Toshiba licenses ARM Cortex™-M3 32-bit RISC processor for ASIC and ASSP applications

The ARM Cortex–M3 32-bit RISC processor is the first ARM processor based on the ARMv7-M architecture and has been specifically developed as a high-performance, low-cost, high-efficiency platform. The Cortex-M3 processor combines high levels of computational and interrupt response performance with a number of enhanced energy features that support low power operation.

A small core footprint and the industry leading code density provided by Thumb®-2 enables the use of smaller internal and external memories, which helps to reduce chip and board space and cost. Combined with Toshibas world-leading technology and methodology for low power consumption and cost effective ASIC and ASSP products, this allows TEE to deliver some of the industry’s most compact, energy efficient and cost competitive SoC designs.

Toshiba offers the new ARM core across its technology and service portfolio. This includes cell-based ICs, embedded arrays, Toshiba’s proprietary Universal Array™, custom SoC (ASIC) development and foundry services. In Europe, local technical development and support expertise for the technology including ARM subsystem development based on the Cortex-M3 core is available via the European LSI Design and Engineering Centre (ELDEC) in Düsseldorf.

Toshiba’s ASIC and Foundry business encompasses a wide range of CMOS technologies including the latest 90nm and 65nm processes. Other CMOS platforms offer process technologies ranging from 0.6µm to 0.13µm. In addition to the new Cortex-M3 core, the company has licensed the fully synthesisable and configurable ARM7TDMI-S™, ARM946E-S™, ARM926EJ-S™, ARM1026EJ-S™, ARM1136J-S™ and ARM1176JZ(F)-S™ cores. The full range of ARM processor cores is available across Toshiba CMOS ASIC technology platforms.