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MPC8541E development board platform for network communication application

by James_xu on 2012-05-08
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Overview

MPC8541E development platform consists of MPC8541E processor card (MPC8541EPC) and two kinds of carriers for different application. MPC8541EPC serves as a general-purpose PQ37PC processor card and supports Freescale MPC8540/8541E/8555E/8560 processor. The reusable processor card integrates CPU (8541E) and some periphery circuit and can be flexibly combined with Type-N and Type-S carrier board for different applications, such as network communication and storage application. It reduces the design cycle and saves the investment for the designer.

Freescale Semiconductor's MPC8541E PowerQUICC™ III host processor integrates a wide range of advanced Freescale technologies, modular cores and peripherals. Leveraging Freescale's system-on-chip (SoC) PowerQUICC III platform architecture, the MPC8541E combines the powerful Book E e500 core and communications peripheral technology to balance processor performance with I/O system throughput. The processor is designed to offer clock speeds scaling from 533 MHz to 1 GHz.

In addition, the MPC8541E features an integrated security engine, a double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM) memory controller, dual Gigabit Ethernet controllers, dual 10/100 Ethernet, a four-channel DMA controller, dual asynchronous receiver/transmitters (DUART) and a 64-bit PCI controller that can also serve as two 32-bit PCI ports. Dual on-chip PCI support provides a cost-effective alternative to separate, discrete PCI bridges and chipsets for I/O- intensive applications that require multiple PCI interfaces. In addition to these features, the MPC8541E provides a local bus controller, dual I2C support, and SPI interface.

Advantages of Using the PQ37PC
The PQ37PC is designed to contain the mandatory memories (DDR and flash) and system logics (latch and buffer) only. However, it supports wide range of peripherals/interfaces, for example ATM, 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet, UART, through the I/O connectors and a corresponding carrier board. The following sections describe the advantages of using the PQ37PC.

1 Flexibility

The PowerQUICCTM family devices are highly flexible that can support many kinds of peripheral and protocol. A single reference board can never satisfy all desired requirements. To support different peripherals and protocols with limited budget, a system consist of a processor card plus a carrier board is desired. In the PQ37PC, the entire CPM I/O, PCI bus, Local Bus signals are fanout to the I/O connectors. User can easily incorporate their own carrier system with the PQ37PC as most of the I/Os are available on the card.

2 Shortening of the design cycle

The PowerQUICC IIITM is a highly integrated and complicated device, which works with many high-speed interfaces. Designing these high speed interfaces always increase the development cycle if a user does not familiar with the PowerQUICC IIITM family. The PQ37PC is convenient for user on fast prototyping because user need not to put many affords on PowerQUICC IIITM design with using the PQ37PC, but only focus on his own carrier board. The most convenient way is plugging the PQ37PC into the Type-N carrier board.

3 Reusability

The PCB dimension and the assignment of connection signals between the PQ37PC and the carrier board are fixed. User can easily upgrade or modify the PQ37PC with our processors, such as PowerQUICC IIITM Hip8 devices, PowerQUICC IITM Pro family, while keeping the peripherals on the carrier board unchanged.

4 Ease of Debug

The architecture of the PQ37PC plus carrier board separates the main system from the peripherals. It ease user’s debugging effort by isolating the problem at the main system upon the proven peripherals or vice versa, instead of debugging a messy system with all peripherals integrated on a single board.

5 Standardized reference

The PQ37PC is in PMC form factor which allows user to fit the processor card into his own system board with minimum effort.

Application

MPC8541E processor can be applied for Telecommunications switching equipment, integrated access devices, Metro area networks, VPN and firewall routers and Branch office and enterprise routers

 

Solution 1: MPC8541E development platform (MPC8541E processor card + Type-N carrier)

Application: Network communication application

Model: MT8541E-N

Features:

· CPU: Freescale PowerQUICC III MPC8541E processor, with frequency speed up to 833MHz;

Performance: 1850MIPS

· Memory:

— 256MB DDR1 SDRAM

— Flash: up to 16 Mbytes

· Interfaces:

— Two Gigabit Etherset ports

— One 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port (optional)

— Two PCI interfaces

— One RS-232 port

· Other ports on MPC8541EPC

— COP interface

— 5V fan connector

— 3.3V and 5V power supplied from a carrier board

— Dimension: 147mm x 70.9mm

· Other ports on Type-N carrier

— 12V and 5V power supplied from 4-pin connector

— Dimension: 220mm x 148mm

 

Solution 2: MPC8541E development platform (MPC8541E processor card + Type-S carrier)

Application: Network attached storage

Model: MT8541E-S

Features:

· CPU: Freescale PowerQUICC III MPC8541E processor, with frequency speed up to 833MHz;

Performance: 1850MIPS

· Memory:

— 256MB DDR1 SDRAM

— Flash: up to 16 Mbytes

· Interfaces:

— Four SATA ports

— One Gigabit Etherset ports

— One 10/100 Base-T Ethernet switch

— One PCI slot, one mini-PCI slot; or,

two mini-PCI slots

— One RS-232 port

· Other ports on MPC8541EPC

— COP interface

— 5V fan connector

— 3.3V and 5V power supplied from a carrier board

— Dimension: 147mm x 70.9mm

· Other ports on Type-S carrier

— 12V and 5V power supplied from 4-pin connector

— Dimension: 170mm x 170mm

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