i.MX

The i.MX range is a family of NXP proprietary microprocessors dedicated to multimedia applications based on the ARM architecture and focused on low-power consumption.

[1] Devices that use i.MX processors include Ford Sync, the Amazon Kindle and Kobo eReader series of e-readers until 2021, Zune (except for Zune HD), Sony Reader, Onyx Boox readers/tablets, SolidRun SOM's (including CuBox), Purism's Librem 5, some Logitech Harmony remote controls and Squeezebox radio and some Toshiba Gigabeat MP4 players.

The i.MX233 processor (formerly known as SigmaTel STMP3780 of the STMP37xx family), launched in 2009, integrates a Power Management Unit (PMU) and a stereo audio codec within the silicon, thus removing the need for external power management chip and audio codec chip.

It integrates key security features in hardware, an ADC, and the power management unit.

The i.MX3x series is a family of processors based on the ARM11 architecture (ARM1136J(F)-S mainly), designed in a 90 nm process.

The high-end member of the family, i.MX515, integrates an 800 MHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU platform (with NEON co-processor, Vector Floating Point Unit, L1 caches and 256KB L2 cache) + multi-format HD 720p decode / D1 encode hardware video codecs (VPU, Video Processing Unit) + Imageon Z430 3D GPU (OpenGL ES 2.0) + 2.5D GPU (OpenVG 1.1) + IPU + security block.

Launched in 2010, it integrates the E Ink display controller within the silicon to save both BOM cost and space on the PCB.

i.MX 6 Solo, Dual and Quad were announced in January 2011, during Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Each series also has a suffix such as Quad, Dual, Plus, Max or a combination thereof, for example: QuadMax or DualPlus.

In previous CPU series the naming convention clearly corresponds to a function or feature set, but this is not the case with i.MX 8.

According to NXP, the i.MX 8 series is designed for Driver Information Systems (car computers) and applications have been released.

[11][12][13] Slides from NXP FTF found on the web [14] indicated an initial total of 5 variants (with a main level of categorization into "Dual" and "Quad") with varying the CPU and GPU capabilities.

[17] Main features:[18] 32-bit up to 384 kHz, with DSD512 support The i.MX 8M Mini is NXP's first embedded multi-core heterogeneous applications processors built using 14LPC FinFET process technology.

i.MX 8M Mini core options are used for consumer, audio, industrial, machine learning training and inferencing across a range of cloud providers.

Features[19] 32-bit up to 384 kHz with DSD512 and TDM support 8-ch PDM microphone inputs 3x SDIO/eMMC 2x USB 2.0 1x GbE The i.MX 8X series were announced on March 14, 2017.

[23] NXP supports the open source PyTorch Glow neural-network compiler in its eIQ machine learning software.

The processors run in separate clock and power domains, otherwise everything is shared between the two cores except for the private L1 caches.

The i.MX board support packages (BSP), common across all i.MX nodes, consists of kernel optimization, hardware drivers, and unit tests.

The company also provides multimedia codecs (ARM and Video processing unit accelerated).

Freescale i.MX development kits include a Linux software stack with a GNOME Mobile environment.

Commercial Linux support is available from companies like Lanedo, TimeSys, MontaVista, Wind River Systems and Mentor Graphics.

Freescale has a range of partners providing real-time operating systems and software running on the i.MX processors, such as Trinity Convergence, Adeneo, Thundersoft, Intrinsyc, Wind River Systems, QNX, Green Hills, SYSGO and Mentor Graphics.

[38] In January 2010, Freescale announced the first platform of its Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering (SABRE) series.