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Mobile Computing
ST-Ericsson was first in the industry to announce Symmetrical Multicore Processors (SMP) for smartphones and we have led the SMP adoption together with ARM® for operating systems like SymbianTM and AndroidTM, and also in optimized applications such as video decoding. The demand on device capabilities is reaching new heights in terms of processing power, 3D graphics capabilities, fast web browsing, and high-definition multimedia. To enable this evolution, our solutions need to be scalable, power smart and provide right performance level for the right use case. Multicore processors deliver scalable performance at low power and offers high levels of design flexibility for mobile devices.
MULTICORE PROCESSORS FOR HIGH POWER
EFFICIENCY, LOW COST & SMALL SIZE
Multicore architectures have direct benefits on the platform such as reduced access times, reduced foot print and increase joint circuitry (such as caches, busses, etc.). These benefits are directly translated into cost, size and efficiency savings.
Background
In the past years, processor technologies have evolved to GHz clock levels in singlecore architectures. Highly clocked processors offer attractive performance and bring smoother applications and user experience. However, while it is possible to push the frequency further, it is not without diminishing returns. This is what we call the “sweet spot” where the benefits of faster clocking are outweighed by the increase in power consumption and related thermal issues.
This is where scaling performance through multi-processing becomes a must. A multicore processor is composed of two or more independent cores and in a Symmetrical Multicore Processor (SMP) the cores are identical and can be used independently or combined as one processing engine. Multicore processor architecture is a proven solution to address peak performance demands while addressing the need for low power consumption.
What is SMP?
A multicore processor is composed of two or more independent cores and in a Symmetrical Multicore Processor (SMP) the cores are identical and can be used independently or combined as one processing engine.
This is a proven solution to address peak performance demands while addressing the need for low power. Multicore processors deliver highly scalable performance at low power offering high levels of design flexibility for mobile devices.
