NEC LICENSES ARM946E-S MICROPROCESSOR CORE TO EXPAND ADVANCED SYSTEM LSI LINE-UP.

ARM and NEC Corp. have signed an agreement to license the ARM946E-S 32-bit RISC microprocessor core.

NEC intends to use this key building block for advanced next generation system LSIs for application in third generation W-CDMA mobile terminals, initially in Japan and later for other global markets.

NEC has been an ARM licensee since 1995 when it licensed the ARM7TDMI core. The license agreement for the ARM946E-S core will also include the ARM Embedded Trace Macrocell, a high-speed, real-time debugging core that enables design success when implemented for the first time in silicon. The core also has significant worldwide third-party design environment support, with development tools, software and documentation, reducing lead times and expense involved in developing custom-built devices.

To further enhance the performance and low-power consumption features of the ARM946E-S core, NEC will implement it in the company's UX4 process technology. Based on a 0.13-micron design rule, UX4 will enable the ARM core to be implemented with a combination of high-performance, low-power consumption and standard cores in a single device, optimizing overall system performance and power dissipation issues. UX4 was introduced at NEC Yamagata in April 2000.

The decision to license the ARM946E-S core is based on a commitment by NEC's System LSI Operations Unit to a global strategy for its products in the W-CDMA mobile terminal field. A particularly significant market is the European mobile terminal market where ARM is recognized as a de facto standard. The European market is expected to be the first to follow NTT DoCoMo's introduction of third generation mobile communications in Japan in May 2001. By combining the ARM core with NEC's considerable design library and its leading experience with customers in Japan's advanced mobile communications market, the company expects to open significant opportunities with European third generation mobile terminal manufacturers.

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-on-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 the volume RISC standard in such markets as portable communications, handheld computing, multimedia, digital consumer and embedded solutions.