History

The Cortex-M23 is a microcontroller core from ARM Holdings’ Cortex family of cores. It is a 32-bit processor with a Harvard architecture, meaning it has separate memory spaces for instructions and data. The Cortex-M23 was first introduced in 2017 as an upgrade to the Cortex-M3 and Cortex-M4 cores. It offers improved performance and additional features compared to its predecessor cores.

Architecture

The Cortex-M23 core is designed for microcontroller applications and is optimized for low power consumption. It has a Harvard architecture with separate memory spaces for instructions and data. The processor has a three-stage pipeline, with the stages being fetch, decode, and execute. The Cortex-M23 supports a wide range of memory types, including ROM, RAM, flash, and EEPROM. It also has a Memory Protection Unit (MPU) to enable memory protection and isolation.

Features

• 32-bit processor with a Harvard architecture
• Three-stage pipeline
• Support for various memory types
• Memory Protection Unit (MPU)
• Low power consumption
• Enhanced debug features

Benefits

• Improved performance: The Cortex-M23 has a higher clock speed and a more efficient pipeline compared to its predecessor cores, resulting in improved performance.
• Additional features: The Cortex-M23 has enhanced debug features, making it easier to debug and troubleshoot code. It also has a Memory Protection Unit (MPU) to enable memory protection and isolation.
• Low power consumption: The Cortex-M23 is optimized for low power consumption, making it suitable for battery-powered applications.

Benchmarks

The Cortex-M23 has a clock speed of up to 120 MHz and can achieve a Dhrystone MIPS (DMIPS) performance of up to 256. It also has a single-cycle MAC (multiply-accumulate) unit, which enables it to perform fast mathematical operations.

Description of the Block Diagram

It includes the following components:

• Instruction fetch unit: responsible for fetching instructions from memory
• Decode unit: responsible for decoding instructions
• Execute unit: responsible for executing instructions
• Memory Protection Unit (MPU): responsible for memory protection and isolation
• Interrupt controller: responsible for handling interrupts
• System control block: responsible for system-level functions such as clock and power management

Add-Ons

There are a number of add-ons available for the Cortex-M23 core, including:

• Floating-point unit (FPU): adds floating-point arithmetic support to the Cortex-M23
• Cryptography extensions: adds support for cryptographic algorithms such as AES and SHA
• Ethernet MAC: adds support for Ethernet communication
• USB device: adds support for USB communication

Usage

The Cortex-M23 was first used in 2017 in a variety of microcontroller applications. It is commonly used in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, industrial control systems, and consumer electronics. Some examples of products that use the Cortex-M23 include smart home devices, industrial automation equipment, and wearable devices.

There are many products that use the Cortex-M23 microcontroller. Here are a few examples:

• The NXP S32K144 microcontroller is based on the Cortex-M23 and is used in a variety of automotive applications, including powertrain and safety systems.

• The STMicroelectronics STM32G0 microcontroller is based on the Cortex-M23 and is used in a variety of applications, including IoT devices, industrial control systems, and consumer electronics.

• The Atmel SAML10 microcontroller is based on the Cortex-M23 and is used in a variety of applications, including smart home devices, wearable devices, and industrial automation equipment.

These are just a few examples of products that use the Cortex-M23 microcontroller. It is used in many other products as w