Product category:
Reference Designs
News Release from: ARM | Subject: Reference methodology for ARM Cortex-M1
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 06 April 2007
Reference methodology eases Cortex-M1
design
ARM and Synplicity are working together to ensure that mutual customers can successfully implement the ARM processor across a range of FPGA device families.
Synplicity and ARM have signed a joint marketing and collaboration agreement that includes a reference methodology for the recently launched ARM Cortex-M1 processor - the first ARM processor specifically designed for implementation on FPGAs The two companies have also agreed to work together to further support easy system integration of the Cortex-M1 processor using the Synplicity tool chain
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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With the signing of this marketing and collaboration agreement, ARM and Synplicity will work together to ensure that mutual customers can successfully implement the ARM processor across a range of FPGA device families.
The ARM-Synplicity joint reference methodology ensures that a broad number of companies can easily and effectively leverage the ARM technology and Synplicity software.
Under this marketing and collaboration agreement Synplicity, a member of the ARM Connected Community, will put processes in place to ensure that customers have a seamless design flow for Cortex- M1 processors.
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Synplicity's R and D team will use the Cortex-M1 processor as part of standard product validation procedures.
Synplicity's corporate engineering also has access to the Cortex-M1 processor IP to provide mutual customer support.
ARM worked closely with Synplicity during the development of the Cortex-M1 processor and used Synplicity's industry-leading Synplify Pro synthesis software extensively during the development process.
"Synplicity's involvement was a significant benefit during the development of the Cortex-M1 processor", said Graham Budd, Executive VP and General Manager, Processor Division, ARM.
"The ARM design team was keen to ensure the Cortex-M1 processor was optimised for multiple FPGA targets".
"Synplicity's vendor independent flow enabled us to achieve this with minimum overhead, ensuring that the processor can be implemented on the widest possible range of FPGA devices".
"ARM's entry into the FPGA market is a watershed event by bringing an industry standard processor to FPGA design", said Joe Gianelli, VP Business Development, Synplicity.
"The intent of our long-term partnership with ARM is to increase the awareness and provide optimal implementation of ARM processors for FPGA design".
The ARM Cortex-M1 processor is the first ARM processor specifically designed for implementation on FPGA and extends the range of the ARM Cortex processor family, enabling OEMs to standardise around a common architecture across the performance spectrum.
The processor implements a subset of the popular, high-density Thumb-2 instruction set which enables both the processor and software footprint to meet the area budget of the smallest FPGA devices, while retaining compatibility with Thumb code for any ARM processor from the ARM7TDMI processor upwards.
The Cortex-M1 processor is capable of more than 170MHz, and occupies less than 15% area of popular low-cost FPGA devices.
Despite being the smallest processor in the Cortex family, the Cortex-M1 processor can deliver 0.8DMIPS/MHz.
The Cortex-M1 processor will be fully supported by the ARM RealView Development Suite and RealView Microcontroller Development Kit.
The RealView Development Suite includes a complete instruction set system model (ISSM) enabling developers to create and test applications for the Cortex-M1 processor out of the box.
For improved integration into tool-flows, the Cortex-M1 processor is supported with an XML description adhering to the IP-XACT specification from The SPIRIT Consortium.
The ARM-Synplicity reference methodology for the Cortex-M1 processor includes capabilities for physical and logic synthesis design flows.
Synplicity's FPGA synthesis solutions help programmable logic designers rapidly achieve aggressive performance objectives.
Synplicity's family of FPGA synthesis solutions includes the Synplify software, Synplify Pro logic synthesis software and the Synplify Premier physical synthesis software.
The Synplify Pro software is the industry's most widely used FPGA synthesis solution, utilising a true timing-driven approach to synthesis.
The software delivers the performance needed to meet a design's timing requirements and then optimises the circuit for area, saving significantly on chip cost.
The Synplify Premier solution builds on Synplicity's industry-leading synthesis technology and adds new graph-based physical synthesis and real-time, simulator-like visibility into operating FPGA devices.
Graph-based physical synthesis provides rapid timing closure and a 5-20% timing improvement.
The reference methodology is available now from both companies.
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