Processor design for industrial applications

The ARM^reg microprocessor architecture was developed in Cambridge, UK during the 1980s by a team of engineers spun out from Acorn Computers. Several iterations and billions of ARM Powered^reg devices later, it is established as a processor in a wide variety of products, ranging from cell phones and MP3 players through to anti-lock braking systems. Many industrial applications already employ ARM processors in an embedded form alongside existing 8-bit and 16-bit microcontrollers. In recent years, ARM has devoted specific engineering resources to understanding and addressing the requirements of hard real-time applications. The following paper identifies and describes three areas of importance for future industrial devices and examines how these are influencing the application of ARM processors in this domain.