ETRAX CRIS

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ETRAX CRIS is the name of a processor family from Axis Communications . Here is ETRAX for E thernet , T oken R ing , axis (Engl. AX is), although the term is no longer correct because the Token Ring support was removed in the younger models. These processors are based on the C ode R educed I nstruction S et ( CRIS ).

variants

ETRAX-1 to 4

In the Axis company history, the models date from 1993 to 1996, with only version 4 showing a slight increase in complexity. Previous models, such as the TGA-1, were of low complexity. The CGA-1 and 2 had about 50% complexity, while the CGA-3 was on a par with the ETRAX models. Initially, it was used for adapters for IBM printer systems , with the focus on reducing the adapter size.

ETRAX 100

The model dates from 1998 and is in terms of performance between its temporal neighbors.

ETRAX 100LX

It is a design with a 100 MIPS , 32-bit RISC CPU with CRIS instruction set, which is surrounded by an 8 kB cache and an MMU . The type was launched in November 2000 and manufactured using a 0.25 µm process.

The ETRAX 100LX contains the 32-bit RISC processor on the The further units. These are:

  • a controller for 10/100 Mbit / s Ethernet
  • four high-speed serial interfaces
  • two USB 1.1 interfaces, configurable as host or device
  • IDE
  • SCSI
  • two fast parallel interfaces according to IEEE 1284

The component is offered in a BGA version with 256 balls in a plastic housing and typically converts 350 mW. It is used in most of the manufacturer's network cameras and print servers .

ETRAX 100LX MCM

The ETRAX 100LX is also available as a so-called multi-chip module, an arrangement in which further semiconductors are connected directly to the same circuit board by bonding .

The so-called SoC module consists of the ETRAX 100LX, 16 MB SDRAM, 4 MB FLASH, a 10/100 Mbit / s Ethernet transceiver , a reset circuit and other components. This makes it a largely complete system to go into operation as a Linux computer. Only the power supply unit, user interfaces and possibly additional storage media need to be added.

ETRAX FS

The FS variant is built with a 200 MIPS, 32-bit RISC CPU based on a CRIS core with a five-stage pipeline. The CPU is provided with a 16 kB data and 16 kB instruction cache as well as an MMU .

In addition to the well-known features from the LX series, the following units can be found on the die:

  • a second 10/100 Mbit / s Ethernet controller
  • a cryptography accelerator (can AES, DES, 3DES, SHA-1 and MD5)
  • 128 kB on-chip hi-speed RAM
  • an I / O processor controllable via microcode , with which z. B. protocols such as parallel and serial interfaces, PC card, CardBus, PCI, USB FS / HS host, USB FS device, SCSI and ATA can be implemented.

The semiconductor is available in a plastic housing as a 265 pin BGA and has a typical power consumption of 465 mW.

software

Axis has made a Linux- based cross compiler available for download. A larger number of sample applications are also available.

The ETRAX 100LX is supported by the Linux kernels of the 2.4 and 2.6 series. The ETRAX FS is supported from Linux 2.6. The kernel contains drivers for the serial, parallel and Ethernet interfaces. Furthermore, USB is supported as the host port and the IDE interface. The software modules Linux Threads and POSIX Threads are available.

Support has been discontinued in Linux kernel 4.17.

hardware

There are some manufacturers who use the ETRAX chip for their products. Many also only offer developer boards, on the basis of which further products can be developed.

Some products that use the ETRAX chip:

  • Axis Communications AXIS 82 developer board (English), see also MWS3 measurement transmitter , an implementation as a Linux-based data logger
  • Embedded Linux Box (LB1) from Data Respons GmbH
  • ACME Systems' FOX board
  • Elphel network cameras
  • Free2move's embedded Linux system
  • DSP & FPGA's industrial control unit

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Axis Chip Development History ( English ) Axis Communications. Archived from the original on February 8, 2006. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. ↑ Linux 4.17 release notes [1]