Alcatel NV’s Brussels-based Alcatel Mietec is the latest to license Advanced RISC Machines Ltd’s 32-bit ARM RISC processor core, opting for the ARM7TDMI, which offers the Thumb compact program code operating mode to cut system cost. It says it studied all embedded processors on the market, including R- series, Sparc, 8096 and PowerPC and found the ARM to be 20% to 30% better in benchmarks. The core will be used in application- specific circuits fabricated in Alcatel’s 0.5 and 0.35 micron CMOS process technologies.
