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CHANDLER, Ariz., Sept. 16, 1996 -- Did you ever imagine that you would open up a state-of-the-art point-of-sales terminal with video capability and find a Pentium® processor at the center of it all? Or that a Pentium processor would be controlling the real-time function of the saws in a saw mill to evaluate the most profitable cut and differientiate between the timber and waste, all in a matter of seconds? Or that a Pentium processor would provide the computer power to operate an onboard avionics system, such as flight guidance, in today’s newest aircraft?
In fact, the Pentium processor can be found in a growing number of applications where the highest performance processors are required. These and other demanding embedded systems are using the Pentium processor sooner than might be expected.
“The embedded performance treadmill is moving faster than ever,” explained Doug Davis, general manager of Intel’s Embedded Computing Operation. “The application segments utilizing the 80C186, Intel386™ and Intel486™ processors are still growing. In addition, we’re also starting to see a huge influx of sophisticated embedded designs utilizing the high performance capabilities of the Pentium processor. Utilization of existing PC technology has enabled designers to improve their time-to-market advantage.”
In a recent survey of over 300 design engineers conducted by Market Strategies, more than half of those who use the Intel Architecture either are using or are planning to use Intel’s Pentium processor in their embedded designs. More than 60 percent of those users said they plan to use the Pentium processor because of its processing power.
In addition, the survey cited other reasons why these users are designing embedded applications with the Pentium processor including: PC technology (16.8 percent), continuous product roadmap (13 percent), and best technological fit (12.5 percent).
Designers are starting to use the Pentium processor in applications such as telecom, avionics, networking, industrial, data processing and automotive as well as emerging high performance internet appliance applications.
Intel is offering several versions of its Pentium processor and chipsets for the embedded market segment. “We refer to these devices as high-performance embedded PCs,” explained Davis. Using PC technology in embedded applications allows the designer to develop around well understood system platforms. Since so many of the components of the system are already proven, OEMs can spend more developmental resources focusing on the attributes of their system. In addition to the high-end processors and chipsets now supported for embedded designers, Intel will continue to support its entire embedded Intel architecture product line which includes the Intel386 EX and Intel486 GX processors.
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