ARM Enhances Reference Methodologies With Library Views And Pre-Compiled Rams

SoC designers Can Now Harden ARM Processor IP With Predictable First-Time Success

CAMBRIDGE, UK - July. 24, 2006 - ARM today announced at DAC, San Francisco, Calif., that the ARM® Implementation Reference Methodology, first introduced in 2001, now includes ARM ‘front-end’ views for standard cell libraries and optimized pre-compiled RAMs, part of its Artisan® physical IP family.  The ARM Implementation Reference Methodology has established itself as the proven solution for hardening all ARM synthesizable processors from the ARM7TDMI-S™ processor to the recently-announced Cortex™-R4 processor and provides a simple, deterministic and rapid route from design to silicon.

The ARM standard cell libraries and memories are delivered with views for leading Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and are available for all leading foundries. The pre-compiled RAMs have been developed for high-speed, low-power performance to meet a wide range of applications in consumer, communications, networking and wireless markets.  Users can then tune the solution to their own Power Performance Area (PPA) needs by tweaking the scripts and substituting in the final libraries and RAMs in a controlled way.

 “The addition of the ARM ‘front-end’ library views and compiled RAMs enables our Partners to configure a silicon-ready ARM processor straight out of the box,” said Keith Clarke, VP, Technical Marketing, ARM.  “Our Partners now have a far more complete reference solution than previously available and will be able to more quickly create implementations with proven, repeatable, power performance and area target numbers, to achieve swift design closure and sign-off.”

ARM has developed their Implementation Reference Methodologies in collaboration with industry-leading EDA Partners including; Cadence Design Systems Inc, Magma Design Automation Inc and Synopsys Inc.
 
“ARM and Cadence have a long standing partnership that has produced a range of solutions for mutual customers.  The complete set of Reference Methodologies for ARM processors uses the latest Cadence Encounter platform including Encounter RTL Compiler,” said Chi-Ping Hsu, corporate vice president, Synthesis Solutions, at Cadence. “Adding the library and memory views completes the set of deliverables required to give the customer reliable first time success when using ARM processors.”
 
“Getting quality results ‘out of the box’ is important to all our customers,” said Kam Kittrell, general manager of Magma’s Design Implementation Business Unit. “Magma continually strives to improve designer productivity through automating and accelerating the RTL-to-GDSII flow. Providing the end-user with proven ingredients will further boost designer productivity for chips containing ARM processors.”

"More than five years ago, Synopsys and ARM pioneered Reference Methodologies (RM) for synthesizable ARM processors -- a practice that is now common throughout the industry -- with a focus on increasing designer productivity, design predictability and performance," said Rich Goldman, vice president of Strategic Market Development at Synopsys. "Integrating RMs with 130-nanometer and 90-nanometer ARM physical IP, including Power Management Kits (PMKs) for leakage management and multi-voltage ARM Intelligent Energy Manager (IEM) support, we are providing a more complete, proven path for predictably hardening the synthesizable ARM processors through the Galaxy Design Platform."

Availability
The ARM Implementation Reference Methodology including the Artisan ‘front-end’ views for standard cell library and optimized pre-compiled RAMs are available now for TSMC 130nm or 90nm technologies.  They are free, on request, for those processors to which licensees have current contractual entitlements. For a list of Reference Methodologies available today go to: http://www.arm.com/products/CPUs/reference_methodology.html

About ARM
ARM designs the technology that lies at the heart of advanced digital products, from mobile, home and enterprise solutions to embedded and emerging applications. ARM’s comprehensive product offering includes 16/32-bit RISC microprocessors, data engines, 3D processors, digital libraries, embedded memories, peripherals, software and development tools, as well as analog functions and high-speed connectivity products. Combined with the company’s broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com