Number of Microprocessors in embedded devices

Hi,

This is more a marking question but I am wondering if there is somewhere an "official" figure that tells how many of the produced microprocessors are employed in embedded devices and how many in desktop machines?

Thanks, Mike

Reply to
Mike Fletcher
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Op Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:14:06 +0100 schreef Mike Fletcher :

The border between these categories is a bit vague. I can imagine desktop machines with embedded microprocessors and embedded devices that are part of desktop PCs.

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Reply to
Boudewijn Dijkstra

Not that I have real figures, but AFAIK a BMW 7 has more then 20 MCUs. Take all the other car manufactures gives already a huge number of MCU. The embedded CPU market out-numbers the desktop (i.e. x86) market by far (in quantities).

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Reply to
42Bastian Schick

Mike,

In desktop machines alone there are easily a half dozen or more embedded processors.

Keyboards both ends

Mouse

power management

If it is a laptop many rechargeable batteries have one

Disk drives 1 -3

High end cars 70-100 embedded processors

Many cars have desktop sized processors as part of the solution Engine controllers (PowerPC's) Ford Handsfree controllers and radio voice operated functions run a form of Windows CE

In terms of processors volume desktops are a small volume less than 1% of the total

Regards

Walter..

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Mike Fletcher wrote:

Reply to
Walter Banks

I read somewhere that total volume in 2008 was over 10 billion embedded processors of all types, including fpga's.

There's at least one in the keyboard of a desktop machine, at least one in the hard drive and maybe one or two in other peripherals. Total volume in that segment probably in the millions, not billions though.

Google for more of a breakdown...

Regards,

Chris

Reply to
ChrisQ

"marking" sb "marketing"?

I usually figure 100:1 (embedded:desktop). But, I treat the processors that are in desktop machines that are not *the* "main CPU" to also be "embedded processors". E.g., the one in my mouse, keyboard, display, CD-ROM/DVD, on my SCSI HBA's, etc.

If you want a better number, look at sales figures for "all processors" and subtract the 32/64 bit processors to give you a *rough* figure for embedded processors. (DataQuest is your friend) While some

32/64 bit processors are used in embedded applications, I think you'll be able to gauge the approximate magnitude of the "other" processor sales compared to the desktop (32/64) sales and be *stunned* at the difference!
Reply to
D Yuniskis

One of the problems here is that a large percentage of processors in embedded products aren't manufactured processors that you can go and buy. They are simply a processor mask placed within a SoC which is designed to meet the needs of one specific product.

tim

Reply to
tim....

The problem is how to define an embedded system.

It could be anything from a greetings card playing a melody when opened to several 19 inch racks full of x86 multiprocessor boards running a dedicated program without a user interface.

Paul

Reply to
Paul Keinanen

To a very good approximation, _all_ microprocessors are in embedded, period. Desktop CPUs are but a barely noticeable fluctuation to the overall numbers.

Reply to
Hans-Bernhard Bröker

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