RTOS, ThreadX, Renesas, Express Logic

Renesas Technology and Express Logic launch real-time control and signal processing platform

News Release from: Renesas Technology Europe Ltd
28/05/2008

Renesas Technology Europe has announced that Express Logic's ThreadX multitasking real-time operating system (RTOS) now supports Renesas SH-2A series microcontrollers (MCUs), providing a high-performance operating platform for applications using these fast, powerful devices in embedded systems.

For applications that require storage or connectivity, three ThreadX middleware products -- the FileX file system, NetX networking stack and USBX USB stack -- are also offered for the SH-2A devices which provide on-chip Ethernet and USB interface modules. Moreover, a complete platform for high-performance embedded system design that combines the ThreadX OS, middleware and PEGX development package with Renesas development tools is now available for evaluation on SH-2A series MCUs. The professional-quality PEGX graphical user interface (GUI) package is small and fast. Its exceptional visual appeal offers an intuitive and powerful API for application-level user interface development. Express Logic's pre-ported middleware includes file system support and is designed to reduce the time it takes to develop high-speed embedded connectivity solutions.

The MCUs in the popular Renesas SH-2A series are superscalar 32-bit RISC devices with integrated high-speed peripherals that deliver exceptional floating-point execution for algorithm and graphics processing. The devices implement responsive embedded systems when running operating systems such as the fast, lightweight ThreadX platform. Among the key features of the ThreadX RTOS are its compact size (the operating system's kernel requires only 2 Kbytes of storage) and its nearly instantaneous turn-on time (the kernel boots up in less than 2 microseconds.)

Robert Kalman, marketing engineer, CID business unit, Renesas Technology Europe, said, The availability of the ThreadX RTOS and its ecosystem on SuperH(R) devices gives embedded developers a new cost-effective high-performance range of solutions for a wide range of embedded applications. The multiple register-banks of the superscalar SH-2A devices, combined with the guaranteed low latency of the ThreadX RTOS, let designers achieve the fast interrupt response essential for motor control, programmable machine tools, office automation products, medical equipment and digital audio products.

William Lamie, president of Express Logic said, The MCUs in the Renesas SH-2A series are well matched to the high-performance real-time capabilities of our ThreadX RTOS and the key software technologies of our FileX, NetX, USBX, and PEGX products. By combining these semiconductor and software products, system developers can implement advanced signal processing applications in less time on a platform that eases code development and migration.