XScale
Encyclopedia
The XScale, a microprocessor core
, is Intel's and Marvell
's implementation of the ARMv5 architecture
, and consists of several distinct families: IXP, IXC, IOP, PXA and CE (see more below). Intel sold the PXA family to Marvell Technology Group
in June 2006.
The XScale architecture is based on the ARMv5TE ISA
without the floating point
instructions. XScale uses a seven-stage integer and an eight-stage memory superpipelined
microarchitecture
. It is the successor to the Intel StrongARM
line of microprocessor
s and microcontroller
s, which Intel acquired from DEC
's Digital Semiconductor division as the side effect of a lawsuit between the two companies. Intel used the StrongARM to replace its ailing line of outdated RISC processors, the i860
and i960
.
All the generations of XScale are 32-bit ARMv5TE processors manufactured with a 0.18 µm or 0.13 µm (as in IXP43x parts) process and have a 32 kB
data cache
and a 32 kB instruction cache. First and second generation XScale cores also have a 2 kB mini-data cache. Products based on the 3rd generation XScale have up to 512 kB unified L2 cache.
families manufactured by Intel and Marvell, notably:
There are also standalone processors: the 80200 and 80219 (targeted primarily at PCI
applications).
The PXA25x family consists of the PXA250 and PXA255. The PXA250 was Intel's first generation of XScale processors. There was a choice of three clock speeds: 200 MHz, 300 MHz and 400 MHz. It came out in February 2002. In March 2003, the revision C0 of the PXA250 was renamed to PXA255. The main differences were a doubled internal bus speed (100 MHz to 200 MHz) for faster data transfer, lower core voltage (only 1.3 V at 400 MHz) for lower power consumption and writeback functionality for the data cache, the lack of which had severely impaired performance on the PXA250.
memory stacked on top of the processor in the same package; 16 MB of 16-bit memory in the PXA261, 32 MB of 16-bit memory in the PXA262 and 32 MB of 32-bit memory in the PXA263. The PXA26x family was released in March 2003.
Intel also added many new technologies to the PXA27x family such as:
The PXA27x family was released in April 2004. Along with the PXA27x family Intel released the 2700G
embedded graphics co-processor.
In August 2005 Intel announced the successor to Bulverde, codenamed Monahans.
They demonstrated it showing its capability to play back high definition encoded video on a PDA screen.
The new processor was shown clocked at 1.25 GHz but Intel said it only offered a 25% increase in performance (800 MIPS for the 624 MHz PXA270 processor vs. 1000 MIPS for 1.25 GHz Monahans). An announced successor to the 2700G graphics processor, code named Stanwood, has since been canceled. Some of the features of Stanwood are integrated into Monahans. For extra graphics capabilities, Intel recommends third-party chips like the NVIDIA
GoForce
chip family.
In November 2006, Marvell Semiconductor
officially introduced the Monahans family as Marvell PXA320, PXA300, and PXA310. PXA320 is currently shipping in high volume, and is scalable up to 806 MHz. PXA300 and PXA310 deliver performance "scalable to 624 MHz", and are software-compatible with PXA320.
The PXA90x is build using a 130 nm process
This design, called the Sheeva core, is ARM-compliant.
The Sheeva core is a so-called Tri-core architecture codenamed Tavor; Tri-core means it supports the ARMv5TE, ARMv6 and ARMv7 instruction sets. This new architecture was a significant leap from the old Xscale architecture. The PXA930 uses 65 nm technology while the PXA935 is build using the 45 nm process.
The PXA930 is used in the Blackberry Bold 9700.
compliant. It is utilized in the Blackberry Torch 9800 and is built using 45 nm technology.
markets, the Intel CE 2110.
BlackBerry
handheld, the Dell Axim
family of Pocket PC
s, most of the Zire, Treo and Tungsten Handheld
lines by Palm, later versions of the Sharp Zaurus
, the Motorola A780
, the Acer n50, the Compaq iPaq
3900 series and many other PDA
s. It is used as the main CPU
in the Iyonix PC
desktop computer running RISC OS
, and the NSLU2
(Slug) running a form of Linux
. The XScale is also used in devices such as PVPs (Portable Video Players), PMCs (Portable Media Centres), including the Creative Zen
Portable Media Player and Amazon Kindle
E-Book reader, and industrial embedded systems.
At the other end of the market, the XScale IOP33x Storage I/O processors are used in some Intel Xeon
-based server platforms.
for an estimated $600 million in cash and the assumption of unspecified liabilities. The move was intended to permit Intel to focus its resources on its core x86 and server businesses. Marvell holds a full Architecture License for ARM, allowing it to design chips to implement the ARM instruction set, not just license a processor core.
The acquisition was completed on November 9, 2006. Intel was expected to continue manufacturing XScale processors until Marvell secures other manufacturing facilities, and would continue manufacturing and selling the IXP and IOP processors, as they were not part of the deal.
The XScale effort at Intel was initiated by the purchase of the StrongARM
division from Digital Equipment Corporation
in 1998. Intel still holds an ARM license even after the sale of XScale.
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
, is Intel's and Marvell
Marvell Technology Group
Marvell is an American producer of storage, communications and consumer semiconductor products.Founded in 1995, Marvell Technology Group Ltd. has operations worldwide and approximately 5,700 employees. Marvell’s U.S. operating subsidiary is based in Santa Clara, California and Marvell has...
's implementation of the ARMv5 architecture
ARM architecture
ARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
, and consists of several distinct families: IXP, IXC, IOP, PXA and CE (see more below). Intel sold the PXA family to Marvell Technology Group
Marvell Technology Group
Marvell is an American producer of storage, communications and consumer semiconductor products.Founded in 1995, Marvell Technology Group Ltd. has operations worldwide and approximately 5,700 employees. Marvell’s U.S. operating subsidiary is based in Santa Clara, California and Marvell has...
in June 2006.
The XScale architecture is based on the ARMv5TE ISA
Instruction set
An instruction set, or instruction set architecture , is the part of the computer architecture related to programming, including the native data types, instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception handling, and external I/O...
without the floating point
Floating point
In computing, floating point describes a method of representing real numbers in a way that can support a wide range of values. Numbers are, in general, represented approximately to a fixed number of significant digits and scaled using an exponent. The base for the scaling is normally 2, 10 or 16...
instructions. XScale uses a seven-stage integer and an eight-stage memory superpipelined
Instruction pipeline
An instruction pipeline is a technique used in the design of computers and other digital electronic devices to increase their instruction throughput ....
microarchitecture
Microarchitecture
In computer engineering, microarchitecture , also called computer organization, is the way a given instruction set architecture is implemented on a processor. A given ISA may be implemented with different microarchitectures. Implementations might vary due to different goals of a given design or...
. It is the successor to the Intel StrongARM
StrongARM
The StrongARM is a family of microprocessors that implemented the ARM V4 instruction set architecture . It was developed by Digital Equipment Corporation and later sold to Intel, who continued to manufacture it before replacing it with the XScale....
line of microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
s and microcontroller
Microcontroller
A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. Program memory in the form of NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM...
s, which Intel acquired from DEC
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
's Digital Semiconductor division as the side effect of a lawsuit between the two companies. Intel used the StrongARM to replace its ailing line of outdated RISC processors, the i860
Intel i860
The Intel i860 was a RISC microprocessor from Intel, first released in 1989. The i860 was one of Intel's first attempts at an entirely new, high-end instruction set since the failed Intel i432 from the 1980s...
and i960
Intel i960
Intel's i960 was a RISC-based microprocessor design that became popular during the early 1990s as an embedded microcontroller, becoming a best-selling CPU in that field, along with the competing AMD 29000...
.
All the generations of XScale are 32-bit ARMv5TE processors manufactured with a 0.18 µm or 0.13 µm (as in IXP43x parts) process and have a 32 kB
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
data cache
CPU cache
A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations...
and a 32 kB instruction cache. First and second generation XScale cores also have a 2 kB mini-data cache. Products based on the 3rd generation XScale have up to 512 kB unified L2 cache.
Processor families
The XScale core is used in a number of microcontrollerMicrocontroller
A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. Program memory in the form of NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM...
families manufactured by Intel and Marvell, notably:
- Application Processors (with the prefix PXA). There are four generations of XScale Application Processors, described below: PXA210/PXA25x, PXA26x, PXA27x, and PXA3xx.
- I/O Processors (with the prefix IOP)
- Network Processors (with the prefix IXP)
- Control Plane Processors (with the prefix IXC).
- Consumer Electronics Processors (with the prefix CE).
There are also standalone processors: the 80200 and 80219 (targeted primarily at PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect
Conventional PCI is a computer bus for attaching hardware devices in a computer...
applications).
PXA210/PXA25x
The PXA210 was Intel's entry-level XScale targeted at mobile phone applications. It was released with the PXA250 in February 2002 and comes clocked at 133 MHz and 200 MHz.The PXA25x family consists of the PXA250 and PXA255. The PXA250 was Intel's first generation of XScale processors. There was a choice of three clock speeds: 200 MHz, 300 MHz and 400 MHz. It came out in February 2002. In March 2003, the revision C0 of the PXA250 was renamed to PXA255. The main differences were a doubled internal bus speed (100 MHz to 200 MHz) for faster data transfer, lower core voltage (only 1.3 V at 400 MHz) for lower power consumption and writeback functionality for the data cache, the lack of which had severely impaired performance on the PXA250.
PXA26x
The PXA26x family consists of the PXA260 and PXA261-PXA263. The PXA260 is a stand-alone processor clocked at the same frequency as the PXA25x, but features a TPBGA package which is about 53% smaller than the PXA25x's PBGA package. The PXA261-PXA263 are the same as the PXA260 but have Intel StrataFlashStrataFlash
StrataFlash is a NOR flash memory technology first developed by Intel.It stores two or more bits of information per cell rather than just one, in an architecture called Multi-Level Cell . This is accomplished by storing intermediate voltage levels instead of using only the two levels of...
memory stacked on top of the processor in the same package; 16 MB of 16-bit memory in the PXA261, 32 MB of 16-bit memory in the PXA262 and 32 MB of 32-bit memory in the PXA263. The PXA26x family was released in March 2003.
PXA27x
The PXA27x family (code-named Bulverde) consists of the PXA270 and PXA271-PXA272 processors. This revision is a huge update to the XScale family of processors. The PXA270 is clocked in four different speeds: 312 MHz, 416 MHz, 520 MHz and 624 MHz and is a stand-alone processor with no packaged memory. The PXA271 can be clocked to 13, 104, 208 MHz or 416 MHz and has 32 MB of 16-bit stacked StrataFlash memory and 32 MB of 16-bit SDRAM in the same package. The PXA272 can be clocked to 312 MHz, 416 MHz or 520 MHz and has 64 MB of 32-bit stacked StrataFlash memory.Intel also added many new technologies to the PXA27x family such as:
- Wireless SpeedStepSpeedStepSpeedStep is a trademark for a series of dynamic frequency scaling technologies built into some Intel microprocessors that allow the clock speed of the processor to be dynamically changed by software...
: the operating system can clock the processor down based on load to save power. - Wireless MMX: 43 new SIMDSIMDSingle instruction, multiple data , is a class of parallel computers in Flynn's taxonomy. It describes computers with multiple processing elements that perform the same operation on multiple data simultaneously...
instructions containing the full MMX instruction setInstruction setAn instruction set, or instruction set architecture , is the part of the computer architecture related to programming, including the native data types, instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception handling, and external I/O...
and the integer instructions from Intel's SSEStreaming SIMD ExtensionsIn computing, Streaming SIMD Extensions is a SIMD instruction set extension to the x86 architecture, designed by Intel and introduced in 1999 in their Pentium III series processors as a reply to AMD's 3DNow! . SSE contains 70 new instructions, most of which work on single precision floating point...
instruction set along with some instructions unique to the XScale. Wireless MMX provides 16 extra 64-bit registersProcessor registerIn computer architecture, a processor register is a small amount of storage available as part of a CPU or other digital processor. Such registers are addressed by mechanisms other than main memory and can be accessed more quickly...
that can be treated as an array of two 32-bit words, four 16-bit halfwords or eight 8-bit byteByteThe byte is a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer...
s. The XScale core can then perform up to eight adds or four MACs in parallel in a single cycle. This capability is used to boost speed in decodingDecoderA decoder is a device which does the reverse operation of an encoder, undoing the encoding so that the original information can be retrieved. The same method used to encode is usually just reversed in order to decode...
and encodingEncoderAn encoder is a device, circuit, transducer, software program, algorithm or person that converts information from one format or code to another, for the purposes of standardization, speed, secrecy, security, or saving space by shrinking size.-Media:...
of multimedia and in playing games. - Additional peripherals, such as a USB-Host interface and a camera interface.
- Internal 256 kB SRAMStatic random access memoryStatic random-access memory is a type of semiconductor memory where the word static indicates that, unlike dynamic RAM , it does not need to be periodically refreshed, as SRAM uses bistable latching circuitry to store each bit...
to reduce power consumption and latency.
The PXA27x family was released in April 2004. Along with the PXA27x family Intel released the 2700G
Intel 2700G
Intel 2700G is a low power graphics co-processor for the XScale PXA27x processor. It is built on PowerVR MBX Lite and MVED1 technology.-2700G3:...
embedded graphics co-processor.
PXA3xx
They demonstrated it showing its capability to play back high definition encoded video on a PDA screen.
The new processor was shown clocked at 1.25 GHz but Intel said it only offered a 25% increase in performance (800 MIPS for the 624 MHz PXA270 processor vs. 1000 MIPS for 1.25 GHz Monahans). An announced successor to the 2700G graphics processor, code named Stanwood, has since been canceled. Some of the features of Stanwood are integrated into Monahans. For extra graphics capabilities, Intel recommends third-party chips like the NVIDIA
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
GoForce
GoForce
The Nvidia GoForce was a line of chipsets that was used mainly in handheld devices such as PDAs and mobile phones. It has been replaced by the Nvidia Tegra series of SoCs.-GoForce 2150:Featuring 1.3-megapixel camera support, JPEG support, and 2D acceleration....
chip family.
In November 2006, Marvell Semiconductor
Marvell Technology Group
Marvell is an American producer of storage, communications and consumer semiconductor products.Founded in 1995, Marvell Technology Group Ltd. has operations worldwide and approximately 5,700 employees. Marvell’s U.S. operating subsidiary is based in Santa Clara, California and Marvell has...
officially introduced the Monahans family as Marvell PXA320, PXA300, and PXA310. PXA320 is currently shipping in high volume, and is scalable up to 806 MHz. PXA300 and PXA310 deliver performance "scalable to 624 MHz", and are software-compatible with PXA320.
PXA16x
The pxa16x delivers strong performance at a mass market price point for cost sensitive consumer and embedded markets such as digital picture frames, E Readers, multifunction printer user interface (UI) displays, interactive VoIP phones, IP surveillance cameras, and home control gadgets..PXA90x
The PXA90x was released by Marvell and combines an XScale Core with a GSM/CDMA communication module.The PXA90x is build using a 130 nm process
PXA930/935
The PXA930 and PXA935 processor series were built using an architecture developed by Marvell, instead of using an Xscale or ARM design.This design, called the Sheeva core, is ARM-compliant.
The Sheeva core is a so-called Tri-core architecture codenamed Tavor; Tri-core means it supports the ARMv5TE, ARMv6 and ARMv7 instruction sets. This new architecture was a significant leap from the old Xscale architecture. The PXA930 uses 65 nm technology while the PXA935 is build using the 45 nm process.
The PXA930 is used in the Blackberry Bold 9700.
PXA940
Little is known about the PXA940, it is known to be ARM Cortex-A8ARM Cortex-A8
The ARM Cortex-A8 is a processor core designed by ARM Holdings implementing the ARM v7 instruction set architecture. Compared to the ARM11 core, the Cortex-A8 is dual-issue superscalar, achieving roughly twice the instructions executed per clock cycle....
compliant. It is utilized in the Blackberry Torch 9800 and is built using 45 nm technology.
IXC1100
The IXC1100 processor features clock speeds at 266, 400, and 533 MHz, a 133 MHz bus, 32 kB of instruction cache, 32 kB of data cache, and 2 kB of mini-data cache. It is also designed for low power consumption, using 2.4 W at 533 MHz. The chip comes in the 35 mm PBGA package.IOP
The IOP line of processors is designed to allow computers and storage devices to transfer data and increase performance by offloading I/O functionality from the main CPU of the device. The IOP3XX processors are based on the XScale architecture and designed to replace the older 80219 processor and i960 family of chips. There are ten different IOP processors currently available: IOP303, IOP310, IOP315, IOP321, IOP331, IOP332, IOP333, IOP341, IOP342 and IOP348. Clock speeds range from 100 MHz to 1.2 GHz. The processors also differ in PCI bus type, PCI bus speed, memory type, maximum memory allowable, and the number of processor cores.IXP network processor
The XScale core is utilized in the second generation of Intel's IXP network processor line, while the first generation used StrongARM cores. The IXP network processor family ranges from solutions aimed at small/medium office network applications , IXP4XX, to high performance network processors such as the IXP2850, capable of sustaining up to OC-192 line rates. In IXP4XX devices the XScale core is used as both a control and data plane processor, providing both system control and data processing. The task of the XScale in the IXP2XXX devices is typically to provide control plane functionality only, with data processing performed by the microengines, examples of such control plane tasks include routing table updates, microengine control, memory management.CE
In April 2007, Intel announced an XScale based processor targeting consumer electronicsConsumer electronics
Consumer electronics are electronic equipment intended for everyday use, most often in entertainment, communications and office productivity. Radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought the first major consumer product, the broadcast receiver...
markets, the Intel CE 2110.
Applications
XScale microprocessors can be found in products such as the popular RIMResearch In Motion
Research In Motion Limited or RIM is a Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada that designs, manufactures and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market...
BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
handheld, the Dell Axim
Dell Axim
The Dell Axim family of personal digital assistants was Dell's line of Windows Mobile-powered Pocket PC Devices. The first model, the Axim X5, was introduced in 2002, while the final model, the Axim X51, was discontinued on April 9, 2007....
family of Pocket PC
Pocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
s, most of the Zire, Treo and Tungsten Handheld
Tungsten Handheld
The Tungsten series was Palm, Inc.'s line of business-class Palm OS-based PDAs. With the purchase of the Palm name from PalmSource, Palm has dropped the Tungsten name from its newer offerings. , only the Tungsten E2 continues to use the Tungsten name...
lines by Palm, later versions of the Sharp Zaurus
Sharp Zaurus
The Sharp Zaurus is the name of a series of Personal Digital Assistant made by Sharp Corporation. The Zaurus was the most popular PDA during the 1990s in Japan and was based on a proprietary operating system. The first Sharp PDA to use the Linux operating system was the SL-5000D, running the...
, the Motorola A780
Motorola A780
The Motorola A780 is a mobile phone and PDA running the Linux operating system.It was sold in Europe and Asia, and first introduced in 2003. Some models include GPS and navigation software.-Design:The Motorola A780 is a Linux-based smartphone...
, the Acer n50, the Compaq iPaq
IPAQ
iPAQ presently refers to a Pocket PC and personal digital assistant first unveiled by Compaq in April 2000; the name was borrowed from Compaq's earlier iPAQ Desktop Personal Computers. Since Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq, the product has been marketed by HP. The devices use a Windows...
3900 series and many other PDA
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
s. It is used as the main CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
in the Iyonix PC
Iyonix PC
The Iyonix PC was an Acorn-clone personal computer from Castle Technology. It was released in 2002 and runs .- History :The Iyonix originated as a secret project by Pace engineers in connection with development of set-top boxes . Pace had a licence to develop RISCOS Ltd's OS sources for use in the...
desktop computer running RISC OS
RISC OS
RISC OS is a computer operating system originally developed by Acorn Computers Ltd in Cambridge, England for their range of desktop computers, based on their own ARM architecture. First released in 1987, under the name Arthur, the subsequent iteration was renamed as in 1988...
, and the NSLU2
NSLU2
The NSLU2 is a Network-attached storage device made by Linksys introduced in 2004 and discontinued in 2008. It makes USB Flash memory and hard disks accessible over a network using the SMB protocol...
(Slug) running a form of Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
. The XScale is also used in devices such as PVPs (Portable Video Players), PMCs (Portable Media Centres), including the Creative Zen
Creative Zen
The Creative ZEN is a range of digital audio players and portable media players made by Creative Technology. The players evolved from the now-defunct NOMAD brand through the NOMAD Jukebox series...
Portable Media Player and Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle
The Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader developed by Amazon.com subsidiary Lab126 which uses wireless connectivity to enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media...
E-Book reader, and industrial embedded systems.
At the other end of the market, the XScale IOP33x Storage I/O processors are used in some Intel Xeon
Xeon
The Xeon is a brand of multiprocessing- or multi-socket-capable x86 microprocessors from Intel Corporation targeted at the non-consumer server, workstation and embedded system markets.-Overview:...
-based server platforms.
Sale of PXA processor line
On June 27, 2006, the sale of Intel's XScale PXA mobile processor assets was announced. Intel agreed to sell the XScale PXA business to Marvell Technology GroupMarvell Technology Group
Marvell is an American producer of storage, communications and consumer semiconductor products.Founded in 1995, Marvell Technology Group Ltd. has operations worldwide and approximately 5,700 employees. Marvell’s U.S. operating subsidiary is based in Santa Clara, California and Marvell has...
for an estimated $600 million in cash and the assumption of unspecified liabilities. The move was intended to permit Intel to focus its resources on its core x86 and server businesses. Marvell holds a full Architecture License for ARM, allowing it to design chips to implement the ARM instruction set, not just license a processor core.
The acquisition was completed on November 9, 2006. Intel was expected to continue manufacturing XScale processors until Marvell secures other manufacturing facilities, and would continue manufacturing and selling the IXP and IOP processors, as they were not part of the deal.
The XScale effort at Intel was initiated by the purchase of the StrongARM
StrongARM
The StrongARM is a family of microprocessors that implemented the ARM V4 instruction set architecture . It was developed by Digital Equipment Corporation and later sold to Intel, who continued to manufacture it before replacing it with the XScale....
division from Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
in 1998. Intel still holds an ARM license even after the sale of XScale.
See also
- RedBootRedBootRedBoot is an open source application that uses the eCos real-time operating system Hardware Abstraction Layer to provide bootstrap firmware for embedded systems...
open-source bootloader, the standard boot firmware shipped with XScale boards