EAST FISHKILL, New York -- IBM Microelectronics has developed an embedded processor for wireless local area network access points and other networking applications. In addition to wireless LAN access points, the PowerPC 405EP is suitable for use in edge-of-network applications such as DSL routers and cable modems, the company said.
The 405EP chip incorporates 10/100 Ethernet, a PCI interface, a SDRAM controller and a 64-bit on-chip CoreConnect bus. It is fabricated using IBM Microelectronics' SA-27e process technology, which includes copper interconnect in 0.18-micron CMOS.
The chip is designed to support CPU speeds of 133, 200 and 266MHz and consumes one watt at 200-MHz.
IBM plans to sample the 405EP at all speed grades. The slowest speed grade is priced at $17 each in volumes of 10,000, IBM said. The company did not give prices for the other speed grades. Production quantities of all three speeds are planned for November.
