Freescale: The Art of Balance - Performance and Energy Savings

In the context of Industry 4.0, interpretations vary across companies, but one common trait is the concept of interconnection. Industrial applications rely on a network of devices connected via wired or wireless technologies like fieldbus, industrial Ethernet, RFID, or Wi-Fi, and then linked to the cloud through gateways. Freescale offers robust industrial control and networking solutions that support a wide range of communication protocols and human-machine interfaces. Their security systems are designed to resist hacking, cloning, tampering, and soft errors, even in the challenging environments of manufacturing and processing plants.

Optimizing Industrial Applications

Among Freescale’s many products for industrial communications, the QorIQ T1024 and T1023 dual-core processors stand out as highly optimized solutions for the industrial market. These processors come with features such as display interface units for HMI, QUICC Engine for offloading industrial protocols, and ECC support for high-reliability "always-on" applications. The QUICC engine provides comprehensive support for traditional WAN protocols like TDM, HDLC, UART, and ISDN, as well as various industrial protocols.

The T1024 and T1023 are built on Power Architecture technology and feature a 64-bit core, delivering the High Performance Data Path Acceleration Architecture (DPAA) and necessary network peripheral bus interfaces for networking, telecom, and industrial applications. They are ideal for use in wired and wireless branch routers, enterprise WLAN access points, service provider WLAN access points, unified threat management gateways, multifunction printers, router and switch controllers, line card controllers, industrial automation, single-board computers, and rugged network equipment used in aerospace and defense.

The new QorIQ T1023 and T1024 processors offer scalability and performance improvements over the popular QorIQ P1 series and PowerQUICC processors. The T1023 is tailored for 802.11ac smart edge WLAN access points and branch routers, while the T1024 provides cost-effective upgrades for printing and imaging, legacy control applications, and line cards.

The Art of Balance – Performance and Energy Efficiency

Compared to ARM cores, the Power Architecture has a long-standing reputation in industrial connectivity, proving its reliability and security in both industrial and communication environments. The e5500 architecture delivers twice the speed of the e500 core, with a design frequency of up to 2.5 GHz, and can operate in either 64-bit or 32-bit mode. The 64-bit e5500 core includes enhancements such as multi-core SoC support, heterogeneous multi-core capabilities, and a unique balance between integration and performance, achieving high performance in low power consumption, setting a benchmark for energy efficiency.

The T1023/24 processor features 2 or 4 e5500 single-threaded cores based on Power Architecture, running at up to 1.4 GHz with 64-bit ISA support. It includes low latency, per-core timing, and 256KB dedicated cache. It supports mixed 32-bit mode for compatibility with legacy software and transition to 64-bit architecture. It also features a 32/64-bit DDR3L/4 SDRAM memory controller with ECC support, capable of up to 1600MT/s.

One of the key features of the T1023/24 is its efficient balance between performance and power consumption, often referred to as “smart energy saving.” This is evident in several aspects: it achieves 1800 Coremark per watt, consumes less than 4W at 1.4 GHz, and supports multiple low-power modes such as sleep, wait, and burnout. It also offers deep sleep support via ECMA 363-based automatic response, ensuring no packet loss. It meets energy efficiency standards like the European Code of Conduct and Energy Magnitude.

Additionally, the F104S8A four-port Gigabit Ethernet copper PHY is recommended as a companion device for the T1023/24 communications processor. The F104S8Aq model optimizes power consumption across all link operating rates.

Worry About Information Security

Recently, a robotic accident in Germany sparked widespread concern about robot safety, prompting discussions on the security of automated systems. However, there's no need to panic, as IoT applications—from smart homes to Industry 4.0—place a strong emphasis on security from the start. Security encompasses three main areas: physical, functional, and information security. For example, in a factory robot arm, physical security refers to its environmental safety, such as protection against weather or earthquakes. Functional security ensures the robot operates without failure or harm to other components. Information security guarantees that the data it sends and receives is secure, protected from hackers, and only accessible by authorized users with appropriate permissions.

So, what does Freescale’s communications processor offer in terms of security? In the realm of information security, all ports of the T1023/24 are equipped with MACsec, a key protocol for securing LAN communications. MACsec helps prevent unauthorized access by identifying untrusted sites on the network, ensuring smooth operation. It also protects data integrity and confidentiality, reducing attacks on Layer 2 protocols. The T1023/24 supports hardware virtualization and partition execution with additional privilege levels for hypervisor support. With three instruction levels—user, superuser, and hypervisor—grading is a critical measure for preventing unauthorized access and system damage. Additionally, the QorIQ Trusted Architecture includes secure boot, secure debugging, tamper detection, and volatile key storage to enhance overall security.

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