Global Unichip selects ARM technology for wide variety of apps in emerging markets

CAMBRIDGE, UK & HSINCHU, TAIWAN: ARM and Global Unichip Corp. (GUC), an Advanced Technology ASIC company, announced that GUC has licensed a broad range of ARM Intellectual Property (IP). This includes the high performance, energy efficient ARM Cortex processor and ARM Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) families, ARM CoreLink interconnect and system IP, and ARM Artisan Physical IP.

Access to this broad range of ARM IP will enable GUC to deliver solutions to a number of markets, from entry level smartphones and low cost tablets in emerging markets, to high performance tablets and smart TVs.

GUC licensed the ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor in 2009, and the new agreement now includes the ARM Cortex-A5 MPCore processor and ARM Mali-300 GPU, as well as other ARM IP. GUC will be developing products based on ARM technology that include:

* Entry level smart phones and low cost tablets in emerging markets - using the ARM Cortex-A5 processor and ARM Mali-300 GPU.
* Smart TVs and high performance tablets - using the ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor and ARM Mali-400 MP GPU. A 28nm test chip will be taped out later in 2011 by GUC.
* Additional ARM IP used by GUC includes ARM Physical IP, such as Artisan Processor Optimization Packs (POPs) for Cortex-A5 and Cortex-A9 processors, Artisan high speed memory compilers and Artisan DDR-3 Interface IP. GUC is also using ARM Fabric IP, including ARM AMBA 3 AXI Configurable Interconnect and ARM TrustZone Protection Controller.

“GUC’s silicon manufacturing customers require differing solutions that are optimized to meet the needs of a wide range of smart devices, from entry level smart phones through to Smart TVs, targeted at consumers with a range of budgets and from a variety of demographics,” said Jim Lai, president, GUC. “This new agreement means that end users will ultimately benefit from the combination of GUC’s extensive experience in advanced design technology and the proven technology leadership of ARM IP. This will provide a choice of high performance, energy efficient SoCs with visually compelling multimedia capabilities for advanced platforms, such as Android.”

As an ARM partner, GUC is also part of the ARM Connected Community, a global network of over 850 companies with access to a wide variety of resources and aligned to provide optimized solutions based on the ARM architecture.

“Consumers in both emerging and more established markets are demanding an increasingly connected life. Smarter devices, such as entry level smart phones, tablets and smart TVs, will provide this access,” said Stuart Ching, VP, APAC Sales, ARM. “The new agreement with GUC will allow their customers to address these markets and benefit from the ARM architecture and our latest IP, as well as the broad ARM Partner ecosystem. ARM IP integrated into GUC’s excellent design, operation and manufacturing capabilities will result in SoCs that are optimized for performance and energy efficiency.”