Renesas' RZ/A3M Targets Slick Human-Machine Interfaces with a Generous 128MB of On-Device SDRAM
Chunky bonus memory combined with a hardware-accelerated 2D drawing engine makes for easy yet powerful HMI projects.
Renesas has announced a new entry in its RZ/A series of real-time-targeting microprocessors: the RZ/A3M, with a generous 128MB of on-device DDR3L memory and an Arm Cortex-A55 core running at up to 1GHz.
"I'm pleased to launch the RZ/A3M, the first RZ product with large built-in memory targeting high-function video/animation HMI [Human-Machine Interface] performance while keeping overall system costs low," says Renesas' Daryl Khoo of the latest in the RZ/A chip family. "In addition, we aim to deliver a highly responsive user experience with high-quality, real-time graphics, and provide the ease of design and cost efficiency to help our customers build advanced HMI solutions quickly."
Part of the RZ/A range, which targets driving a real-time operating system (RTOS), the RZ/A3M is built around a single 64-bit Arm Cortex-A55 processor core running at up to 1GHz and includes 128kB of on-chip static RAM (SRAM) — so far, so much like the existing RZ/A3UL. Where the RZ/A3M differs is in also featuring 128MB of DDR3L memory on-device in a system-in-package (SiP) format.
That on-device SDRAM, Renesas says, makes it easier to deploy the RZ/A3M in human-machine interface applications without having to design a high-speed signal interface to external memory modules — yet provides enough space for attractive user interfaces. The new part also includes quad-SPI buses for both NAND and NOR flash memory, plus a unique pin layout that the company claims provides simpler PCB trace routing even on dual-layer boards.
To further cement its positioning as a driver of HMI displays, the new RZ/A3M includes an integrated LCD controller supporting up to WXGA (1280×800) panels alongside parallel RGB and four-lane MIPI Display Serial Interface (DSI) connections, a hardware-accelerated 2D graphics engine, and peripherals including SPI, I2C, SDHI, USB 2.0, and I2S, along with an integrated temperature sensor and timer.
More information on the RZ/A3M is available on the official product page; the part is now in volume production, starting at $21.35 in single-unit quantities. Renesas has also released a "Winning Design," which combines the RZ/A3M with other of the company's parts to build an HMI for appliances.