64-Bit MPUs Deliver Long-Term Linux Support

TOKYO, Japan – Renesas Electronics Corporation introduced the RZ/G2 Group of 64-bit Arm Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53-based microprocessors (MPUs) for industrial automation and building automation applications, as the second generation of the RZ/G Series. The four new RZ/G2 MPUs are supported by the Renesas RZ/G Linux Platform for industrial applications, bringing increased performance, reliability, security, and long-term software support to mission-critical applications as well as standard applications with high quality requirements. 

The RZ/G2 MPUs feature a combination of high-performance 64-bit MPUs, a comprehensive set of integrated interfaces, error checking and correction (ECC) protection on both internal and external memories, and a full Verified Linux Package (VLP) featuring a Civil Infrastructure Platform (CIP) Super Long-Term Support (SLTS) Linux kernel, bundled with a software development environment that binds safety, security, and reliability across the software and hardware. The RZ/G2 MPUs are the first embedded MPUs on the market offering more than 10 years of support for the 64-bit Linux kernel.

Early technology adapters such as Pioneer DJ Corporation, a leader in the DJ/club and professional audio equipment market, have already started to implement the RZ/G2M, recognizing the MPU’s high performance and graphic functions.

Main Features of the RZ/G2 MPUs

Increased performance for industrial applications:

• Built around 64-bit Arm Cortex A57 and Cortex-A53 64-bit cores, the RZ/G2 MPUs deliver substantial processing performance improvements over the preceding RZ/G1-Group – up to maximum 2.7 times the CPU processing performance.
• RZ/G2 MPUs deliver up to 36 percent higher performance than any other embedded 64-bit MPU on the market.
• Support for the latest high-speed protocols for external memories including LPDDR4 or DDR3L up to 3200 MT/s.
• Fast communication with support for the USB 3.0, SATA, and PCI-e high-speed interfaces, and QSPI and eMMC gigabit interfaces.
• On-chip 3D graphics engine, H.264 and H.265 codec with 4K support, and HDMI, LVDS, and MIPI-CSI2 camera input interfaces as graphics and video functions enable high-end human-machine interface (HMI) applications.

High reliability and security:

• ECC functionality detects and corrects memory errors as a countermeasure for the increased susceptibility to software errors (Note 1) that accompanies small geometry semiconductor processes.
• RZ/G2 MPUs are the only embedded MPUs offering ECC on all internal and external memory interfaces for all devices in the group.
• ECC works with both the on-chip L1/L2-cache memory and external DDR3L or LPDDR4 memory.
• ECC helps eliminate risks associated with malfunctions due to corruption of data in memory, thereby enhancing the reliability of industrial equipment.

Super long-term support:

• The SLTS Linux kernel enables Linux-based embedded systems to be maintained by offering support and security maintenance for more than 10 years, allowing users to reduce Linux maintenance costs and easily adopt reliable industrial-grade Linux.
• A complete VLP and verification test software includes a graphics user interface (GUI) framework with support for HTML5 and Qt, 3D graphics, H.264/H.265 video, and security functions.
• The VLP and test software make it easy for users to develop human machine interface (HMI) and networking functions while also enabling manufacturers to quickly bring to market industrial equipment with rich graphics display functionality similar to that found on mobile devices.

About the RZ/G Linux Platform

The RZ/G Linux Platform is a one-stop solution combining a high-performance processor, verified software with a long-term support, development tools and a reference board. In addition to supporting super long-term Linux kernel stability, which can potentially reduce maintenance costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, the RZ/G Linux Platform significantly reduces development time and Linux set-up costs for industrial equipment – two key barriers to open source software adoption. With the platform, users can adopt Linux in their projects with confidence and bring new products to market quickly and efficiently.

Availability

The RZ/G2 MPUs will be available in four devices – RZ/G2E, RZ/G2N, RZ/G2M, and RZ/G2H – with configurations including the eight-core RZ/G2H, the six-core RZ/G2M, and the two-core RZ/G2N and RZ/G2E. Sample shipments of the six-core RZ/G2M and two-core RZ/G2E are available now; the other MPU models will be released over time. Mass production is scheduled to start in Q1 2020. (Availability are subject to change without notice.)

More Information

To learn more about the RZ/G2 MPUs, watch the video “RZ/G2 64-bit MPUs Overview” and visit https://www.renesas.com/rzg2.

To learn more about the RZ/G Linux Platform, visit https://www.renesas.com/products/rzg-linux-platform.html.