LONDON — ARM has started licensing its Cortex-M3 processor-based SecurCore SC300 processor, designed specifically for smart card applications, and says it is initially working with three Tier 1 contactless IC vendors.
The SecurCore SC300 processor combines the security technology embedded in other SecurCore processors— already a widely-licensed 32-bit RISC CPU for smart cards — with the code efficiency of the Thumb-2 instruction set architecture.
ARM (Cambridge, England) says this doubles the energy efficiency and performance.
ARM would not name the companies it is collaborating with but said by working with the three contactless IC developers, the SecurCore SC300 processor "will enable more functionality to be embedded in a smart card or SIM card than ever before, with minimal additional silicon area."
The chip partners are most likely to be Samsung, ST Microelectronics and NXP Semiconductors, who, together with smart card supplier Giesecke & Devrient, endorsed ARM's announcement of the SC300 processor at the Cartes trade show taking place this week in Paris.
The processor also features fast real-time handling of multiple interfaces for new high-speed and contactless applications, including Smart Card Web Server (SWCS) and Near Field Communication (NFC).
