Meta SoC Processor

The Meta family of 32-bit SoC processor IP cores is a unique range of embedded processors that use hardware multi-threading to combine both general purpose and DSP capabilities with exceptional tolerance to SoC system latencies while also delivering high levels of real-time response. Hardware multi-threading is a key technology for Imagination.

Many conventional processors are regularly stalled while waiting for memory requests to complete, causing as much as 50% of the processing resource to be wasted. Meta processors run a wide range of operating systems, including full Linux (both single processor and SMP), and our own MeOS RTOS (Real Time Operating System). Indeed, Meta is the only processor architecture able to support multiple OSs without the need for any virtualisation layer.

Each thread in a Meta can be configured to be either to be 'GP (general purpose)' or 'DSP'. The GP threads utilise a highly optimized RISC-like instruction set, with smaller footprint instruction sets also available to minimize code size. Each DSP thread adds ALU resources and more registers to enable the processor to execute advanced DSP algorithms such as audio codecs, modems and more.
Find out more about Meta AXD Audio

	HTP	MTP	LTP
Class	Application Processor	Embedded Processor	Micro-Controller
Threads	2 or 4	2 or 4	1
MMU		-	-
TCM
Cache			-
DSP	Optional	Optional	-