Coresight Debug And Trace Technology Available For Complete System-on-chip Designs

New CoreSight technology provides complete system-wide visibility into complex, multi-core system-on-chip

CAMBRIDGE, UK – Oct. 13, 2003 – ARM [(LSE:ARM) (Nasdaq:ARMHY)], the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions, today announced its new CoreSight™ technology at the Microprocessor Forum in San Jose, Calif. Developed as the most comprehensive debug and trace solution for complete system-on-chip (SoC) designs, CoreSight technology provides system-wide visibility through the smallest port, significantly reducing time-to-market for developers. ARM® CoreSight technology provides the highest standard of debug and trace capabilities and can be leveraged for all cores and complex peripherals. The technology is designed to meet the wide range of needs of embedded developers and silicon manufacturers, such as providing wide system visibility with minimal overhead, thus reducing processor costs.

CoreSight technology builds on the ARM Embedded Trace Macrocell™ (ETM) real-time trace module, which is capable of instruction and data tracing inside a core and adds a wider range of functionality and systems including the tracing of multiple ARM cores, ARM and DSP cores, complex peripherals and busses. CoreSight technology, together with the ARM RealView® development tools, provides the developer with an integrated solution from a single supplier. As with the ARM Embedded Trace Macrocell technology, which is currently widely licensed and supported by the leading tool vendors, CoreSight technology sets the standard for SoC debug around which semiconductors manufacturers and tools vendors can achieve real interoperability.

"In the heavily populated embedded product marketplace, our Partners are always looking for technologies that give them a competitive edge," said William Orme, development systems program manager at ARM. "With the ARM CoreSight technology, Partners are equipped with system-wide monitoring and profiling capabilities in one package, giving them the tools they need to bring products to market quickly and with greater performance and reliability."

ARM CoreSight technology rapidly resolves different software bugs through the simultaneous tracing of multiple cores and AMBA™ bus activity. In addition to halting and testing all cores at once, CoreSight technology provides debug access to AMBA interconnect memory and peripherals without interrupting the processor, for hard real-time developments. For silicon manufacturers, the ARM CoreSight technology's higher compression rates provide a solution that extends debug and trace capabilities into new, higher frequency processor technologies. Using CoreSight technology, manufacturers can lower product cost by reducing the number of pins needed for debug, as well as the silicon area needed for on-chip trace buffers.

Two products, ARM CoreSight technology for the ARM11™ Family, and ARM CoreSight technology for the ARM9™ Family, are available for licensing now, with delivery 1H 2004.

About ARM
ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM's microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming a volume RISC standard in markets such as portable communications, hand-held computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com/.