Notes
79RC32438 User Reference Manual
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November 4, 2002
Chapter 1
RC32438 Device
Overview
Introduction
The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the capabilities of the RC32438 device. In addi-
tion, it is a centralized resource for three standard items:
Summary of the address map for all the registers included in this device. The functionality of each
register bit is covered in the relevant chapter within this manual.
Default address memory map.
Pin description list, pin types, drive strengths, and alternate functions.
The RC32438 is a general-purpose integrated processor that incorporates a high performance CPU
core and a number of on-chip peripherals. The integrated processor is designed to transfer information from
IO modules to main memory with minimal CPU intervention, using a highly sophisticated direct memory
access (DMA) engine. All data transfers through the RC32438 are achieved by writing data from an on-chip
IO peripheral to main memory and then out to another IO module.
Key Features
The key features of this part include the following:
–
A 32-bit CPU core 100% compatible with the MIPS32 instruction set architecture (ISA). Specifi-
cally, this core features the 4kc developed by MIPS Technologies Inc. (www.mips.com). This core
issues a single instruction per cycle, includes a five stage pipeline and is optimized for applications
that require integer arithmetic. The version in the RC32438 includes 16 KB instruction and 16 KB
data caches. Both caches are 4-way set associative and can be locked on a per line basis, which
allows the programmer control over this precious on-chip memory resource. The core also
features a memory management unit (MMU). The CPU core also incorporates an enhanced joint
test access group (EJTAG) interface that is used to interface to in-circuit emulator tools, providing
access to internal registers and enabling the part to be controlled externally, simplifying the system
debug process. The use of this core allows IDT's customers to leverage the broad range of soft-
ware and development tools available for the MIPS architecture, including operating systems,
compilers and in-circuit emulators.
–
High performance double data rate (DDR) memory controller. This supports both x16 and x32
memory configurations up to 2GB. The module provides all of the signals required to interface to
both memory modules and discrete devices, including two chip selects, differential clocking
outputs, and data strobes.
–
A dedicated local memory/IO controller including a de-multiplexed 16-bit data and 26-bit address
bus. This device includes all of the signals required to interface directly to up to six Intel or
Motorola-style external peripherals. This interface can be configured to support both 8-bit and 16-
bit peripherals.
–
Two Ethernet Channels supporting 10Mbps and 100Mbps speeds, and providing a standard
media independent interface (MII) off-chip, to enable a wide range of external devices to be
connected up efficiently.
–
A PCI interface compatible with version 2.2 of the PCI specification. An on-chip arbiter supports
up to four external bus masters, supporting both fixed priority and rotating priority arbitration
schemes. The part can support both satellite and host PCI configurations, enabling the RC32438
to act as a slave controller for a PCI add-in card application, or as the primary PCI controller in the
system. The PCI interface can be operated synchronously or asynchronously to the other IO inter-
faces on the RC32438 device
–
Two standard 16550-compatible serial ports, with both channels including hardware flow control
signals