- Chip giant Arm is expanding the way existing and new partners can access and license the technology for semiconductor design through a program called Arm Flexible Access
Chip giant Arm announced that it is going to be expanding the way existing and new partners can access and license technology for semiconductor design through a program called Arm Flexible Access. Arm Flexible Access is a new engagement model for enabling SoC design teams to initiate projects before licensing IP and paying only for what they use at production.
“Arm Flexible Access was created to address the opportunities presented by a world of one trillion securely connected devices,” said Rene Haas — the president of the Intellectual Property Group at Arm. “By converging unlimited design access with no up-front licensing commitment, we are empowering existing partners and new market players to address new growth opportunities in IoT, machine learning, self-driving cars, and 5G.”
Some of the partners that have signed on to the new Arm engagement model include AlphaICs, Invecas, and Nordic Semiconductor. Arm Flexible Access complements the standard Arm licensing which will continue to be the best option for partners seeking access to Arm’s full product portfolio and most advanced IP.
“INVECAS works with an incredibly diverse set of customers from across the globe – Arm Flexible Access will help us meet the needs of those customers by combining proven Arm processor & system IP with our own silicon proven Interface IP and develop the optimal ASIC Design Solution for our customers,” explained Invecas CEO Dasaradha Gude.
Generally, partners license individual components from Arm and pay a license fee upfront before they can access the technology. And with Arm Flexible Access they pay a modest fee for immediate access to a broad portfolio of technology, then paying a license fee only when they commit to manufacturing followed by royalties for each unit shipped. This portfolio includes all the essential Intellectual Property (IP) and tools needed for an SoC design thus making it easier to evaluate or prototype with multiple IP blocks before committing to licenses.
“The changes we are introducing in our IP licensing business are significant and a direct result of what is happening in the backyards of our 500+ licensing partners. That is particularly true when it comes to IoT, AI and 5G applications. But our experience has shown us that long-time and new customers can reap great rewards equally from being able to experiment more easily before committing to a particular technology path, and Arm Flexible Access enables that,” wrote Dipti Vachani — SVP and GM of Arm’s automotive and IoT business.
IP available through Arm Flexible Access includes the majority of Arm-based processors within the Arm Cortex-A, -R and -M families. These CPUs accounted for 75% of all Cortex CPU licenses signed over the last two years. And it also includes Arm TrustZone and CryptoCell security IP, select Mali GPUs, system IP alongside tools and models for SoC design and early software development. Access to Arm’s global support and training services are also included.
“Nordic’s range of advanced wireless products has expanded significantly in recent years in line with the rapid pace of innovation and new standards. With diverse markets and a broad line of products we need the ability to select exactly the right foundational processor, security technology and other important features for every project. Freely selecting what we need and then paying only for what we use through Arm Flexible Access will enable us to deliver the right solution every time,” added Trond Sæther — Director IPR at Nordic Semiconductor
AlphaICs is aiming to create the next-gen of AI compute for autonomous edge and data center applications as well as low-power embedded applications. These broad-ranging ambitions mean AlphaICs needs access to a range of Arm CPUs and security IP. But Arm’s traditional upfront licensing model made it tough for their balance sheet to accommodate.
“We are working on several products to address AI use cases in automotive, IoT gateways and edge computing. For this, we need access to a wide range of IP and the ability to rapidly evaluate, prototype and design. Arm’s Flexible Access model gives us that agile approach to IP for the first time,” commented AlphaICs CEO Nagendra Nagaraja.
Arm’s advanced and energy-efficient processor designs have enabled intelligent computing in more than 145 billion chips. And over 70% of the world’s population are using Arm technology — which is securely powering products from the sensor to the smartphone to the supercomputer.
“The rapidly progressing Artificial Intelligence space requires our team to stay ahead of our customer’s needs. Arm Flexible Access enables us to incorporate the right Arm CPU in Quadric’s Edge SOC to deliver real-time computing on edge devices. We are excited to be an early adopter,” pointed out Quadric.io CEO and co-founder Veerbhan Kheterpal
Arm’s technology combined with IoT software and end-to-end connectivity, device, and data management platform enables customers to derive real business value from their connected devices and data. And the company works with over 1,000 technology partners.
“As a leading ASIC supplier, our customers are demanding a wider range of innovative solutions in increasingly shorter timeframes, driven by emerging trends such as automotive and industrial IoT. In a competitive landscape, we need to deliver these solutions as quickly as possible, and Arm Flexible Access offers clear, transparent pricing where we only pay for what we use, enabling us to meet this demand,” noted Megachips Officer and Senior General Manager Gen Sasaki.
