Overview
1-4
ColdFire2/2M User’s Manual
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MOTOROLA
for optimum size, power, and performance. The added flexibility of high-speed, high-density
cells allows the designer to achieve the most cost-effective solution while satisfying critical
timing requirements. The standard cell library has been thoroughly characterized and
maintained to ensure a smooth transition from a simulated design to working silicon. If both
Motorola and the customer have the desire, a custom part may also become a standard
product. Standard products are sold on the open market, allowing costs to be spread over
additional units, resulting in lower component prices for high-volume users.
Third-party technology providers can use the same methodology to combine their
application-specific systems expertise with a core processor. The resulting device is
manufactured by Motorola and can be delivered to the marketplace through either the
technologist’s or Motorola’s marketing and sales channels.
Refer to the
on the FlexCore design methodology.
Design System User’s Guide for Semicustom & FlexCore
for more information
1.1.1 FlexCore Advantages
Developers face challenges in reducing product cost. By incorporating user-designed logic
and Motorola-supplied functions into a single FlexCore processor, a system designer can
realize significant savings in cost, power consumption, board space, and pin count. The
equivalent functionality can easily require 20 separate components. Each component might
have 16–64 pins, totaling over 350 connections. Each connection is a candidate for a bad
solder joint or misrouted trace. Each component is another part to qualify, purchase,
inventory, and maintain. Each component requires a share of the printed circuit board. Each
component draws power—often to drive large buffers and circuit board traces to get signals
to another chip. Each component must be individually placed and attached to a printed
circuit board. The signals between the core processor unit and a peripheral might not be
compatible nor run from the same clock, requiring time delays or other special design
considerations.
In a FlexCore integrated processor, the major functions and glue logic are all properly
connected internally, timed with the same clock, and fully tested. Only essential signals are
brought out to pins. The processor is then assembled and tested in a surface-mount
package for the smallest possible footprint.
1.1.2 FlexCore Module Types
The three types of FlexCore modules are:
Hard Module
— Not alterable
— Laid out
— Has a technology file containing timing data
— Has a defined test scheme
Soft Module
— Netlist
— Not alterable other than by clock tree insertion
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Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
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