Secured SAMA5D4 for industrial, fitness or IoT display

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To target applications like home automation, surveillance camera, control panels for security, or industrial and residential gateways, high DMIPS computing is not enough.

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The new SAMA5D4 expands the Atmel | SMART Cortex-A5-based family, adding a 720p resolution hardware video decoder to target Human Machine Interface (HMI), control panel and IoT applications when high performance display capability is required. Cortex-A5 offers raw performance of 945 DMIPS (@ 600 MHz) completed by ARM NEON 128-bit SIMD (single instruction, multiple data) DSP architecture extension. To target applications like home automation, surveillance camera, control panels for security, or industrial and residential gateways, high DMIPS computing is not enough. In order to really make a difference, on top of the hardware’s dedicated video decoder (H264, VP8, MPEG4), you need the most complete set of security features.

Whether for home automation purpose or industrial HMI, you want your system to be safeguarded from hackers, and protect your investment against counterfeiting. You have the option to select 16-b DDR2 interface, or 32-b if you need better performance, but security is no longer just an option. Designing with Atmel | SMART SAMA5D4 will guarantee secure boot, including ARM Trust Zone, encrypted DDR bus, tamper detection pins and secure data storage. This MPU also integrates hardware encryption engines supporting AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)/3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard), RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), ECC (Elliptic Curves Cryptography), as well as SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) and TRNG (True Random Number Generator).

If you design fitness equipment, such as treadmills and exercise machines, you may be more sensitive to connectivity and user interface functions than to security elements — even if it’s important to feel safe in respect with counterfeiting. Connectivity includes gigabit and 10/100 Ethernet and up to two High-Speed USB ports (configurable as two hosts or one host and one device port) and one High Speed Inter-Chip Interface (HSIC) port, several SDIO/SD/MMC, dual CAN, etc. Because the SAMA5D4 is intended to support industrial, consumer or IoT applications requiring efficient display capabilities, it integrates LCD controllers with a graphics accelerator, resistive touchscreen controller, camera interface and the aforementioned 720p 30fps video decoder.

The MCU market is highly competitive, especially when you consider that most of the products are developed around the same ARM-based family of cores (from the Cortex-M to Cortex-A5 series). Performance is an important differentiation factor, and the SAMA5D4 is the highest performing MPUs in the Atmel ARM Cortex-A5 based MPU family, offering up to 945 DMIPS (@ 600 MHz) completed by DSP extension ARM NEON 128-bit SIMD (single instruction, multiple data). Using safety and security on top of performance to augment differentiation is certainly an efficient architecture choice. As you can see in the block diagram below, the part features the ARM TrustZone system-wide approach to security, completed by advanced security features to protect the application software from counterfeiting, like encrypted DDR bus, tamper detection pins and secure data storage. But that’s not enough. Fortunately, this microprocessor integrates hardware encryption engines supporting AES/3DES, RSA, ECC, as well as SHA and TRNG.

The SAMA5 series targets industrial or fitness applications where safety is a key differentiating factor. If security helps protecting the software asset and makes the system robust against hacking, safety directly protects the user. The user can be the woman on the treadmill, or the various machines connected to the display that SAMA5 MCU pilots. This series is equipped with functions that ease the implementation of safety standards like IEC61508, including a main crystal oscillator clock with failure detector, POR (power-on reset), independent watchdog timers, write protection register, etc.

The SAMA5D4 is a medium-heavier processor and well suited for IoT, control panels, HMI, and the like, differentiating from other Atmel MCUs by the means of performance and security (not to mention, safety). The ARM Cortex-A5 based device delivers up to 945 DMIPS when running at 600 MHz, completed by DSP architecture extension ARM NEON 128-bit SIMD. The most important factor that sets the SAMA5D4 apart from the rest is probably its implemented security capabilities. These will protect OEM software investments from counterfeiting, user privacy against hacking, and its safety features make the SAMA5D4 ideal for industrial, fitness or IoT applications.

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This post has been republished with permission from SemiWiki.com, where Eric Esteve is a principle blogger as well as one of the four founding members of the site. This blog first appeared on SemiWiki on October 6, 2015.

IAR Systems introduces static code analysis in Atmel AVR32 tools

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The latest version of IAR Systems’ toolchain integrates C-STAT as well as stack usage analysis and parallel build.

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IAR Systems, a leading provider of software tools for embedded systems, has revealed several major updates to its complete embedded development toolchain IAR Embedded Workbench for Atmel AVR32. The latest version, 4.30, introduces the add-on product C-STAT for completely integrated static code analysis, as well as stack usage analysis and shortened build times through parallel build.

Static analysis finds potential issues in code by delving deeper on the source code level, given that errors such as memory leaks, access violations, arithmetic errors and array and string overruns can cause security issues and affect the overall performance and quality of a product. By using static analysis, developers can identify these errors early on, and ultimately, minimize their impact on the finished product and the project timeline. Aside from improving the code quality, the analysis can assist in aligning with industry coding standards. C-STAT is a powerful static analysis tool that checks compliance with rules as defined by the coding standards MISRA C:2004, MISRA C++:2008 and MISRA C:2012, as well as hundreds of rules based on for example CWE (the Common Weakness Enumeration) and CERT C/C++. Users can easily select which rule-set and which individual rules to check the code against, and the analysis results are provided directly in the IAR Embedded Workbench IDE.

The new version also adds stack usage analysis. The stack is a fundamental property of an embedded system and a proper setup of the stack is essential to system stability and reliability. However, calculating the stack space is notoriously hard, making worst case maximum stack depth very useful information as it greatly simplifies estimates of how much stack an application will require. With stack usage analysis enabled in IAR Embedded Workbench, a stack usage section will be added to the linker map file with listings of the maximum stack depth for each call graph root. The analysis process can be customized to take into account such constructs as calls via function pointers and recursion. The output can optionally be generated in XML format for post processing.

In the compiler, parallel build has been introduced to help accelerate project times. The user can easily set the compiler to run in several parallel processes and make better use of the available processor cores in the PC. This feature can have a major impact on reducing the build times of the compiler.

As many of you are well aware, IAR Systems provides a plethora of powerful development tools for Atmel 8-bit and 32-bit families. And, IAR Embedded Workbench for AVR32 is a complete C/C++ compiler and debugger toolchain that creates the fastest, most compact code in the industry. Interested? Head over to its official page here to learn more.

Ready-to-deploy Android ports with Atmel

Writing for DigiKey, Maury Wright notes that Google’s flagship Android operating system is typically associated with the smartphone and tablet markets. However, says Wright, the software platform’s surging popularity has created opportunities for innovative design teams.

“First, designers can develop companion products for the Android ecosystem that rely on low-cost microcontrollers (MCUs) and provide value-added functionality,” he explained.

 “Second, designers can adapt the Android platform as a basis for their own system designs, [as] the smartphone experience has raised the expectation for user interfaces in specialty embedded systems.”

Indeed, Wright recommends developers consider choosing Android as the OS of choice for an embedded system design, simply because most people have become quite comfortable interacting with an intuitive touch-based user interface.

“While you might not think a specialized embedded system – say a portable data-acquisition system or an industrial controller – needs the sophistication of the Android interface, users accustomed to these systems may prefer Android,” he continued.

“Moreover, Android comes with features such as an intuitive GPS application that could come in handy in an embedded system. Design teams can quickly develop an intuitive interface for custom applications. Additionally, Android may reduce development time and deliver a more compelling end product.”

As such, designers might want to consider porting Android to any number of high-end MPUs.

“Atmel already offers some [MPUs] with a ready-to-deploy Android port,” said Wright. “The AT91SAM9G45 and AT91SAM9M10 [MPUs] are based on the ARM926 processor core, [with] Atmel offering support for Android, along with Linux and the embedded version of Microsoft Windows.”

As Wright points out, both the AT91SAM9G45 and AT91SAM9M10 boast a robust peripheral set as depicted in the image above. In terms of connectivity, the MPUs integrate a high-speed 480-Mbit/s USB interface that can operate in host or device mode, a 10/100-Mbit/s Ethernet MAC, along with multiple UART, SPI and TWI (two-wire interface such as I²C) ports. 

The ICs include other typical MCU peripherals, such as a 10-bit A/D converter, four 16-bit PWM controllers, six 32-bit timers and general-purpose I/O.

On the memory side, there is an integrated boot ROM and a small on-chip SRAM array. As expected, the MPUs also include a number of features that will come in handy in a touch-based system, such as an integrated LCD controller that supports screens with resolutions to 1280 x 860 pixels with 2D graphics acceleration and an interface for resistive touch screens. 

Meanwhile, the AT91SAM9M10 adds camera and audio interfaces, along with a video decoder capable of handling D1 720 x 576- or WVGA 800 x 480-pixel streams at 30 frames per second.

“For design teams who want to jump-start an Android project, Atmel also offers the AT91SAM9M10-G45-EK Evaluation Kit,” Wright added. “The kit includes an AT91SAM9M10 processor, a 480×272-pixel LCD with a resistive touch panel and easy interface to all on-chip peripherals. The kit and [MPUs] come with support for Android 2.1.”

Interested in learning more about Atmel’s microprocessors? You can check out the AT91SAM9G45 here, the AT91SAM9M10 here and our Atmel ARM-based portfolio here.

SleepWalking Helps Conserve Energy

Imagine you are the sole care-provider for a household full of babies all under the age of 3.  Each and every single one of them requires you to tend their needs and desires.  From feeding to going to the bathroom, from burping to changing their diapers, from bathing to putting them to nap/sleep to keeping them entertained, you are needed every single step of the way.  Isn’t that just exhausting?  Fast forward by a decade when they are grow to become teenagers – autonomy and self-sufficiency – in which they can all satisfy their own basic needs without your help, unless it’s an urgent matter.  Now you have much more free time to read a book, surf the net, get a job, or take a nap.

In essence, this is what SleepWalking is all about in the realm of an Atmel MCU.  Traditionally a technology found in the AVR architecture only, it is now incorporated into the ARM architecture as well.  It is a feature that extends the concept of autonomous peripherals (babies) that operate independently of the CPU core (a parent or care-provider) during active mode, to actually keeping the peripherals functional when the system clock has been stopped. This is achieved by clocking the peripherals using the real‐time clock (RTC), instead of the system clock.

In the SAM4L, SleepWalking has been integrated into many of the peripherals, including the analog comparator, the ADC, the I2C, UART and the capacitive touch interface. It is then the peripheral that decides whether to wake the system, instead of the CPU waking periodically to carry out an interrupt service routine.  With this feature, the need to wake the CPU reduces significantly thus allowing it to stay inactive for longer and more frequent and thereby conserving more energy.

For more information, check out this video for a more detailed explanation on SleepWalking.  Please note: despite the AVR UC3 being used as an example in the video, the underlying fundamentals of how SleepWalking works and its benefits are the same as in the ARM SAM4L.

Diversified Key with Random Challenge Response

By: Gunter Fuchs

Previously, in this space, we briefly discussed the four different authentication models that one can employ in an embedded design. Now, we’d like to take a deeper dive into the nuances of combining a diversified key model with the random challenge response model and the steps it takes in authenticating.

The following are the unique characteristics of this model:

• Each client has a unique serial number and a diversified key that are related by some cryptographic function
• A root key for the cryptographic function is stored on the host
• The hash algorithm is implemented on both the host and client
• A random number generator is required on the host

And the following outlines what is  going on inside the chips during the authentication process:

• The host reads the unique serial number from the client
• The host calculates the diversified key internally using the cryptographic function
• The host generates a random number for use internally and also sends it to the client as the challenge
• Both host and client perform the hash function using the diversified keys
• Host requests the calculated MAC from the client

Host compares the two calculated MACs to authenticate the client. Although complexity of implementing this “hybrid” increases, the benefit that comes with it is the added level of security.  Please stay tuned on this blog to learn more about tips and tricks on how you can secure your design or check out these useful resources on security.

What’s new in Atmel’s ARM MCU? picoPower!!

The SAM4L it is the first ARM device to feature Atmel’s picoPower technology, and takes low power to a new level.   There are many different characteristics that make a low power device; foremost it is the active power, the wake-up time and sleep mode power consumption. For the SAM4L, this can go down to 90 µA/MHz in active, down to 700 nA in sleep mode and down to 1.5 µs wake-up. Additionally the Cortex-M4 and Atmel’s fast flash technology allows your application to spend a shorter amount of time in active and spend more time in low power modes. All of this significantly reduces the total power consumption for your application.

Atmel SAM4L MCUs redefine the power benchmark, delivering the lowest power in both active (90uA/MHz) and sleep
modes (1.5uA with full random access memory (RAM) retention and 700nA in backup mode). They are the most efficient
MCUs available today, achieving up to 28 CoreMark™/mA using the IAR Embedded Workbench, version 6.40.

Check out this video for more information about picoPower in the SAM4L.  Also, please be sure to follow us on this blog to learn more on how these ARM devices become so power conscious and other neat application tutorials.  Or share, collaborate, and innovate with the other tens of thousands of engineers/builders in the vibrant AT91 community.

Consumer Electronics: More Opportunity for Embedded Technologies

Now that the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is in our rear-view mirror, at least one take-away rings clear–consumer electronics represents a growing opportunity for embedded design.

According to Embedded.com’s Bernard Cole, “…the ability of embedded systems developers to continue to improve the hidden and invisible infrastructure upon which the consumer electronics systems and devices depend will determine the success or failure of consumer electronics as a market that drives the world economy.”

Indeed, embedded designers seem to be on the path of innovation when it comes to the consumer electronics infrastructure. Embedded systems and devices are playing critical roles in products from smartphones and tablets to wired and wireless home networks and beyond. More of our devices are Web-enabled and able to “talk” to each other, without our intervention. This is why The Internet of Things is more than a trendy term, and why some are calling this the “age of the microcontroller”.

What kinds of technologies should embedded designers continue to explore, in order to  create the systems that will power tomorrow’s consumer electronics?