Renesas Debuts SH-Mobile3 Application Processor with SH4AL-DSP CPU Core

5/18/2004 - Renesas Technology Corp. announced the SH-Mobile3 (product name: SH73180) incorporating a new SH4AL-DSP high-performance CPU core as the top-end model in the SH-Mobile1 Series of application processors for mobile phone systems. Sample shipments will begin in July 2004 in Japan.

The SH-Mobile3 is an application processor for high-end next-generation mobile phone models. It incorporates a high-processing-performance 32-bit RISC (reduced instruction set computer) CPU core, 2D/3D graphics engine, and MPEG-4 full hardware accelerator, allowing it to handle various kinds of advanced multimedia applications with ease.

Major features of the SH-Mobile3 are as follows:

  • (1) New SH4AL-DSP CPU core providing an approximately 2.3-fold improvement in performance over previous Renesas Technology models
    The SH-Mobile3 incorporates a newly developed SH4AL-DSP CPU core and achieves processing performance of 389 MIPS (million instructions per second) at a maximum operating frequency of 216 MHz. This represents an approximately 2.3-fold improvement in performance over the 173 MIPS maximum processing performance (at 133 MHz operation) of the current SH-Mobile Series. This processing capability enables the SH-Mobile3 to easily handle parallel processing of multiple high-load applications, and operations using a general-purpose OS such as Linux2 involving a greater processing load than a dedicated OS. The instruction set of the SH4AL-DSP is upward-compatible with that of the current product CPU core SH3-DSP, allowing existing programs to be used and system development time to be shortened.
  • (2) 3-megapixel class camera module support and image processing functions
    The SH-Mobile3 incorporates a camera interface allowing direct connection to a 3-megapixel class camera module. This makes it possible to perform high-speed capture of large-volume image data from a high-definition camera, and to achieve versatile display features such as electronic zoom display and superimposed screens through the use of such functions as OSD (on-screen display) and HWC (hardware cursor). The SH-Mobile3 is also equipped with a video output unit, making it possible to connect a mobile phone system to a TV set and display moving images shot with a camera.
  • (3) Moving image processing by 2D/3D graphics engine and an MPEG-4 hardware accelerator
    A PowerVR3 MBX Lite IP from Imagination Technologies, Ltd. (IMG) of the United Kingdom is used as a 2D/3D graphics engine, providing high-speed display of realistic, high-quality 2D/3D images that enables sophisticated applications, such as game, to be implemented. In addition, an MPEG-4 full hardware accelerator provides the high-quality moving image processing capability required for video-mail and video-phones.

Product Background
Mobile phones are expanding their repertoire of advanced and diversified multimedia applications such as game and moving image distribution and video-phones, and more complex and varied applications can be expected to appear as communication speeds continue to increase. Renesas Technology led the world in developing the SH-Mobile Series specifically for performing such application processing in mobile phone systems, and the lineup of products for high-end through popular mobile phone models has been well received by the market. Now, Renesas Technology has developed the SH-Mobile3 as the top-end SH-Mobile Series model to meet the need for higher performance and functionality in high-end mobile phone models.

Product Details
An SH-Mobile Series processor is connected to the baseband LSI of a mobile phone system and performs dedicated voice, image, or similar multimedia application processing. The use of dedicated interfaces allows connection to various types of baseband LSIs, and mobile phone customization or product differentiation is possible by means of an on-chip accelerator function, a variety of interfaces, and a mobile phone oriented power management system.

The SH-Mobile3 incorporates a newly developed SH4AL-DSP CPU core and achieves processing performance of 389 MIPS (million instructions per second) at a maximum operating frequency of 216 MHz. This CPU core employs superscalar technology enabling simultaneous execution of two instructions and a 7-stage pipeline architecture to improve performance, and at 1.8 MIPS/MHz, offers an approximately 1.4-fold increase in performance per unit frequency over the 1.3 MIPS/MHz of the current SH3-DSP CPU core. Including the frequency increase, this represents an approximately 2.3-fold improvement in processing performance over the maximum 173 MIPS (at 133 MHz operation) of the current SH-Mobile Series using an SH3-DSP CPU core. This processing capability enables the SH-Mobile3 to easily handle parallel processing of various kinds of high-load applications and middleware.

To handle the higher pixel counts of recent built-in cameras, the SH-Mobile3 incorporates a camera interface allowing direct connection to a 3-megapixel class camera module. This makes it possible to capture high-resolution images, and to implement versatile display features such as electronic zoom display and superimposed screens through the use of such functions as OSD and HWC. The SH-Mobile3 also includes a video output unit that enables photographed moving images to be output to a TV set, allowing captured video to be displayed on a TV screen. A variety of other mobile phone system oriented peripheral functions are also incorporated, including an LCD controller supporting a TFT color liquid crystal display, and a sound interface.

The SH-Mobile3 also includes moving image processing hardware. A PowerVR MBX Lite IP from IMG is used as a 2D/3D graphics engine, enabling the implementation of more sophisticated and versatile graphic displays, such as high-speed display of a number of realistic human figures or similar characters moving fluidly. Also included is an MPEG-4 full hardware accelerator that provides moving image processing and smooth, high-speed display for video-mail and video-phones.

The instruction set of the SH4AL-DSP is upward-compatible with that of the SH3-DSP, allowing the use of programs developed for an existing system, and enabling system development time to be shortened.

The package used is a 409-pin CSP (12 mm × 12 mm × 1.4 mm, 0.5 mm pin pitch).

As multimedia applications in mobile phone systems become increasingly sophisticated, Renesas Technology will continue to extend the lineup of products using the SH4AL-DSP CPU core and develop the products that meet market needs, and to ensure the timely market release of such products.

Notes:
1. SH-Mobile (SuperHTM Mobile Application Processor): An original Renesas Technology processor for next-generation mobile phone systems that is connected to the baseband LSI and performs dedicated processing of voice, image, and similar multimedia applications. SuperH is a trademark of Renesas Technology Corp.
2. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States and other regions.
3. PowerVR is a registered trademark of Imagination Technologies, Ltd. of the United Kingdom.

Typical Applications
Mobile phone terminals incorporating multimedia applications

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