ARM日前揭示2012年核心發(fā)展藍圖，今年這家處理器核心巨擘的產(chǎn)品發(fā)展重點包含高性能處理器、低功耗微控制器和繪圖核心。ARM首先揭示下一代繪圖核心代號── Skrymir和Tyr 。 Skrymir的意義是北歐神話中的巨人；而Tyr則是北歐神話中的戰(zhàn)神，英語中的星期二(Tuesday)其實便是以和 Tyr 讀音類似的古英語 Tiw 來命名。 在說明新的繪圖核心時，ARM將Skrymir/Tyr 放在同一張投影片上做說明。這或許意味著ARM在繪圖領域也將采取big-little的大小核心配對處理方式。 在處理器部份，ARM提出是大、小核心配對使用的A15和A7核心。對大多數(shù)處于輕運算負載的應用而言，將可僅執(zhí)行較小的A7核心，有需要時才切換到A15 核心。A15核心負責運算負載較重的應用，因為這類應用需要更多時脈頻率，在切換到A15核心時，A7核心便會關閉。在A7和A15核心之間的任務轉移都 是由可驅動動態(tài)電壓和頻率調節(jié)的相同系統(tǒng)所觸發(fā)。 ARM公司CEO Warren East表示，Skrymir和Tyr核心的細節(jié)將在今年稍晚公布。這些核心的應用范圍將包含手機、行動運算到消費電子設備，他并表示ARM已經(jīng)和業(yè)界領先伙伴合作就新核心展開開發(fā)工作。當被問及Skrymir/Tyr的命名方式是否意味著新產(chǎn)品也會采取big-little的大小芯片配對方法 時，East并未正面回答，但他表示，該公司打算將big-little概念帶到繪圖產(chǎn)品領域中。 在此同時，ARM也以古代神話中的巨人和神祇──Atlas和Apollo──為其下一代高階處理器核心命名。ARM支持64位運算的全新ARMv8-A架構產(chǎn)品將會以Atlas和Apollo命名。這些新的芯片可能會采用20nm制程技術，應用范圍涵蓋服務器到智能手機。包括AppliedMicro和Nvidia在內，已有四家與ARM簽署架構授權，另外ARM也表示，已經(jīng)與兩家領先的合作伙伴簽署下一代處理器核心授權協(xié)議。 ARM的Atlas/Apollo處理器可能也意味著Atlas將會是‘big-little’中的‘big’，而Apollo則化表著‘little’?！拔覀冾A計2014年量產(chǎn)Atlas和Apollo芯片，屆時20nm技術將會是主流，”East說。 在 ARM的2012年產(chǎn)品發(fā)展藍圖中，第五顆芯片的名字既不是神祇，也不是巨人，而是以‘Flycatcher’作為代號──這是ARM Cortex-M系列的新產(chǎn)品，據(jù)稱將會是ARM處理器核心中體積最小、功耗最低的產(chǎn)品。ARM透露，目前已經(jīng)和一家領先的伙伴合作就新核心進行開發(fā)。 East 表示，超低功耗的Flycatcher將能滿足智能型傳感器的應用需求。在無線傳感器網(wǎng)絡(WSN)中，智能型傳感器是構成網(wǎng)絡節(jié)點的關鍵。“之前推出的 ARM7 Thumb是低功耗核心；下一代的Cortex-M0則是Thumb2產(chǎn)品，功耗更低，但Flycatcher的更耗比它們還低，”East說。 編譯： Joy Teng 本文授權編譯自EE Times，版權所有，謝絕轉載 參考英文原文： ARM tips 'gods and giants' roadmap ，by Peter Clarke

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{pagination} ARM tips 'gods and giants' roadmap Peter Clarke LONDON – Processor and related IP licensor ARM Holdings plc has disclosed the names, but little else, on the roadmap of cores it is working on in 2012 and revealed a gods and giants theme. The roadmap includes high performance processors, a low power microcontroller and graphics cores. The codenames for the next-generation graphics cores are Skrymir and Tyr. Skrymir is a giant in Norse mythology and Tyr was a god of war and single combat and whose day is Tuesday. ARM paired these two cores together in a slide set shown to analysts as it presented its financial results for 4Q11. This might suggest that Skrymir/Tyr will be the means by which ARM will deliver its big-little processing approach in the graphics domain. In the processor domain ARM offers paired A15 and A7 cores as the big and little elements. For most of the time light computational load applications run on the A7 while the A15 is switched off. As the computational load increases clock frequency is wound up until eventually the application moves to the A15 and the A7 is switched off. The movement of tasks between paired A7 and A15 cores is triggered by the same system that drives the dynamic voltage and frequency scaling. Warren East, CEO of ARM, described the Skrymir and Tyr cores as being about high performance and energy efficiency, but said further details would be released later in 2012. The cores are intended to cover a range of applications from phones though mobile computing to consumer electronics and ARM has signed lead partners for the development of the cores. When asked if the close coupling of the names, in the form Skrymir/Tyr, indicated a big-little pair East declined to answer directly but said: "The plan will be to bring the big-little approach to graphics." ARM has chosen a classical giant and god for the names of its next-generation high-end processing cores. Atlas and Apollo will implement the ARMv8-A architecture which supports 64-bit computing. The chips are being designed for likely implementation in 20-nm manufacturing process technology and to address applications from servers down to smartphones. Four architecture licensees, including AppliedMicro and Nvidia, are signed up and ARM has two lead partners signed for next generation processor cores, ARM said. ARM's linking of the names as Atlas/Apollo could again suggest that Atlas is intended to be the "big" and Apollo the "little" in a big-little pairing. "We expect Atlas, Apollo to come into volume in 2014 and at that time it will be a 20-nm world out there," said East. The fifth chip in the 2012 roadmap is neither god nor giant. The chip, codenamed Flycatcher, is part of ARM's Cortex-M series and will be the smallest and lowest power ARM processor core available. ARM has one lead partner signed up to help the company develop the core. East said the ultralow power Flycatcher would be a natural fit in intelligent sensors and for nodes in wireless sensor networks. "ARM7 Thumb was a low power core back in the day. Cortex-M0 is Thumb2 product and even lower power and Flycatcher will be even lower power; inherently low power," said East.