Product category:
Intellectual Property Cores
News Release from: ARC International | Subject: Fraunhofer IIS
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 22 August 2001
IP runs on ARC core to provide
futureproof audio
Fraunhofer IIS has developed the first IP solution for audio applications such as MP3 and AAC from a single source that is foundry independent and can be adapted for future audio standards.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (Fraunhofer IIS) has developed the first IP solution for audio applications such as MP3 and AAC available from a single source that is foundry independent and capable of being adapted for future audio standards Combining ARC's user-customisable ARCtangent-A4 32bit RISC processor and Fraunhofer's fixed point reference codecs, the new hardware/software platform provides a key system-on-chip building block to rapidly implement in digital radio systems, portable audio players or telecommunications devices
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 13 Mar 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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mp3PRO runs on ARCtangent-A4 32bit RISC processor
ARC International and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (Fraunhofer IIS) have developed a solution for the new mp3PRO standard, based on the ARCtangent-A4 32bit RISC processor.
ARC emulators use JTAG to cut external hardware
Available from ARC Cores are the first JTAG emulators for a configurable processor to provide powerful development and test capabilities normally only available with external hardware.
Fraunhofer IIS is the main developer of the most advanced audio coding schemes and one of Europe's leading technology and vendor independent design facilities.
Unlike current off-the shelf solutions such as MP3 decoder ICs, this new solution provides developers with a very high level of flexibility and independence enabling customers to optimise cost by manufacturing their chips at virtually any semiconductor foundry.
The Fraunhofer codec benefits from the ability to configure and extend the ARCtangent.
Further reading
Board supports soft-processor-based SoC designs
ARCangel 3 from ARC Cores is a new development platform supporting the latest available FPGAs.
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.
This enables a common technology platform which uses the same underlying architecture, yet be configured to execute different audio standards.
Available for both the ARC3 and ARCtangent-A4, at present, the SoC platform is configured to support both current audio decoding standards like MPEG-2 AAC and MPEG Layer 3.
A migration path to the quality enhanced successors mp3PRO and AAC+SBR (aka AAC plus) is also under consideration.
Future versions include options for real time audio encoding and for video (H.263) or still image applications.
The synthesisable feature of ARCtangent-A4 makes this the first solution for SoC audio applications to be independent of any silicon foundry or technology.
In addition, the availability of the processor core in a high-level hardware description language makes it easier to define the ideal hardware configuration for specific system requirements - to fine tune performance, power and area consumption and to integrate custom specific hardware on a single chip.
The audio software algorithms specially tailored for the ARCtangent-A4 microprocessor are based on Fraunhofer IIS's fixed-point reference codecs.
The available software IPs are designed for easy integration into a customer's target application and software environment.
In addition, further customisation of the processor allows developers to differentiate their MP3 or AAC solution for vendor or market specific variations.
This is important because it allows greater product differentiation at the hardware level, rather than just in software.
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