ARM and Philips' Handshake Solutions Collaborate to Develop Clockless Processor
PRNewswire (10/27/2004 9:00 AM ET)

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, England, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Handshake Solutions, a Royal Philips Electronics line of business, and ARM , today announced the joint development and marketing of an ARM(R) processor using Handshake Solutions' unique low-power, self-timed technology. The partnership provides Handshake Solutions with a license to develop the breakthrough implementation using their unique design flow and methodology.

The ARM processor will utilize Handshake Solutions' Handshake Technology, which is the industry's first production proven methodology for using self-timed circuitry in commercial applications. Handshake Technology has been used for more than five years in tens of millions of products including smart cards, advanced pagers, In-Vehicle Network transceivers, and cordless handsets. The compact asynchronous ARM processor will be particularly useful in the smart card, consumer electronics, and automotive markets because of its very low-power consumption and low Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI).

"Handshake Solution's technology has already been successfully implemented in millions of ICs available in the market today," said Wouter Van Roost, chief executive officer, Handshake Solutions. "Applying Handshake Technology to the industry-leading ARM architecture will result in a new type of ultra low-power processor, enabling new classes of application."

"ARM has always been the low-power leader in embedded microprocessors," said Mike Inglis, executive vice president, Marketing, ARM. "Our partnership with Handshake Solutions will enable new ultra-low power applications in the smart card, consumer electronics, and automotive markets, while preserving the easy integration common to all ARM processors."

This new ARM processor is compliant with the ARMv5TE architecture and optimized for use in both synchronous and asynchronous system-on-chip designs, permitting easy integration by semiconductor makers. The key benefits of the processor include low Electro Magnetic emission, reducing the probability of interfering with sensitive circuitry, and low peak currents, reducing system power requirements. Because asynchronous processors consume zero dynamic power when there is no activity, they can significantly extend battery life. ARM has long recognised the potential of asynchronous design and has supported the Amulet(R) project lead by Professor Steve Furber at Manchester University.

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