16th Apr 2007 07:00
A member of the Power Forward Initiative and a leader in low powersystem-on-chip (SoC) design, ARC International (LSE:ARK) todayannounced it is building a new design flow that will enable SoCdesigners to further lower the power consumption of its configurablesubsystems and processors. The new reference methodology is one of thefirst to be created leveraging Si2's Common Power Format (CPF)standard, and it will implement several low power features of VirageLogic's Area, Speed and Power (ASAP) Memory(TM) instances and ASAPLogic(TM) standard cell libraries. The new flow is being integratedinto the patented ARChitect(TM) configuration tool, and is expected tobe available to ARC customers in the second half of 2007. £ The Power Forward Initiative is a broad-based program that isenhancing the worldwide electronics industry's ability to create lowerpower chips using advanced design techniques. ARC International ispart of the industry initiative along with more than 20 othercompanies. A full listing of PFI members can be found atwww.powerforward.org. £ ARC's configurable subsystems and cores already are some of thesemiconductor industry's lowest power solutions. For example, aconfigurable ARC(R) 750D core requires approximately one half thepower of an ARM 1136 or a MIPS32 24Kc core with similar configurationsand speeds. This is a key reason why ARC's configurable solutions arebeing broadly adopted for SoC designs targeting power-sensitiveapplications, such as portable multimedia devices. The new CPF-enabledreference methodology will further enhance ARC's existing low powerleadership. £ "Enabling ARC's growing customer base to create low power SoCs isone of our top priorities," said Paul Holt, vice president of productdevelopment and services at ARC International. "Working with leaderssuch as Cadence Design Systems and the Power Forward Initiative toimplement CPF is one example of how ARC is delivering on that promise,and extending its leadership in low power chip design." £ "IP providers understand the need to deliver low power intentalong with their IP to customers. Cadence has the only CPF-enabledflow allowing a comprehensive low power solution," said Jan Willis,senior vice president of industry alliances at Cadence Design Systems,Inc. "As a key member of the Power Forward Initiative, ARC's role andproactive adoption of CPF are greatly valued." £ "As one of the semiconductor industry's trusted IP partners,Virage Logic has been providing SoC designers with silicon-proven lowpower IP for nearly a decade," said Alex Shubat, vice president ofresearch and development and chief technology officer at Virage LogicCorporation. "We are pleased to be an integral part of this referenceflow to help our mutual customers realize significant power savingsfor their designs." £ About the Power Forward Initiative £ The Power Forward Initiative is an industry initiative sponsoredby Cadence with the goal of enabling the design and production of morepower efficient electronic devices. The Advisory Group consists ofrepresentative companies across the design chain from microprocessorsto IP to foundries and semiconductor companies, and includes four EDAcompanies including Cadence. CPF v1.0 was contributed by Cadence tothe Si2 Low Power Coalition in December 2006 and now is available asan Si2 standard to the industry at large. £ About ARC International plc £ ARC International is the world leader in configurable subsystemsand CPU/DSP processors that are used by semiconductor companiesworldwide to create system-on-chip (SoC) designs that provide astrategic competitive advantage. ARC's patented configurable productsare smaller, consume less power, are less expensive to manufacture,and provide a higher degree of differentiation over what can becreated using "fixed architecture" core alternatives. £ ARC International maintains a worldwide presence with corporateand research and development offices in California and Elstree, UK.For more information visit www.ARC.com. ARC International is listed onthe London Stock Exchange as ARC International plc (LSE:ARK). £ ARC, the ARC logo, and ARChitect are trademarks or registeredtrademarks of ARC International. All other brands or product namescontained herein are the property of their respective owners. Thispress release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" thatinvolve risks and uncertainties, including the development,implementation, and release of features described herein. These are atthe sole discretion of ARC International. Licenses from 3rd partiesfor certain software and essential patents may be required dependingon licensee's use/implementation. For other factors that could causeactual results to differ, visit the company's Website as well as thelisting particulars filed with the United Kingdom Listing Authorityand the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales. Copyright Business Wire 2007Related Shares:
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