
Chapter 1. Overview
1-3
Features
Features common to many embedded applications, such as DMAs, various DRAM
controller interfaces, and on-chip memories, are integrated using advanced process
technologies.
The MCF5407 extends the legacy of Motorola’s 68K family by providing a compatible path
for 68K and ColdFire customers in which development tools and customer code can be
leveraged. In fact, customers moving from 68K to ColdFire can use code translation and
emulation tools that facilitate modifying 68K assembly code to the ColdFire architecture.
The package, pinout, and integration mix of the MCF5407 create an especially simple
upgrade for current MCF5307 designs with over triple the system performance.
Based on the concept of variable-length RISC technology, the ColdFire family combines
the architectural simplicity of conventional 32-bit RISC with a memory-saving,
variable-length instruction set. In dening the ColdFire architecture for embedded
processing applications, a 68K-code compatible core combines performance advantages of
a RISC architecture with the optimum code density of a streamlined, variable-length
M68000 instruction set.
By using a variable-length instruction set architecture, embedded system designers using
ColdFire RISC processors enjoy signicant advantages over conventional xed-length
RISC architectures. The denser binary code for ColdFire processors consumes less memory
than many xed-length instruction set RISC processors available. This improved code
density means more efcient system memory use for a given application and allows use of
slower, less costly memory to help achieve a target performance level.
The MCF5407 is the rst standard product to implement the Version 4 ColdFire
microprocessor core. The V4 microarchitecture implements a number of advanced
techniques, including a Harvard memory architecture, branch cache acceleration logic, and
limited superscalar support (dual-instruction issue), which contribute to the 233 Dhrystone
MIPS performance level. Increasing the internal speed of the core also allows higher
performance while providing the system designer with an easy-to-use lower speed system
interface. The processor complex frequency is an integer multiple, 3 to 6 times, of the
external bus frequency. The core clock can be stopped to support a low-power mode.
Serial communication channels are provided by an I2C interface module and two
programmable full-duplex UARTs, one of which provides synchronous communications
for soft-modem applications. Four channels of DMA allow for fast data transfer using a
programmable burst mode independent of processor execution. The two 16-bit
general-purpose multimode timers provide separate input and output signals. For system
protection, the processor includes a programmable 16-bit software watchdog timer. In
addition, common system functions such as chip selects, interrupt control, bus arbitration,
and an IEEE 1149.1 JTAG module are included.A sophisticated debug interface supports
background-debug mode plus real-time trace and debug with an expanded set of on-chip
breakpoint registers. This interface is present in all ColdFire standard products and allows
common emulator support across the entire family of microprocessors.