Microprocessor and Memory

Technologies Group

SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCT INFORMATION

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MC68322

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© MOTOROLA 1994

Product Brief

Integrated Printer Processor

The MC68322 is a high-performance integrated printer processor, which combines an MC68000 compatible

EC000 Core processor, a RISC graphics processor (RGP) and a print engine video controller (PVC) with

numerous system integration features on a single integrated circuit. It is the first of Motorola's M68000 family

designed specifically for laser printers. The MC68322 provides a unique solution for new designs as well as

an excellent migration path for existing M68000-powered printers. Additionally, the new chip will find ready

application to the inkjet printer and multifunction-peripheral (Fax/Modem/Printer) markets and other

embedded control applications, which require very fast bit manipulations. The MC68322 provides

outstanding performance at an extremely affordable price.

Historically, printer applications have been solved using a single general purpose processor and external

application specific circuitry. The MC68322 employs a highly specialized, multi-processor architecture, which

enables the user to take advantage of memory reduction techniques. This design implementation provides a

technically superior and more cost effective system solution. Specialized display list banding techniques

executed by the dedicated RISC graphics processor enable system memory requirements to be significantly

reduced.

The use of software memory reduction techniques alone, an approach taken by conventional controllers,

lack the power needed to handle complex pages, causing the controller to fall back to lower resolution or

reduced page throughput. By integrating an EC000 Core, RGP, and PVC using a unique dual bus

architecture, the MC68322 optimizes overall system performance. The dual bus architecture eliminates bus

contention between processing units creating a true parallel processing environment. The additional

bandwidth allows each processing unit to operate at peak performance. Working in conjunction with an on -

chip, programmable, bursting DRAM controller, the processing units are capable of achieving outstanding

throughput. These dedicated processing units enable the MC68322 to produce 600 dot per inch images

using substantially less memory than conventional controllers. The MC68322 extends these benefits to low-

cost 4–8 page per minute printers.

The MC68322 significantly reduces component count, board space, power consumption and their inherent

costs while yielding higher reliability and shorter design time. The MC68322 provides support for toner

conservation, enabling the print controller to conserve toner when printing in draft mode. The MC68322

provides the perfect printing environment for users of complex page description languages (such as PCL

and PostScript) and less scaleable graphics imaging models such as Windows Printing System and

QuickDraw). Complete code compatibility with the M68000 Family provides the designer access to a broad

base of established real-time kernels, operating systems, languages, applications and development tools,

many of which are optimized for embedded processing and printing applications. Figure 1 shows a block

diagram of the MC68322.

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.

For More Information On This Product,

Go to: www.freescale.com