ARM: Cirrus Logic & Lucent select ARM RISC processor for state-of-the-art mass storage applications
Presswire - June 30, 1998 05:48
-- ARM-Based Solutions Promises Standard CPU Platform for Drive Manufacturers
Cirrus Logic Inc. (Nasdaq: CRUS) and Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group (NYSE: LU), two of the largest semiconductor suppliers to the mass storage industry, today announced support of the ARM (Nasdaq: ARMHY), open architecture for next-generation mass storage ICs. Both Lucent and Cirrus Logic have signed letters of intent with ARM to define future enhancements to the processor roadmap for mass storage applications, specifying design requirements typical of electro-mechanical applications such as real-time emulation, and advanced DSP support.
By jointly adopting the open core processor architecture from ARM, the two companies aim to transform the hard disk drive (HDD) industry from older proprietary technology to more innovative and cost effective solutions.
Today's announcement responds to the growing interest of disk drive manufacturers who seek to combine on a single chip the various functions that currently require several separate ICs, such as the read-channel, hard-disk controller, microcontroller and servo controller. Such integration offers manufacturers a way to improve HDD performance, while remaining cost competitive in the mainstream desktop and low cost PC markets. However, because of the large investment HDD manufacturers have in microcontroller firmware and servo algorithms, without access to an open architecture processor, single-chip integration could lock HDD manufacturers into a proprietary processor solution for all their disk drive components. That in turn, could reduce design flexibility and compromise system performance for hard disk drives, as complex functions such as disk drive data capture and error correction require specialized circuitry and expertise.
By adopting the ARM processor, with its open architecture and high-performance features, disk drive manufacturers would be able to select the best components, integrated solutions and choice of suppliers for their system-level ICs. ARM already has 29 licensees, including most of the major semiconductor suppliers to the mass storage industry.
Steve Dines, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Cirrus Logic's Mass Storage Products Division says: "By jointly supporting ARM with our considerable mass storage expertise, Lucent and Cirrus Logic are ensuring that the mass storage community can develop the best solution for their customers, without sacrificing the huge investment they make in firmware code development, Today's announcement generates a tremendous amount of momentum around the open ARM architecture, which we at Cirrus Logic believe will dramatically expand choices in disk drive electronics, and ultimately transform the hard disk drive market."
Both Cirrus Logic and Lucent are ARM licensees and have already begun to work with HDD customers on integrated mass storage solutions utilizing the ARM processor. The wide range of performance and features within today's ARM processor family make it ideal for a variety of HDD applications. Additionally, a complete set of development tools are available today from ARM and third parties, ranging from C language compilers for efficient code development to in-circuit emulators and debuggers, all of which help accelerate the manufacturer's time-to-market.
Glen Riley, General Manager, of the Magnetic Storage Business Unit for Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group says: " Customers that manufacture hard disk drives demand flexibility. The availability of ARM's procesor technology from multiple suppliersfrees our harddiskdrive customers from having to make critical technical and supplier decisions restricted by sole-sourced procesor architectures. With the coming of a single-chip solution for hard disk drives, manufacturers can now make their single-chip supplier choices based on important system design considerations, such as semiconductor process technology roadmaps, firmware complexity vs. logic integration, and mixed-signal vs. digital circuit solutions."
Over the next few months, Cirrus Logic, Lucent Technologies and ARM will collaborate in two main areas to support the demanding electro-mechanical systems used in mass storage products. The first effort will focus on emulation and debugging tools to address the real time requirement of an electromechanical system such as a HDD. As an investor in Palmchip, ARM can take advantage of Palmchip's significant expertise in the design of hard disk controller IP and supporting real-time trace requirements.
The second effort will focus on extending ARM's digital signal processing (DSP) capability to support moving parts with extremely precise physical positioning. For disk drive applications, the rapid advances in disk platter areal density require high-precision, processing-intensive servo algorithms to move the disk drive head. Although the roadmap enhancements will target the precision movements and rapid processing needed for disk drive mechanics, other electromechanical applications such as automotive engine control and computer printers require similar precision.
Carl Schlachte, Vice President of North American Operations for ARM says: "We are delighted that two of the leading IC suppliers to the mass storage industry have selected the ARM open architecture for their integration roadmap. Mass Storage is very important to ARM, as evidenced by our ongoing partnership and investment in Palmchip to develop IP for this market. Our business model depends on a close collaboration with our licensees in defining the right ASSP products. As long-time leading suppliers to the mass storage industry, Cirrus Logic and Lucent Technologies have a deep understanding of hard disk drive overall systems needs. This expertise, combined with Palmchip's hard disk drive controller core IP and co-verification tools, provides critical experience in developing the processor and support tool road map for the mass storage industry."
In keeping with the open architecture of the ARM processor, once the platform and tool set are defined and implemented they will be available to all other semiconductor manufacturers who wish to license them. The three companies have already defined preliminary specifications and plan to actively refine the definitions over the next quarter. |
