ARM The Architecture For The Digital World  

ARM7TDMI Processor

ARM7TDMI Processor Image The ARM7TDMI® 32-bit embedded RISC processor can be licensed as either a fully synthesizable design or as a hard macrocell that has been optimized to provide the best combination of performance, power and area characteristics for a specific process geometry or fab. The ARM7TDMI processor enables system designers to build embedded devices requiring small size, low power and high performance.

To enable smaller organizations to access the processor the hard macrocell version is available through the ARM Foundry Program and the DesignStart Program.

 


ARM7TDMI - World’s most widely used 32-bit embedded processor

  • Introduced in 1994
  • 170+ silicon licensees
  • 10 Billion+ Units Shipped
  • Continues to be used in a wide variety of designs
  • Multiple upward migration routes available  

Texas Instruments  Samsung STMicroelectronics Atmel Infineon  Broadcom   NXP  Qualcomm

The full list of licensees is available here


Exceptional Value

“By now, engineers at many companies can design an ARM7TDMI processor-based chip with their eyes closed. And their programmers can go home early, because the finished silicon will be compatible with existing software“ - Tom Halfhill, Senior Editor & Senior Analyst, Microprocessor Report, 2005

  • Industry standard architecture
  • Balanced PPA   
  • Simple to design & debug
  • Tailored physical, system & 3rd party IP from ARM 

Cost Effective

Proven, Low-Risk and Easy to use 

  • Processors are available to licese in a number of forms including per-use, multi-year term, and perpetual use licenses.
  • Many available as hard-macros to reduce time-to-market and design risks
  • Low cost project entry & rapid time to market

Ecosystem

Over 650 members in the Connected Community supporting the ARM7TDMI

  • Broadest ecosystem of compilers, debuggers and RTOS tools in the industry
  • Plentiful design services partners to aid in design task
  • Large variety of third party IP available to integrate with processors.


ARM7TDMI Performance, Power & Area
 Process

TSMC 180nm G

TSMC 130nm G

TSMC 90 G

 Optimization type

Speed Optimized

Speed Optimized 

Area Optimized 

Speed Optimized 

 Area Optimized 

 Standard Cell Library

ARM SC9

ARM SC12

ARM SC9 

ARM SC10

ARM SC7 

 Performance (Total DMIPS)

 94

 173

 100

 189

 113

 Frequency* (MHz)

 85

 184

 106

 204

 120

 Power Efficiency† (DMIPS/mW)

 3.36

 5.22

 9.4

 10.44

 15.67

 Area (mm2)

 0.62

 0.35

 0.24

 0.153

 0.10

 

Core area, frequency range and power consumption are dependent on process, libraries and optimizations. The numbers quoted above are illustrative of synthesized cores using general purpose TSMC process technologies and ARM Physical IP standard cell libraries and RAMs.

The speed optimized implementations refer to the library choices and synthesis flow decisions and tradeoffs made in order to achieve the target frequency performance. The area optimized implementations refer to the library choices and synthesis flow decisions and tradeoffs made in order to achieve a target area density.

* Worst case conditions –   0.18µm process - 1.62V, 125C, slow silicon ;  0.13µm process - 1.08V, 125C, slow silicon ;  90nm process - 0.9V, 125C, slow silicon

† Typical case conditions– 0.18µm process–1.8V, 25C, typical silicon ;  0.13µm process - 1.2V, 25C, typical silicon ; 90nm process - 1V, 25C, typical silicon


 

 ARM7TDMI Specifications

ArchitectureARMv4T (Von Neumann) 
ISA SupportARM / Thumb®
Pipeline3-Stage
Dhrystone0.94 (ARM) / 0.74 (Thumb)          
InterruptsFIQ / IRQ
Extensive debug facilitiesEmbeddedICE-RT real-time debug unit
JTAG interface unit
Interface for direct connection to CoreSight ETM™
Availability   Synthesisable / Hard Macro

Benefits

  • Generic layout can be ported to specific process technologies
  • Unified memory bus simplifies SoC integration process
  • ARM and Thumb instructions sets can be mixed with minimal overhead to support application requirements for speed and code density
  • Code written for ARM7TDMI-S processor easily migrated to other ARM processors such as the Cortex-M3 processor
  • Small die size reduces overall SoC area, cost and power consumption
  • Low power consumption enables battery-powered devices
  • Scannable design means high levels of testability can be achieved
  • Instruction set can be extended for specific requirements using coprocessors
  • EmbeddedICE-RT and optional ETM units enable extensive, real-time debug facilities

 

 

 


System Development

Connect to standard System IP - AMBA® interconnect compatibility for fast and efficient system design with peripherals and memories.

 

System IP

System IP components are essential for building complex system on chips and by utilizing ARM System IP components developers can significantly reduce development and validation cycles, saving cost and reducing time to market

Description

AMBA Bus

System IP Components

Enable fast configuration of embedded systems with an AMBA AHB interface

AHB

AMBA Design Kit (ADK)

AHB Memory Controllers (Dynamic, static and hybrid memory controllers)

AHB

PL24X family

Synthesisable UART

AHB

PL011

Synthesisable Single-wire Peripheral Interface (SPI) controller

AHB

PL022

Synthesisable keyboard or mouse interface complying with IBM-defined PS/2 interface standard

AHB

PL050

Synthesisable GPIO controller supporting 8 bits with interrupt control.

AHB

PL061

 

Media Processors

The Mali™ family of products combine to provide the complete graphics stack for all embedded graphics needs, enabling device manufacturers and content developers to deliver the highest quality, cutting edge graphics solutions across the broadest range of consumer devices.

Mali-55 GPU

The Mali-55 GPU is the world’s smallest OpenGL ES 1.1 compliant GPU using the Mali tile-based rendering architecture to maximize the efficiency of energy usage in displaying graphical images and to minimize the bandwidth demands on the system.

 

Physical IP

ARM® Physical IP Platforms deliver process optimized IP, for best-in-class implementations of ARM processors.

Standard Cell Logic Libraries

Available in a variety of different architectures ARM Standard Cell Libraries support a wide performance range for all types of SoC designs. Designers can choose between different libraries and optimize their designs for speed, power and/or area

Memory Compilers and Registers

A broad array of silicon proven SRAMRegister File and ROM memory compilers for all types of SoC designs ranging from performance critical to cost sensitive and low power applications.

Interface Libraires

A broad portfolio of silicon-proven Interface IP designed to meet varying system architectures and standards. General Purpose I/O, Specialty I/OHigh Speed DDR and Serial Interfaces are optimized to deliver high data throughput performance with low pin counts.

 

Tools Ecosystem

All ARM processors are supported by the ARM RealView® portfolio of development tools, as well as a wide range of third party tools, operating system and EDA vendors. ARM RealView tools are unique in their ability to provide solutions that span the complete development process from concept to final product deployment.

 


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