Microcontroller Interface Standard Closer to Becoming a Reality
5 April 1999
Microcontroller Interface Standard Closer to Becoming a Reality; Global Consortium for Embedded Processor Debug Interface Standard Strengthened with Nineteen New Members
SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 5 -- The Global Embedded Processor
Debug Interface Standard Consortium (http://www.nexus-standard.org) has more than
quadrupled its membership in the last six months. The consortium has been
working to rapidly define a global, open, embedded processor development
interface standard for embedded control applications. Nineteen new members
have joined the original five founding members, adding breadth and depth to
the industry-wide specification development effort.
The founding members, ETAS Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Hitachi
Semiconductor (America) Inc., Infineon Technologies (formerly known as Siemens
Microelectronics), and Motorola Inc., represent embedded processor suppliers
and independent tools providers. The new members add valuable software and
additional hardware expertise, as well as endorsement and support for the
implementation of the specification. The new members are: Accurate
Technologies Inc., Applied Dynamics International, Applied Microsystems
Corporation, Ashling Microsystems Ltd., CAD-UL, Digital Logic Instruments,
Embedded System Products Inc., Emulation Technology Inc., Green Hills
Software, Inc., HIWARE, Integrated Systems Inc., Lauterbach Datentechnik GmbH;
Metrowerks Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Nohau Corporation,
Noral Micrologics, PLX Technology, Inc., Software Development Systems Inc.,
and Yokogawa Digital Computer Corp.
The consortium membership now represents all aspects of the technologies
required for embedded control applications. The original members provided
expertise in the areas of semiconductor and hardware development tools. The
new members will strengthen the consortium in the areas of software tool
expertise (emulators, compilers, simulators, debuggers, RTOS's, etc.) as well
as additional hardware expertise. The support and involvement of these
additional companies will assure that this specification receives accurate and
thorough content development and review, helping to expedite its endorsement
and implementation.
As the consortium announces its jump in membership, it also reaches an
important milestone -- the April 1999 release of Version 1.0 of the
specification. This is significant because it is expected to be the first
version to be implemented in new microprocessors and their development tools.
The new interface will serve to standardize accessibility and functionality
across a broad range of microprocessors as they are developed.
Although the initial focus of the specification effort has been automotive
powertrain applications, the goal is to develop a general purpose
specification, encompassing all industries that will benefit from this
standard interface, such as data communications and computer peripherals,
wireless systems and other embedded control applications.
About the Consortium
The consortium was organized to rapidly define a global, open, embedded
processor development interface standard for embedded control applications.
This initiative was organized by leading microprocessor and development tools
companies. For more information, visit the consortium web site at
http://www.nexus-standard.org. To contact the consortium members, send email to
committee@nexus-standard.org.