Freescale Applications Processor Drives Ford Sync in-car Communications, Entertainment System
February 20, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The Freescale Semiconductor i.MX31 multimedia applications processor is the engine used in the Ford Sync in-car communications and entertainment system.
The Sync system, developed by Microsoft and Ford and based on Microsoft Auto software, enables consumers to operate Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and nearly all portable digital media players in their vehicle using voice commands or the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls.
The 400-MHz version of the i.MX31 processor runs the Microsoft operating system, handles audio signal processing for hands-free phone operation and performs all of the voice recognition functionality in the Sync system.
Universal serial bus (USB) connectivity on the i.MX31 chip enables high-speed data transfer between the Sync system and a mobile phone or portable media device.
The Microsoft Auto platform includes a hardware reference design that supports the i.MX31 processor.
The i.MX31 processor can be used for applications such as automotive entertainment systems, video and audio media players, mobile gaming consoles and global positioning systems (GPS), smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), ultraportable handheld computers and other wireless mobile devices.
The processor includes power, security, and digital rights management (DRM) and image processing technology. It enables ultra-low power consumption while providing performance equivalent to processors with higher clock speeds (MHz).
Source: Freescale Semiconductor .