU — 266 MHz 32-bit 'x86' processor with MMX support
  
• Memory interface — 64-bit SDRAM memory interface
  
• Expansion buses — PCI and ISA-subset buses (used for added functions and ROM/DiskOnChip interface)
  
• PC core logic — PC-compatible DMA, interrupts, counters, and real-time clock
  
• Disk interface — Dual-IDE hard drive interface
  
• I/O ports — 3 USB, 2 serial, IrDA, ACCESS.bus, IEEE-1284 parallel (SC2200 only), general purpose digital I/O
  
• Display interface — video graphics interface with 2D acceleration; specific interfaces vary according to version:
  • SC1200: NTSC/PAL display output; CCIR-656 video input; internal video mixer and DACs
    
  • SC2200: CRT and TFT LCD display output
    
  • SC3200: TFT LCD display output
• Sound — AC97/AMC97 compliant audio interface
  
• Power management — ACPI compliant power management

National expects the very high integration levels of the three new Geode appliance-on-chip devices to fuel a large number of design wins in the high growth information appliance markets targeted. To further that process, detailed reference designs are available for each of the new ICs, including full schematics, bills-of-materials, software drivers, and other technical documentation.

In light of the high level of interest among Geode customers for Embedded Linux, National has developed a strategic relationship with Lineo, who will provide a comprehensive suite of Embedded Linux support and software development tools for applications based on the new devices.

National says that all three new “appliance-on-chip” products are already sampling to key OEMs, and that each will be priced at under $50 for 10,000+ volumes.

 
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