ARM TechCon prompts ARM architecture news
The ramp-up to ARM TechCon, being held in Santa Clara this week, has prompted ARM and partners to release news related to automotive and industrial-control applications, cloud computing and the Internet of Things, and more.
For its part, ARM has disclosed technical details of its new ARMv8-R architecture for real-time embedded processors for use in automotive electronics and other integrated safety and control applications. ARM reports that the deployment of ARMv8-R architecture will reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve performance of embedded systems to support emerging automotive applications such as advanced driver assistance systems and vehicle to vehicle communications as well as factory-automation applications and human-machine interfaces. For details, click here.
ARM licensee Broadcom has announced an architecture for a new generation of multicore processors, featuring the industry's highest performance 64-bit ARM core. Using its ARMv8-A architectural license, Broadcom is developing a new CPU core with server-class performance for NFV, with virtualized accelerators for networking, communications, big data, storage, and security applications.
Broadcom said the new architecture will address exponential growth in worldwide network traffic from connected devices and cloud services, which is creating a need for service providers to migrate to agile and flexible cloud-based networks that support dynamically changing services and workloads.
In addition, ARM said that it and Spreadtrum, a fabless semiconductor provider in China, have announced a sweeping license agreement providing Spreadtrum with the full range of ARM Artisan physical IP, including POP IP, for the broad range of IC foundry and process varieties of 28 nm that ARM supports to deliver the most flexible manufacturing options. The license agreement gives Spreadtrum access to ARM Artisan standard cells, next-generation memory compilers, and POP IP for ARM Cortex processors and Mali GPUs. ARM Artisan physical IP and POP IP will help provide the foundation to accelerate Spreadtrum’s development of their low-power mobile phone SoCs.
IBM, as well, has licensed ARM Cortex and Mali processors for custom chips aimed at communications and networking. IBM plans to offer the new microprocessors to its custom-chip clients—companies that build network routers, switches and the cellular base stations that enable pervasive wired and wireless communications across the globe.
And finally, Altium, a provider of smart system design automation, 3D PCB design (Altium Designer), and embedded software development (TASKING) tools, announced that its software platform delivers rapid prototyping and development for ARM Cortex-M based microcontrollers. The Software Platform, which Altium will be showcasing at ARM TechCon, includes a comprehensive range of middleware functionalities, such as an RTOS and support for CAN, USB, TCP/IP, I2C, HTTP(S), file systems, graphical user interfaces, and touch panel controls.
Update: ASSET InterTech chose ARM TechCon to highlight enhancements to its Arium hardware-assisted SourcePoint™ debugger that optimize the processing of ARM's System Trace Macrocell (STM), which provides developers a system-level perspective of trace data.
ASSET, through its ScanWorks platform for embedded instruments, is a supplier of debug, validation and test tools.
The new Arium SourcePoint for ARM debugger includes a patent-pending innovation with which a developer can overlay a system framework onto the SoC environment. This framework speeds the tracking of bugs through trace data back to their sources. In addition, SourcePoint accelerates embedded STM trace processing to the point where its effects on system performance are negligible. The processing of individual trace statements can be reduced from milliseconds to microseconds, ASSET reported.