ARM-based integrated processor aims at photo frames

Marvell Technology Group Ltd is pushing its Sheeva core to GHz levels in the first of a family of integrated processors aimed at consumer and embedded systems. The PXA168 debuting at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) targets a range of devices including Web-connected digital photo frames.

Marvell is leveraging the XScale CPU it acquired from Intel Corp. in June 2006 to deliver a 55nm consumer device with the muscle to run Linux or Windows CE, yet still hit a $100 price tag. The company will compete with a new 65nm ARM9 SoC from Samsung announced recently that also aims to steal sockets from Taiwan and China chipmakers such as Amlogic, MagicPixel and SunPlus in digital photo frames.

"We are aiming to compete with China and Taiwan processors that have a few limited functions and require a real-time operating system," said Allen Leibovitch, a senior marketing manager in Marvell's consumer group. "This could be up to a billion unit opportunity for non-phone applications."

The PXA168 will support sophisticated user interfaces and Web connections, something out of the reach of the existing chips, Leibovitch added. Besides photo frames, the chip also aims at sockets in a wide range of new and existing XScale designs such as portable navigation devices, media players and home automation systems.

The chip includes a 5-in-1 memory card reader, a 10/100Mbit Ethernet controller and interfaces for multilevel cell flash, CE-ATA, USB, PCIe and DDR2 memory. The chip also sports a graphics accelerator and Marvell's proprietary Qdeo color enhancement hardware.

Shave BOM cost
Leibovitch said that with the PXA168, OEMs can shave $14 off the BOM cost of devices using non-integrated processors. An optional QFP package has a 1mm pitch and can support two-layer circuit boards.

The PXA168 has average power consumption of 200-300mW and close to a Watt when running at full tilt. It supports the MMX2 media instruction enhancements and has an XScale compatibility mode.

Marvell would not details plans for the PXA family except to say it will include higher and lower frequency parts, some optimized for specific systems. Existing versions of the chip are used in the Amazon Kindle eBook, a variety of GPS systems and smart phones from LG, Motorola, Palm and Samsung.

"We are a member of Android consortium, and next month you'll see Android phones using XScale," said Kishore Manghnani, VP for application processor products at Marvell.

Marvell has an architectural license to modify the ARM core. To date most of its designs have been based on XScale and targeted at smart phones and networking gear.

The company's existing parts are in a 90nm process running up to 800MHz. At the ARM Developer Conference in 2008, it showed a version of its Sheeva chip using the ARM Cortex A8.

Webmaster comment:

Marvell is a leader in ARM cores and process technologies. Combining a mature core architecture with a 55nm process is an interesting approach with all the benefits of the smaller core. If this really turns out as a 1GHz device, it could open new markets for the price sensitive consumer market. At publication of this article, no datasheet could be found on the Marvell website but a two page product brief is available.