ARC International
Encyclopedia
ARC International plc was a developer of configurable microprocessor
technology and is now owned by Synopsys
. ARC developed synthesisable IP and licensed it to semiconductor companies.
The configurability of the ARC happens at design time (as opposed to run time) using the ARChitect processor configurator. The core was created in such a way that it is extensible. Unlike most embedded
microprocessors you can add extra instructions, registers
and functionality as if they were made from Lego
. Customers look at the task they want to perform, analyse the task, break down the operations, and then choose the appropriate extensions (or create their own) to create their own custom microprocessor. They might optimise for speed, energy efficiency or code density. Extensions can include for example, an MMU
, a fast multiplier–accumulator, a USB Host, a viterbi path
decoder, etc. etc.
Semiconductor company licensees of ARC products ship approximately 300 million chips containing ARC processor cores every year. ARC has over 140 customers. ARC hosts the ConfigCon series of seminars that occur around the world 3-4 times per year.
tools environment (GCC
, GDB and so). A free community supported version is hosted on sourceforge.
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
technology and is now owned by Synopsys
Synopsys
Synopsys, Inc. is one of the largest companies in the Electronic Design Automation industry. Synopsys' first and best-known product is Design Compiler, a logic-synthesis tool. Synopsys offers a wide range of other products used in the design of an application-specific integrated circuit...
. ARC developed synthesisable IP and licensed it to semiconductor companies.
The configurability of the ARC happens at design time (as opposed to run time) using the ARChitect processor configurator. The core was created in such a way that it is extensible. Unlike most embedded
Embedded system
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
microprocessors you can add extra instructions, registers
Hardware register
In digital electronics, especially computing, a hardware register stores bits of information, in a way that all the bits can be written to or read out simultaneously.The hardware registers inside a central processing unit are called processor registers....
and functionality as if they were made from Lego
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
. Customers look at the task they want to perform, analyse the task, break down the operations, and then choose the appropriate extensions (or create their own) to create their own custom microprocessor. They might optimise for speed, energy efficiency or code density. Extensions can include for example, an MMU
Memory management unit
A memory management unit , sometimes called paged memory management unit , is a computer hardware component responsible for handling accesses to memory requested by the CPU...
, a fast multiplier–accumulator, a USB Host, a viterbi path
Viterbi algorithm
The Viterbi algorithm is a dynamic programming algorithm for finding the most likely sequence of hidden states – called the Viterbi path – that results in a sequence of observed events, especially in the context of Markov information sources, and more generally, hidden Markov models...
decoder, etc. etc.
Semiconductor company licensees of ARC products ship approximately 300 million chips containing ARC processor cores every year. ARC has over 140 customers. ARC hosts the ConfigCon series of seminars that occur around the world 3-4 times per year.
History
- The roots of ARC International date back to the early 1990s. The company was founded by Jez SanJez SanJeremy 'Jez' San OBE is an English game programmer and entrepreneur who founded Argonaut Software as a teenager in the 1980s. He is also a writer and helped design the Super FX chip for the Super NES.-Biography:...
to build upon the 3D accelerator technology previously developed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
by a division of Argonaut Software. This forerunner to the ARC was originally called the Mario (Mathematical, Argonaut, Rotation & I/O) chip and later dubbed the SuperFX. It went on to sell millions, at the time outselling ARMARM architectureARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
or any other RISC core. - Following the success of the SuperFX, its designers were split from the main company to a department called ATL (Argonaut Technology Limited). The design was renamed to ARC (Argonaut RISC Core) and marketed as a general purpose, configurable, microprocessor. Later, ATL has spun off as a separate company - ARC International. In 1995 Bob Terwilliger took over as ARC's first CEO. He created the company licensing strategy, commercialized the product including the acquisition of Metaware, VAutomation and Precise Software. He raised $50 million pre-IPO and took the company public in September 2000 raising an additional $250 million.
- 21 September 2000, ARC listed on the London Stock ExchangeLondon Stock ExchangeThe London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
as ARK. - 17 June 2002, ARC took over three companies, MetaWare, VAutomation, and Precise Software Technologies http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/3409/arc-international-integration-subsidiaries-into-one-company.html but later parts were sold off to other companies.
- April 2007, ARC acquired Teja Technologies of San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, a specialist in heterogeneous multiprocessor software. - 14 June 2007, ARC acquired Tenison Design Automation of CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, UK, a provider of software tools used to help develop system-on-chip (SoC) designs. - 23 September 2007, ARC acquired Alarity Corporation of St. Petersburg, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, that specializes in codec software, firmware, and advanced multimedia architectures. - 11 February 2008, ARC acquired Sonic FocusSonic FocusSonic Focus Inc is a software development company located in South Lake Tahoe, California. It was founded in 1995 with the aim of improving the quality of live concerts broadcast over the Web. It now provides audio post processing technologies that recreate the original sound of digital recordings...
, a specialist developer of audio enhancement technology for digital sound. - 29 July 2009, ARC confirmed they were in discussions with a third party regarding an offer for the company.
- 18 August 2009, Virage LogicVirage LogicVirage Logic corporation, founded 1996, was a provider of both functional and physical semiconductor intellectual property for the design of complex integrated circuits...
Announces Intent to Acquire ARC International'. - 15 September 2009, Virage LogicVirage LogicVirage Logic corporation, founded 1996, was a provider of both functional and physical semiconductor intellectual property for the design of complex integrated circuits...
Declares Offer to Acquire ARC International Unconditional in All Respects. - 5 November 2009, Virage LogicVirage LogicVirage Logic corporation, founded 1996, was a provider of both functional and physical semiconductor intellectual property for the design of complex integrated circuits...
completes acquisition of ARC International. - 10 June 2010, SynopsysSynopsysSynopsys, Inc. is one of the largest companies in the Electronic Design Automation industry. Synopsys' first and best-known product is Design Compiler, a logic-synthesis tool. Synopsys offers a wide range of other products used in the design of an application-specific integrated circuit...
declares offer to acquire Virage LogicVirage LogicVirage Logic corporation, founded 1996, was a provider of both functional and physical semiconductor intellectual property for the design of complex integrated circuits...
including ARC - 2 September 2010, SynopsysSynopsysSynopsys, Inc. is one of the largest companies in the Electronic Design Automation industry. Synopsys' first and best-known product is Design Compiler, a logic-synthesis tool. Synopsys offers a wide range of other products used in the design of an application-specific integrated circuit...
completes acquisition of Virage LogicVirage LogicVirage Logic corporation, founded 1996, was a provider of both functional and physical semiconductor intellectual property for the design of complex integrated circuits...
Development Environment
ARC itself provides an open development environment, based on GNUGNU
GNU is a Unix-like computer operating system developed by the GNU project, ultimately aiming to be a "complete Unix-compatible software system"...
tools environment (GCC
GNU Compiler Collection
The GNU Compiler Collection is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain...
, GDB and so). A free community supported version is hosted on sourceforge.