At the recent Spring Processor Forum in San Jose CA, ARM Ltd., Cambridge, England, launched its next-generation processor. The Cortex-R4 device enables configurability during synthesis to optimize the processor for different embedded applications through memory protection unit, caches and tightly coupled memory (TCM).
It does this without compromising the underlying ARM instruction set compatibility, ARM says, maximizing the reuse of existing software investments by application developers and third parties.
Targeting mobile phone, hard-disk drive, printer and automotive designs, representing more than one billion units in the embedded market space, ARM says, the processor delivers exceptional performance and efficiency to execute the complex control algorithms and real-time workloads in next-generation embedded products.
According to ARM, enhanced configurability provides specific benefits for key markets, including:
*3G smartphone designs: the boost in performance from the Thumb-2 instruction set allows the processor to be used in place of the two separate processors that would traditionally be used in 3G baseband modems. This saves cost and complexity while still running all of the same code.
*Hard-disk drive (HDD) market: alongside reduced cost benefits, tightly coupled memory (TCM) capabilities offer smaller and more efficient integration with rapid response times.
*Printer market: the processor provides increased performance at reduced costs within the same power oudget, enabling vendors to add new features and functions at the same price point.
*Automotive applications: the processor includes fault tolerance for critical safety applications as well as memory protection that supports the latest version of the OSEK real time operating system. This is important for building system-on-chip (SoC) devices for engine management designs that have to run in real-time with a wide range of peripherals, ARM says.
“The embedded market is evolving rapidly as systems become more sophisticated and software workloads increase in computational size and complexity.” John Cornish, ARM VP, Marketing, Processor Division, says. “The new Cortex-R4 processor meets the needs of next-generation embedded products by delivering exceptional performance, efficiency, and configurability.”
The processor uses an advanced microarchitecture with dual instruction issue capability to deliver more than 600 Dhrystone MIPS in a performance optimized 90nm implementation, based upon the ARM Artisan Advantage library.
It also provides savings in cost and power consumption for system developers, occupying less than 1-sq-mm and consuming less than 0.27mW/MHz in an area-optimized 90nm implementation.
ARM says it has already secured three lead licensees for the Cortex-R4, including Broadcom, and the processor has received support from major EDA, RTOS and tools vendors.
“Broadcom’s design teams have been working with ARM to accelerate our leadership position in a number of markets, including next-generation storage, networking, and mobile devices,” Ed Frank, Broadcom VP of Research & Development, says. “The new Cortex-R4 processor from ARM will bring significant performance and functionality benefits to our products and enhance the end user’s experience.
ARM says it has developed a full range of supporting technology around the new processor to reduce design time and accelerate time-to-market. This includes development and debug tools, modeling technology and physical cell libraries.
The processor is supported by the RealView DEVELOP family of software development tools, RealView CREATE family of ESL tools and models, and CoreSight debug and trace technology for developing embedded systems quickly.
