Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Green Hills Software | Subject: Software solution for Freescale's MPC5500
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 08 September 2005
Variable length encoding shrinks PowerPC
programs
New technology reduces the size of a program running in automotive control units based on Freescale's popular MPC5500 family of processors executing the PowerPC instruction set architecture.
Green Hills Software has developed breakthrough technology that reduces the sise of a program running in automotive control units based on Freescale's popular MPC5500 family of processors executing the PowerPC instruction set architecture Tier-one automotive suppliers in North America and Europe are reporting test results with memory savings of 30% using the unique compiler and linker technology from Green Hills Software combined with Freescale's innovative variable length encoding (VLE) technology
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 21 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Today, our MPC500 and MPC5500 families are the leading microcontrollers in engine and transmission control units", said Ray Cornyn, Operations Manager for Freescale's automotive microcontroller business.
"Our VLE technology makes the MPC5500 family an even more versatile solution".
"An optimising compiler is a vital part of the solution, and, with their technology and experience, Green Hills Software is helping us deliver the power of VLE to our automotive customers".
VLE, an extension from Freescale to the existing 32bit PowerPC Book E instruction set, makes use of an instruction coding technique that reduces code size, routinely by as much as 30%.
Despite the code size reduction, software performance degradation is minimal or nonexistent.
In addition, VLE code can be freely mixed with ordinary PowerPC code in a program.
The new encodings maintain the current PowerPC Book E application programming interface (API).
Software developers using Green Hills Software VLE products enjoy a number of benefits.
Tier 1 suppliers in North America and Europe have tested the Green Hills VLE compiler and report 30% smaller code over non-VLE compilers.
Developers do not need to make code changes at the C or C++ level to use VLE.
In addition, VLE and non-VLE code can be mixed, assuring seamless compatibility.
The entire Green Hills Software product family has been updated - compiler, debugger, trace tools and hardware probes - giving the developer an integrated, optimised solution to create, debug and analyse a VLE application.
The complete Green Hills Software solution for Freescale's MPC5500 processor is available today, including Multi, VLE-enabled C/C++ compilers, Integrity RTOS, Velosity microkernel, SuperTrace Probe, TimeMachine Debugger, Green Hills Probe and Slingshot. Request a free brochure from Green Hills Software ...
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