XAP processor

A XAP^® processor provides the computation element within an Integrated Circuit that has to process digital data. A family of 16- and 32-bit XAP processors have been designed and implemented by Cambridge Consultants Ltd. since 1993. The processor is embedded within an application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC, with other digital logic circuits and it will often also include some analogue input or output interfaces, i.e a mixed-signal ASIC. XAP processors target low power, low cost, high volume ASICs intended for applications such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, GPS, RFID, Near Field Communication and other wireless technologies. They are also very appropriate for ASICs in sensors or implantable devices like hearing aids.

The XAP processor is designed using the Verilog language and is provided as a so called 'soft IP core' where IP means Intellectual Property. ASIC engineers will often assemble their design using a set of such cores, or circuit components, licensed from IP providers, which means they do not have to design everything from scratch and can instead re-use cores that are already proved elsewhere.

All XAP processors have a RISC architecture. They are supported with xIDE software development tools and SIF debug technology, which all assist designers to get their ASIC right first time.

Three XAP processors are now available.

• 16-bits:
  • XAP4, addresses 64 KB memory.
  • XAP5, addresses 16 MB memory.
• 32-bits:
  • XAP3, addresses 4 GB memory.

® XAP is a registered trademark of Cambridge Consultants Ltd.

External links

• Cambridge Consultants homepage
• XAP information from Cambridge Consultants