Mobile processor more than doubles performance

The SH-Mobile3 (SH73180) is the next high-end model in the SH-Mobile series of application processors for mobile phone systems.

The SH-Mobile3 (SH73180) is the next high-end model in the SH-Mobile series of application processors for mobile phone systems.

The device incorporates a new 32bit SH4AL-DSP RISC CPU core that offers approximately a 2.3x improvement in performance over previous models.

It also incorporates a 2D/3D graphics engine, an MPEG-4 full hardware accelerator and support for a 3Mpixel camera module.

This allows it to handle various kinds of advanced multimedia applications in high-end next-generation mobile phones.

The SH-Mobile3 offers a high processing performance of 389MIPS at 216MHz operation.

The newly developed SH4AL-DSP CPU core employs superscalar technology that enables simultaneous execution of two instructions and a seven-stage pipeline architecture to improve performance.

At 1.8MIPS/MHz, it offers approximately a 1.4x increase in performance per unit frequency over the 1.3MIPS/MHz of the current SH3-DSP CPU core.

Including the frequency increase, this gives approximately a 2.3x improvement in processing performance over the maximum 173MIPS (at 133MHz operation) of the current SH-Mobile series.

This performance increase enables the SH-Mobile3 to handle the parallel processing of multiple high-load applications and operations using a general-purpose OS such as Linux rather than a dedicated OS.

In addition, the instruction set of the SH4AL-DSP is upward-compatible with that of the current product SH3-DSP CPU core, allowing existing programs to be used and system development time to be shortened.

The SH-Mobile3 incorporates a camera interface that enables direct connection to a 3Mpixel camera module.

This makes it possible to capture high-resolution images and to implement versatile display features, such as electronic zoom display and superimposed screens, through the use of functions such as OSD (on-screen display) and HWC (hardware cursor).

The device also includes a video output unit, making it possible to connect a mobile phone system to a TV set and display video captured with a camera.

The device incorporates a PowerVR MBX Lite IP from UK-based Imagination Technologies (IMG) as a 2D/3D graphics engine.

This enables the high-speed display of realistic, high-quality 2D/3D images and allows sophisticated applications to be implemented, such as the high-speed display of a number of realistic human figures or similar characters moving fluidly.

In addition, an MPEG-4 full hardware accelerator provides the high-quality moving image processing capability required for video-mail and video-phones.

The SH-Mobile3 incorporates a variety of other mobile phone-oriented peripheral functions, including an LCD controller supporting a TFT colour liquid crystal display and a sound interface.

The device uses a 409-pin CSP package (12 x 12 x 1.4mm, 0.5mm pin pitch).

Sample shipments will begin in July 2004.

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