TI Releases Details on OMAP 2 Processor Architecture

Texas Instruments (TI) has announced the new OMAP 2 processor architecture at the 3GSM World Congress. The next version of OMAP is designed to greatly enhance the capabilities of future smart phones, allowing them to have 4+ megapixel cameras, interactive 3D gaming, digital camcorders, and more.

Additional features include support for hi-fi music, analog and digital broadcast TV reception, high-speed wireless connectivity, and color LCD displays with greater than VGA resolution.

Current generation OMAP processors have been designed into dozens of multimedia smart phone models. The new OMAP 2 architecture will deliver a state-of-the-art multimedia and gaming experience that boosts video performance by 4x and 3D graphics by 40x.

Devices using OMAP processors don't have to be wireless. The OMAP line of processors will continue to include stand-alone application processors as well as highly-integrated chips combining application and digital baseband processors.

The OMAP platform offers support for Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian OS, Linux, Windows CE 3.0, and more.

The First OMAP 2 Processors

The first two processors to use the new technology, the OMAP2410 and OMAP2420, are expected to be available later this year.

The OMAP 2410 features an ARM1136JS-F core, a TI-programmable digital signal processor (DSP), 2D/3D graphics accelerator, an integrated camera interface, and a DMA controller.

The OMAP2420 adds a TI programmable imaging and video accelerator that supports 4-megapixel imaging and full-motion video encode/decode in resolutions ranging from CIF (352x288) to VGA (640x480).

Both processors will also include a TML92230 energy management companion chip to enhance battery life.

The first smart phones and cellular-wireless handhelds using these chips are expected to begin shipping during the fourth quarter of 2004.

For more information, visit the Texas Instruments OMAP 2 web site.

Top of the Heap

Texas Instruments' OMAP processors currently dominate mobile phones, putting the company in a strong position for the future, as handhelds become increasingly wireless and smart phones become a larger percentage of the market.

Current OMAP processors are used in a variety of models, like the palmOne Treo 600 and Tungsten E, plus the Motorola MPx200 smart phone. The entire next generation of Windows Mobile smart phones are expected to use OMAP processors.

Related Links

• Next-Gen XScale Chips Coming Late this Year
• RumorMill™: More Details on the MPx220 and MPx100
• Brighthand's Coverage of the 3GSM World Congress 2004