1 Overview

This document provides an overview of the features and

functionality of the LS1021A integrated processor family.

The LS1021A family consists of the following three primary

part numbers:

• LS1020A: Targeted at the enterprise or consumer grade

networking and router applications

• LS1021A: Targeted at the industrial automation,

printing and military/aerospace markets

• LS1022A: Targeted at low-power demanding

applications

All three parts feature dual 32-bit ARM

Cortex

-A7

processors, each with 32 KB of instruction and data L1 cache,

as well as 512 KB of shared, coherent L2 cache, and the ARM

CCI400 interconnect bus. Each of the products in the

LS1021A family offers an optimized blend of system logic,

performance and power utilization required for Internet of

Things (IoT), networking, Machine to Machine (M2M),

telecommunications, industrial automation and general

embedded applications.

Some of the outstanding features the LS1021A family are:

• A cost-effective, power efficient and highly integrated

system-on-chip design that extends the reach of NXP’s

Value Performance line of QorIQ communications

processors.

NXP Semiconductors

Document Number: LS1021APB

Product Brief

Rev. 1, 01/2017

QorIQ LS1021A Family

Communications Processor

Product Brief

Contents

1 Overview....................................................................1

2 Use cases.................................. .................................2

3 Chip-level features.....................................................8

4 Revision history.......................... ............................ 15

• Delivers greater performance levels than any prior sub-3W (typical) processor.

• Features dual 32-bit Cortex v7 cores running at up to 1.2 GHz and yielding over 7,000 Coremarks.

• Offers an integrated LCD controller (featured on the LS1021A), together with upgraded high-speed interfaces,

including support for DDR3L/4 running at up to 1600 MHz as well as Super Speed USB3.0 and SATAIII.

The LS1021 and LS1020 both feature an integrated 4-lane, 6 GHz multi-protocol SerDes that can support up to two SGMII

Gigabit Ethernet ports, PCIe 2.0 in x1, x2 or x4 configurations, or the single SATAIII controller. The integrated super speed

USB3.0 PHY features a dedicated SerDes.

The LS1021A processor sets a new standard for power efficiency, delivering over 7,000 Coremarks of performance at under

3.7 watts total SOC power. This highly efficient performance is coupled with an outstanding array of protocol and latest

generation interface support, including:

• Dual high-performance ARM Cortex-A7 cores featuring ECC protected L1 and L2 caches

• DDR3L/4 memory controller that supports up to 1,600 Mtps, with optional ECC support

• Dual PCI Express 2.0 controllers

• SATAIII

• Twin USB controllers (one USB3.0 with integrated PHY, together with a separate USB2.0 controller)

• Three enhanced triple speed Gigabit Ethernet controllers with support for MII, RGMII, and SGMII, as well as IEEE

1588

The LS1021A and LS1020A both feature a hardware-based security acceleration engine for secure networking, as well as

support for secure boot and ARM TrustZone and NXP’s QorIQ TrustArchitecture.

Multicore processing support:

Both ARM Cortex-A7 cores can operate in symmetric multiprocessing mode (SMP) to achieve higher performance, or they

can run in asymmetric processing mode (AMP) with each core supporting independent operating systems, and performing

separate tasks. For example, one core can manage data plane tasks, while the other supports tasks in the control plane. This

flexibility enables application developers to assign distinct processing resources to distinct tasks that need guaranteed

performance.

Use cases

LS1021A is a highly versatile and power-efficient chip that can be configured to meet a wide variety of applications. This

section provides several use cases that can be supported by LS1021A.

2.1

Multi-protocol IoT gateway

This figure shows the chip supporting a multi-protocol IoT gateway. Point-to-point broadband gateways can be used for

copper, wireless, or fiber-to-the-home applications that use different optical connectors for Fiber WAN interface transceivers.

With this technology, ISPs and Telcos (operators and carriers) can offer greater bandwidth over greater distances to deliver

IPTV or home entertainment services to end customers.

Use cases

QorIQ LS1021A Family Communications Processor Product Brief, Rev. 1, 01/2017

2 NXP Semiconductors