Freescale Qorivva MCU scores 305 on EEMBC test
February 8, 2011 by John Day
Filed under Design, News, Product News
Freescale Semiconductor said its 32-bit Power Architecture®-based Qorivva MPC5674F microcontroller achieved a benchmark score of 305 AutomarksTM in the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium’s (EEMBC®) AutoBenchTM suite of tests, demonstrating more than three times the performance of the previous highest score set by a competitor. Freescale’s MPC564xA and MPC5566 MCUs scored 150 and 121 Automarks, respectively.
The benchmark assesses an MCU’s performance by first performing a set of typical automotive processes, such as controller area network, tooth-to-spark (locating the engine’s cog when the spark is ignited) and road speed calculation, and then adding complex signal processing algorithms used in engine control or vehicle safety applications. The benchmark is used to help automotive engineers assess relative performance between embedded MCUs for automotive applications.
“Confirming such outstanding performance by our Qorivva MCUs is great news,” said Ray Cornyn, director of Freescale’s Automotive MCU business. “Developed from the original Power Architecture technology, we have been enhancing and focusing the Qorivva MCUs to provide exceptional real time embedded processing capabilities and the excellent results shown from these latest implementations illustrates why Power Architecture technology remains the automotive market standard.”
Implications for the industry
The MPC5674F was designed specifically for electronic engine control and Freescale said the device can also power the next generation of hybrid and electric vehicles. The computing capability of the engine controller enables precision electronic control of today’s direct injection fuel systems, which typically saves 10-20 percent in fuel consumption over traditional systems, according to the US Dept. of Energy. In terms of global fuel consumption, the savings from electronic control has the potential to reach 100 million gallons of fuel per year.
Direct injection fuel systems need a high level of computing performance to precisely control when to inject fuel and the duration that the injector remains open, while simultaneously monitoring multiple external events such as oxygen levels, air temperature, road speed and exhaust gas composition in order to optimize the delivery of fuel for clean burning and optimal engine efficiency.
The Qorivva MPC5674F MCU is designed to run at higher central processing unit frequencies compared to early engine computers. This means it can execute individual tasks faster than other comparable devices. It is also engineered to run several processes in parallel, so it can execute dual instructions and compute complex signal processing algorithms simultaneously.
The next generation of Qorivva MCUs, based on Power Architecture® technology, is built using an advanced 55 nanometer (nm) non-volatile memory (NVM) process for improved power efficiency and cost effectiveness and features a multicore architecture. Qorivva MCUs include integration and performance capabilities, including configurable peripheral sets such as flexible timers and motor control systems. Digital signal processing capabilities provide additional functionality.
Availability
The Qorivva MPC5674F is currently sampling and is expected to be auto qualified in mid-2011.
Green Hills optimizing compilers
Green Hills Software said its optimizing compilers for Power Architecture® were used by Freescale Semiconductor for certified, published EEMBC Automark™ scores for their 32-bit Qorivva™ MPC5566, MPC5607B, MPC5644A, and MPC5674F microcontrollers. The results for the MPC5674F are the highest Automark scores ever achieved on an automotive microcontroller. The Green Hills compilers have been chosen for EEMBC published benchmark scores more than any other compiler and have attained the highest published scores in every EEMBC benchmark category.
“Qorivva microcontrollers deliver the highest automotive performance in the industry, far exceeding the EEMBC scores of the closest competitors,” said Reza Kazerounian, senior vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Microcontroller Solutions Group. “The optimized Green Hills tools enable our customers to utilize the full capability of the Qorivva microcontrollers.”
“When you combine the performance of these Freescale Power Architecture processors with the efficiency of Green Hills compilers, the results are impressive,” said Markus Levy, EEMBC president. “Our scores will provide designers with additional objective data to help in selecting the optimal processor and tools solution for their given application.”
The Green Hills Software tools employ thousands of machine independent and machine dependent optimizations, including advanced techniques such as VLE instruction packing, link-time automatic small data area optimization and code factoring, inter-procedural optimizations, and profile directed optimizations. The result is technology that generates the fastest and smallest code for Power Architecture, as well as many other microprocessors.
Green Hills Compilers for C and C++ are available today for Freescale Semiconductor’s 32-bit Qorivva microcontrollers.
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