Global Unichip Expands Relationship with ARM

CAMBRIDGE, UK – Mar. 12, 2004 –ARM, [(LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq:ARMHY)], the industry’s leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor technology, today announced that Global Unichip Corporation (Unichip), a dedicated one-stop full service SoC (system-on-chip) design foundry, has licensed the ARM926EJ-S™ core. As one of four Taiwan ARM® Approved Design Center (ADC) Partners, Unichip will offer total design, consultancy and foundry capabilities to OEMs and silicon vendors of ARM core-based systems, aimed at mature and leading-edge technologies.

By licensing the ARM926EJ-S RTL core, Unichip is expanding its current ARM portfolio, which includes the ARM7TDMI® core, the ARM922T™ core, and the ARM946E-S™ core. By licensing the core, Unichip will now be able to generate various configurations based on their customer’s application. Through the Program, Unichip can fulfill the one-stop full service aim to streamline the design and manufacturing process of ARM core-based systems by offering a comprehensive solution including ARM core, logic design, verification, physical design, mask-tooling and foundry/package/testing services. In addition, Unichip’s partnership with TSMC, an ARM Foundry Program Partner, enables it to excel as an SoC design foundry and solution provider for customers throughout Asia, North America and Europe.

“ARM’s continued work with Unichip increases the availability of our low-power, high performance, flexible technology to companies looking for a complete, high quality SoC solution,” said Philip Lu, president, ARM Taiwan. “In addition, Unichip’s partnership with industry leader TSMC ensures that its customers will benefit from working with trusted ARM Partners.”

“Unichip’s extended relationship with ARM enhances our competitive edge and provides the marketplace with the most advanced semiconductor IP at a competitive cost,” said K.C. Shih, chairman and CEO, Global Unichip Corporation.  “Our end-to-end business model enables us to work with our customers to shorten the time-to-market from product concept to manufacturing and shipping of ARM core-based products.”

The ARM926EJ-S core is fully synthesizable, and features a Jazelle® technology enhanced 32-bit RISC CPU, flexible size instruction and data caches, tightly coupled memory (TCM) interfaces, memory management unit (MMU). It also provides separate instruction and data AMBA™ bus compliant AHB interfaces particularly suitable for Multi-layer AHB technology-based systems.

About the ARM Approved Design Center Program
ARM Approved Design Center Partners must go through a strict qualification process to become an ARM Approved Design Center. This includes a design flow audit, training on implementing designs with ARM cores, tools, AMBA interface peripherals and development techniques. Each Design Center must demonstrate its own unique skills in specific technology domains, as well as end-market expertise. The ARM Approved Design Center Program also provides additional benefits such as geographic and time-zone locality, and local language support.  For more information on the ARM Approved Design Center Program, please email info@arm.com or visit the ARM website. 

About ARM
ARM is the industry’s leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-on-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM’s microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming a volume RISC standard in such markets as portable communications, hand-held computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com/.

ENDS

ARM, ARM7TDMI and Jazelle are registered trademarks of ARM Limited.  ARM926EJ-S, ARM922T,
ARM946E-S and AMBA are trademarks of ARM Limited.  “ARM” is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (LSE: ARM and Nasdaq: ARMHY); its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd; ARM Taiwan; ARM France SAS; ARM Consulting (Shanghai) Co.Ltd.; and ARM Belgium N.V.