Atmel MCU to receive ARM Cortex-M3 dose

Atmel Corp. has licensed the ARM Cortex-M3 32bit RISC processor for next generation AT91SAM ARM technology-based microcontrollers. This reinforces Atmel's commitment to the ARM architecture, complementing its existing licenses for the ARM7TDMI, ARM926EJ-S and ARM1176JZ-S processors.

Atmel's planned AT91SAM3 flash MCU family will combine the ARM Cortex-M3 processor with the outstanding system implementation features that have placed the AT91SAM series at the forefront of its market. These include the multilayer internal buses, an enhancement to the DMA for system peripherals and distributed peripheral data controllers (PDCs) that give the AT91SAM family its high internal data bandwidth, and enable intensive data processing and high-speed data transfers to take place concurrently, when compared to other implementations of the Cortex architecture. Atmel's high-density on-chip flash memory reduces the application chip count, shortens boot and program load times and improves system security. The multiple operating modes of the AT91SAM3 enable it to achieve excellent power consumption under all conditions of use.

The AT91SAM3 family has Atmel's distinctive uniform peripheral register structure that simplifies application programming, and enables software modules to be easily transferred from one family member to another. This uniformity of peripheral programming extends to development tools from Atmel's established ecosystem of industry-leading third-party suppliers. It is a major aid to application development.

Alfredo Vadillo, Atmel's managing director for ARM microcontrollers, commented, "The ARM Cortex-M3 processor gives our customers the option of taking advantage of the latest developments in ARM's 32bit RISC technology in terms of performance and power consumption, together with all the benefits of the AT91SAM family architecture and IP, as well as the ARM ecosystem.

Atmel's AT91SAM3 flash MCU family based on the ARM Cortex-M3 processor will be available in Q4.