Quad-core 64bit MIPS processors execute ARM and x86 instructions

Loongson 3A2000 Imagination MIPSChina-based Loongson has announced two 64-bit quad core processors based around a MIPS-derived architecture and including binary translation to run x86 and ARM code.

The nine stage pipelined architecture is called GS464E, and the 4-way superscalar processors are Loongson-3A2000 and 3B2000 – and include in-order execution units, two floating-point units, a memory management unit, and crossbar interconnect.

“Thanks to a series of significant microarchitectural enhancements, performance figures for the new chips show a 2.7x improvement over the previous generation cores [3A1000 and 3B1000],” said Alexandru Voica, spokesman for Imagination Technology, owner of the MIPS processor architecture.

The 3B series includes the 1.5GHz 3B1500. “Platforms integrating an octa-core 3B1500 configuration can deliver up to 192Gflops of peak performance at only 30W,” said Voica.

GS464E executes the ‘LoongISA’ instruction set with over 1,400 instructions including:

  • MIPS64 Release 3 instructions
  • The binary translation to run x86 and ARM code – called ‘LoongBT’
  • LoongVM instructions for custom virtual machines
  • LoongSIMD instructions for 128- and 256-bit vector arithmetic operations

Loongnix is a Linux distribution optimized for the GS464E.

More processors are planned. “Loongson chief architect Hu Weiwu confirmed to Imagination that his team plans to release two chips in 2016: 3A3000 and 3B3000, built on a 28nm process and clocked closer to 2GHz,” said Voica.

steve bush

Quad-core 64bit MIPS processors execute ARM and x86 instructions

Loongson 3A2000 Imagination MIPSChina-based Loongson has announced two 64-bit quad core processors based around a MIPS-derived architecture and including binary translation to run x86 and ARM code.

The nine stage pipelined architecture is called GS464E, and the 4-way superscalar processors are Loongson-3A2000 and 3B2000 – and include in-order execution units, two floating-point units, a memory management unit, and crossbar interconnect.

“Thanks to a series of significant microarchitectural enhancements, performance figures for the new chips show a 2.7x improvement over the previous generation cores [3A1000 and 3B1000],” said Alexandru Voica, spokesman for Imagination Technology, owner of the MIPS processor architecture.

The 3B series includes the 1.5GHz 3B1500. “Platforms integrating an octa-core 3B1500 configuration can deliver up to 192Gflops of peak performance at only 30W,” said Voica.

GS464E executes the ‘LoongISA’ instruction set with over 1,400 instructions including:

  • MIPS64 Release 3 instructions
  • The binary translation to run x86 and ARM code – called ‘LoongBT’
  • LoongVM instructions for custom virtual machines
  • LoongSIMD instructions for 128- and 256-bit vector arithmetic operations

Loongnix is a Linux distribution optimized for the GS464E.

More processors are planned. “Loongson chief architect Hu Weiwu confirmed to Imagination that his team plans to release two chips in 2016: 3A3000 and 3B3000, built on a 28nm process and clocked closer to 2GHz,” said Voica.

steve bush

Quad-core 64bit MIPS processors execute ARM and x86 instructions

Loongson 3A2000 Imagination MIPSChina-based Loongson has announced two 64-bit quad core processors based around a MIPS-derived architecture and including binary translation to run x86 and ARM code.

The nine stage pipelined architecture is called GS464E, and the 4-way superscalar processors are Loongson-3A2000 and 3B2000 – and include in-order execution units, two floating-point units, a memory management unit, and crossbar interconnect.

“Thanks to a series of significant microarchitectural enhancements, performance figures for the new chips show a 2.7x improvement over the previous generation cores [3A1000 and 3B1000],” said Alexandru Voica, spokesman for Imagination Technology, owner of the MIPS processor architecture.

The 3B series includes the 1.5GHz 3B1500. “Platforms integrating an octa-core 3B1500 configuration can deliver up to 192Gflops of peak performance at only 30W,” said Voica.

GS464E executes the ‘LoongISA’ instruction set with over 1,400 instructions including:

  • MIPS64 Release 3 instructions
  • The binary translation to run x86 and ARM code – called ‘LoongBT’
  • LoongVM instructions for custom virtual machines
  • LoongSIMD instructions for 128- and 256-bit vector arithmetic operations

Loongnix is a Linux distribution optimized for the GS464E.

More processors are planned. “Loongson chief architect Hu Weiwu confirmed to Imagination that his team plans to release two chips in 2016: 3A3000 and 3B3000, built on a 28nm process and clocked closer to 2GHz,” said Voica.

steve bush

Symtavision identifies ECU development timing issues

Symtavision says it has identified key timing use cases for a systematic, timing-enriched automotive engine control unit (ECU) development process, which will save both development time and unit cost as well as increasing the realisation probability and maturity level of ECU development projects.

SymtavisionSystematic ECU development starts with specifying the function architecture and defining the requirements of the desired functions, the German company says.

From this, reasonable software architectures and schedules are developed, followed by the actual software development with integration and test at every release.

The entire process is typically supported by appropriate assessments and executed through deliveries according to a negotiated timeline between the OEM and the supplier (or ECU development team).

The use cases and corresponding Symtavision products represent distinct steps to enrich this established process towards true timing-aware ECU development. Each such extension adds value to the existing process and can be deployed independently from other steps, it claims.

david manners

Symtavision identifies ECU development timing issues

Symtavision says it has identified key timing use cases for a systematic, timing-enriched automotive engine control unit (ECU) development process, which will save both development time and unit cost as well as increasing the realisation probability and maturity level of ECU development projects.

SymtavisionSystematic ECU development starts with specifying the function architecture and defining the requirements of the desired functions, the German company says.

From this, reasonable software architectures and schedules are developed, followed by the actual software development with integration and test at every release.

The entire process is typically supported by appropriate assessments and executed through deliveries according to a negotiated timeline between the OEM and the supplier (or ECU development team).

The use cases and corresponding Symtavision products represent distinct steps to enrich this established process towards true timing-aware ECU development. Each such extension adds value to the existing process and can be deployed independently from other steps, it claims.

david manners

Symtavision identifies ECU development timing issues

Symtavision says it has identified key timing use cases for a systematic, timing-enriched automotive engine control unit (ECU) development process, which will save both development time and unit cost as well as increasing the realisation probability and maturity level of ECU development projects.

SymtavisionSystematic ECU development starts with specifying the function architecture and defining the requirements of the desired functions, the German company says.

From this, reasonable software architectures and schedules are developed, followed by the actual software development with integration and test at every release.

The entire process is typically supported by appropriate assessments and executed through deliveries according to a negotiated timeline between the OEM and the supplier (or ECU development team).

The use cases and corresponding Symtavision products represent distinct steps to enrich this established process towards true timing-aware ECU development. Each such extension adds value to the existing process and can be deployed independently from other steps, it claims.

david manners

Pericom bought by Diodes

imageDiscretes specialist Diodes of Texas is to buy Milton Keynes analogue and mixed signal company Pericom Semiconductor.

The price is said to be ‘about $400m’, including the company’s cash. The combined companies will have revenues of $1bn plus.

The price is about 40% more than the company’s market cap before the bid was made.

“The proposed acquisition of Pericom accelerates the attainment of Diodes’ goal of a $1bn annual revenue run rate with 35% gross margin, while being immediately accretive to earnings,” says Diodes CEO Keh-Shew Lu. “This transaction broadens Diodes’ analogue footprint and adds a strong mixed-signal connectivity offering that will drive expanded product content in target market applications. Also, Pericom’s extensive timing product lines complement Diodes’ standard product portfolio and broaden our analogue footprint.”

“Diodes’ size and scale provides an excellent platform for our products to gain access to a broader customer base and drive a higher level of growth than Pericom would be able to achieve as a standalone company,” said Pericom CEO Alex Hui.

The combined trailing 12-months reported revenue is about $1bn and gross profit is about $337m.

Diodes expects to fund the purchase price of the acquisition mainly by drawing down additional capital following a recent $200m increase to its existing credit facility.

david manners

Pericom bought by Diodes

imageDiscretes specialist Diodes of Texas is to buy Milton Keynes analogue and mixed signal company Pericom Semiconductor.

The price is said to be ‘about $400m’, including the company’s cash. The combined companies will have revenues of $1bn plus.

The price is about 40% more than the company’s market cap before the bid was made.

“The proposed acquisition of Pericom accelerates the attainment of Diodes’ goal of a $1bn annual revenue run rate with 35% gross margin, while being immediately accretive to earnings,” says Diodes CEO Keh-Shew Lu. “This transaction broadens Diodes’ analogue footprint and adds a strong mixed-signal connectivity offering that will drive expanded product content in target market applications. Also, Pericom’s extensive timing product lines complement Diodes’ standard product portfolio and broaden our analogue footprint.”

“Diodes’ size and scale provides an excellent platform for our products to gain access to a broader customer base and drive a higher level of growth than Pericom would be able to achieve as a standalone company,” said Pericom CEO Alex Hui.

The combined trailing 12-months reported revenue is about $1bn and gross profit is about $337m.

Diodes expects to fund the purchase price of the acquisition mainly by drawing down additional capital following a recent $200m increase to its existing credit facility.

david manners

Pericom bought by Diodes

imageDiscretes specialist Diodes of Texas is to buy Milton Keynes analogue and mixed signal company Pericom Semiconductor.

The price is said to be ‘about $400m’, including the company’s cash. The combined companies will have revenues of $1bn plus.

The price is about 40% more than the company’s market cap before the bid was made.

“The proposed acquisition of Pericom accelerates the attainment of Diodes’ goal of a $1bn annual revenue run rate with 35% gross margin, while being immediately accretive to earnings,” says Diodes CEO Keh-Shew Lu. “This transaction broadens Diodes’ analogue footprint and adds a strong mixed-signal connectivity offering that will drive expanded product content in target market applications. Also, Pericom’s extensive timing product lines complement Diodes’ standard product portfolio and broaden our analogue footprint.”

“Diodes’ size and scale provides an excellent platform for our products to gain access to a broader customer base and drive a higher level of growth than Pericom would be able to achieve as a standalone company,” said Pericom CEO Alex Hui.

The combined trailing 12-months reported revenue is about $1bn and gross profit is about $337m.

Diodes expects to fund the purchase price of the acquisition mainly by drawing down additional capital following a recent $200m increase to its existing credit facility.

david manners

GloFo links with QEOS and Catena

imageGlobalfoundries (GloFo) has announced partnerships with Catena and QEOS.

The QEOS partnership is intended to develop a millimeter-wave CMOS platform to support the higher data rates required in future mobile broadband access networks, while enabling customers to integrate mixers, low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers and inter-frequency amplifiers, all in a single package.

Using GloFo’s 40nm and 45nm processes, the platform will enable gigabit interactivity everywhere – from centimetres to hundreds of metres – at a cost of less than $500 per link, says the company.

The Catena partnership is to develop Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions for SoC designers targeting mobile, IoT and RF connectivity markets using GloFo’s 28nm super low power (SLP) combined with Catena’s RF IP to enable chip designers to integrate RF SoC functionality into their products.

The technology is enabled with key RF features, including core and I/O (1.5V/1.8V) transistor RF models along with 5V LDMOS devices, which simplifies RF SoC design, according to GloFo.

Catena’s Connectivity RF IP portfolio includes optimised, very low power Bluetooth Smart radio, Bluetooth Smart Ready radio, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac 1×1, 2×2 and 4×4 MIMO) radios and combo Bluetooth/Wi-Fi radio.

The radio IPs are available/under development at GloFo’s 28nm-SLP technology, and may be ported to alternatives based on customer requirements. Solutions for GNSS/FM broadcast systems are also found in the offerings of Catena.

david manners