Share via

MIPS Guide

  • Article

MIPS Technologies, Inc. designs high-performance, low-power, 32-bit and 64-bit reduced instruction-set computing (RISC) microprocessor architectures and cores for embedded systems. MIPS licenses technology to semiconductor companies and system OEMs. Together with our licensees, MIPS provides a full range of 32- and 64-bit CPUs, architecture licenses, and application-specific extensions. Many manufacturers base their Windows CE products on the MIPS architecture, including handheld computers and set-top boxes.

MIPS Technologies offers the broadest family of microprocessor cores in the industry. Cores from MIPS Technologies are targeted for use by semiconductor manufacturing companies, ASIC developers, and systems OEMs who integrate their intellectual property with a MIPS microprocessor core in several application areas, including office automation, communications, network management, digital consumer devices, and many others.

The MIPS RISC architecture CPUs range from 50MHz 32-bit R3000 based devices up to 266MHZ 64-bit R5000 based CPUs. In addition, the MIPS16 code compression offers a 40 percent reduction in code size while retaining full compatibility with existing binaries. MIPS-based implementations are available with die sizes that range from 2-sq. mm to 300-sq. mm and very low power consumption — with the introduction of the MIPS64 20K CPUs, as low as 0.5mW/MHz, which is vital for long life in battery-powered, hand-held devices. MIPS-based microprocessors will achieve up to 1,000 million instructions per second, which is two to three times faster than any rival microprocessors so far announced. In addition to the multiple CPU/cache/peripheral combinations possible, more than 160 software tools and operating systems (OSs) support the MIPS architecture, including compilers, debuggers, target resident monitors and in-circuit emulators (ICE).

MIPS Technologies leads the Windows CE Development Alliance, which includes the following leading Windows CE microprocessor developers:

  • Integrated Device Technologies (IDT)
  • LSI Logic
  • Quantum Effect Design
  • Toshiba
  • Philips Semiconductors
  • NEC

See Also

About Supported Microprocessors | About Microprocessor Compilers | MIPS Calling Sequence Specification | Stand-alone MIPS Assembler | MIPS Device Inline Assembly Language

 Last updated on Thursday, April 08, 2004

© 1992-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.