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News Release from: ARM | Subject: ARM1176JZF-S PrimeXsys Platform
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 22 October 2004
Latest platform is available to license
ARM has released the latest PrimeXsys Platform based on the ARM1176JZF-S 32bit processor core to its lead partner, STMicroelectronics.
ARM has released the latest PrimeXsys Platform based on the ARM1176JZF-S 32bit processor core to its lead partner, STMicroelectronics This latest ARM PrimeXsys Platform technology is being designed into STMicroelectronics Nomadik family of multimedia application processors
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"As an integral part of ST's Nomadik family of application processors' evolution, the ARM1176JZF-S PrimeXsys Platform with TrustZone technology will help ST to continue to offer the highest level of performance and security", said Richard Chesson, Director of Marketing, Multimedia Platform Unit in ST.
"By combining Nomadik's world-leading multimedia performance with the ARM1176JZF-S processor's computing power and security features, we can better deliver the rich multimedia content and experience, as well as application performance that customers of new mobile services and operators will demand".
The new PrimeXsys Platform has been developed using the AXI backplane, which provides a data-efficient, highly optimised link from the processor, through the Level-2 cache and memory controller, to external memory.
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The platform also implements ARM TrustZone technology for enhanced security, ARM Intelligent Energy Manager (IEM) technology for power efficiency, and CoreSight technology for easier system debug and faster time to market.
The platform is the first reference design for ARM TrustZone technology; a solution designed to support and meet the needs for enhanced security in next-generation consumer and wireless devices.
TrustZone technology includes the ARM TrustZone architecture extensions as well as the recently announced TrustZone software.
In the ARM1176JZF-S PrimeXsys Platform, security is treated as a system-level concern where tight integration of hardware with trusted software delivers significant benefits in terms of time-to-market and reduced risk.
ARM TrustZone technology helps to protect the operating system, the protocol stack and the network against attack as well as securing users' mobile data and downloadable applications, games and media content.
Ongoing consumer demand for increased performance in applications such as mobile multimedia and digital TV has led to more complex systems and the need for significant in-system performance gains.
Due to these demands, developers have become far more aware of the power consumption of the processor.
The ARM1176JZF-S processor within the PrimeXsys Platform is the first ARM processor to integrate support for ARM Intelligent Energy Manager technology, which increases the battery life of handheld portable devices by optimally balancing processor workload and power consumption.
This enables end users to take advantage of the latest mobile applications for significantly longer intervals before their device requires recharging.
In addition to improved performance, the inclusion of CoreSight technology for system level debug and trace, equips Partners with system-wide monitoring and profiling capabilities in one package, reducing system integration time by up to 40%.
The technology is ideal for engineers looking to develop high-performance SoC designs for multimedia, wireless and set-top box applications.
Verification is one of the biggest investments when developing a SoC and the PrimeXsys Platform delivers a fully configurable verification environment.
This verification environment provides a mechanism to run concurrent tests to establish data flow interactions in the PrimeXsys Platform-based SoC system enabling system designers to complete their high-performance ARM1176JZF-S processor-based SoC rapidly and with low risk.
"A tightly integrated subsystem around the CPU core fundamentally determines overall system performance, security and power efficiency", said Bryan Lawrence, Product Marketing Manager, PrimeXsys Platforms, ARM.
"The ARM1176JZF-S PrimeXsys Platform significantly enhances design productivity while enabling design teams to customise and differentiate the design for their specific application and market requirements".
The AXI backplane provides a data-efficient, highly-optimised link from the processor, through the Level-2 cache and memory controller, to external memory.
The L220 AXI Level-2 cache controller unleashes the full performance of the ARM 32-bit processor family and typically increases the system performance by between 50% to more than 100%.
This maximises the performance of ARM11 family-class processors even when used with slower, low-power SDRAM memory.
Amba 3 technology is the latest revision of a de-facto industry standard which since 1995 has been adopted by a large part of the industry, including more than 90% of ARM partners.
The technology was created by ARM in close co-operation with over 30 ARM partners and provides features which enable the design of tomorrow's high performance systems through efficient implementation, and with the cost savings of IP reuse.
Amba 3 technology is the only IP interface which is designed to support all the advanced features provided by the ARM architecture.
The specifications are provided openly by ARM and are free of charge.
As devices become more complex and are required to perform multiple tasks, achieving low-power consumption is now a critical requirement in most designs.
In addition to affecting battery-life for portable designs, power is an important determinant in system cost and reliability.
IEM technology is a combination of hardware and software components, which can apply both clock and voltage scaling techniques to help minimise power consumption while the chip is active.
The ARM1176JZF-S PrimeXsys Platform integrates support for ARM Intelligent Energy Manager technology which reduces processor energy usage by up to 75%.
This enables end users to take advantage of the latest mobile applications for significantly longer intervals before their device requires recharging.
TrustZone technology provides a secure foundation for systems running open Operating Systems (OS), such as Linux, Palm OS, Symbian OS and Windows CE.
In addition, TrustZone technology complements secure application environments such as Sun Microsystems' Java technology by making security implementation on devices more efficient.
ARM TrustZone technology is implemented within the microprocessor core itself and extended into the system design, enabling the protection of on-chip memory and peripherals.
As the security elements of the system are designed into the core hardware, security issues surrounding proprietary, nonportable solutions outside the core are removed.
In this way, security is maintained as an intrinsic feature at the heart of every device, with minimal impact to the core area or performance, while enabling developers to build any additional security, for example cryptography, onto the secure hardware foundation.
The ability to provide effective debug capability is crucial in ensuring that application software design proceeds to budget and within timescale.
The integration of CoreSight technology significantly reduces time-to-market for developers.
CoreSight technology builds on the ARM Embedded Trace Macrocell (ETM) real-time trace module, which is capable of instruction and data tracing inside a core, which enables information on the processor's activity to be captured both before and after a specific instruction, while allowing the core to continue to run at full speed.
For silicon manufacturers, the higher compression rates of ARM CoreSight technology provide a solution that extends debug and trace capabilities into new, higher frequency processor technologies.
By using CoreSight technology, manufacturers can lower product cost by reducing the number of pins needed for debug, as well as the silicon area needed for on-chip trace buffers.
The ARM1176JZF-S PrimeXsys Platform is available for license today.
The platform will also be implemented in test silicon and made available on the next generation of ARM RealView Versatile Platform Baseboards.
ARM will provide OS ports for the baseboard, including embedded Linux, Symbian OS and Windows CE.
The baseboard and software will be available in the second half of 2005.
TrustZone software is licensed separately from ARM and will be available in Q1 2005.
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