Embedded - Microprocessors

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
96MPI5S-2.3-6M11T1 Advantech	CPU CORE 2.3G 6M 35W	12
96MPI7M-2.66-4M9T Advantech	CORE 2.66G 4M 988P 2CORE I7-620M	0
96MPCL-2.5-2M11T Advantech	CELERON 2.5G 2M 1155P G540	0
96MPI3M-2.2-3M9T Advantech	CORE 2.2G 3M 988P 2CORE I3-2330E	0
96MPAR-2.3G-4MFST Advantech	AMD R-464L APU 2.3G 4M FS1R2 4CO	0
96MPAR-2.7G-1MFST Advantech	AMD R-272F APU 2.7G 1M FS1R2 2CO	0
96MPXE-1.8-15M13T Advantech	XEON 1.8G 15M 1356P 6CORE E5-242	0
96MPXE-2.1-20M20T Advantech	XEON 2.1G 20M 2011P 8CORE E5-265	0
96MPI3M-2.4-3M97T Advantech	CORE 2.4G 3M 988P 2CORE	0
96MPCM-1.6-2M9T Advantech	CELERON M 1.6G 2M 988P 2CORE B81	0
96MPI5M-2.5-3M9T Advantech	CORE 2.5G 3M 988P 2CORE I5-2510E	0
96MPCM-1.86-2M9T Advantech	CELERON M 1.86G 2M 988P 2CORE P4	0
96MPI5M-2.4-3M9T Advantech	CORE 2.4G 3M 988P 2CORE I5-520M(	0
96MPI5-3.1-6M11T Advantech	CORE 3.1G 6M 1155P 4CORE I5-2400	0
96MPP-2.9-3M11T Advantech	PENTIUM 2.9G 3M 1155P TRAY G850(	0
96MPAR-1.9G-4MFST Advantech	AMD R-460H APU 1.9G 4M FS1R2 4CO	0
96MPXE-2.4-12M13T1 Advantech	XEON 2.4G 12M 1366P 6CORE E5645(	0
96MPXE-2.0-15M20T Advantech	XEON 2.0G 15M 2011P 6CORE E5-262	0
96MPXE-3.1-6M11T Advantech	XEON 3.1G 6M 1155P 4CORE E3-1225	0
96MPXE-2.4-12M13T Advantech	XEON 2.4G 12M 1366P 4CORE E5620(	0

Embedded - Microprocessors

1. Overview

Embedded microprocessors are specialized computing units designed for dedicated control, monitoring, or processing tasks within electronic systems. Unlike general-purpose CPUs, they integrate processing cores, memory interfaces, and peripheral controllers into a single chip (SoC) to optimize performance, power efficiency, and cost for specific applications. These devices form the backbone of modern IoT, automotive systems, industrial automation, and consumer electronics.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Characteristics	Application Examples
ARM Cortex-M Series	Low-power 32-bit cores with real-time capabilities, optional DSP extensions	Smart sensors, wearables, motor control
PowerPC	High reliability, floating-point units, automotive/Aerospace focused	Vehicle ECUs, avionics systems
MIPS	Efficient pipelining, 32/64-bit variants for multimedia processing	Networking equipment, set-top boxes
RISC-V	Open instruction set, modular architecture for customization	AI accelerators, edge computing devices
x86 (Embedded)	PC compatibility, high processing power with integrated GPUs	Industrial PCs, medical imaging equipment

3. Architecture and Components

A typical embedded microprocessor contains:

Processing Core(s): RISC/Complex Instruction Set architectures with 1-8 cores
Memory Subsystem: Integrated SRAM, ROM, and external DRAM controllers
Peripheral Interfaces: UART, SPI, I2C, USB, CAN, PCIe, Ethernet MAC
Real-Time Components: Watchdog timers, PWM generators, ADC/DAC modules
Power Management: Multiple sleep modes, DVFS (Dynamic Voltage/Frequency Scaling)

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Importance
Clock Frequency	Operating speed (10MHz-6GHz)	Determines processing throughput
Instruction Set	RISC vs CISC architecture	Affects code density and power consumption
TDP (Thermal Design Power)	Power consumption under load (100mW-50W)	Dictates thermal management requirements
Process Node	Manufacturing technology (28nm-5nm)	Impacts performance and energy efficiency
Memory Bandwidth	Data transfer rate between core and memory	Limits performance in data-intensive tasks

5. Application Domains

Consumer Electronics: Smartphones (application processors), home appliances
Automotive: ADAS controllers, engine management systems
Industrial: PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), robotics
Healthcare: MRI scanners, portable diagnostic devices
Communications: 5G base stations, optical network transceivers

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Manufacturer	Representative Product	Key Features
ARM Holdings	Cortex-A78	128-bit NEON engine, 4nm process, 3.0GHz
Intel	Atom x6425E	Quad-core, 12W TDP, integrated Intel HD Graphics
NXP Semiconductors	i.MX 8M Plus	1.8GHz Cortex-A53, NPU for ML acceleration
Microchip	SAM9X60	32-bit ARM926EJ-S, 120MHz, ECC memory support
Qualcomm	QCS610	Hexagon DSP, Adreno GPU, AI Engine for computer vision

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations include:

Performance requirements vs power budget (e.g., Cortex-M55 for ultra-low-power AI)
Real-time constraints (deterministic latency for motor control applications)
Peripheral integration (CAN FD for automotive networks)
Software ecosystem (RTOS support, middleware availability)
Longevity and supply chain stability (automotive-grade qualification)

Case Study: A smart thermostat design selected NXP's MCIMX7U5 (Cortex-M4 + Cortex-A7) for its combination of real-time sensor processing and application-layer connectivity.

8. Industry Trends

Emerging directions include:

AI integration: On-chip neural processing units (NPUs) for edge ML inference
Heterogeneous computing: Multi-architecture SoCs (RISC-V + GPU + NPU)
Advanced packaging: 3D-stacked memory integration for bandwidth-intensive applications
Functional safety: ISO 26262 compliance for autonomous vehicle systems
Open ecosystems: Growth of RISC-V adoption in custom ASIC designs