ARM – ADVANCED RISC MACHINE

Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) Processor is considered to be a family of Central

Processing Units that are used in music players, smartphones, wearables, tablets, and other
consumer electronic devices.

Advanced RISC Machines create the ARM processor architecture, hence the name ARM.
This needs very few instruction sets and transistors. It has very small in size. This is the
reason that it is a perfect fit for small-size devices. It has less power consumption along with
reduced complexity in its circuits.

They can be applied to various designs such as 32-bit devices and embedded systems. They
can even be upgraded according to user needs.

Features of ARM Processor

 Multiprocessing System

 Tightly Coupled Memory

 Memory Management

 Thumb-2 Technology

 One-Cycle Execution Time

 Pipelining

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  A large number of Registers

1. Multiprocessing Systems: ARM processors are designed to be used in cases of

multiprocessing systems where more than one processor is used to process information. The
First AMP processor introduced by the name of ARMv6K could support 4 CPUs along with
its hardware.

2. Tightly Coupled Memory: The memory of ARM processors is tightly coupled. This has a
very fast response time. It has low latency (quick response) that can also be used in cases of
cache memory being unpredictable.

3. Memory Management: ARM processor has a management section. This includes

Memory Management Unit and Memory Protection Unit. These management systems
become very important in managing memory efficiently.

4. Thumb-2 Technology: Thumb-2 Technology was introduced in 2003 and was used to
create variable-length instruction sets. It extends the 16-bit instructions of initial Thumb
technology to 32-bit instructions. It has better performance than previously used Thumb
technology.

5. One-Cycle Execution Time: ARM processor is optimized for each instruction on the
CPU. Each instruction is of a fixed length that allows time for fetching future instructions
before executing the present instructions. ARM has CPI (Clock Per Instruction) of one cycle.

6. Pipelining: Processing of instructions is done in parallel using pipelines. Instructions are

broken down and decoded in one pipeline stage. The channel advances one step at a time to
increase throughput (rate of processing).

7. A large number of Registers: A large number of registers are used in ARM processors to
prevent large amounts of memory interactions. Records contain data and addresses. These act
as a local memory store for all operations.

Advantages of ARM Processor

 ARM processors deal with a single processor at a time, which makes it faster and it
also consumes lesser power.

 ARM processors work in the case of a multiprogramming system, where more than
one processor is used to process information.

 ARM processors are cheaper than other processors, which makes them usable in
mobile phones.

 ARM processors are scalable, and this feature helps it in using a variety of devices.

Disadvantages of ARM Processor

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  ARM processors are not stable with x86 processors, and due to this, they cannot be
used in Windows Systems.

 ARM processors are not capable of very high performance, which limits them to a
variety of applications.

 ARM processor execution is a little hard, which requires skilled programmers to use
it.

 ARM processor is inefficient in handling Scheduling instructions.

ARM v/s x-86

ARM x86

ARM uses Reduced Instruction Set Computing x86 uses Complex Instruction Set
Architecture (RISC). Architecture (CISC).

ARM works by executing single instruction x86 works by executing complex

per cycle. instructions at once and it requires more
than one cycle.

Performance can be optimized by a Software- Performance can be optimized by Hardware

based approach. based approach.

ARM processors require fewer registers, but x86 processors require less memory, but
they require more memory. more registers.

Execution is faster in ARM Processes. Execution is slower in an x86 Processor.

ARM Processor work by generating multiple x86 Processors work by executing complex
instructions from a complex instruction and statements at a single time.
they are executed separately.

ARM processors use the memory which is x86 processors require some extra memory
already available to them. for calculations.

ARM processors are deployed in mobiles x86 processors are deployed in Servers,
which deal with the consumption of power, Laptops where performance and stability
speed, and size. matter.

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 AVR v/s ARM

AVR ARM

AVR micro controller refers to Advanced ARM micro controller refers to Advanced
Virtual RISC (AVR). RISC Micro-controller (ARM).

It has bus width of 8 bit or 32 bit. It has bus width of 32 bit and also available
in 64 bit.

It uses ART, USART, SPI, I2C It uses SPI, CAN, Ethernet, I2S, DSP, SAI,
communication protocol. UART, USART communication protocol.

Its speed is 1 clock per instruction cycle. Its speed is also 1 clock per instruction
cycle.

Its manufacturer is Atmel company. Its manufacturer is Apple, Nvidia,

Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics and TI
etc.

It uses Flash, SRAM, EEPROM memory. It uses Flash, SDRAM, EEPROM memory.

Its family includes Tiny, Atmega, Xmega, Its family includes ARMv4, 5, 6, 7 and
special purpose AVR. series.

It is cheap and effective. It provides high speed operation.

Popular micro-controllers include Atmega8, Popular micro-controllers include

16, 32, Arduino Community. LPC2148, ARM Cortex-M0 to ARM
Cortex-M7, etc.

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 PIC v/s ARM

PIC ARM

PIC micro-controller refers to Peripheral ARM micro-controller refers to Advanced

Interface Controller. RISC Machine.

PIC micro-controllers are available in 8-bit, ARM micro-controllers are available in 32-
16-bit and 32-bit. bit mostly also available in 64-bit.

It supports PIC, UART, USART, CAN, LIN, It supports UART, USART, SPI, CAN, LIN,
Ethernet, SPI, I2S communication protocol. I2C, Ethernet, I2S, DSP, SAI
communication protocol.

It has an effective instruction rate of 4 clock It has an effective instruction rate of 1 clock
cycles per instruction. cycles per instruction.

It uses SRAM, Flash memory. It uses Flash, SDRAM, EEPROM memory.

It is based on some feature of RISC. It is based on RISC instruction set

architecture.

It is based on Harvard memory architecture. It is based on modified Harvard architecture.

PIC micro-controller family includes PIC16, ARM micro-controller family includes

PIC17, PIC18, PIC24, PIC32. ARMv4, 5, 6, 7 and series.

It has a very good community support. It has a vast community support.

Its manufacturer is Microchip. Its manufacturers are Apple, Nvidia,

Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, and TI etc.

It is available with an average cost as It is available with a low cost as compared to

compared to the features. the features.

Popular micro-controllers include Popular micro-controllers include LPC2148,

PIC18fXX8, PIC16f88X, PIC32MXX. ARM Cortex-M0 to ARM Cortex-M7, etc.

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Department of Electronics – D. B. College, Keezhoor