The ARM Cortex™-M1 processor is the first ARM processor designed specifically for implementation in FPGAs. The Cortex-M1 processor targets all major FPGA devices and includes support for leading FPGA synthesis tools, allowing the designer to choose the optimal implementation for each project.
The Cortex-M1 processor enables OEMs to achieve significant cost savings through rationalization of software and tools investments across multiple projects spanning FPGA, ASIC and ASSP, plus greater vendor independence through use of an industry-standard processor.
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The Cortex-M1 processor is a streamlined three-stage 32-bit RISC processor that implements the popular, high density Thumb-2® instruction set. This enables both the processor and software footprint to meet the area budget of the smallest FPGA devices, while retaining compatibility with Thumb code for any ARM processor from the ARM7TDMI® processor upwards. Despite being the smallest processor in the Cortex processor family, the Cortex-M1 processor can deliver 0.8 DMIPS/MHz. The Cortex-M1 processor is fully supported by the ARM RealView® Development Suite and RealView Microcontroller Development Kit. The RealView Development Suite includes a complete instruction set system model (ISSM) allowing developers to create and test applications for the Cortex-M1 processor out of the box. Developers can easily customize the RealView Development Suite’s debugger to visualize and interact with peripherals added around a Cortex-M1 processor, and can also connect and debug applications running on Cortex-M1 silicon using ARM’s high-performance RealView ICE and ULINK®2 run control units. The Cortex-M1 processor also benefits from broad and growing support from tools and RTOS vendors in the ARM Connected Community. System performance and design turn around time are boosted further with ARM AMBA® compliant PrimeCell® peripheral IP, including ARM’s latest ultra-efficient microDMA (PL230). Applications: Automotive Wireless base-station Aerospace Industrial control
Features: Low area, high-frequency design Streamlined three-stage 32-bit RISC processor Configurable TCM instruction and data memories (1024k to 1k) 1 to 32 interrupts 4 priority levels per interrupt Removable debug, breakpoint and watchpoint
The Cortex-M1 processor may be implemented on any FPGA device using either proprietary or vendor independent synthesis flows: | FPGA Device Compatability | | Implementation Tool Compatibility | | Actel ProASIC3L & ProASIC3/E | | Actel Libero | | Actel Fusion | | | | Actel IGLOO/e | | | | Altera Cyclone II | | Altera Quartus II | | Altera Cyclone III | | | | Altera Stratix II | | Synplicity Synplify Pro | | Altera Stratix III | | | | Xilinx Spartan-3 | | Mentor Precision | | Xilinx Virtex-2 | | | | Xilinx Virtex-4 | | Xilinx ISE | | Xilinx Virtex-5 | | |
For more information about ARM FPGA solutions, go to http://www.arm.com/fpga/ | 
