AMULET2e: An Asynchronous Embedded Controller

S.B. Furber, J.D. Garside, P. Riocreux, S. Temple, P. Day, J. Liu, N.C. Paver

Abstract

AMULET2e is an embedded system chip incorporating a 32-bit ARM-compatible asynchronous processor core, a 4 Kbyte pipelined cache, a flexible memory interface with dynamic bus sizing and assorted programmable control functions. Many on-chip performance-enhancing and power-saving features are switchable, enabling detailed experimental analysis of their effectiveness.

AMULET2e silicon demonstrates competitive performance and power-efficiency, ease of system design, and includes innovative features that exploit its asynchronous operation to advantage in applications that require low stand-by power and/or freedom from the electromagnetic interference generated by system clocks.

Proceedings of the IEEE, volume 87, number 2 (February 1999), pp. 243-256, ISSN 0018-9219