Embedded - Microprocessors

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
PRIXP420BC Intel	32-BIT, 533MHZ, CMOS, PBGA492	47186
N80960SB10 Intel	32-BIT, 10MHZ, CMOS, PQCC84	66
FC80960HD80 Intel	RISC MPU, 32-BIT, 80MHZ PQFP208	1191
MD8086 Intel	RISC MPU, 16-BIT	3380
TD8086 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 5MHZ, NMOS, CDIP40	19
NG80960JD3V66 Intel	RISC MICROPROCESSOR, 32 BIT, I96	770
TN80C188EA20 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 20MHZ, CMOS, PQCC68	2084
N80C188XL12 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 12MHZ, CMOS, PQCC68	63
P80C86A2 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 8MHZ PDIP40	10469
GCIXP1250BC Intel	IXP NETWORK PROCESSOR, 32 BIT, 2	24856
GCIXP1200GA Intel	IXP NETWORK PROCESSOR, 32 BIT, 1	55461
F28F020150 Intel	FLASH, 256KX8, 150NS, PDSO32	11820
NG80960JF3V25 Intel	RISC MICROPROCESSOR, 32 BIT, I96	88
SB80C188XL25 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 25MHZ, CMOS, PQFP80	4047
R8018610 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 10MHZ, NMOS, CQCC68	9
SB80L188EC13 Intel	MICROPROCESSOR, 16-BIT, 13MHZ	293
D80861 Intel	MPU 8086 CISC 16-BIT 10MHZ	608
TN87C51FC24 Intel	CHMOS SINGLE CHIPE 8-BIT MCU	0
FWIXP420BC Intel	32-BIT, 400MHZ, CMOS, PBGA492	15273
PEB3342HTV2X Intel	VINETIC-2ATA/-1ATA VOICE OVER IP	7119

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