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ST unveils SPEAr MPUs for embedded control
Geneva, Switzerland — STMicroelectronics has expanded its SPEAr microprocessor (MPU) family with the addition of four devices, targeting embedded-control applications across market segments from computer peripherals and communication to industrial automation. Based on the latest ARM core technology, the SPEAr microprocessors enable equipment manufacturers to develop complex and flexible digital engines at a fraction of the time and cost of competing solutions, according to ST.
Manufactured in state-of-the-art low-power 90-nm and 65-nm HCMOS process technologies, the Structured Processor Enhanced Architecture (SPEAr) embedded microprocessors provide high levels of computing power and connectivity. The devices combine one or two advanced ARM9 processor cores (ARM926EJ-S up to 400 MHz in typical conditions, or 333 MHz in worst-case conditions of temperature and voltage) with memory interfaces, and a large set of IP blocks delivering connectivity, communication, and audio/video functions for different applications.
The SPEAr microprocessors target networked devices used for communication, display and control in applications such as VoIP phones, wireless access devices, printers, thin-client computers, PC docking stations, bar-code scanners/readers, home appliances, residential control and security systems, and medical lab/diagnostics equipment.
The four devices include the SPEAr 300 (human-machine interface and security applications), SPEAr310 (telecom network applications), SPEAr320 (factory automation and consumer applications), and the dual-core SPEAr600 (compute-intensive embedded applications).
The SPEAr300 contains a camera interface, LCD and keyboard controller, crypto accelerator, TDM Bus, USB 2.0 and Fast Ethernet. The SPEAr 310 includes five fast Ethernet ports, TDM Bus, two HDLC ports, crypto accelerator, and USB 2.0. Function blocks of the SPEAr320 include two CAN interfaces, four serial ports, a standard parallel port, LCD controller, crypto accelerator and USB 2.0.
The dual-core SPEAr600, with benchmarked performance of 733 Dhrystone million instructions per second (DMIPS), includes two cores, together with Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, an external local bus access for glueless FPGA connection and a LCD controller.
ST provides development kits to help customers develop and test their systems with minimum time and resource requirements.
Availability: Volume production.
Pricing: The single-core models (SPEAr300/310/320) are priced below $7 and the dual-core SPEAr600 sells below $9, in volume production quantities.
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