Embedded processors head for the desktop

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by David Read

(IDG) -- Embedded processors--used in appliances, automobiles and other non-computer products--have long been the poor cousins of the chips that drive Macs and PCs. But as the demands of embedded systems increase, manufacturers are developing processors that serve both the desktop and embedded markets. It was one of the most noticeable trends at last week's Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose, where Motorola debuted a version of the PowerPC targeted at both applications. Motorola's PowerPC 7410 follows on the heels of IBM's PowerPC 750cx, another dual-purpose chip that drives Apple's new iMacs and iBooks.

"The requirements between the traditional embedded and desktop markets are now overlapping," explained Tom Collopy, manager of the PowerPC Enablement & Applications division at IBM. As a result, he said, IBM has restructured its CPU business over the past two years to serve a broader range of manufacturers. "When IBM creates a new chip, we look across all possible markets to tailor a specific processor. So in the case of the IBM 750CX, we went to as many customers as possible (of which Apple was one) and got their requirements," said Collopy.

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For Apple and other computer manufacturers, the convergence of embedded and desktop processors could lead to a greater selection of chips. For Motorola, IBM and other chip manufacturers, it means bigger potential markets for their desktop processors, partially offsetting the economies of scale enjoyed by Intel and AMD.

Specific implementations

Embedded processors are generally designed for a specific implementation, such as controlling an automobile's anti-lock brake system. They typically use less power and cost much less than desktop processors, which are designed for more-robust performance and the ability to handle a wide variety of applications.

Historically, embedded controllers were four- or eight-bit processors that ran at a low frequency. But as appliances become more sophisticated, so have the processors' requirements. For example, ten years ago the average television remote control had only basic channel, volume, and display control functions. Now it has dozens of buttons and far more sophisticated features. The embedded processor in the television itself is routinely expected to display graphics on the screen, support complex surround-sound audio schemes, and still bring 150 satellite channels to you with crystal clarity. In addition, hand-held computing devices, such as the Palm organizer, straddle the boundary between embedded and desktop systems, offering the low power requirements and low cost of the former, but with many capabilities of the latter.

Increasing demands

"As functionality increases, the demands on CPU power and memory also increase," Collopy said. "At this point, the performance required by desktop implementations is similar to that of game machines, high-end laser printers, routers and hubs, and other implementations." For example, the new Nintendo game console, which uses an embedded PPC processor, contains an OS that supports a wide and expanding variety of applications, rather than just one game.

Motorola's 7410, the new G4 announced at the Embedded Systems, is designed in a similar fashion. "The 7410 lends itself well to embedded implementations because of its lower power requirements and cooler operating temperatures," a Motorola representative told MacWEEK.

As embedded processors converge with desktop CPUs, manufacturers are seeking programming tools that offer "the same integration and ease of use as a desktop environment," said John Smolucha, director of Embedded Products Marketing at CodeWarrior developer Metrowerks. Parent company Motorola, he said, has charged its Metrowerks subsidiary with this task, and other vendors are working on it as well.

"Development for embedded processors is very different from development for a desktop OS," Smolucha said. In the embedded environment, the user never sees the code and there is, at most, a minimal user interface. For example, in an anti-lock brake system, the user interface consists of a simple brake light on the dashboard. The embedded system handles the real-time processing and data acquisition, and "knows" the speed ot the vehicle and the friction coefficient of the road in real time.

Embedded processor development usually requires the creation of an emulator in which the code is run, with output displayed in the development environment or on a logic probe. In contrast, desktop application development is usually performed on the target machine.

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IBM PowerPC Microprocessors and Embedded Controllers Product Page
MPC7410: PowerPC Microprocessor Product Page

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