STMicroelectronics Delivers Samples of System-on-Chip for Powertrain Transmission Control to DaimlerChrysler
16 October 2000
STMicroelectronics Delivers Samples of System-on-Chip for Powertrain Transmission Control to DaimlerChrysler
GENEVA--Oct. 16, 2000--Jointly Developed XCORE(TM) Chip Integrates 16-Bit Microprocessor
Core, Custom Logic and Flash Memory in a Single Chip; Will be
Applied in Most North American Car & Truck Platforms
STMicroelectronics today announced that the company has delivered working samples of a system-on-chip solution jointly developed with DaimlerChrysler for a powertrain application. Called XCORE(TM), this integrated circuit incorporates for the first time all of the logic functions necessary for complex transmission control, a breakthrough that is the result of a long term joint development effort between the two companies to create circuits with ever increasing densities and features. XCORE based transmission controls will be used in most future DaimlerChrysler car and truck platforms manufactured in the US, Canada and Mexico starting from Model year 2004.
XCORE integrates an ST10 16-bit microcontroller core, custom logic and 4 megabytes of 'flash' type non-volatile memory on a single chip, providing all of the functions needed to control the transmission side of next generation powertrain controllers. By integrating functions previously implemented in three separate chips it brings a significant saving in cost plus an improvement in overall system reliability. The chip will be assembled in a single Ball Grid Array package, which reduces the size of the circuit board and hence the size and weight of the complete assembly. Power dissipation, too, is improved because the XCORE(TM) solution uses internal 3V logic.
In addition to the XCORE design ST is supplying to DaimlerChrysler all of the development tools and software needed for the integration of this device into the powertrain module. Single-chip integration represents a significant challenge in development tools and ST has both the internally developed tools and relationships with third party tool suppliers to provide all the tools required for system-on-chip code development.
STMicroelectronics is a long established leader in the flash memory market and has supplied standalone flash memories for automotive applications for many years. Leveraging this technology knowhow, ST is now one of the leading companies in the volume production of system-on-chip circuits integrating microcontrollers with embedded flash memory and other circuits. To date the company has delivered more than seven million chips integrating the ST10 core and non-volatile memory and is applying this technology in several key application areas.
The proprietary ST10 core is a high performance 16-bit microcontroller based on an architecture that is designed to be extremely effective in real-time control applications, minimizing the processor time wasted for context switching and reducing the requirement for code memory. By offering a broad range of microcontroller and digital signal processor cores ST is able to provide a dependable road map for future evolutions towards higher performance solutions.
About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics (formerly SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics) is a global independent semiconductor company, whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on the Paris Bourse and on the Milan Stock Exchange. The Company designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronic applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and industrial automation and control systems. In 1999, the Company's net revenues were $5,056 million and net earnings were $547 million. For the first half of 2000, revenues were $3,579.5 million and net income reached US$574.9 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.