Embedded Processor for WiFi and WiMAX Devices - PowerPC 405EXr - AMCC

AMCC (Applied Micro Circuits Corporation) announced the the PowerPC 405EXr, second member of its embedded processor family for cost-sensitive wireless access platforms. The PowerPC 405EXr embedded processor is based on Power Architecture technology and optimized for 802.11n (Wi-Fi) and WiMAX) based wireless access points and  residential gateways.

The PowerPC 405EXr embedded processor is optimized for next gen WLAN applications and shares many features with the recently announced 405EX. While the 405EX is designed for enterprise class applications, the 405EXr, with a single lane of PCI Express and single Gigabit Ethernet port, is optimized for small or medium businesses, residential gateways and high-end SOHO applications. The 405EXr PCI Express interface provides up to 2.5Gbps of sustained throughput for connectivity for high performance 802.11n or WiMAX radio chipsets, or to other PCI Express-based chipsets. The internal bus architecture, security acceleration and integrated Gigabit Ethernet Media Access Controller (MAC) ensure that the full bandwidth of even the fastest 802.11n radios will be available. The high level of integration in the 405EXr SoC reduces the external components required for next generation WLAN
access designs, which reduces systems complexity and bill of material cost.

Optimal Price / Performance Balance
The core is capable of delivering over 1,000 DMIPS of processing speed. A cross bar-based, on-chip system interconnect provides low latency and increased bandwidth connectivity to a high-performance DDR2 SDRAM controller for main memory and to the PCI Express and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. The sub 1.5 watt typical power dissipation of the 405EXr enables 802.11n access point designs to successfully operate below the 12.5 watt typical power of the 802.3af standard for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE). The excellent price/performance balance of the 405EXr makes it an affordable choice for meeting the demanding requirements of next generation access designs.

Security Acceleration
PowerPC 405EXr embedded processor features Turbo Security Engine that supports SSL, IPSec and DTLS protocols. The Turbo Security Engine attaches directly to the processor bus for the fastest possible system throughput. The engine also features Public Key Acceleration and True Random Number Generation.

Key Peripherals
PowerPC 405EXr embedded processor includes a triple-speed USB 2.0 On-the-Go port, which can be configured as either a device or host. The processor also offers a NAND Flash Controller, SPI, UART, IIC  and 32-bit external peripheral bus.

Development Support
Power Architecture processors are supported by many third-party vendors through the Embedded Tools Program. The supports includes compilers, debuggers, emulators, RTOS, logic analyzers and other development tools.

The PowerPC 405EXr processor will be in sampling in the Q3 this year. Resale pricing will start at $14 (10K Qty).

Further reading: AMCC’s PowerPC 405EXr Embedded Processor for Wi-Fi and WiMAX Devices