Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: ARC International | Subject: BlueForm
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 06 June 2001
Integrated development package for
Bluetooth SoCs
BlueForm from ARC Cores is a comprehensive package of hardware and software IP, development tools and application software for building Bluetooth SoC products based on the ARCtangent processor.
BlueForm from ARC Cores is a comprehensive integrated package of hardware and software IP, development tools and application software for building Bluetooth SoC products based on the ARCtangent processor Unlike other solutions currently available, ARC's BlueForm provides a comprehensive package to develop SoCs for Bluetooth products
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Ian Anderton, director of business development at ARC Cores, said, "This is the only solution which provides an integrated design environment combining Bluetooth baseband controller, microprocessor, peripheral IP, tools and application software, all preverified to work together".
"It is an out-of-the-box solution where you can point-and-click using our design tool to configure a chip that is Bluetooth v1.1 compliant.
Customers can quickly build a complete system solution differentiated at the hardware level and enabled for Bluetooth applications ranging from wireless access points to PDAs", said Anderton.
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Integration of Bluetooth functionality is a point-and-click procedure with the ARChitect configuration tool, which lets developers quickly add a Bluetooth baseband controller, a 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet MAC, UARTs and other features to the ARCtangent-A4 processor core.
ARC's BlueForm also includes the required Bluetooth software stacks, a real-time operating system, application software such as MP3 and a BlueRF compatible radio interface.
The user-customisable nature of the BlueForm components allows developers to differentiate their products at the hardware level rather than just in software.
The hardware design is technology-independent synthesisable IP, so customers can gain a commercial advantage and cut costs by manufacturing their chips at virtually any semiconductor foundry.
The BlueForm platform is based on the 32bit ARCtangent user-customisable processor core, a Bluetooth baseband controller and peripheral IP.
All the hardware runs on the FPGA-based ARCangel 3 prototyping system and is compatible with the MetaWare software-development suite, also included.
The processor and Bluetooth hardware IP is fully synthesisable RTL, supplied as unencrypted source code, and typically requires about 64k gates.
Also included are the Bluetooth v1.1 lower- and upper-protocol stacks and a range of Bluetooth profiles.
Designers can use the ARChitect configuration tool to optimise the ARCtangent-A4 processor's caches, instruction set, registers, I/O buses, interrupts, local memories, and other features, matching the hardware to the application.
With the ARChitect tool, designers can also add and configure the peripherals, such as UARTs, the Ethernet MAC, and a BlueRF compliant radio interface.
The ARChitect tool automatically generates the RTL files and synthesis scripts for the baseband controller, processor, and peripherals, ready for logic synthesis with an industry-standard design compiler.
ARC Cores delivers the Bluetooth protocol software and device drivers as C source code, allowing programmers to develop the application software in parallel with the chip design.
The ARCangel 3 prototyping system includes a Bluetooth-compliant radio module.
ARC's BlueForm solution is available for licensing from ARC Cores now, and is shipping to customers this month.
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