Embedded RISC Core Targets System-On-Chip Designs

In addition to operating at a speed of 155 MHz and occupying just 2.75 mm² of space and consuming just 175 mW, the LX4180 embedded RISC core claims to set a new level of functionality for system-on-chip (SOC) designs. For example, the cores can provide datacomm equipment with remote access control, packet processing and higher level protocol processing; other uses include high-end consumer products, such as digital cameras and multi-function peripheral devices. The device is a MIPS-R3000 RISC processor core employing a five-stage pipeline and executing all MIPS I instructions except for unaligned loads and stores. Among the SOC enhancements are: MIPS16 instruction compression; EJTAG debug support; high-performance multiply-accumulate engine; and low standby power.