The TI AM437x high-performance processors are based on the ARM Cortex-A9 core.
The processors are enhanced with 3D graphics acceleration for rich
graphical user interfaces, as well as a coprocessor for deterministic, real-time processing
including industrial communication protocols, such as EtherCAT, PROFIBUS, EnDat, and others. The
devices support high-level operating systems (HLOS).
Linux® is available free of charge
from TI. Other HLOSs are available from TIs Design Network and ecosystem partners.
These devices offer an upgrade to systems based on lower performance
ARM cores and provide updated peripherals, including memory options such as QSPI-NOR and
LPDDR2.
The processors contain the subsystems shown in Figure 1-1, and a brief description of each follows.
The processor subsystem is based on the ARM Cortex-A9 core, and the
PowerVR SGX™
graphics accelerator subsystem provides 3D graphics acceleration to support display and advanced
user interfaces.
The programmable real-time unit subsystem and industrial communication
subsystem (PRU-ICSS) is separate from the ARM core and allows independent operation and clocking
for greater efficiency and flexibility. The PRU-ICSS enables additional peripheral interfaces and
real-time protocols such as EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS, Ethernet Powerlink, Sercos,
EnDat, and others. The PRU-ICSS enables EnDat and another industrial communication protocol in
parallel. Additionally, the programmable nature of the PRU-ICSS, along with their access to pins,
events and all system-on-chip (SoC) resources, provides flexibility in implementing fast real-time
responses, specialized data handling operations, custom peripheral interfaces, and in off-loading
tasks from the other processor cores of the SoC.
High-performance interconnects provide high-bandwidth data transfers for multiple
initiators to the internal and external memory controllers and to on-chip peripherals. The device
also offers a comprehensive clock-management scheme.
One on-chip analog to digital converter (ADC0) can couple with the
display subsystem to provide an integrated touch-screen solution. The other ADC (ADC1) can combine
with the pulse width module to create a closed-loop motor control solution.
The RTC provides a clock reference on a separate power domain. The clock reference
enables a battery-backed clock reference.
The camera interface offers configuration for a single- or dual-camera parallel
port.
Cryptographic acceleration is available in every AM437x device. Secure
boot is available only on AM437xHS devices for anticloning and illegal software update protection.
For more information about secure boot and HS devices, contact your TI sales representative.
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