Arrow offers ARM processor options, design services for Altera FPGAs, ASICs

Arrow extends its support of the Cortex-M1 processor and ARM7 and ARM9E processor families in ASIC and foundry, by allowing prototype and production application of these processors in Altera's Stratix FPGA and HardCopy ASIC devices.

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News, 8/20/2008

The North American Components business of Arrow Electronics Inc today announced an agreement that will see a new design services and IP access model offered through the distributor’s custom logic solutions (CLS) group that integrates ARM processors in Altera Stratix FPGA series and HardCopy ASIC series devices.
 
“We now can enable customers to prototype and go to production ARM7 or ARM9 enabled Stratix devices from Altera,” Thomas Colino, manager of North American business development and CLS, said. “We announced in May a multi-year agreement with ARM, which at first was targeted at ASICs and foundry engagements. We are now publicly announcing our ability to support Altera Stratix series FPGAs and HardCopy ASICs.”

Today’s announced model extends Arrow's recently support of the Cortex-M1 processor and ARM7 and ARM9E processor families in ASIC and foundry, by allowing prototype and production application of these processors in Altera's Stratix FPGA and HardCopy ASIC devices through the Melville, NY-based company’s CLS group.

Arrow’s CLS group was established in 2006 when it expanded its custom logic supplier line card, aiming to provide a wider range of design engineering, technical sales, and fulfillment logistics for a broad portfolio of structured and standard cell ASICs. At the time, Arrow CLS offered design services for HardCopy ASICs, SiliconCity ASICs from Atmel, and high-volume SoC ASIC solutions from Faraday Technology. Since then, Arrow has added foundry relationship with IBM to its CLS offerings.

“Our engineering services are focused on complex FPGAs, Stratix specifically, through Altera HardCopy, through additional ASIC support through Faraday, and through foundry engagement targeted at IBM technology. This is within that same umbrella,” Colino said.

Through its design services model, Arrow will develop a customer-specified ARM technology-based subsystem and integrate that into the customers' design. The resulting design will be instantiated in a HardCopy device, or encrypted and delivered for customer use on encryption-capable Stratix devices, the company said.

“There’s a customer benefit to being able to implement an ARM processor in its prototype and onto its production vehicle without any logical change. We have the ability to help a customer to implement an ARM processor in an FPGA. They can go to production in that FPGA if they want, but if they were to choose a production vehicle like an Altera HardCopy or an IBM foundry device, we could bring that logically identical processor subsystem through that transition with them,” Colino said. 

“Opposed to a customer going to ARM and getting a full ARM license, the customer would come to Arrow CLS and get access and use rights to the IP. But because they are not taking a full license it is an easier and less expensive approach,” Colino continued.

IP access and design services that incorporate ARM processors into Altera Stratix and HardCopy devices are available immediately to North American customers through Arrow's CLS group.