The ARM-7 CPU has remained the workhorse of most mobile wireless devices. Now, it's easier to develop with the more powerful ARM-9 processor, thanks to Fujitsu Microelectronics America's Multi-CPU Evaluation Device. Named the MB87Q1100, this device is part of a platform that was developed to enable customers to design large, complex systems with very high levels of predictability and efficiency. The Fujitsu Microelectronics' MB87Q1100 integrates the ARM926EJ-S and ARM946E-S embedded macrocell cores in the company's system-on-a-chip (SoC) platform.

Based on 0.11-µm CMOS process technology, the MB87Q1100 chip processor sub-system is intended to correlate well with the expected performance of other SoC designs. It is packaged in a 400-pin FPGA that measures 15 x 15 mm. Using a multi-layer advanced high-performance bus (AHB), the device can improve throughput and reduce overall power consumption to a typical 450 mW at 200-MHz CPU operation. Built-in peripherals include controllers for Flash and SDRAM memory, an eight-channel direct memory access (DMA), interrupts, a two-channel UART, a 2-x-2 channel timer, and a GPIO.

The platform also incorporates the external extension function of AHB-Lite, a subset of the AHB system bus. As a result, customers can design and verify modules in their ASICs by connecting the master and slave module of AHB-Lite to the device.

MB87Q1100 samples are available now as part of the new SoC platform. The cost is $230 (U.S.) each in 1000-unit quantities.

Fujitsu America, Inc.
3055 Orchard Dr., San Jose, CA 95134-2022; (408) 432-1300, FAX: (408) 432-1318, www.fai.fujitsu.com.

See associated figure