NXP, ARM extend partnership

BANGALORE, INDIA: Philips-founded NXP Semiconductors today announced that it has expanded its relationship with ARM with a new licensing agreement.

NXP will introduce a new family of microcontrollers based on the ARM Cortex-M3 processor starting in 2008, further expanding its 56 ARM7(TM) and ARM9(TM) family-based MCUs.

NXP will also have access to all ARM Cortex family processors and a full suite of ARM physical IP for the development of future solutions.

"The strategic agreement between NXP and ARM underscores a shared vision of how 32-bit processors are fundamentally changing advanced digital products - from mobile phones, portable media players, TVs and set-top boxes, to identification applications, cars and a wide range of other electronic devices," said René Penning de Vries, senior vice president and chief technology officer, NXP Semiconductors.

"We look forward to working closely with NXP as it introduces new designs and enhancements in products ranging from microcontrollers and smart cards to high-end cellular system solutions," said Graham Budd, executive vice president and general manager, Processor Division, ARM.

The new NXP MCUs will target a wide range of applications including consumer, industrial, medical and automotive systems, with a Memory Accelerator Module (MAM) featuring NXP's embedded high-speed Flash memory design, as well as support for Ethernet and other communications peripherals such as USB and CAN.