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What is ARM Architecture?
ARM architecture (original name: Acorn RISC Machine) is a 32-bit RISC processor architecture widely used in many embedded designs. Due to its power-saving features, ARM processors are the most preferred CPUs in markets where low power consumption is a critical parameter, such as in mobile electronics.
Today, the ARM processor family constitutes 75% of all 32-bit embedded processors worldwide. ARM processors are extensively used in various fields of consumer electronics, from portable devices (PDAs, mobile phones, media players, handheld gaming units, and calculators) to computer components (hard drives, desktop routers). Intel's XScale is currently one of the most important branches of this family.
The most popular ARM architecture instruction sets used in embedded design applications are the 32-bit ARM and 16-bit Thumb instruction sets. Each Thumb instruction has an equivalent ARM instruction, but the reverse is not true. This limitation has been overcome by enabling these two instruction sets to work together (interworking). This allows the combination of the lower memory usage of the 16-bit instruction set with the superior functionality features of the 32-bit instruction set.
ARM architecture (original name: Acorn RISC Machine) is a 32-bit RISC processor architecture widely used in many embedded designs. Due to its power-saving features, ARM processors are the most preferred CPUs in markets where low power consumption is a critical parameter, such as in mobile electronics.
Today, the ARM processor family constitutes 75% of all 32-bit embedded processors worldwide. ARM processors are extensively used in various fields of consumer electronics, from portable devices (PDAs, mobile phones, media players, handheld gaming units, and calculators) to computer components (hard drives, desktop routers). Intel's XScale is currently one of the most important branches of this family.
The most popular ARM architecture instruction sets used in embedded design applications are the 32-bit ARM and 16-bit Thumb instruction sets. Each Thumb instruction has an equivalent ARM instruction, but the reverse is not true. This limitation has been overcome by enabling these two instruction sets to work together (interworking). This allows the combination of the lower memory usage of the 16-bit instruction set with the superior functionality features of the 32-bit instruction set.