Toshiba Launches New Line-up of Image Recognition Proceors

Toshiba Launches New Line-up of Image Recognition Processors - To expand its business domain from automotive applications -

28 Feb, 2013

TOKYOToshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced that it will expand its line-up of ViscontiTM[1] image recognition processors with the launch of the ViscontiTM3 series. The first device in this new series, TMPV7528XBG, is enhanced by the integration of additional processor cores to support various applications, and will extend the range of use beyond automotive systems to industrial applications. Sample shipment will start in April.

Toshiba initially developed the ViscontiTM series of image recognition processors to advance the creation of camera-based vision systems for automotive applications. The processors recognize traffic lanes, vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs and more and both the ViscontiTM2 and 3 series devices incorporate image processing accelerators that detect pedestrians with high level detection ratio in real time.

In addition to these capabilities, the ViscontiTM3 lowers the software-development hurdle for customers by integrating an ARM 32-bit RISC CortexTM-A9 MPCoreTM (2 cores) dedicated to supporting applications interfacing with the image recognition processor.

With ViscontiTM3, Toshiba will seek to expand the image recognition processor business beyond automotive systems into camera-based vision systems for industrial applications. The company targets annual sales of 2 million ViscontiTM image recognition processors in fiscal 2015.

Background Advances continue in bringing driver assistance and safety systems to road vehicles. The next impetus will come in the EU, where the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) requires automobile companies to introduce autonomous braking systems next year. These will initially cover other vehicles, and will be extended to include pedestrians in 2016. Initiatives like this are expected to spur 50-100% growth in the global market for image recognition processors between fiscal 2010 and 2015, from 75 to 100 billion yen[2].

Toshiba has played a pioneering role in image recognition processors. It commercialized ViscontiTM in 2004 and the improved ViscontiTM2 in 2011. The new ViscontiTM3 offers improvements in functionality, performance and software development efficiency.

Main Features 1. ARM CortexTM-A9 MPCoreTM Upwardly compatible with the ViscontiTM2 series. Integration of the ARM CortexTM-A9 MPCoreTM improves connectivity to car navigation systems, smartphones and cloud-based services and makes it easier for customers to implement features during software development.

2. Single/Double-Precision Floating Point Unit (FPU) Image recognition algorithms and software in embedded image recognition processors must analyze large volumes of image data from the video source, frame-by-frame, in real time, but with limited power consumption and memory resources. Some algorithms for this are difficult to achieve without an FPU, and for this reason Visconti3 integrates a single/double-precision FPU into each core of the ARM processor.

Outline of New Product Part number Sample shipment Mass production Product volume

TMPV7528XBG April 2013 January 2014 100,000

units a year

Main Specifications Part number TMPV7528XBG

CPU ARM 32-bit RISC CortexTM-A9 MPCoreTM

(2 cores with Single/Double-Precision Floating Point Units)

Toshiba original 32-bit RISC CPU

Media embedded Processor (MeP) x1

Image recognition engine Toshibas orignal multi-core media processor Media Processing Engine (MPE) x4

Image processing accelerators Affine transform 1 ch.

Filter 2 ch.

Histogram 1 ch.

Histogram of Oriented Gradients 1 ch. (HOG/CoHOG features)

Matching 1 ch.

On-chip memory Mask ROM: 64 Kbytes

SRAM: 2080 Kbytes

On-chip peripheral functions Video input I/F 4 ch.

Video output I/F 1 ch.

Main memory

controllers DDR2-533 SDRAM controller

NOR Flash/SRAM controller

PCI Express 1 lane

CAN controller 3 ch.

I2C I/F 4 ch.

UART I/F 5 ch.

SPI I/F 4 ch.

PCM I/F 2 ch.

Timer/Counter 11 ch.

Power supply voltage Core:1.1V, I/O:3.3V and 1.8V

Operating frequency Max.300MHz (ARM CortexTM-A9 MPCoreTM) /Max.266MHz (MeP, MPE)

Operating temperature Ta = -40 85 C, Tj = -40 125 C

Package Plastic BGA 516pins, 27mm x 27mm, 1.0mm ball pitch

Notes: [1]

ViscontiTM is a trademark of Toshiba Corporation.[2]

Toshiba data[3]

CortexTM and MPCoreTM are trademarks of ARM Limited.

Information in the news releases, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current on the date of the press announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice.

LINK:	http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2013_02/pr2801.htm...
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