QUALCOMM Acquires License for ARM7TDMI and ARM Software Development Tools

QUALCOMM announced it has licensed from ARM the ARM7TDMI low-cost, low-power, 32-bit RISC CPU core for QUALCOMM's fifth-generation MSM3000, IS-95-B Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) baseband modem chipset. QUALCOMM also licensed rights to ARM's software development tools.

QUALCOMM's recently introduced MSM3000 fifth-generation single-chip Mobile Station Modem (MSM) is a single-chip baseband solution for the cellular or PCS standard to enable data speeds above 6 kbps. The MSM3000 utilizes ARM technology for the first time resulting in advanced power control and several other new features providing effective use of handsets for a new breed of Internet applications with fast packet switched access to databases, e-mail and web browsing. Samples of the MSM3000 are expected to ship in July 1998.

The ARM7TDMI core is a small, high-performance, power-efficient 32-bit RISC processor. The ARM7TDMI core incorporates the Thumb extension as an integral part of its instruction set. The Thumb extension utilizes an alternate set of 16-bit instruction encodings, reducing external system memory by a third, while providing 32-bit performance on chip. The Thumb extension dramatically reduces system cost and power consumption.

To facilitate software development, the ARM peripherals have been customized by QUALCOMM to facilitate in-phone debugging capabilities of production handsets. The existing MSM code base and Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) is ported to the ARM microprocessor and then re-layered, meeting the need for smooth migration and fast implementation of new services and user interfaces.