Taking the risk out of embedded RISC ASIC design

The worlds leading chip designers and manufacturers have recently introduced several 32-bit Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) processors designed for embedded applications in hopes of capturing their share of the 32-bit RISC market. VLSI Technology, a recognized leader in ASIC design and manufacturing, offers a 32-bit RISC solution based on the ARM architecture. Embedding a microprocessor into an ASIC design presents some interesting challenges as well as offering some powerful capabilities, both of which are discussed in this paper