IQ Magazine

The Smart Approach to Designing with the ARM Architecture

Volume 8, Number 1, Spring 2009

Introduction: Change you can count on.

By Erik Ploof, Editor-in-Chief

Barak Obama's mantra for this year's US Presidential elections was "Change you can believe in". From economics to foreign affairs, change was the byword during 2008 and continues this first 100 days of the President’s term. Change has been a consistent hallmark of the technology industry, too. A glance back at the progress in semiconductors since the first working three terminal solid state device (transistor) was invented by American physicists at the Bell Telephone Laboratories a scant 60 years ago, confirms it. Change also fuels evolutions and nowhere is evolution in the technology industry more dramatic than in the mobile and MCU markets. ARM continues to be a the heart of that evolution, as evident from the headlines at the recent Mobile World Congress and Embedded world events. MORE

The ARM Cortex-M0 Processor

By Dominic Pajak, ARM

(Pages 8-19)

This special section introduces the ARM Cortex-M0, the smallest, lowest-power, and most energy-efficient ARM processor available. The exceptionally small silicon area, low-power and minimal code footprint of the processor enables developers to achieve 32-bit performance at an 8-bit price point.

The articles in this section include:

ARM Cortex-M0 Processor Introduction

By Dominic Pajak, ARM As the cost of energy continues to grow, and concern aboutthe environment matures, the increasing penetration of embedded devices into everyday lives presents developers with the challenge of managing the trade off between the demands for performance and low-power. Traditionally 16-bit microcontrollers have been used to provide the low-power consumption required, but in today's applications their lack of performance efficiency can mean shorter battery life. To meet this challenge ARM has developed a processor combining the performance of 32-bit, with the lower power and gate count normally associated with 16-bit processors. MORE

The NXP LPC1100 ARM Cortex-M0 MCUs

By Rob Cosaro, NXP MORE

Low Power Design using the LPC1100 Series

By Rob Cosaro, NXP MORE

Power Management for Optimal Power Design

By Prasad Subramaniame, eSilicon Corporation (Pages 20-27)

Optimization of power consumption is one of the biggest challenges facing IC designers today. While power optimization has always been critical for battery operated designs, the continued growth of system functionality with each new generation of semiconductor technology along with the increasing emphasis on green/clean technical applications has made power optimization essential even for wall-powered designs. MORE

Using Event Trace to Analyze Real-time System Behavior and Maximize ARM9 Throughput

By William E. Lamie, Express Logic

(Pages 28-35)

Adjusting thread priorities can reduce context switching and increase overall throughput by 80%. In this paper, we will examine just how priority assignment affects system performance, and show how the use of unique priorities can actually add overhead and reduce overall throughput. MORE

Techniques for Optimization of Audio Codecs on NEON

By Karthick J, Ittiam Systems

(Pages 36-39)

This paper discusses the various optimization techniques for implementation of Audio Codecs on ARM Cortex-A8 processor solutions using the NEON technology. MORE

HANA provides a Clear Vision for Home Entertainment

(Page 40-47)

The High Definition Audio-Video Networking Alliance (HANA), takes the lead in setting standards for accessing and sharing high-definition TV content.

This two article series highlights design considerations and solutions HANA presents to address navigation and HD content sharing with an easy to use, single remote control and a single cable through a secure network. The articles in this section include:

HANA - Reliable Home Entertainment Networking Without the Hassle

By Bill Rose, HANA President

HANA is dedicated to ensuring the opportunity function of sharing high definition multi-media entertainment throughout your home is as simple as watching cable TV. MORE

HANA and DLNA: Why Consumers Need Two Solutions

By Bill Rose, HANA President

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and HANA are both working on home networking solutions that can distribute video entertainment. They both recognize that simplicity is the goal. However, the definition of ‘simple’ in the PC world is not the same as it is for watching a TV. MORE

Cost Efficient ARM Processor-based Custom SoCs for Fabless Semiconductor Companies

By Jay Johnson, Atmel

(Pages 48-51)

Fabless semiconductor companies are often stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to implementing new designs. FPGAs with embedded soft core or external microcontroller are not an option for fabless IC companies because the company's "secret sauce" is vulnerable to theft and cloning when implemented in an FPGA. In addition FPGAs have poor performance and power characteristics. FPGAs typically consume 44-times more power and operate at about 1/8 the speed of an integrated SoC. MORE

Symmetric Multiprocessing for Next-generation Smartphone Platforms

By Steve Jahnke and Steve Krueger, Texas Instruments

(Pages 52-55)

Smartphone system designers can take advantage of a much wider range of power consumption/performance options with SoCs containing both symmetrical multiprocessing (SMP) for the high-level OS (HLOS) and specialized processors for media tasks. Legacy SMP architectures from the server/PC world are inadequate for mobile designs, however, and new SMP architectures are needed to accommodate the real-time and low-power requirements of mobile embedded systems such as smartphones. MORE

A Methodology for Low-Power Verification

By Srikanth Jadcherla, Synopsys and Dave Flynn, ARM

(Pages 56-58)

Low-power design has changed the design and verification paradigm forever. Increased complexity and the need for accurate verification have stymied verification teams and held tapeouts at hostage. The industry is in dire need of a systematic approach to low-power verification. In response to this, ARM, Renesas Technology and Synopsys have written the Verification Methodology for Low-Power (VMM-LP), which is based on the collective experience of over 30 companies with real life low-power verification experience. MORE

Printer with an Attitude

By Jan Howells, ARM

(Pages 60-61)

Workgroups looking for a high color laser printer that is high on quality and ‘greenness” and low on sound will welcome the Konica Minolta. The new Konica Minolta color laser printer uses the Zoran ARM11 processor-based core to deliver huge color in a small form factor. MORE

Big Cat

By Jan Howells, ARM

(Pages 62-64)

The New Jaguar DC Motor Speed Controller from Luminary Micro is the New King of the Industrial Jungle. Initially created to inspire young people’s interest in science and technology. The ‘Jaguar’ Stellaris Brushed DC Motor Speed Controller (MDL-BDC) is now making waves in the industrial segment. MORE