2 Hardware Platform for Vision Computing

AM62Ax, which is targeted towards stand-alone DMS with vision and IR based sensing, is an extension of the Sitara™ automotive- and industrial grade family of embedded heterogeneous Arm® processors with embedded Deep Learning (DL), Video and Vision Processing acceleration, display interface and extensive automotive peripheral and networking options. AM62Ax is built for a set of cost-sensitive automotive applications including driver and in-cabin monitoring systems, next generation of eMirror system, as well as a broad set of industrial applications in Factory Automation, Building Automation, and other markets. The cost optimized AM62Ax provides high-performance compute for both traditional and deep learning inference-based algorithms at industry leading power/performance ratios with a high level of system integration to enable scalability and lower costs for advanced automotive platforms supporting multiple sensor modalities in stand-alone Electronic Control Units (ECUs).

Main processor cores of the A62Ax are up to four 64-bit Arm® Cortex®-A53 cores running at 1.4GHz, a Vision Processing Accelerator (VPAC) with Image Signal Processor (ISP) and multiple vision assist accelerators, Deep Learning (DL) and video accelerators, a Cortex®-R5F MCU Channel core and a Cortex®-R5F Device Management core (Figure 2-1). The Cortex- A53s provide the powerful computing elements necessary for Linux applications as well as the implementation of traditional vision computing based-algorithms such as driver monitoring. Building on the existing world-class ISP, TI’s seventh generation ISP includes flexibility to process a broader sensor suite including RGB-InfraRed (RGB-IR), support for higher bit depth, and features targeting analytic applications. Main accelerator core is 64-bit C7x DSP with scalar and 256-bit vector capability, dedicated matrix multiply accelerator (MMA) for deep learning inference enabling performance up to 2 TOPS within the lowest power envelope in the industry when operating at the typical automotive worst case junction temperature of 125°C.

Figure 2-1 Functional Block Diagram of the Texas Instruments AM62Ax