| ARM9 SoC gets Windows CE BSP |
Oct. 10, 2008
 Adeneo released its Windows CE 6.0 BSP (board support package) for an ARM9 SoC (system-on-chip) introduced earlier this year by NXP. The "LPC3250 BSP" supports not only the LPC3250, but also an associated processor module (left) and carrier board from Phytec, says Adeneo.
(Click here for a slightly larger image of Phytec's PhyCore-LPC3250 module)
Adeneo says its new LPC3250 BSP is "the most cost-effective way to develop custom solutions using NXP chipsets and Windows CE, with minimal redesign." The BSP is said to include drivers for key features of the LPC3250 SoC, such as advanced power management and VFP (vector floating point) support. Also offered are drivers for most of the SoC's integrated peripherals, including display, touchscreen, audio, Ethernet, USB, serial, SPI, I2C, and SD card, the company says.
NXP's LPC3250
NXP's LPC3250 SoC is built using a 90nm process. Similar in many ways to the previously introduced LPC3180, the device is based on an ARM926EJ-S core clocked at 208MHz.
A block diagram of NXP's LPC3250
(click to enlarge)
According to NXP, the LPC3250 has a hardware VFP that is said to "increase the speed of typical calculations by a factor of four to five in scalar mode, and much more in optimized vector mode." The LPC3250 also has an MMU (memory-management unit) for complex OS support, plus a USB On-The-Go host/device interface.
Other features touted by NXP for its SoC include boot up from NAND flash, SPI memory, USB, UART, or static memory. The LPC3250 also features a stop mode that saves power, while allowing many peripheral functions to restart CPU activity, says NXP. For a complete specifications list, see our earlier coverage, here.
PhyTec PhyCore-LPC3250
As well as supporting NXP's LCP3250 itself, Adeneo's new Windows CE 6.0 BSP is also said to support a small CPU module built around the SoC, PhyTec's PhyCore-LPC3250 (pictured at the top of this story). The module measures 2.75 x 2.3 inches (70 x 58mm), and packs from 16MB to 128MB of SDRAM, and from 32MB to 128MB of NAND flash.
The PhyCore-LPC3250, boasting seven serial ports and "state-of-the-art" power management, targets consumer, medical, industrial, and automotive applications, PhyTec says. The module passes all signals to a separately available PCM-967 carrier board via two 160-pin Molex connectors.
According to PhyTec, the PCM-967 enables startup, programming, and debugging of the PhyCore-LPC3250, and can supply power to an LCD display. The carrier board provides standard I/O connectors, such as a DB9 serial port, RJ45 Ethernet, and USB, the company says.
Features and specifications cited by PhyTec for the PhyCore-LPC3250 and carrier module include:- Processor -- NXP LPC3250 clocked at 208MHz
- Memory:
- SDRAM -- 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, or 128MB
- NOR flash -- 1MB, 2MB, 4MB, or 8MB
- NAND flash -- 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB
- Display -- PhyTec universal LCD display interface
- Keyboard -- 9-button, plus power and system reset buttons
- Networking -- 10/100 Ethernet with RJ45 connector
- Other I/O:
- USB host, client, and OTG connectors
- 2 x DB9 serial ports, plus additional serial ports via headers
- Microphone and line in/out audio jacks
- Power connector
- Expansion:
- SD slot
- Additional two 160-pin Molex connectors available
- Operating temperature -- TBD (-40 to 85 deg. C is planned)
- Dimensions -- 2.75 x 2.3 inches for module, carrier board size not specified
Geoff Lees, an NXP vice president representing the company's microcontroller product line, said, "The addition of the Windows CE 6.0 BSP to the LPC3250 by Adeneo is a great opportunity for NXP."
Further information
The LPC3250 BSP for Windows CE 6.0 is available now from both Adeneo and PhyTec. According to the former company, a binary evaluation version is available for free, for testing and demonstration purposes. A free 20-day evaluation of the BSP's source code is also available "for OEMs willing to perform in-depth evaluation and qualification," Adeneo adds.
Meanwhile, PhyTec offers commercial versions of the BSP, priced at $1,600 for binaries or $8,000 for source code. The PhyCore-LPC3250 module costs $400 on its own, or $579 in a kit that includes the PCM-967 carrier board. For further information on the software and hardware, see the PhyTec website, here.
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