Virage Logic Introduces the Ultra Compact and Low Power ARC(R) 601 32-Bit Microprocessor Core

The ARC 601 Offers a Remarkable Combination of Small Size, Lower Power and Outstanding Performance for Embedded and Microcontroller Applications

FREMONT, Calif., Dec 15, 2009  -- Virage Logic Corporation (NASDAQ:VIRL), the semiconductor industry's trusted IP partner, today announced the availability of its new ARC601 32-bit microprocessor core, which offers the best-in-class combination of small size and low power with excellent performance. The ARC 601 runs at 532MHz (1.2 DMIPS/MHz), consuming just 13 uW/MHz in 65-nanometer (nm) process technology and at only 0.039mm2, the ARC 601 will fit 2.5 times into the size of the dot (12 point font) at the end of a sentence. The processor is available today and has already been licensed to several of Virage Logic's lead customers.

"This new 32-bit ARC processor offers more than twice the performance of the ARM Cortex-M0 at a comparable size and power1, and better performance, size and power than the MIPS M14K2 or Tensilica Xtensa 83," said Dr. Yankin Tanurhan, vice president and general manager of Virage Logic's Processor Solutions and NVM business units. "The ARC 601 is ideal for microcontroller replacement and deeply embedded applications, and was designed based on the industry standard ARC 600 family that has been in production for several years and taped out hundreds of times."

This is the first ARC processor Virage Logic has brought to market since its acquisition of ARC International. The acquisition has extended Virage Logic's ability to serve the global semiconductor market by complementing its existing portfolio of highly differentiated physical and standards-based advanced semiconductor IP with ARC's widely accepted microprocessor cores, which are a significant segment of the semiconductor IP market. Modern System-on-Chip (SoC) integrated circuits require multiple 32-bit processors and the ARC 601 offers outstanding performance and is smaller and lower power than competing cores.

Designers can tailor the highly configurable ARC 601 to meet their specific application needs and exclude processor features that are not required, further reducing area, power consumption and cost. The processor's single-cycle ICCM (Instruction Closely Coupled Memory) and DCCM (Data Closely Coupled Memory) optimize embedded performance while minimizing the overall system footprint. The ARC 601 is also extensible with user-defined instructions and register settings that can deliver a performance boost of five to 100 times for critical routines.

The ARC 601 features the size-optimized ARCompact(TM) 16-/32-bit Instruction Set Architecture that reduces code size by as much as 40%. This makes it an ideal solution for deeply embedded applications or for upgrading 8-bit and 16-bit microcontroller applications to 32-bit performance where small size and low power are essential. The ARC 601 is instruction set compatible with all of the processors in the ARC 600 and ARC 700 families.

The ultra compact and low power 32-bit ARC 601 processor is supported by a full suite of development tools. This includes the acclaimed MetaWare Development Kit (v8.4.0) that generates highly efficient code that is ideal for deeply embedded applications, the ARC simulators including xCAM (v2.1.7) and xISS (v3.1), and the ARChitect configuration tool (v2.14.79). All of the tools needed for development with the new ARC 601 are available now.

Availability

Targeted at audio, imaging, portable, storage, consumer, wireless and security applications, the 32-bit ARC 601 processor core is available now. For information on licensing terms and pricing, please contact your local Virage Logic sales representative.

About Virage Logic's ARC Processors and Solutions

Virage Logic's ARC processors are used in many of the digital products that you use every day. As the second most widely used processor architecture, ARC cores ship in more than 425 million units annually in products such as digital and mobile TVs, portable media players, PCs, laptops, flash storage, digital cameras and smart phones, as well as in medical and government systems. Combined with training, excellent support, and award-winning vertical solutions including the Sonic Focus(TM) audio enrichment IP, the ARC configurable 32-bit processors offer SoC designers a complete system solution with a rapid and low risk path to market. For more information on Virage Logic's ARC processors and solutions visit www.viragelogic.com.

About Virage Logic

Virage Logic is a leading provider of both functional and physical semiconductor intellectual property (IP) for the design of complex integrated circuits. The company's highly differentiated product portfolio includes processor solutions, interface IP solutions, embedded SRAMs and NVMs, embedded memory test and repair, logic libraries, and memory development software. As the industry's trusted semiconductor IP partner, more than 400 foundry, IDM and fabless customers rely on Virage Logic to achieve higher performance, lower power, higher density and optimal yield, as well as shorten time-to-market and time-to-volume. For further information, visit http://www.viragelogic.com.

Notes:

1. ARM Cortex-M0 comparison data from: http://www.arm.com/products/CPUs/ARM-Cortex-M0.html

2. MIPS M14K comparison data from: http://www.mips.com/news-events/newsroom/index.cfm?i=43320&y=2009

3. Tensilica Xtensa 8 comparison data from: http://www.tensilica.com/news/302/330/Tensilica-Introduces-Small-Ultra-Low-Power-Dataplane-Processor-Core-for-Deeply-Embedded-Control.htm