News Article
Freescale simplifies embedded interface design
Freescale Semiconductor is simplifying product development for embedded networking and graphical user interface (GUI) systems with a suite of open source development tools for its MCF532x and MCF537x ColdFire device families.
Freescale Semiconductor is simplifying product development for embedded networking and graphical user interface (GUI) systems with a suite of open source development tools for its MCF532x and MCF537x ColdFire device families.
To support the ColdFire processor families, Freescale is offering a user-friendly board support package that includes liquid crystal display (LCD) and networking support, which helps users reduce costs and speed time-to-market.
The use of 32-bit processors in embedded GUI designs continues to gain momentum with many developers, delivering sophisticated desktop-like operating systems to the end user. The vast majority of these systems employ the Linux kernel because of its high performance, zero licensing fees, free code distribution across a large community of users and compatibility with multiple user interfaces and file systems. The MCF532x and MCF537x families are well-suited for embedded systems applications requiring LCDs and/or networked connectivity on a single chip.
Based on the ColdFire V3 core, the MCF532x and MCF537x product families are the first in an expanding ColdFire processor portfolio to feature both an integrated USB On-The-Go (OTG) controller and a USB host controller. The devices deliver performance up to 211 MIPS at 240 MHZ, placing them among the highest performing in their class. Additionally, the MCF532X integrates a bus-mastering 18-bit colour LCD controller that supports screen sizes up to 800 x 600 pixels on panels for human-machine interfaces.
The ColdFire board support package is comprised of several software elements, including the uCLinux tool chain and kernel with basic Ethernet and serial communication drivers, full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack, USB Host/OTG and LCD frame-buffer drivers and the Nano-X open source tool.
Nano-X is an open source tool aimed at bringing the features of modern graphical windowing environments to smaller devices and platforms. The architecture allows developers to easily add different display, mouse, touch screen and keyboard devices to their designs and comes complete with a full set of graphical components for building application-specific GUIs. A key component of the Nano-X tool is its small system overhead (50-250k of memory), which enables the realisation of powerful embedded GUI systems while keeping design costs to a minimum.
To support the ColdFire processor families, Freescale is offering a user-friendly board support package that includes liquid crystal display (LCD) and networking support, which helps users reduce costs and speed time-to-market.
The use of 32-bit processors in embedded GUI designs continues to gain momentum with many developers, delivering sophisticated desktop-like operating systems to the end user. The vast majority of these systems employ the Linux kernel because of its high performance, zero licensing fees, free code distribution across a large community of users and compatibility with multiple user interfaces and file systems. The MCF532x and MCF537x families are well-suited for embedded systems applications requiring LCDs and/or networked connectivity on a single chip.
Based on the ColdFire V3 core, the MCF532x and MCF537x product families are the first in an expanding ColdFire processor portfolio to feature both an integrated USB On-The-Go (OTG) controller and a USB host controller. The devices deliver performance up to 211 MIPS at 240 MHZ, placing them among the highest performing in their class. Additionally, the MCF532X integrates a bus-mastering 18-bit colour LCD controller that supports screen sizes up to 800 x 600 pixels on panels for human-machine interfaces.
The ColdFire board support package is comprised of several software elements, including the uCLinux tool chain and kernel with basic Ethernet and serial communication drivers, full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack, USB Host/OTG and LCD frame-buffer drivers and the Nano-X open source tool.
Nano-X is an open source tool aimed at bringing the features of modern graphical windowing environments to smaller devices and platforms. The architecture allows developers to easily add different display, mouse, touch screen and keyboard devices to their designs and comes complete with a full set of graphical components for building application-specific GUIs. A key component of the Nano-X tool is its small system overhead (50-250k of memory), which enables the realisation of powerful embedded GUI systems while keeping design costs to a minimum.
